Touring Ireland--Daffodils

Welcome back. Today’s blog post continues Sharon F.’s visit to Ireland as she delves into daffodils. If you missed it, Sharon’s travel began last Friday (Touring Ireland--Waterfalls).

Q. What’s Green and Yellow in Spring? A. Ireland with Daffodils.

A daffodil.
(Multiple websites)

Even in my cramped back seat in the car, I could see crowds of daffodils everywhere we went in Ireland. Daffodils are part of the Narcissus genus of spring perennial plants that flourish in many places of the world including North America, Europe and North Africa. A trumpet-shaped corona surmounts their jaunty six petal flowers. Usually, daffodils are white, yellow or orange.

Daffodils along a
millstream in Ireland.

Daffodils were popular in ancient Greece and Rome where it was believed they had healing powers. Roman invaders brought the bulbs with them as they marched across Europe. 

A drift of daffodils on the lawn of
a bed-and-breakfast in Ireland.

The bulbs are very hardy and resistant to voracious deer and squirrels. The bulbs multiply rapidly and form large, long-lived clumps that reappear every spring. 

In Ireland, we saw huge drifts of daffodils lining highways and tiny laneways. The banks of rivers, forest edges and parks were filled with massive plantings that brightened even the cloudiest day. 

Daffodils in a formal garden
 setting in Ireland.

The Irish Cancer Society, like many cancer societies worldwide, has adopted this yellow beauty as part of their Campaign of Hope. The annual Daffodil Day fundraiser brightens not only the roadsides but also people’s lives.  

It’s easy to plant daffodils in the fall and see a lovely reward each spring--no matter where you roam!

A farm of daffodils in Ireland. (Photo was taken in fear after climbing over a stile labelled with a huge Beware of Bull sign. He, presumably, bellowed nonstop as we explored the nearby burial site of an ancient king.)

The great English poet, William Wordsworth may have said it best:

"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils…"


Once again, thank you to Sharon for sharing her adventures and to you for joining us. You can find other essays by Sharon on the Stage of Life website (www.stageoflife.com), where she posts on the Empty Nest and Retirement Stage under the name Silver Fox.

Touring Ireland--Waterfalls

Welcome back. Today, I celebrate the return of Sharon F. as guest blogger. You may recall that Sharon, a retired elementary school principal in southern Ontario, Canada, blogged about Stepping into Fitness a few months ago (see P.S.). More recently, she toured Ireland, an experience she’s now ready to report.
 
Why Is Ireland So Green?

Everyone has heard the legend of the Emerald Isle--the greenest place on earth. This past spring, I had a wonderful opportunity to spend several weeks visiting Ireland. 

Map of Ireland off continental
Europe. Compiled from maps on
multiple websites)

Take my word for it, it was green. 

Why so green? I learned that the North Atlantic Drift, a branch of the Gulf Stream traveling from Florida, reaches Ireland’s west coast, moderating the temperature. I also learned that annual rainfall averages about 30 to 55 inches, exceeding 79 inches in mountainous districts. The average number of wet days each year varies from about 150 in the east to 225 in the west. (That’s a lot.)

Much of Ireland is now rural farmland and little of the original forest cover remains. As we drove throughout the countryside, we relished the rolling hills and many overflowing rivers and streams that rushed down to the sea.

Why I Turned Green in Ireland

For several weeks, I was relegated to backseat navigator. My husband and his brother claimed the front seats of our little standard-shift car. 

Road map in author’s lap with south-
western Ireland route highlighted.

Whenever we were hopelessly lost or coming ‘round the roundabout yet again, my navigational skills were required to get us safely back on course. No one else in our car seemed to understand that a map should be held with north at the top, and that time and distance can be indicated or estimated with a map and the road signs.

Did I mention the many rivers and streams? I forgot about the waterfalls. There are hundreds of waterfalls, and my fellow travelers felt it was important to stop, get out of the car, and hike out to see each one. But I was too fed up with backseat navigating and stopping to rush over and look at every waterfall along the way.

One of Ireland’s waterfalls
photographed by author--not #43.

We were partway up a mountain, when one passenger screamed, “Stop! Pull over. There’s a waterfall.” My husband sharply swerved to the side of the road and stopped the car. The other three travelers leapt out of the car and headed off to look at Wonderful Waterfall #43. I sat and sulked in the cramped back seat.

Then I felt the car start to roll backwards. My stomach lurched and I froze in fear. The car stopped. “Thank God,” I whispered. 

Then the car started to roll again. Only this time with more momentum, rapidly picking up speed while I sat helplessly covered with maps, tightly buckled into the cramped back seat. 

Maps flew off my lap, the seatbelt was unbuckled and I threw myself over into the front seat! I grabbed the steering wheel with one hand and yanked the emergency brake with the other hand. The car jerked to a stop. 

The waterfall admirers came back a little later, and wondered why I was green faced and bending over some flowering shrubs at the side of the road. 

Why is Ireland so green? It must have something to do with the waterfalls. 


Sharon’s travel in Ireland will continue next Tuesday with her views of daffodils. Thanks for stopping by. 

P.S.

Links to Sharon's earlier blog post: Stepping into Fitness, Part 1 and Stepping into Fitness, Part 2.