SPRING HAS SPRUNG AT DAFFODIL HILL

An Awesome Annual Springtime Spectacle

Article and Photos by Willie "Tatang" Vergara

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth

For the second year in a row, my family and I spent a day in one of the spectacular flower shows of Northern California. We took the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of fresh blossoms that arrived earlier than usual this year, thanks to recent rains that interrupted the region’s drought and many days of sunny weather since January of this year.

Daffodil Hill, as it is now well-known, is about an hour and a half drive from the heart of Sacramento and has attracted tourists from around the world. History of this estate dates back prior to 1887, during the early days of the gold rush. According to the owners, this place was a place of rest and a temporary station for haulers of timber from the Sierras down to the mines. A guy from Holland named Pete Denzer who owned the land planted daffodils around his estate in celebration of his home country. After coming west in 1887 from New York and Ohio, Arthur McLaughlin and his wife, “Lizzie” van Vorst-McLaughlin purchased the ranch and saw the beautiful blooms. Since then, this couple as well as the generations after them had continued to plant and add varieties of daffodils on what is now popularly known as Daffodil Hill.

One has to drive through a rather scenic, semi-zigzag road towards a 3,000 foot elevation in Amador County, Northern California. It is not only a place for flower and nature lovers, but also for amateur and serious photographers as well. One can start taking pictures right on the parking area itself  (note: Parking is free) and capture the serenity of the pine-tree packed mountains around it. There a lot more to photograph than daffodils, the mountain and the hills. The avid photographer will see beauty in many other subjects: fauna, old farm implements, farm houses, antique mining equipment.

Daffodil Hill’s operators warn that any adverse weather such as severe heat, rain or snow could bring closure, which means that in case of doubt, it would be safe to call 209-296-7048 to see if Daffodil Hill is open that day. For now, the place is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. Admission is free likewise, though donations are encouraged. Bring your lunch, and if you decide to bring your pets, you have to leave them at the parking area.

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