Spring training

Meanwhile, a crocus bloom has opened up on the pot of crocus I have inside, and more buds are coming up.

Here's the open bloom. So pretty.

When I was browsing the internet to read about crocus (and also to find out the correct plural form--according to Merriam-Webster, it's crocus or croci), I found out that the spice saffron is made from the reproductive parts of a certain breed of crocus.

A friend of mine in California made paella for his guests, of whom I was one, and the recipe included saffron. He mentioned it was expensive.

You kind of wonder who first thought of pulling the stigmas out of that one particular kind of flower and preparing it in a special way to add it to food.