Ode to Dil a Down Daffy

Today’s flower at Vicktory Farm and Gardens is the daffodil.

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Pierce County, Washington has celebrated her daff-o-down-dillies since they began to replace the hops as the Puyallup valley’s main crop in the twenties.

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Kai says, “Lets go to the Daffodil Parade.”

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The parade goes through downtown Tacoma, Puyallup, main street Sumner, and little Orting.

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Old guys and their old trucks and tractors, what would a parade be without them?

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Growing up, the valley was hillside to hillside, foot hill to bay filled with daffodils this time of year.

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There is quite a Scottish contingent in Pierce Co.
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A big bright drum,
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And a ol’s scot on his bag o’ pipes.

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Anne and Kai, anticipating what is coming next.

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All daffodils are part of the very large Narcissus family of flowers.

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These parade horses are ridden by the Tacoma Lariettes, a woman’s exclusive drill team.
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More parade horses from the Medieval Fair.

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Narcissus include Paper whites, Jonquils, and Angel Tears.
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The best way to see a parade is on some one’s shoulders.

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Daffodils are the first to bloom of the larger spring flowering bulbs, they come at a time in the Pacific Northwest when spring has really arrived.

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What parade would be complete with out floats?

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The theme is “Swing Into Spring” and I feel I have definitely swung!

_ It was a beautiful day for the parade yesterday and today was even better!

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All of the Pierce County’s high schools participate in the Daffodil Festival, each school chooses a princess, that float is covered in daffodils.
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The Daffodil Festival officials are called Daffodillians and wear these lovely yellow jackets, I wonder if the lady on the left takes her jacket with her when she has her hair colored?

_ Sunshine and parades just make you feel like smoochin‘ something! Anna was getting kisses from Aksel all day long!

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Have I mentioned I hate slugs? Have I mentioned how much I appreciate that slugs don’t prefer daffodils?
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Going to the parade on a sunny Saturday afternoon, marching in the band in the parade or watching a friend in the parade was always an event not to be missed.

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When I was a girl we took Sunday drives and the first ones in the spring to see the daffodil fields where definitely a toot on a horn.

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I like the bands that have very traditional uniforms.

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But Eatonville High School Cruisers have a very clever twist on the non-traditional uniform. Timber cruising involves walking or “cruising” a forest in order to measure the trees and collect other information about the forest.

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A sunny day, a sunny tuba, a sunny smile,

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a sunny flower. See more flowers at Today’s Flowers a great place to see flowers from all over the world, some exotic and some common, all beautiful.

Dear Reader, I hope you had a good weekend, mine has been very good, and very spontaneous, thanks to my oldest daughter and my grandsons. This was a good Palm Sunday and I pray that everyone has drawn closer to God as they reflected on our Savior and the beginning of His Passion.