Giant Daffodils

Quite a few years ago a new woman moved into my circle of friends. Her name was Barbara and she came to the Island via Utah, having entered life in the U.K. We quickly became friends as we had a lot in common, but that is not why I am writing this post. Today I was out and about and saw something that always makes me smile and always makes me think of Barbara.

Her first spring on Island she told me that she had seen some giant Daffodils and that she really wanted to have a start of them in her yard. I had no clue as to what she was talking about and told her that. She continued to explain where she had seen them and the light of recognition went off in my mind. Yes, I knew the giant daffodils that she was wanting. So, being the kind friend that I am, I suggested she ask at the local nursery for them under their common name (if I would have had time I would have given her the genus specie but I didn't have time) and their common name was silly but it was the only name I knew them by....skunk Cabbage! Unfortunately she got smart before she went and asked! So I didn't get my final laugh, but I get entertained every year as the glorious yellow flowers appear in bogs throughout the area. And after Barbara's input I look at them differently, they are, in fact, beautiful. Mind you, their beauty is something that has to be observed from afar as they have a very strong, pungent Oder!

I wonder how many things in life fail to get due respect because of something like an Oder? Skunk Cabbage is truly beautiful but I had never taken time to look at it, I just judged it bad because it smelled bad. It makes me think that one needs to re-evaluate things every once in awhile just to make sure something of great value has not been overlooked due to prejudice in one form or another. And, yes world, I love avocado....my mother would gasp to know that fact. Sometime in the last 50 years they must have improved because they were bad years ago and they are wonderful now. Just an example of what I mean.