Iris TIme

The iris are blooming despite cold nights and windy days. It has been hard to get good photos due to the wind. I started collecting iris over 20 years ago, and have many varities. Although they are short lived blooms and tissue paper tender, I am thrilled with their rewards.  Most of mine are tall bearded iris.

I believe this is my favorite so far this year. Favorites change constantly. It is called Heavenly Body.

This is the view out my back  porch.

They are called Breakers, and they have the best grape kool-aid smell. Each one is the size of my hand.

Here's a closeup of this bloomer.

A very simple white. It is an old iris. The older the iris, the simplier they are and are called "Historical Iris".Here is a website with a section so you can put a name to the old iris you got from your grandma.

The newer iris are taller, bigger, and usually have more ruffles. Here is Laced Cotton for example:

Thank you for looking at one of my hobbies, and I hope you come back for more Iris as they bloom!

Today I am linking to

and

Black, White, and Lime Green Tablescape

For Mother's Day this year, I did the tablescape and my daughter brought over a lovely salad bar  lunch for my mother and myself. 

The goblets are clear glass with black glass stems and bases. 

The placemats are from Pier One as are the little green plates. 

My mother made the pretty napkins, and has been hand hemming all the napkins I give her! She says they look better than on the machine. 

Sitting on the black plates are little black glass salad plates, I picked up at a garage sale.

A simple centerpiece of Michael's little green birds and a birdcage. 

My daughter made homemade potato rolls to go with our salad bar, and they were still warm!

I had my choice of dessert, and I wanted her chocolate chip cookies. She makes them without eggs, so less cholesterol. No one ever knows there are no eggs. They are great! She also makes a light, nice dressing using this:

The recipe is simple:

1/4 cup of Ponzu Lime

2 tsp. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. sesame oil 

I am joining

for Tablescape Thursday

Pitcher, Pitcher, Teapot

It's like Duck, Duck, Goose, for people who like dishes. I recently did ok at the GW.
Here is Pitcher, Pitcher, Teapot:

Here is what I have done with two of them so far.

The silver pitcher  was $3.99, and in great shape.

 It has a place to be engraved in the center, and cute little feet. I filled it with some blooms from the snowball bush.

This little wire teapot was $2.50. It was kinda grey metal, so I spray painted it black, and it gave me an excuse to buy a maiden hair fern to put in it, but it was too big. So I tried a votive. Any suggestions as what to do with this tea pot? 

This last pitcher says "Teleflora" on the bottom and was $.99. I haven't put anything in it yet, but looked up Teleflora bouquets online so I could see what they did.It had yellow roses, daisies, and Goldenrod. That is a WEED around here.  I think I'd be a little ticked to spend money on a nice bouquet and get goldenrod! This bouquet is too perfect looking for me. Any ideas?

Some days are good at the GW and some not so much. BUT it is only 3 block out of my way on my way home from school. Only takes about 5 minutes to run in and out! 

I am joining Marty at

What's growing May 1st

We ARE in Kansas, Toto, and things are not as they should be. It is unseasonally cool here, and we are about 2-3 weeks behind on bloom time due to the weather. On Sunday, May 1st, I walked the yard looking for what's blooming or about to.

The snowball bush is doing well.

The coral bells are just about to open, the hummingbirds really like these.

The Columbine is still in bud stage.

Variagated Solomon's Seal is just opening up.

Purple creeping phlox and Candytuft

White Yarrow

Peonies are budding.

While I was messing around taking pictures, a little head kept poking out of the wren house looking at me. I was not able to get his/ her picture, but the evidence of a nest is sticking out the sides.

Look at these weird, spidery looking things!

As they unfurl, they look like this.

To become this:

Autumn Fern

I am joining the party at

Summer To-Do List

Shoot me now!

School is almost out....... I love teaching....... Wouldn't ever want any other career, but this time of year is treacherous! I used to teach middle school, and thought high school would be different at the end of the year......not. So this time of year I concentrate (ha, no I don't, I can't make one coherent thought) on my summer list of things to do. Some of it gets done, some not. Now before you start hating, cause teachers have the summer off, would you really want us teaching your kids year around? That would be cruel and unusual punishment for both of us. We aren't talking a co-worker here that drives you nuts, we are talking 130 students, 15-16 year-olds.  I talk big, but I cry on the last day every year. And the more trouble they were, the more they come and hang around to see me the next year!

Anyway! I  always starts out with such enthusiasm. By about hot August, I am shrugging one shoulder and saying "Eh". Here's the list:

1. Stain and/or paint these drawer fronts (a blog entry)

2. Have raised flower bed frame redone. $$

3. Take out carpet in den, put in wood floor $$

4. Paint den (maybe 3/4 blog entry)

5. Drive to Denver a couple of times to see daughter #2

6. Redo this garage sale bench, refinish and re-cover.(blog entry)

7. Paint the inside of the hutch maybe.

8. Major rehaul of a closet, so I have room for more dishes

(this pic could actually go with 8, 9,or 10)

9. Clean out the junk room in the basement

10. Clean garage.

I can about tell already what I just won't have time for   what I won't do.

Numbers 6, 9, and maybe 4.

Come on summer!

I am joining

        at Between Naps on the Porch