Daffy-Down-Dilly (Or, Daffydowndilly*)

Daffy-down-dilly

Has come to town

With a yellow petticoat

And a pretty green gown.

Do you remember this nursery rhyme? I think it was also told as a riddle and you had to guess who/what had come to town. I couldn't guess the riddle the first time, but after hearing it once I never forgot the answer. Daffodil!

My daffies are almost all done blooming now, the picture was taken the 3rd of April. But I look forward to their cheerfulness every spring.

I remember when I worked in Corning years ago and members of the American Cancer Society promoted Daffodil Days as a fund raiser for cancer research. They came around in January taking orders and then the bouquets were delivered in March. I don't remember the cost of a dozen daffodils, but it wasn't much - maybe five dollars. I do remember two of the women soliciting were both former teachers of mine at our one-room country school. (June, first grade and Vera, grades three through eight.) Sometimes by the time the bouquets were delivered, I had forgotten about them and was nicely surprised. But usually I remembered and looked forward to the lovely reminder that Spring was upon us. 

This is The Daffodil Fairy, one of Cicely Mary Barker's Spring Flower Fairies. And this is her poem:

"I'm everyone's darling: the blackbird and starling

Are shouting about me from blossoming boughs;

For I, the Lent-Lily, the Daffy-down-dilly,

Have heard through the country the call to arouse.

The orchards are ringing with voices a-singing

The praise of my petticoat, praise of my gown;

The children are playing, and hark! they are saying

That Daffy-down-dilly is come up to town!

Last fall I moved these King Alfred daffodils from the north side of the house to the south side where I can more easily see and enjoy them. 

Our weather has been unseasonably cool lately, but it is supposed to start warming up after today. I hope so - I usually plant something for Earth Day, which is tomorrow. Maybe this year I will plant whatever I decide to get in a pot so I can bring it inside if necessary. 

I hope you are enjoying spring wherever you are.

(* The first mention of Daffydowndilly was in the title of a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1843 called "Little Daffydowndilly".)