Mother's Day Iris . . .

My parents lived in central Iowa. We moved to Hampton, Iowa from Wisconsin in 1951, first to Shear Court, then to a really nice rental house on First Street. We moved to the rental house because my parents sold their Shear Court home and had a very nice, large, just what they wanted home built on the edge of Hampton. This final move happened during my senior year of high school.

I remember many a day, summer night, sitting on the back, screened porch and looking over the corn fields in view near the back property line of our home. My mom loved her flowers, many roses too, dad loved his lawn, birch trees, landscaping, cranberry hedge and his flagstone walk way creations. The two of them "teamed it up" together and created a beautiful, lovely retirement home for themselves and for me and my brother Terry to enjoy when we returned home from college for visits.

Across the street from our home was another new home that had been built. A "farmer" had it built, moved to the city . . . kept the farm though and my mother had benefit of many of the "slips" of plantings from that Iowa farm.

One such beauty was a small Iris . . . Mother called it a Japanese Iris . . . Beautiful brilliant bluish color.
Mom had "Iris slips" planted all around their newly built home. I think I see some Iris slips here.

After I graduated in the spring of 1961 from college, University of Wisconsin at Platteville, I was married in August of that year to my late husband Gary. We started our married life together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where Gary finished his undergraduate and I began my first year of teaching. Our two children were born in Milwaukee. Here I am above, in my curlers, with my first born son Scott. My dad enjoyed landscaping every little corner of their new home. (And still today, I can be found with rollers in my hair.)

Back to the subject at hand, the Iris. Gary and I purchased our first home and moved to Baraboo, Wisconsin in the spring of 1969. My parents came to visit us soon after we moved. In fact many people came to visit us that spring and summer to see our three story, six bedroom, three bathroom, 100 year old home. But that is another story for another time . . .

My parents brought a slip of the Iris to us on their first visit. (If you look closely above you'll see Iris just beginning in a clump found in one of my "today gardens.") There have been quite a few bunches of "slips" that have been moved, shared, nurtured in the past years. This Iris flower became some of my first interest and beginnings of gardening days . . . and learning about fowers, gardens and such.

The Iris slips have moved from Iowa to Wisconsin, Wisconsin to Michigan, to Montague, Spring Lake, Muskegon, Whitehall, cities in Michigan. Plus slips I have sent back to Iowa, Wisconsin and to Arkansas, Illionois, Virginia and so many other places it is difficult to remember.

The Iris below is from a slip I sent to my friend Joan in Virginia this past year. Blooming as pretty as ever, there she is, my momma's Iris . . . A Wisconsin friend Beth sent me a note a few days ago and her Iris I sent her this past year is blooming as well.

"Momma's Iris" lives on . . . interesting how the Iris seems to bloom on or near the celebration of Mother's Day. Surprisingly, this year I have many green stems but no flowers. My fingers are crossed . . . for the flowers to pop soon in the exceptional warm weather we will experience this week.

Last year we had a full bloom . . . I am hoping for a repeat of "Momma's Iris" very soon . . .

I hope you enjoyed a lovely Mother's Day . . .
Love ~
Lynne
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Thanks Sandra . . . Thistle Cove Farm . . .
"But behind all your stories is your mother's story because hers is where yours begins."
~ Mitch Abram ~