a Small Spring Miracle

the 

 Daffodils

Le Ripe is lucky to be set in the middle of 30 hectares (74 acres) of land, mostly comprised of woods. However at the bottom of our hill, along the Pesa river, are two large meadows, separated by a small rise.

 

the campo di sotto, or bottom meadow, one of two near the river

We don't often go down there but we do keep the fields clear of brambles and other invasive plants. 

 

the campo as it was when we first explored it in the winter of 2003; note rampant bamboo as well as brambles as thick as hedges

We should venture down more often, as when we do we are almost certain to come across something interesting. 

we have our own 'primrose path' on the track between the two meadows

 Whether it is primroses lining a path, a rare wild grape hyacinth (muscari) peeping out of the grass, toothwort (squamaria) concealed beneath last year's leaves, the pretty red fruit of the spindle plant (euonymus europaeus) or wild honeysuckle flowers; something is sure to turn up.

 

once the second meadow was just full of buttercups

However I never expected a flowering daffodil.

For four good reasons: one, I have never seen any wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus) in the area; two, for a wild daffodil to germinate from seed (which seems most likely in this case), it takes 5 to 7 years for it to flower; three, if it had been lucky enough to germinate and mature a porcupine would have devoured the bulb, since porcupines are gluttons for bulbs; and four, if it had survived all the above and managed to flower, a roving deer would inevitably have chomped up the flowers. 

this one looks too young to understand on which side its bread is buttered

Yet, this morning, right in the middle of one of the meadows, just about to burst open and show their bright faces, were three daffodil buds on their tall stalks. 

Hence the miracle.
 

a few days later, showing their fat if ragged blooms