Narcissus At Last

Day 185: Like a hostess waiting for the first guests to arrive, I was becoming anxious and at length, referred to the clock (calendar) when they seemed to be late. But no, they appeared punctually, undeterred by the inconveniences of weather and arrayed in their finest clothes. Now the party may truly begin. Narcissus has graced my garden and the yellow daffodils aren't far behind. I have not started any annuals indoors this year, the primary reason being that my perennials now occupy most of the available space since settling into their permanent locations. A few garden-store starts will fill in the blank spots and add a bit more colour. Soon, the flower beds will be a patchwork of columbine, peonies and delphiniums, with volunteer snapdragons popping up among the greenery. Long after Narcissus has slipped away, the revel will go on without her until summer passes into autumn and the last of the guests retire.