WHEN ALL AT ONCE...

The daffodils on verges near us are often blooming very early and this year was no exception - in fact, at the very beginning of January, Mr. HCB pointed them out to me in the middle of a very large roundabout connecting many roads.  

I did try and take a “drive by” shot but that was not a success.  The roads connecting to this roundabout are very busy so it would be dangerous to try and get on to the actual roundabout, so I gave up that idea - not like me, I know, but I can’t run as fast since my back surgery!  ;-) 

However, today I had to go out early so when I came back was eagerly looking for some daffodils and - with apologies to William Wordsworth:

“...all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils; 
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”

They weren’t exactly a host and they definitely weren’t beside a lake, but there were quite a lot beneath trees and fluttering and dancing in the breeze - those that were out in their splendid yellow dresses were dancing anyway.

When I got out of the car, I saw that these two were doing a slow smooch dance - while others were still asleep - perhaps they had been out dancing yesterday - so here is my entry today for Flower Friday and these two dancing daffodils definitely filled my heart with pleasure for me when I got home and looked at them on my computer screen:

“For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.”

William Wordsworth didn’t have the advantage of having a computer to bring back those memories, but his poem has delighted many in the years since it was written in 1804, two years after his sister Dorothy had written her journal entry on 15 April 1802 describing the “long belt” of daffodils they had both seen and I’m sure that many of us can recite at least a part of it, if not all of it - I know for sure that two Blip friends will be able to recite the whole poem, which you can read in full here!

Have a great weekend and stay warm and safe.  M xx

P.S.  I do apologise for not responding to all the wonderful comments about yesterday's Blip that celebrated my Mum's 100th Birthday.  I was at Community Fridge in the morning and it was full on and then home to cook a meal before going out to a Church Meeting last night.  However, I thank you all MOST SINCERELY - Mum would have been thrilled to see all your lovely comments, as was I!  M xx