Snowdrops 2023

 

Despite everything, Ukraine, covid - and Brexit, the snowdrops still bloom.

On the border between the Orne and the Manche –

More Snowdrops

 More snowdrops are opening everywhere where I know they should be.

The timing is right or just about.

What is curious, or even frightening, is that in a few well-lit places I've seen cherry blossom too! Now, we're only at the beginning of February!

Near Pont d'Egrenne, South Manche —

Snowdrops 2022 Perce-neiges

 First snowdrops of the year about to open in the corner of my garden.

©A.Anichkin 2022.

Snowdrops about to open in my garden

 

First Snowdrops of 2021

First snowdrops of the year, as usual, they come out in mid-January.

The sound of a stream in the background, 

a solace,

and if you listen carefully

you can hear me sighing with love and amazement.

More snowdrops. With the snow.

What happens if snowdrops come out and in snows?

Well, they're snowdrops, they survive. In French they are called perce-neiges — piercing the snow.

Here they are, after the heavy snowfalls at the end of January 2019.

Les perce-neiges de 2019

Des premieres perce-neiges d'année 2019, à Pont d'Egrenne, Sud Manche.

First Snowdrops of 2017. Les Perce-neiges.

Patrouille de perce-neiges — les premiers! / 

Snowdrops patrol — the first of 2017.

Первые подснежники года 2017!

Photos taken 30 January 2017 near Pont d'Egrenne, Normandy.

Snowdrops 2016

Midlle of February. Snowdrops everywhere.

First Snowdrops (2016)

Went to check my secret place today to see if the snowdrops are finally out. I was getting worried, it's well into the second half of January and they still weren't there just the day before yesterday..
After the cold wave and snow a few days ago, no wonder.
Today they didn't fail me, a small cropping of the first ones appeared!

Snowdrops 2015.

Mid February. Snowdrops are out in force, and more to come. In the village of Pont d'Egrenne, the Orne.

This one is last year's, with my Golden retriever Strelka pretending to be a snowdrop.

Snowdrops. 2013.

We have a sea of snowdrops this year.

My dog Strelka loves to pose for pictures. He barged into this one.

Some clusters are incredibly thick and bursting with life.

Here's what A Bad Witch's Blog writes about snowdrops in folklore:

«

The first sight of snowdrops growing wild represents the passing of sorrow. In various religions, they are a sign from the gods that good times will come once more. According to one Christian tale, an angel turned falling snowflakes into flowers to give Adam and Eve a sign of hope after evicting them from the Garden of Eden.

However, in some folklore, snowdrops are seen as unlucky. The reason for this is perhaps that they often grow in cemeteries and churchyards. Along with other white flowers, superstition says it is courting disaster to bring snowdrops into the house. To do so is to invite death into the home, can mean the parting of a loved one and, in the west country, is thought to cause eggs to turn addled. One should never even pick wild snowdrops, especially from a graveyard.

»

More Snowdrops 2010

And more of the first snowdrops of the year:

Sent by Francesca Bostock, South Manche

First Snowdrops of the Year

 

Snow, wind and rain - and a little sunshine in between: first snowdrops of the year sprouting.

Snowdrops in March

Norman snowdrops in bloom.

Sunny Bocage

Honey bees swarming to pick the first pollen of the year - from snowdrops.
© A.Anichkin, the Rendezvous Media