Jonquil or Daffodil? Who Cares? Here Is a Poem and Pictures from Our Saturday Hike

So, I wrote a poem about the Jonquil this week, and, as I do every year, I had to look on https://identify.plantnet.org/ to figure out what we actually have growing in our yard and, yep, we have daffodils and not jonquils. It was too late! I could not change the poem!

What is the difference between a jonquil and a daffodil? They are both members of the narcissus family, but the jonquil has slender, rounded leaves and tends to be more aromatic while the daffodil has slim, sword-tipped leaves, has longer stems, and is less fragrant. They often grow side-by-side in flower beds.

Anyhow...here is a poem that was about the daffodils growing in our yard with a picture of daffodils that Kellie took yesterday, but the poem is about the jonquil. Oh, boy! Enjoy!

The Jonquil

The Jonquil stirs to rise again,

Although her climb seems motionless.

She tells the world that spring is here

With lipless, breathless eloquence.

Her radiant passions slowly boil

Up through the crust of icy soil

To thaw the heart of any friend

Who longs to see cold Winter end.

Right now, her dewy buds are shut

But laced with ruffles of yellow

That nuzzle with the morning breeze

As a baby snuggles its pillow.

Then, her golden tresses open wide

To flaunt her peerless, stainless pride

And reflect the glory of the sun

Whose war with Winter has been won.

I thought I might also share some pictures from our hike from Gunner Pool to Barkshed and back yesterday. I will admit that we only went halfway there, so obviously, we also only walked back the same distance. Kellie took most of these pictures. The names I have posted with the flowers comes from https://identify.plantnet.org/ otherwise known as Pl@ntNet Identify. I personally couldn't tell you what any of them are.

Above is a picture of the swimming hole upstream of Gunner Pool. It looks like gravel has filled in most of the hole. The water looks very shallow. A couple of years ago, Jake and Colt were jumping from these rocks. I would be afraid to let them do that now.

This flower, the first we saw on the hike, is a White Trout Lily. We have seen them before in March or April. This is the first time we have noticed them in February.

This little jewel here is a Cutleaf Toothcup. Nope! I have never heard of it either. Don't forget to enlarge these pictures. There is some incredible detail in the pictures.

This is the twisty footbridge that crosses a branch near the halfway point to Barkshed. Kellie feels the bridge is unsafe. It is a little shaky and twisty, but the wood is not rotten. I don't feel in danger while crossing it.

This tiny, tiny beauty is called a Liverleaf. You really have to get down on your hands and knees to look at these little rascals. Both these blooms together are the size of a fingernail.

Hows about we have another poem here? I actually wrote three poems this week, but I want to save at least one in case I don't have time to compose this week. I promise to keep up the Poem-A-Week. While this poem seems to be personal, it is not. I went with the flow of the words. Kellie and I have not been apart for a night since she went to a conference sometime last year. Often, the author of a poem and the narrator of the poem are not the same person. That is how this one works. I am not speaking in this poem. ENJOY!

The Moon and Guilt

The moon is separate from the sky tonight,

Hanging like a lantern from a star.

I wish that I could sleep in her odd light.

All I can do is wonder where you are.

The Queen of Sleep tries hard to draw me in.

She spreads a charm that pulls me to a spot.

I would obey the tugging of her reins,

But I am spellbound here, and you are not.

A cloud floats by and pillows her pale face

So she appears to me a slumbering maid

Like the one who would be here with me

If I had loved her right and she had stayed.

Silently, she slips behind the trees,

Escaping from the harsh light of the sun,

And leaving me alone with my dried tears

To wonder at the bad things I have done.

The picture above is of moss at the opening of a spring. If you open this picture, you will see the water as it slips in a constant stream over the moss. I thought it was cool how the water stays spread out in the moss instead of funneling into a channel.

This little waterfall plunges down all of five inches or so, but its size doesn't make it any less dramatic.

Finally, here is a picture of my shadow as I stood on the creek bank. I thought it was interesting how I was made of rocks, you know, like Ben Grimm.

I hope that you have been entertained by the blog today. Don't forget to email me if you have any questions or any requests. Tell me what you would like to read about or see in pictures in this blog. Maybe, I can get you what you want. Oh! Don't forget. Rather than communicate through the rather crappy message service here. Just email me through my "business" email. mbt1966@yahoo.com