Who doesn't love ... an Iris!

Yes, they are an old fashioned plant ....

 

...but, they really have earned their position of respect and glory in gardens.

The woody looking  rhizomes that produce these magnificent flowers don't like to be covered ... no dirt, no mulch just let them rest on the surface of the soil ... and they will thank you for abiding by their wishes with a show of flowers that will take your breath away.

Did you know they are also called "flags"?

I think that Mother Nature gives us hints of the color combinations that we should use in our homes ..... you have to admit, it's luscious! 

 

Even the single color flower is ruffled to perfection.

 Now, because I am a Nana, I am going to say that these are my "Fancy Nancy" flowers.  Which is just a fancy way of saying beautiful Iris.  Hummmm ... maybe I could design and name a new variety of Iris!

Cape May .. a little more Jersey Shore!

They are promising some winter this weekend. Ha! Promises, promises! We'll see!   Regardless, I'm feeling like a walk on the beach.  Care to join me?

I'd love to know the thoughts flowing through his mind ..... or, is he just enjoying the moment?

There are gems along the way .. color for sure.

Watching this little guy run along the receding water line was amusing.  Even more amusing (and stressful) was watching a wave catch him and tumble him along. My immediate reaction was to run and help him (like I even could) .... but, nature took over, brought him back to the sand and he started the whole running along the wave line looking for food all over again.

 

This guys was much more sure footed!

 
And, as if the water, sand, waves, shells and birds aren't enough ..... there are the beautiful mansions along the beach.  They give a semblance of big paddle boats!  It's just all so beautiful. 

                                                             OK, bring on the snow!!

Kent Park .. winter's early appearance.

When trying to decide what to write about tonight, I came across my file from a few years ago ... a bit of early winter mixed into the remnants of late fall. I felt compelled to share it as I think it's a lovely combination of seasons and something I think you will enjoy.

                                                    Two of my all time favorite shots!

                                                              I love the color combinations.

                                                            The same beautiful reds!

The textures are so interesting.

These three pictures share the same colors, different textures  ...nature at it's finest!

The park is about 2 miles from our house. We walk it often; and, always with camera in hand. It's always different, it's always lovely and it's a beautiful example of how people who care about nature can help show it at its best!

Thank you to all the volunteers and people who make Kent Park a jewel in our community.You have given us a most wonderful gift!

 

Wisteria ... from a stick ....

... to one beautiful display of a fragrant surprise.

 First off, I want to tell you the story behind this beautiful plant.  As a novice gardener, I bought this "stick" at a local garden store, stuck it in the ground, watched it for a year then pulled it out of the ground and threw it in the field behind my new house. The next year, as I was wandering the field trying to scavenge rocks, I looked over at a heap of garden debris, and low and behold the "stick" was doing something! I pulled it back out of the ground and stuck it back in the dirt by the corner of the house. You could just about watch the "stick" grow! Within no time, it was up the side of the house and trailing along the front of the garage. Now, 15 years later, it's a show stopper!

When it's in bloom, people stop their cars to view this example of one happy plant. The fragrance and flowers can only be described as an experience to behold!

Moral of the story ....cast your sticks carefully, you never know what you might miss out on!

Iditarad fascination ....

Each excursion  while touring through Alaska brought a greater admiration for the people who live there.  

When leaving the Steamboat Landing Dock, and watching the bi-plane landing on the water beside the tour boat, I didn't have the slightest idea as to what to expect from passing by the Iditarad Dogs.

Well, here's the story.  Susan Butcher was a dog musher who won the Iditarad 4 times!  Much like me, you might not know the details behind the Iditarad.  It's a 1,131 mile arctic dog sled race that takes place in the Alaskan wilderness!  And, it last 1-2 weeks!  Now mind you, I wouldn't want to be out in an Alaskan winter for  half a day! (Sorry for all the "!" marks  ..... it's just the way I feel.)Sadly, Susan died of leukemia ... but here in the picture is her husband David, who carries on her legacy by demonstrating to us tourists, what these wonderful dogs are about.

He explained that these dogs LOVE to "work".  And, by the barking and carrying on as these guys were hooked up, you could tell that all they wanted to do was work as a team and pull that ATV (no dog sled in this weather). I recall them jumping straight up in the air ... their energy levels were right up there too!

Here they are, happily working away.

And even after that long stretch of exercise, you can see their tails high and waging.  Job well done!

Once unharnessed, they are allowed to continue to run and jump and play in the water!  Their spirit  was captivating!

I'm not sure if I have it right, but this might be one of Susan's daughters.  At any rate, we were given the opportunity to hear more about these wonderful animals and to see them up close.

What a beautiful proud animal.  He's earned that distinction ... pulling a sled for over 1,100 miles (just for grins  ... that's from NY to Florida) in the dead of winter!  Be proud ... be VERY proud!  Thank you Susan!

What's Behind me? Mt Rainer of course!

 Honestly, turning around from the views on the blog yesterday, this is exactly what you see. Mt Rainer is right there!  Big as life!

My feelings of seeing her like this was ... well, feelings of being overwhelmed. When we first arrived the day before, she was blanketed in clouds. There wasn't even a glimpse of what might be behind those clouds.  I expected it would be a mountain far off in the distance. But, I had very strong feelings that we needed to spend the night to see her the next morning.  We lucked out, in that we were able to reserve one of the last two rooms in the huge lodge  .... I didn't even care that it was a single bed in a very tiny room! I just knew we had to be there to see her  ... as I knew she would unveil herself in the wee hours of sunrise.

As we traveled out of the park, we were able to look back and see her from a distance.  Within a short period of time, she disappeared again ..... a secret to be held safe in the blanket of clouds.

The  trip our of the National Park continued to be filled with  beautiful combinations of colors and textures. Boy, were we thankful that we had engaged in conversation with a couple who were waiting to upgrade their military IDs (as I was). They highly recommended that we go to the park ..... just in case we could see Mt Rainer emerge from the clouds. 

                            What a wonderful 24 hours in the park .....Washington, you are one beautiful state!