Planting Daffodils

Yesterday, I made this Facebook post with the picture below:  "Weather forecast for today and tomorrow predicted gorgeous weather before colder and wetter weather this week. With the help of spouse Carl, a battery powered drill, and a special augur bit, we planted daffodil bulbs along the front yard fence line. Spring Kristin will thank me!"

But there's more to this story of planting daffodils.

Back in the spring, a friend wanted daffodils in her yard.  She's relatively new to homeownership, relatively new to having a yard.  I said, "Well, it's too late for this year, but we could plan for next spring."  We agreed to buy a batch of bulbs together, and we'd put some of them in her yard, some in mine.  Buying in bulk didn't save us money, but it was fun to plan together.

In May, I ordered 35 bulbs which would be shipped in the fall.  By the time the bulbs arrived, my friend was recovering from a medical crisis and would not be planting this year; her situation has added to the variety of grief I've been feeling this fall (hurricanes and changed plans and the changed health of so many around me).

I've been staring at the package for a few weeks now.  It's been part of a list of tasks that I wanted to get done before the cold weather settles in to stay.  I've moved the paint inside; no sense losing hundreds of dollars worth of paint.  I've thought about firewood, but unlike past years, we have enough downed wood that we won't likely need to worry about wood for years.  I've pulled out the winter clothes.

Sunday's forecast was for sunshine and warmth; today will likely be the last day of sunshine and warmth.  So we headed out to plant the daffodil bulbs by the front fence line by the road.  Last year when I first planted bulbs, I got a $6.00 augur bit for the electric drill, which makes planting much easier.  Even so, we were both achy and sore afterward.  My spouse has been nursing injuries since working with a chainsaw back in October, so he laid down on a heating pad after taking some pain relievers.  I stayed up to watch the sunset, but was asleep soon after.

I have always loved daffodils, and I'm so happy to have a chance to plant them.  I do worry a bit about the animals that may dig them up, but it didn't happen last year.  This year, hopefully the squirrels will be more interested in the pumpkins; in fact, I'll leave them at the front fence post for just that very reason.  I put them there as autumnal decoration, but this year, unlike last year, the squirrels took an early interest in them, which is fine with me.

I am thinking about the planting of bulbs as evidence of faith in the future; for me, it's more than just wanting pretty flowers in the spring.  In the spring, bunches of daffodils come up long after the people who planted them have come and gone.  

Hopefully, my daffodils will do the same.