Ringing the Snowdrops

by

Do you know the tradition of ringing the first snowdrop you come across (like Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma do in the picture below)? Look out for snowdrops in January and February to ring for the spring! You hold the flower by its stem, which you wiggle slightly. Don’t forget, otherwise it will remain winter cold and grey. This is especially important for our beloved book fairies, because fairies are not allowed to leave their fairyland in winter, which is why they are eagerly awaiting spring.

Kennt ihr die Tradition das erste Schneeglöckchen, das euch begegnet, zu läuten wie es Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma auf dem Bild unten machen? Also im Januar und Februar auf Schneeglöckchen achten, um mit ihnen den Frühling einzuläuten! Ihr haltet die Blume am Stängel, an dem ihr leicht wackelt. Nicht vergessen, sonst bleibt es winterkalt und grau. Das ist besonders wichtig für unsere geliebten Buchfeen, denn Feen dürfen ihr Feenland im Winter nicht verlassen, weswegen sie dem Frühling entgegenfiebern.

Snowbells ring
first day of spring
(nursery rime)

Like everything we hold dear, snowdrops have been given many names. They are considered the white maidens of February, supposedly showing themselves from Candlemas, 2nd February. In our place, however, they are particularly curious, having been poking their little heads out of the ground for over a week. They are also called fair fairies or February girls and the learned biologist calls them Galanthus nivalis. This came from Carl von Linné, who, like most researchers in the 18th century, was at home in ancient Greek and Latin. ‘gala‘ stands for milk, ‘anthos‘ for flower. ‘nivalis‘ shows us that the snowdrop is the white (milky) flower of snow. For snowdrop lovers, its petals are pearly white like the finest Chinese bone china and some are convinced that they are snowflakes transformed by fairies.

Wie alles, was uns lieb ist, bekamen die Schneeglöckchen viele Namen. Sie werden als die lichten Jungfrauen des Februars angesehen, die sich angeblich ab Maria Lichtmess, am 2. Februar, zeigen. Bei uns sind sie jedoch besonders neugierig, sie recken schon seit über einer Woche ihre Köpfchen aus der Erde. Sie werden auch als weiße Feen oder Februar Mädchen bezeichnet und der gelehrte Biologe nennt sie Galanthus nivalis. Das kam von Carl von Linné, der wie die meisten Forscher im 18. Jh. in Altgriechisch und Latein zu Hause war. Dort steht ‘gala‘ für Milch, ‘anthos‘ für Blume. ‘nivalis‘ zeigt uns, dass das Schneeglöckchen die weiße (milchige) Blume des Schnees ist. Für die Schneeglöckchenliebhaber sind seine Blütenblätter perlweiß wie feinstes chinesisches Bone China Porzellan und einige sind überzeugt davon, dass sie von Feen verwandelte Schneeflocken sind.

The Song of the Snowdrop Fairy
Deep sleeps the Winter, cold, wet and grey;
Surely the world is dead; spring far away
Wait! the world shall waken; it is not dead, for lo
The Fair Maiden of February stands in the snow!
(Cicely Mary Barker “The Book of the Flower Fairies“)

Despite all these names, we found almost nothing about them in our garden and plant books. Even magic ignores these delicate little plants that are so hardy. This is probably because customs treat these flowers stepmotherly and so does the symbolism. As a symbol of purity and chastity, it has been cheekily overtaken by the white lily. Poor snowdrop that was only respected and honoured by pre-Raphaelites, as in the painting “Blanzifore/Snodrops” by Dante Charles Gabriel Rossetti.

Trotz all dieser Namen fanden wir in unseren Garten- und Pflanzenbüchern fast nichts über sie. Selbst die Magie übersieht schnöde diese feinen Pflänzchen, die so widerstandsfähig sind. Das liegt wohl daran, dass das Brauchtum diese Blumen stiefmütterlich behandelt und die Symbolik ebenso. Als Symbol für die Reinheit und Keuschheit wurde ihr der Rang keck von der weißen Lilie abgelaufen. Armes Schneeglöckchen, das nur von Prä-Raffaeliten beachtet und geehrt wurde wie in dem Bild „Blanzifore/Snodrops“ von Dante Charles Gabriel Rossetti.

The Scots seem to know the dark side of snowdrops. They see them as spreaders of lousy luck. Bringing them into the house brings bad luck, especially in love and especially if it is a single snowdrop. Whereas in the whimsical floral language of the Biedermeier and Victorians, the snowdrop symbolises pure love when worn in the buttonhole, for example.

Die Schotten scheinen die dunkle Seit der Schneeglöckchen zu kennen. Bei ihnen werden sie als Unglücksboten angesehen. Sie ins Haus zu bringen, bringt Unglück speziell in der Liebe und besonders wenn es ein einzelnes Schneeglöckchen ist. Wohingegen in der skurrilen Blumensprache des Biedermeier und der Viktorianer das Schneeglöckchen die reine Liebe symbolisiert, wenn es z.B. im Knopfloch getragen wird.

Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma find the snowdrops’ posture amazingly humble with their drooping little heads. They remind our Master of the noble art of hanging one’s head, so finely described by Robert Burton in his encyclopaedic “Anatomy of Melancholy”. But actually, they express more of a hope, the hope of spring. According to Hans Christian Andersen, the snowdrop bows its head in joy and humility as the first warmer rays of the sun kiss it. On the other hand, the snowdrops are not so humble as they force the observer to bend his knees.
Our Bookfayries have been paying attention to biology. They explain that this posture is set up by nature to keep the pollen dry and protect it from snow and rain. Since there are few insects around this time of year, they bend their little heads so that their fine scent remains preserved and detectable.

Die Haltung der Schneeglöckchen empfinden Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma als erstaunlich demütig mit ihren hängenden Köpfchen. Masterchen erinnern sie an die hehre Kunst der Kopfhängerei, die Robert Burton in seiner enzyklopädischen “Anatomie der Melancholie” so fein beschreibt. Aber eigentlich drücken sie mehr eine Hoffnung aus, die Hoffnung auf den Frühling. Nach Hans Christian Andersen beugt das Schneeglöckchen sein Köpfen voller Freude und Demut, als die ersten wärmeren Sonnenstrahlen es küssen. Andererseits sind die Schneeglöckchen gar nicht so demütig, da sie den Betrachter zwingen, in die Knie zu gehen.
Unsere Buchfeen haben in Biologie aufgepasst. Sie erklären, dass diese Haltung von der Natur so eingerichtet sei, um den Blütenstaub trocken zu halten und ihn vor Schnee und Regen zu beschützen. Da es zu dieser Zeit des Jahres wenige Insekten gibt, beugen sie ihre Köpfchen, dass ihr feiner Duft erhalten und auffindbar bleibt.

Snowdrops actually originate from the higher altitudes of the European Alps. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find out how they spread from their heights to the lower regions. Some think they spread from monastery gardens to the countryside in the 15th century. In any case, they reproduce extremely successfully underground, unnoticed, without you having to do anything. The ideal plant for the lazy gardener.

Eigentlich stammen die Schneeglöckchen aus den höheren Lagen der europäischen Alpen. Wie sie aus ihren Höhen ausgehend auch die tieferen Gebiete besiedelt haben, das haben wir ihnen leider nicht entlocken können. Manch einer meint, sie hätten sich im 15. Jh. von Klostergärten ins umliegende Land ausgebreitet. Jedenfalls vermehren sie sich äußerst erfolgreich unbemerkt im Untergrund, ohne dass man etwas machen muss. Die ideale Pflanze für den faulen Gärtner.

Wishing you all the best

Mit lieben Grüßen von uns allen

The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

.

© Text and illustrations, Hanne Siebers and Klausbernd Vollmar, Cley next the Sea, 2023

116 thoughts

  2. I never knew all this tradition surrounding Snowdrops. But they have not appeared yet in Beetley, which is sad. I love to see them.
    Thanks for the information, and the wonderful photos too.
    Love from Beetley, Pete and Ollie. X

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Dear Fraggle,
      we thought with minus eight at night it would be too cold here as well but they don’t seem to mind.
      Thanks for liking Dina’s photos.
      Keep well
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • We love snowdrops as well, dear Vicki. That’s why this is already our third blogpost about them.
      Wishing you all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Dear Belana Hermine,
      snodrops need damp and shadowy places. If it’s too dry or too sunny they don’t survive. At the right place you can’t stop them once you planted some bulbs.
      Thanks and cheers
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Liebe Belana Hermine
      hier sagt man, dass sie keine besonderen Ansprüche an den Boden stellen. Wir finden sie allerdings außerhalb von Gärten meist in lichten Wäldern. Vielleicht musst du es mal mit einer anderen Sorte versuchen. Es gibt Unmengen von Schneeglöckchensorten. Wir haben etwas über zehn verschiedene in unserem Garten.
      Viel Glück, wir halten dir ganz fest die Daumen
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Steve,
      superstition is just another logic as the one you are used to. As Levy Strauss already found out there many different systems of thinking.
      Keep well
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Liebe Syntaxia,
      wir geben dir völlig recht, Schneeglöckchen und Gänseblümchen teilen diese feine Schlichtheit. Danke, dass du uns darauf aufmerksam gemacht hast.
      Mit lieben Grüßen vom kleinen Dorf am großen Meer
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  11. Spring is certainly close and all the many indicators are anxious to tell us. How do we
    know? Keep looking, they are there! Great photos, and artwork dear friends!
    The history of life is with us now and forever it will be. Fortunate we are to have it.
    Thank you so much for adding your valuable knowledge dear friends! hugs, Eddie

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Eddie,
      thank you very much for your kind comment.
      We hope that winter is not finished yet. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any snow yet. But in February it was snowing quite often. We are looking forward to some snow.
      With love from the rough sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • This is actual a ‘cold’ winter for us. Sounds weird I know but for years now there has just been mild even warm weather during winter months. Happy to say this year is different. We never snow. But maybe you’ll have some soon! Have a great day,
      hugs, Eddie

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Lieber Klausbernd,
    so viel wissenswertes ist hier über diese bezaubernden Schneeglöckchen zu lesen, auch das Bild mit Siri und Selma beim Schneeglöckchen läuten ist richtig schön, herzig geworden.🤗 Bei uns zeigen sich die Schneeglöckchen leider noch nicht und soviel ich weiß sind sie giftig, weshalb sie wahrscheinlich bei den Schotten nicht so hoch geschätzt sind wie bei uns. 😉
    Ein sehr schöner Beitrag ist das wieder!
    Liebe Grüße von Hanne und bleibt nun bitte alle gesund auf eurer schönen Insel! 🍀🌞

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Ja, liebe Hanne, die Schneeglöckchen sind giftig und genau deswegen, wie du vermutet hast, werden sie von dem schottischen Brauchtum abgelehnt. Bei uns sind sie bereits seit fast zwei Wochen zu sehen, obwohl wir nachts mäßigen Frost – meist so um – 8 Grad C – haben. Allerdings tagsüber haben wir feinsten Sonnenschein. In der Sonne ist es dann knapp über Null. Leider haben wir jedoch keinen Schnee, obwohl zu Hanne-Dinas Geburtstag übermorgen oftmals Schnee lag.
      Liebe Grüße von Hanne an Hanne und uns allen an dich
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  13. Das mit dem Schneeglöckchen läuten habe ich leider verpasst, sie blühen hier schon seit fast 2 Wochen – aber vielleicht lässt der Frühling trotzdem nicht mehr lange auf sich warten 🙂
    Liebe Grüsse aus dem im Moment sehr kalten Elsass! Karin

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Guten Abend, liebe Karin,
      bevor wir gleich unsere Sauna gehen, habe vielen Dank für deinen Kommentar.
      Auch hier ist es für die Verhältnisse an unserer Küste kalt, so um die minus sieben Grad bei allerfeinstem Sonnenschein. Am Meer ist es normaler Weise nicht so kalt, aber wir lieben es.
      Mit lieben Grüßen
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Timothy,
      we actually think it’s never too late ringing them.
      We have it quite cold here right now but no snow either. What a pity.
      Keep well, take care
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Jacqui,
      thanks for commenting.
      We never got the idea to bring them in, even before we knew that they will bring bad luck. Maybe subconsciously we knew? But we knew already as children that they are poisonous.
      Keep happy and healthy
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  16. Neben den feinen Aufnahmen, botanischen und symbolischen Erläuterungen gefällt mir auch der Hinweis auf Robert Burtons “Anatomie der Melancholie”, deren Lektüre schon lange zurück liegt und in guter Erinnerung bleibt.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Habe herzlichen Dank für deinen Kommentar. Auch wir lasen Robert Burton gemeinsam mit Vergnügen.
      Hier haben wir gerade wunderbares Winterwetter, – 7 Grad und feinster Sonnenschein. Deswegen geht es jetzt hinaus.
      Tschüss und lass es dir gut gehen
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Jo
      our Bookfayries 🧚‍♀️ 🧚‍♀️ say “thank you very much!” They love this ringing.
      Today we have a marvellous winter’s day, – 7 degrees and bright sunshine. So we will go out in a minute to catch this frozen glittering world.
      Lots of love ❤ ❤ and thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  20. What a lovely informative post with Hanne’s beautiful photos. I did have some snowdrops in my garden, but no sign of them yet. They are often the first flowers to bloom in winter and look so delicate though much tougher than other early bulbs like the dwarf irises and crocuses.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Dear Jude,
      our area is famous for its snowdrops. There is Walsingham, a place of pilgrimage, where they have huge carpets of snowdrops. It’s a tourist attraction. They sell there at least 20 different kinds of snowdrops. We got quite a lot from there.
      Wishing you a wonderful week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Your pictures and story both are charming. I very much enjoyed learning about this flower. In my part of the world, they’ve naturalized in spots, sometimes in what used to be yard of a long-vanished farmhouse but won’t emerge until March or early April. In our February Fairyland, they’d be Pixie Popsicles or Ice Maidens. Interesting also that the Scots think it’s bad luck to bring them inside, I’ve heard that about hydrangeas, too, which isn’t a problem for me, as their one of my least favorite blooms. One of my grandmothers thought peonies brought good luck into the house. (Usually quite a few ants, too.) Thanks for a very interesting post! RPT

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Dea r Robert
      We don’t know why that is but we never got the idea to bring snowdrops inside. That was when living in Germany, in Sweden and now in England. In Canada we can’t remember seeing snowdrops.
      ‘Ice Maidens’ sounds interesting. Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma want to get to know them.
      It’s interesting how flowers are associated with luck when one brings them into the house. In the Victorian times there was so much symbolism connected with the different flowers. There was a kind of language of flowers.
      Thanks and have a happy week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  23. Klausbernd,
    So happy to see you writing a post; i take that to mean you are feeling better. I sincerely hope that also goes for Dina as well.
    I don’t believe I’ve ever seen snowdrops here in Florida, but that would be logical, being as we don’t really get a winter. Maybe this would be the perfect place for the Fairies. haha
    May our famous Fab Four of Cley stay in the best of health and thank you for this beautiful post.
    GP

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Dear GP
      yes, we both are healthy and happy again and tested negative.
      Florida would be ideal for our Bookfayries but unfortunately they are eccentric fairies loving snow and ice. Therefore they live with us and not in the fairy world except that go to the fairy school.
      Thank you so much for commenting. Stay healthy and happy our dear friend and take care.
      Love from the sunny sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Anne-Christine
      thank you so much for your kind words.
      Now we have beautiful winter days as well. Quite frosty and sunshine so that the whole landscape is glittering.
      Great that you will ring the snowdrops too.
      Wishing you a wonderful week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  25. Thank you for sharing your lovely snowdrops with those of us less fortunate. I have always admired them for their unobtrusive beauty and hardiness, as well as their certainty about the arrival of spring. They are hopeful little flowers.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Tanja,
      we love the snowdrops but unfortunately they flower a short time only, mids of January and February. Afterwards they are gone and sleep in the ground and multiply there. We have them as wild flowers as well as in our gardens.
      Wishing you an easy week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Tanja
      we really do. Today we walked in one of our country parks where we found them everywhere in the woods. Dina was very happy because it was a brilliant winter light, beautiful weather, 19F and sunshine.
      Thanks and cheers
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  26. I was hoping that The Fab Four of Cley would have a post about snowdrops. I was excited to see the title “Ring the Snowdrops!

    Snowdrops have a tenacity and resilience that dares to bloom in early spring, demanding that winter begone. I look forward to seeing these small, white flowers with their a distinct bell-shaped bloom and their long, green stems. For me, they are a symbol of hope and new beginnings. They remind me to be brave, to have courage during complex times. I just discovered William Wordsworth’s poem, “To a Snowdrop”

    “LONE Flower, hemmed in with snows and white as they
    But hardier far, once more I see thee bend
    Thy forehead, as if fearful to offend,
    Like an unbidden guest. Though day by day,
    Storms, sallying from the mountain-tops, waylay…”

    Thank you for the exquisite photographs that capture the joy and tranquility of this remarkable flower.

    Sending many hugs and lots of love to my dear friends, The Fab Four of Cley.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Rebecca,
      We found the snowdrops more often in literature than in customs, symbolism and magic. But today we founds lots in the woods of a country park nearby. The weather is still beautiful and we had a long birthday walk for it’s Dina’s birthday today. And our beloved Dina photographed snowdrops again. Thank you very much for liking Dina’s snowdrop pictures.
      Sending our dear friends lots of love to other end of the world
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • We still have rain, rain, rain!! You know what Vancouver is like. The mist hovers over our city and there is a hint of spring in the air. The snowdrops have not yet appeared, except at the local grocers. My reminder for Dina’s birthday came up today. We are all celebrating her special day on our side of the world. Hugs and love coming back from the Budds to our dear friends, The Fab Four of Cley.🤗🤗🤗

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Rebecca,
      unfortunately, the weather has changed here today. It became much warmer, above freezing, and it’s grey and misty.
      Thanks for remembering Dina’s birthday. We had a long walk and afterwards a very nice meal.
      Wishing you all a happy day, big hugs from
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  27. I greatly enjoyed the narration and stories but enjoyed the photo even more. I miss seeing snowdrops now as where we live in Arizona there aren’t any. But I used to enjoy them when living in the Midwest so the post brings back lovely memories of time spent outdoors in spring. Thanks!

    janet

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Janet,
      we are happy that we could bring back memories to you. Here they are quite common but for a short time only.
      Thanks and all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  30. Bimmelimmelimm…ramalamadingdong…
    Ich sehe die Buchfeen haben die Auswärtsdrehung ihrer Füße in der 2. Fußposition für Balletttänzchen gut geübt. Sie sind aber eigentlich Naturtalente und brauchen nie viel zu üben!

    Und dass sie jetzt auch noch offizielle (oder ist das inoffiziell..?..) Lichtjungfrauglockenblümchenläuterinnen sind, ist ja wahrlich bezaubernd!

    Heute wird gefeiert! Hannes Geburtstag! Der Wievielte es wohl sein wird…
    (Ich zerrobbe mich vor lachen, ischfroiemisch soohoo, dass ihr alles überlebt habt, Spritzen, Corona, überhaupt das ganze Leben bis jetzt!!! Da hab´ ich ja nochmal Glück gehabt!)

    Ich erhebe also zum Glöckchengeläut meinen Becher mit Appelwoi, aus dem Diamantbembel, und feiere diesen Blogpost, KB, die Buchfeen und vor allem das wunderliebe Geburtstagskind Hanne Dina mit einem dreifachdonnernden “Halleluja”!!!

    Genial diese Blümchen, man denkt sie lassen traurig das Köpfchen hängen, dabei schützen sie nur ihr Inneres…

    Liebe Grüße von eurem Pialein

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Guten Tag, liebes Pialein,
      was für ein schönes Wetter zu Hannes Geburtstag. Es ist wunderschön, um minus sieben Grad und feinster Sonnenschein. Da machten wir heute einen langen Spaziergang.
      Ja, den wievielten Geburtstag Hanne-Dina heute feiert, das bleibt unser großes Geheimnis. Erstaunlich, was sie so alles in ihrem Leben überlebt hat – naja, wir alle.
      Ja, unsere lieben Buchfeen haben das Tänzerische im Blut, so leicht und beweglich wie sie sind.
      Mit ganz lieben Grüßen von uns allen
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  31. This is a sheer delight. The photos show different sides of these lovely little winter flowers – I love the soft-focus photo but I also like the others. The mythology is interesting and so is the botanical information about early flowers protecting their pollen and scent. I’ve never heard of the ringing-the-bell tradition – sweet! They don’t seem to grow well here – I saw them more often in New York – so it’s very nice to see this post. Thank you! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Lynn,
      thank you very much for your kind comment 🙏 🙏
      We haven’t heard about ringing the snowbells before a friend of ours told us about it. We looked it up in our big German dictionary of customs and superstitions (20 vol., vol. 18) and there we found it as well as a tradition in England and Scotland.
      Here they seem to grow very well. In some woods we have carpets of snowdrops now and the multiply in our garden without our doing.
      Wishing you all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • 20 volumes of German customs and superstitions – or we might say folklore – wow! I’m half German and I like that kind of deep history. Carpets of Snodrops – nice! 🙂 Have a good evening!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Lynn
      This ‘Lexikon des deutschen Aberglaubens’ was written by Bächtold a Swiss professor who dedicated his whole life collecting folklore. After his death his assistant Stäubli went on collecting for the rest of his life. Well, that’s dedication!
      Now we’ll have a drink and then we will cook.
      With love from the little village next to the big sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Such a tender, enjoyable post. I’ve never heard about the tradition of ‘ringing’ the flowers — perfectly delightful. I’ve seen the flower only twice. Once, there were a few clusters beneath a bench in a south Texas cemetery, and once there were exactly two flowers in the garden of a historic plantation nearer my home. They apparently don’t favor our heat and humidity, so they can be coaxed along, but only by someone deeply dedicated to the well-being!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • We suppose they don’t like it too warm, dear Linda. We have a classic maritime climate here, never really hot, never really cold. They seem to like this. They like the shade and like it damp therefore we find them here in woods.
      At this time of the year we see them here everywhere but by the end of February they are all gone.
      Thanks and keep well
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  34. Dearest readers,
    we just came across a lovely story about the snowdrops. Its origin is Germany.
    In the beginning when God created the earth, he asked the flowers to give some of their colour to the snow. All the flowers refused, but the snowdrops gave the snow their colour. In return, the snowdrops were given permission to bloom each year before all the other flowers. From then on, the snow ❄️ and the snowdrop became best friends.
    In other folklore it’s just the other way round. The snow gave the snowdrops its colour.
    Wishing you all a wonderful weekend
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  37. Beautiful photos to accompany the myth and history of the humble snowdrop 🙂 We have them here in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, usually blooming around March, and as you show in this post, they are something special. I did not realize how well they are represented in myths and poetry, but seeing their charm it does not surprise me ~ with my favorite description of the flower being the one you introduced to me in this post: “the snowdrop bows its head in joy and humility as the first warmer rays of the sun kiss it.” Perfect 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thank you very much, dear Randall 🙏 🙏
      They are gone here in May, actually latest by the middle of March. Then the sleep and multiply their bulbs underground.
      Keep healthy and happy
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Dear Randall,
      your comment made our dear Master smile 🙂
      Thank you very much. It made us decide to present more often such pictures in our posts. Our Master loves his sets of colour pencils and doing little drawings with them.
      With warm greetings from the cold sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  40. Sie zu läuten, sobald sie sich trauen aufzutauchen, das praktiziere ich schon lange. Aber für alle Informationen, die ich hier von dir bekam, danke ich!
    Herzlich, Edith

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  41. Ohne den Text vollständig gelesen zu haben, Klausbernd:
    Schneeglöckchen sind definitiv plastische Gestalten.
    Einfache Grundformen, harmonisch zusammengefügt.
    Da gibt es wohl nicht mehr als diese Zutaten. Selbst wenn man näher herantritt, wird man zwar Haare entdecken, aber die Grundform ist simpel – konkrete Kunst eigentlich.

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  42. Siri, Selma, heute machen wir wieder einen Ausflug in den Siegfrieds Brunnen, nur damit ihr Bescheid wisst! Gestern hat auch schon plötzlich ein kleines Mädchen an der Ballettschultür geläutet: Hallo, ich bin Edda! Ich komme am nächsten Freitag zum Tanzen zu dir!

    Ich sende euch sonnige Grüße!

    Hannes Bilder strömen wunderbar zartes Licht aus, ich liebe das!!!

    Schönes Wochenende wünscht euch das Pialein

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    • Guten Morgen, liebes Pialein,
      huch, ist das heute ein dunkler Morgen. Es ist stark bewölkt und leicht kälter als die letzten Tage.
      Siegfrieds Brunnen, das ist ja gruselig. Ist das dort, wo der ‘grimmge Hagen’ wie es im Nibelungenlied heißt, den Helden Siegfried hinterrücks ermordete? Dann wünschen wir einen feinen Ausflug.
      Und da kam das Tanzmäuschen Edda bei dir vorbei. Das ist doch fein.
      Prima, dass dir Dinas Bilder gut gefallen. Sie gibt sich sehr viel Mühe damit, was sie jedoch gerne macht. Zur Zeit ist sie ganz aufgeregt, da hier regelmäßig mehrere Schleiereulen jagen, die toll zu fotografieren sind. Außerdem hat sie sich ein neues Fernglas geleistet, das ihr große Freude bereitet.
      Dir wünschen wir einen tollen Ausflug und ein rundum feines Wochenende.
      Ganz liebe Grüße
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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    • Good morning, dear Ute,
      we love snowdrops very much too. Today we drive to one of the great houses to take part in a snowdrop-tour. There are so many houses around here offering snowdrop-tours but the most magnificent snowdrop display is in Walsingham.
      Thank you for liking Dina’s photography 🙏 🙏 and for commenting
      Wishing you a happy sunny Sunday
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  46. This delightful post is a welcome reminder on this Winter Solstice night that within a month snowdrops should awaken and their joyful beauty can lighten the mood of winter. I can imagine the Book Faeries eyes twinkling in joy. Beautiful photos and engaging commentary!

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