Lighten Up

by Connie Handscomb

Title

Lighten Up

Artist

Connie Handscomb

Medium

Photograph - Photography - Fine Art

Description

And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
~William Wordsworth [fr. I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud]
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Daffodil incl Pheasants Eye (Daffadown Dilly)
(Narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Genus: Narcissus

There are 13 divisions of daffodils, each classed according to the daffodil's form. They range in colours from white to golden yellows, orange, pink, red, and green. They can last a long time: 30-50 years.

It is the national emblem of Wales, and grows wild in England and Wales. The Elizabethans called it the Lent lily, as it was believed to flower for the first time on St. David's Day. The Victorians of England used it as a symbol for Chivalry, while Eastern cultures believe it brings wealth and good fortune. The Chinese use it as a symbol for their New Year (for good luck).

While the bulbs are poisonous, and can cause paralysis and/or death, it has been used with care medicinally. Homeopathic remedies for bronchitis and whooping cough have been made from the bulb. Fresh roots have been used as a purgative, although primarily they were used externally: bruised roots were used to treat aching joints and to heal wounds and burns. More recently, pharmaceutical companies have isolated galanthamine from the bulbs to be produce synthetic drugs in the treatment of Alzheimer's.

Whether they are found in the woodlands, or on a grassy bank, they like the sun's rays; in fact, another floral symbol for the daffodil is Sunshine.

Sources:
Hatfield's Herbal: The Secret History Of British Plants [Gabrielle Hatfield]
Four Chefs, One Garden : Seasons Of West Coast Living [Roy]
Culpeper's Color Herbal [Potterton]
The Romantic Language Of Flowers [Davies; Saunders]
Clay Perry's Fantastic Flowers (Text M.Perry)

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Oh my yes ....these perky yellow blooms are a very welcome sight in the springtime! A buzz of happiness zings through me when I see them poking through the earth. The rains have been falling steadily and heavily the last few months; even so, my heart feels lighter seeing these and knowing springtime has arrived.

Like the deluge of water we have had lately falling upon us from overhead, this daffodil blends into a puddle of colour. Nature ... in all its splendour :)

Uploaded

March 27th, 2017

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