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Snowdrops

Snowdrops, sweetheart, Valentine, Romanian habits, March

I looked on the Internet for information about these delicate spring flowers, with their honey aroma that you cannot feel unless you bring them close to your nose... They grow so low to the ground that it would be impossible to bring your nose to them, so -- if Mohammed will not go to the mountain, the mountain must go to Mohammed.



Did you know?
In Romania (and in most countries behind the iron curtain) the times of the year were changed to fit the atheistic school imposed by the leaders of the time. Aside from re-writing the history to fit their interests, they re-wrote the calendar.

Spring starts there on the 1st of March, not on the 21st. The weather continues to do what it did before the dictatorial change, but I grew with this new way and it sounded strange to me when I heard that spring does not start till the 21st of March.

We did not have a St. Valentine for sweethearts, but we did have the 1st of March! -- the "Martzishor".

From late February, the gypsy women were out in the street selling tiny bunches of Snowdrops, and stands selling "martzishor"' popped up on all streets of Bucharest.

The "martzishor" is a little nothing, or -- better -- a little something tied with silk red and white string to be given to your sweetheart on 1st of March (also called "Martzishor").

So, we had the equivalent of Valentine -- a bunch of Snowdrops and a little toy-symbol of friendship or love.
Snowdrops -- symbol of spring and burgeoning love!

Sweet flowers for a sweetheart.