Happy St David's Day

Happy St David's Day to all my Welsh friends.

And of course Happy St David's Day to everyone else as well.  March the 1st is a special day in Wales, flags will be flying and people will be wearing daffodils or leeks (sometimes both. I've just put my Welsh Dragon Flag up outside the house and am wearing a daffodil.  Sadly not a real one - there's been a daff in bud for weeks, but it didn't quite make it for today, and is still in bud, it will probably be a day or two before it's in full flower.  I have a lot more daffodils in the garden, but alas they're also still in bud.  The snowdrops are in bloom though, their sweet, pure little white bells having survived the snow and chilly days.

Hapus Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Everyone!

By the way do you know why there is a red dragon on the Welsh Flag?

Owain Glyndwr raised the dragon standard in 1400 as a symbol of revolt against the English Crown, the dragon was brought to England by the House of Tudor, the Welsh dynasty that held the English throne from 1485 to 1603. It signified their direct descent from one of the noble families of Wales. The green and white stripes of the flag were additions of Henry VII, the first Tudor king, representing the colours of his standard.

My Favorite  story  of its origins though, is connected with the Arthurian legends.

King Vortigern was advised to build a fortress and eventually came to the mountains of Eryri, in Gwynedd. On the summit of one of these, which was then called Dinas Ffaraon, they discovered a fine place to build a fortress.

However, as fast as he assembled the materials for his fortress they would disappear. Vortigern called his wise men together and asked them the cause of this marvel. They replied: "You must find a child born without a father, put him to death, and sprinkle with his blood the ground on which the citadel is to be built, or you will never accomplish your purpose."

They eventually found such a child, Myrddin Emrys and brought him to the King.

The boy cautioned them not to kill him, and  told them there were two dragons, a red and a white, which fought each other, eventually the red one overcoming the white. He said "the red serpent is your dragon, but the white serpent is the dragon of the Saxons, who occupy several provinces and districts of Britain, even almost from sea to sea. At length, however, our people shall rise and drive the Saxon race beyond the sea whence they have come; but you must depart from this place where you are not permitted to erect a citadel, you must seek another spot for laying your foundations."

Vortigern saw the wisdom of his words. The boy’s life was spared; he became famed afterwards as the great magician, Myrddyn or in English, Merlin.
  

and if you'd lie to find out how they've been celebrating in my native land, you can do so HERE

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