Little Drops of Snow
The first of our snowdrops appeared as the recent snow began to melt.
I always take snowdrops as a reassuring sign that all is right with the world after a long, cold winter. Things are starting to grow again, just as sure as the sun rises every morning.
My Grandad told me that snowdrops were first made by an angel who blew on falling snowflakes when Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, giving them flowers as a sign of hope.
Whatever my beliefs, I like that story.
As with a lot of white flowers, folklore warns against bringing snowdrops into the house. It's bad luck.
I often wonder if a lot of these folklores were simply to stop people picking wild flowers?
Mine will be staying in the garden, for now. When there is an abundance of them I shall pick a few for a posy.
I'm only superstitious when it suits me.
Image Credit » Ambermol
Comments
Hollyhocks100 wrote on February 3, 2015, 9:03 AM
I tried Snowdrops here, but even in pots they don´t thrive, maybe when I get back you will give me some of yours " in the green " which seems the best way to acquire them. What does do well here are Muscari which seed all over the place and grow wild too.
Squidwhisperer wrote on February 3, 2015, 10:44 AM
Good rule on superstitions. Sitting where I am - after another winter storm swept through and it's currently -10C, it's tough to sense spring... though it is sunny. Re the snowdrops, are they not possibly poisonous? If so, not a thing to bring inside the hut after a grueling winter with little fresh food...
NorthernLight wrote on February 3, 2015, 11:23 AM
We have a few snowdrops peeking through in the garden too at the moment. I didn't know about it being bad luck to bring them indoors, but wouldn't have thought they would have lasted more than 5 minutes if you did.
Koalemos wrote on February 3, 2015, 11:27 AM
The flowers have lost a great deal of their use as a sign of Spring approaching nowadays. All too often we get a warm spell and back to the snow again.
kat123456 wrote on February 3, 2015, 4:32 PM
What a lovely story and they are such beautiful flowers too
JeanC wrote on February 4, 2015, 12:24 AM
My neighbor has snow drops in her garden, I love seeing them pop up. Not sure why the superstition, could be that is tempting winter to stay longer if you bring them into the house.
Ambermol wrote on February 4, 2015, 1:50 PM
Always happy to share :) I like Muscari too - lovely colour
Ambermol wrote on February 4, 2015, 1:53 PM
They are poisonous, especially the bulbs which, I believe, some unfortunates have mistaken for onions in the past.
I'm not daft enough to eat them though :D
Ambermol wrote on February 4, 2015, 1:54 PM
They're associated with death, like many white flowers. They don't last long which is why I only pick them when we have oodles of them
Ambermol wrote on February 4, 2015, 1:55 PM
Aye, a lot of the old sayings and signs have lost a bit of credence in recent times.
Ambermol wrote on February 4, 2015, 1:56 PM
A lot of white flowers are associated with death so bringing them into the house invites Death in - allegedly.