Snowdrops

Sorting through heaps of papers today and chucking a lot out as rubbish - a great feeling of satisfaction and there is more space to fill up again in due course!

This dark and windy weather is becoming rather boring although much warmer, we even had the heating off for a few hours during the day! Today's blip was taken under the hedge in the lane - Snowdrops pushing up from under last year's fallen leaves. Galanthus nivalis. In the old days there was a custom of the young village girls wearing bunches of snowdrops symbolizing purity during the feast of the Purification of Our Lady celebrated on 2nd February. Now in Britain there are galanthofiles who manically collect the 700 different varieties and will pay £150 for a bulb. A record price was reached on Ebay recently of £357!! Echoes of Tulip mania all those centuries ago. The simple snowdrop originated in Italy.