When I was a little girl, my mother planted a bed of daffodils in the front yard.  It was underneath my bedroom window and the flowers always bloomed around my birthday, in early March.  To me, they were the first sign of spring.  Even though hyacinths generally bloom earlier, they always seem like more of a late-winter flower than an early-spring one…obviously I have no idea what I’m talking about .  Anyway, daffodils are my favorite flower – doesn’t that make sense?….my name is Daphne…just extrapolate it on out…Daphne, Daffy, Daff, Daffodil…I’ve been called Daffodil many, many time in my life.  But more than the name, I love the way they smell, I love the color, and I love that they are such a fleeting flower.  Since they’re not as popular as roses or carnations or daisies or lilies, you can’t find them year-round.  They only show up for a very short time in late winter and very early spring.  Steve’s dad had a bed of them at his house, too, and they were blooming the first time I met him, which I took as a sign that I was meant to marry Steve.  Of course, I took everything at that time as a sign that I was supposed to marry him.  Steve, on the other hand, wasn’t seeing signs anywhere….it took him a while to get with the program…but that’s another story for another time. 

So, it’s been a long winter for everyone I think.  And while I realize that we here in Florida have very little to complain about weather-wise in the winter, well, I’m still complaining.  It’s been colder than normal, rainier than normal, and we’re just not built to handle it here.  I’m ready for a good, hot Florida summer (remind of this in August when I’m complaining about the heat, will ya?).  So, I’m looking for anything that will server as a harbinger of spring.  And I found one in Winn Dixie on Friday – this tiny little bouquet of daffodils.  I brought them home and put them in a vase and I smile every time I look at them.

But, alas, the cold is still here.  It was blustery and chilly yesterday and here’s the proof that Old Man Winter is still hanging around…

Although, I’m not sure that this is a true reminder of winter.  I think Gracie is going to wear this hat and scarf no matter how hot it gets.  As much as I love spring and summer, Gracie loves winter.  She asked the other day if we could move somewhere that it snowed all the time and she could ice skate everyday.  No, sweet girl, we can not, unless it’s a place where daffodils bloom all the time….