There ought to be daffodils

Today is Barbara's birthday.
She is both my mother-in-law, and friend. Lucky me!
Last year we were together on her birthday, and the year before that Laura, Barbara and I celebrated her day together, just us girls, in Scotland.

This year I will make do by calling her on her birthday to celebrate, and hope the gift we sent her arrived on time.
Her day of her birth was actually March 3, 1930.
3-3-30.
Easy to remember.

For her 50th birthday, I gave her a gift four days late:
A grandson named Jeff.
Jeff was her third grandson, but the first with the family last name.
That counts for something, I think.
Beginning in early March, when the kids were still at home, we would watch for daffodils blooming in my garden.
One year I had planted 300!
What a feast for the eyes that was!

Every morning Jeff would go outside and tell me how many daffodils were blooming.
Daffodils being the birth flower symbol for the month of March, they seemed to be announcing that his big day was soon to arrive.

Funny how that works. I was born in April, and my mom remembers the cherry trees blossoms falling while she was carrying me. I remember the periwinkle blue jacaranda blossoms falling on my car while I carried my daughter Laura.

While Laura's birth flower is larkspur, (July), the more consistent flower to bloom around her birthday was the belladona lilly, also known as "Naked Ladies" because the bell shaped flowers bloom atop a long stalk with nary a single leaf to provide a dressing around the floral event.
We haven't had any luck with daffodils here in Texas. Occasionally I see a white variety blooming here and there.
But they just don't do well in the heavy clay soil of our area.

Sometimes you just have to make do.

Instead of watching for yellow daffodils at this time of year, I now look forward to the exuberant blooms of the Carolina Jessamine.

The fence on the north side of our house is draped with the Jessamine vine. We can see it from our sun room/TV room/office area through the plantation shutters.

Such a lovely southern feeling to see flowers all abloom through heavy white shutters!

The breeze travels through our narrow side yard with the jessamine on the fence, and with its passing it captures the fragrance of the flower, which delightfully mimics the scent of daffodils.

Isn't that wonderful?

Carolina Jessamine does grow wild here. Or wildly I should say.

When we first moved here I was puzzled to see the forests of Loblolly pines covered in yellow blossoms.

I was pretty sure pine trees didn't have yellow flowers...but being Texas and all, it is always wise to plan on being surprised.

The surprise was that the Carolina Jessamine vine grew up all the trees and was merrily playing tricks on me. Pine trees, with yellow flowers indeed.

I will always think of Jeff and Barbara whenever I see daffodils. But for today, Carolina Jessamine will have to do.

And their blossoms are so abundant, I will not try to count them, but instead just enjoy.

Please enjoy taking a walk with me today.

There is a custom call "Looking for the leading edge of Spring", or Primavera, where you look to document signs of spring.

I took the walk yesterday, and posted the signs here.

If you select slide show, and put the display speed at 3 seconds per picture, the "walk" should take you a little under three minutes.

You won't burn any calories on this walk, but I promise, it will put your mood into great shape!