Daffodil Day - 28 March 2014

Hilda Boswell - Daffy-Down-Dilly

Yesterday was the Irish Cancer Society's annual Daffodil Day.  It is always the last Friday in March.  I've posted about it before and the badges representing past years are from my earlier offering.

I think it is a lovely idea.  It's so nice to see everyone going about their business in Dublin with a sunny silk daffodil pinned to their jackets.  Somehow the day seems a bit brighter and people look a bit more cheerful.  There was a very good turnout of volunteers this year, selling silk flowers and badges on every street corner.  I was glad to see there was still a strong presence. With the economic downturn its always a worry that good causes will fade away.

I tend to buy the badges rather than the silk flowers as they are easier to keep and I'm building up a nice little collection.

This year I also bought a pack of note cards.  I find blank cards very useful and I prefer having something that supports a charity.  A few years ago we lost a colleague at work to cancer.  She was only 45 and left behind two young children and a husband who adored her.  It made me realise how quickly and unexpectedly cancer can strike and how important the work of an organisation like this is.

I love daffodils.  They are a real reminder that summer is just around the corner.  At midnight tonight we change the clocks for summer time - longer days but I lose an hour of sleeping late tomorrow morning!

I always include this little paper doll for Daffodil Day.  The full set of Mother Goose Paper Dolls can be found here.  It is one of my favourites from my childhood.

Hilda Boswell - March and April

Warmer days are almost here ..............

Daffodil Day (Irish Cancer Society)

Today is Daffodil Day - organised annually by the Irish Cancer Society.  All over town volunteers were selling daffodil related items - bunches of fresh flowers, silk daffodils to pin onto jackets, diaries and key rings.  For the last four years I have chosen to buy these little pins (they are very small in reality) - perhaps they don't have the same impact as the silk flowers but I though they would make a cute collection.  This year the make-shift stalls were also decorated with yellow balloons so everything looked very festive.

It was lovely walking back to the station and seeing so many people (men and women) walking around carrying bunches of flowers and with little silk daffodils pinned to their clothes.

Last year we lost a work colleague unexpectedly to cancer.  It was a terrible shock as it happened very quickly and without much warning.  She was only 45 years old and left behind a husband and two young children. In this day and age we don't expect death to swoop so suddenly and claim someone like that through illness.

Perhaps because of this I have been more aware of Daffodil Day this year and the good cause the society supports.

My ex-neighbour gave me this bunch of daffodils as a house warming present when we moved.  I thought they looked like a bowl of sunshine and brightened up the kitchen.

Last year for Daffodil day I posted this paper doll with her pretty daffodil dress,  You can find the whole paper doll book at the post called Mother Goose Paper Dolls.

I don't know if Daffodil Day is specific to Ireland or if it is organised globally.  If you also had Daffodil Day where you live today please let me know.