Lovely Jonquils

...."So lovely, that country in May. - All lacy with dogwood, literally flooded with jonquils! That was the spring I had the craze for jonquils. Jonquils became an absolute obsession. Mother said, 'Honey, there's no more room for jonquils.' And still I kept on bringing in more jonquils. Whenever, wherever I saw them, I'd say, "Stop! Stop! I see jonquils! I made the young men help me gather the jonquils! It was a joke, Amanda and her jonquils! Finally there were no more vases to hold them, every available space was filled with jonquils. No vases to hold them? All right, I'll hold them myself - And then I - [She stops in front of the picture.] met your father! Malaria fever and jonquils and then - this - boy...."

Amanda (Mother), Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

I played Laura (the daughter) in the Glass Menagerie as a Sr. in high school. I remember this scene so well. It was played by my best friend. Performing in this role had a profound effect on me. I recall the feeling of total abandon to my character.

I have always loved all varieties of daffidils - jonquils, narcissis, etc. My stepfather brings to my mother old fashioned ones that have double heads. They're more green than yellow. They're ready usually by late March....around my birthday. Perhaps that's why I love daffodils so much!















Right now I am sipping ginger tea (tisane) and breathing the super-sweet aroma of the jonquils sitting on my work desk. We "forced" these. The bulbs lived in the fridge from the fall - Jan 2. They started blooming in the last week and the aroma is heavenly!