Daffodils are Almost Here!

Finally, we are having a mild day so I poked my nose outside. The little Christmas tree doesn't appear to be making it, which makes me sad, but isn't surprising. It was charming while it lasted. The daffodils are shorter this year than in the past--they need to be separated, replanted and fed. The buds are swelling into yellow though, which means there will probably be flowers soon. Daffodils are one of the most beautiful flowers in the world in my opinion, and these, being King Alfred, are fragrant as well. I did not realize until last year that daffodils are actually grown for the perfume industry. (So it is never too late to learn new things--as my keyboard demonstrated to me yesterday.)

The roses need trimming and so do most of the potted herbs on my porch. That will wait for a slightly warmer day. Today, I could almost feel spring coming, but I think it is still a fairly long way off.

A friend stopped by with persimmon cookies--very yummy, so I must ask for her recipe!

Reading one of my favorite blogs, Seraphic Singles, yesterday, I realized that I had missed the feast of St. Agnes. January 21 is her feast day and my maternal grandmother was named for her, so I have her name as my middle name. A twelve year old virgin martyr is a little bit difficult to live up to when one is a teenager--but since that time is long past, I guess I can mellow a bit toward St. Agnes, who has caught the eye of poets and artists for many centuries.

How many Catholic women have been named Agnes down through the ages? Not as many as have been named Mary or Ann or probably Martha. Still it would be quite a few. And how many Catholic women, entering religious orders, took the name Agnes? Quite a few more. My favorite religious sister, and one of my favorite teachers, during my grade school years was named Sister Catherine Agnes. She taught catechism in my fourth, fifth and sixth grade years. She prepared me for confirmation and fostered my love of reading. I remember her with fondness and hope she is well--most probably in the next life now.