Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Beautiful Irises and My Bluebirds


I have featured a few of our TEN different Iris blooms on other posts. But--today, I will feature one photo of each one of them. The yellow ones bloomed the best this year, but all were pretty. Above is one of my favorites this year, Orange Harvest. Below are photos of the other nine. Can you pick out a fav????







Autumn Bugler Iris







Cable Car Iris







Cantina Iris







Clarence Iris







Electric Shock Iris







Floor Show Iris







Honey Glazed Iris







Queen Dorothy Iris (Hey Dorothy---How did you get them to name this Iris after YOU?????)







Finally, the small American Iris (whose real name is Siberian Iris I think)








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The four Bluebird babies were sleeping UNTIL I opened the door and checked on them... One of them, the hungry one, woke up and opened its mouth for us!!!! They are not quite as 'pink' today---and I can see more feathers.. I think they are about 6-7 days old now. SOOOOOOOO Cute!! (Be sure to click on this picture --to get a better view of the babies.)


Hope you are enjoying Spring!!!! It's been cold here for a couple of days... I had to get the sweats back out of the winter closet. AND--we had to put our electric blanket BACK on our bed.. What's up with that???? They say it's Blackberry Winter!!!!


Hugs,

47 comments:

Cedar ... said...

Fave? Absolutely the small american iris. it looks like what we call "blue flag" that grows wild along the riverbanks here. I love wildflowers and traditional colors the best. Second fave would be the Autumn Bugler.

Jayne said...

I think I like the small American the best too. I think our baby bluebirds fledged while we were gone. Rather late for the first brood here. Hopefully they'll start nest #2 soon. :c)

RA said...

I really can't pick a fave out of these beauties! It would be wonderful to have these in the garden. It's very interesting to see the growth of the cute babies. Thank you for keeping us updated. It should be the dry season here, but it's still raining. Have a wonderful day, Betsy. Hugs from Indonesia :)

Carol Murdock said...

Besty..your Iris are gorgeous!
The babies are too!

Kathleen McQueen Wright said...

Oh all the colros.. wish we were closer to swap!!
Baby Birds....just so sweet!!

Unknown said...

Are you kidding me? Pick a favorite out of all those beauties? I want them all!!! Glad the birdies are still doing well, it's exciting to watch isn't it?

Jen said...

The American Iris is my fave!
You are doing a good job of keeping track of thosse babies.

Arkansas Patti said...

Gotta go with the majority vote. The small American won me with its delicate nature.
This weather is a pip. I had JUST taken all my warmies out to the shed for storage and had my dog almost clipped naked.
We are both wearing sweaters in the AM.
Does this mean we will have good Blackberries?

Susie said...

Hi Betsy, I couldn't pick a favorite. They are all so pretty.

This a.m. we have new bluebirds making a nest in the house. Yippee!! More babies to come!

Shelley said...

I love all these irises! Too hard to choose a fave! Though I do love the color purple! So happy to see your baby bluebirds thriving - they are the cutest little things!!

Karin said...

I love each one for its own uniqueness! The variety absolutely blows me away! Your photos are amazing! The birdies are getting to be adorable. Where is mama or papa when you take these pictures? And yeah, what's up with this cold? Had to turn the thermostat up again. Snowed here yesterday! But I know we'll complain about the heat once the summer really hits us.

NCmountainwoman said...

Beautiful. I hope they weren't damaged by the cold. We had frost warnings last night! Here in the middle of May!

Diane AZ said...

I always enjoy seeing what's happening in your garden. My favorite iris is the little American and second fav would be Autumn Bugler. Your bluebirds are lookin' good!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Betsy: Hard to pick a favorite, you have some nice flowers. That is a big mouth for a little bird, shove it in here.

Richard said...

I like the Cable Car Iris.

Love the new header.

Pam said...

Look at those babies...how precious!
The iris- each one is just beautiful.
Have a beautiful week-
Pam

Busy Bee Suz said...

Blackberry winter? How come is is hot as heck here????
Pretty Iris's Betsy.
CUTE baby birds!!!! **feed me feed me**

Connie said...

I think my fav is cable car iris. I think. They're all too gorgeous to choose from.

Is it temping to try and feed that hungry bird?

SmilingSally said...

I do like the first yellow iris the best. The baby birds are such a treat to watch.

I Am Woody said...

Thanks for the iris pics! Mine got trampled this year by a great big puppy that I had for the afternoon:(

Mary said...

Wow...love the iris! That yellow one and the Cable Car are really beautiful! Love the babies!

Lagean Ellis said...

All your iris' are beautiful. I really like the cable car iris. It's one of my favorite colors.

Those baby birds are really growing. Hope they stick around once they start flying. Love bluebirds.

I have been all wrapped up in blankets and sweats, too, but, you're right, it must be Blackberry Winter. At least, around here, the blackberries think so. They are all blooming. I can't wait! You talked about chiggers over at my blog and, I'm sure you know, picking blackberries is one of the best way to get them.

Talk soon!

Pigeon said...

I think your Iris are gorgeous. They remind me so much of my mom's garden. It's been cold here too. We have had 2 frost and one freeze warning with in the last week.

EG CameraGirl said...

Your irises are gorgeous and the babies precious! I hope it hasn't been too cool for the blue birds to develop properly. It has been unseasonably cool here too. In fact we had a frost two nights ago!

Clara....in TN said...

That's like asking me what kind of ice cream I like best. "I like it all." Same way with your Iris'. They all are beautiful. I kinda lean toward the purple ones. Your baby birds will "fly the coop" before long, won't they? I know you have enjoyed watching them. I scared mine from their nest, but they were ready to leave. I slammed a door in their face and they were gone. :-)

~~Rhonda said...

Love your irises. We grow them, too. I have 'Clarence.' Had to get it as my paternal grandfather's name was Clarence. :) I love the 'Electric Shock.' I don't have one like that. Very pretty! Thanks for sharing. :) ~~Rhonda

Carol said...

Each time I picked out a favorite..I looked again and found another...so I'll have to say..each is a favorite, depending on which one I am looking at ..at the moment.

Love the baby birds. Wait till you see the pics of the baby Opossums I will be posting on my blog in a week or so.

www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com

Pat - Arkansas said...

Cable Car Iris gets my #1 vote. Love the colors. Honey Glazed is next followed by all of them! Beautiful, beautiful flowers, Betsy.

I've been otherwise engaged for the past few days and am playing catch up on your posts. Love the baby blue birds!

Deborah Godin said...

Irises always remind me of can-can dancers. I think because of an illustration in a children's book my mother had as a child. If I can find it, I'll scan it to you.

Kim said...

Gorgeous Iris shots Betsy. Your flowers are simply gorgeous!! The bluebird pics are adorable!

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

It is impossible to pick a favorite Iris,or maybe not,who says I can have only one fav.All ten are my favorites,and those babies are sure cute.Thanks.
Blessings,Ruth

Janie said...

I really love "orange harvest", but they're all beautiful. Those bluebirds are just adorable. It's so fun to watch baby birds grow.

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

They are all beautiful but I think I like the Siberian...probably because they're different from what I'm used to seeing in our area....love the birds....

Dorothy said...

All of your Iris are so pretty. I was going to pick the Cable Car Iris as my favorite and then I saw the Queen Dorothy!!! Had to pick that one!

SweetAnnee said...

I love the Iris...and I am too scared to open the
door and check my blue bird nest..I want to so I can take baby pics..

smiles, Deena

Tina said...

Betsy,
I think all those iris are my favorite! Since I was little iris has been my flower of choice!! I have many planted around my house also!! Yours are really pretty and so many colors!!
Love those little baby blues!!! Hope you are able to catch them when they fledge and get some pics!!
Well, like you I have to go and dig out our comforter..we have been seeing the high 30's over night!! but at least it warms up during the day!! :0

Rose said...

I sure love your irises...I don't think my new ones are going to bloom.

Love those baby bluebirds.

Cicero Sings said...

I've a few minutes to try and catch up on some posts! We have company coming for a week and I need to put on a chicken to roast.

Your irises are beautiful and I don't think I could pick a favourite.

How interesting to have some of your great granddad's journal. It sure was a different life back in those days.

I envied you all that FRESH seafood. We can hardly get a good piece of fish to eat here ... D needs to take up fishing!

Those bluebird baby pictures are amazing! Lucky you to view this all first hand.

Gotta tootle.

Betty said...

Hi Betsy,

Your flowers are beautiful. I can tell you really have a green thumb, and the baby birds are so sweet.

Loran said...

No way can I pick a favorite iris. Each one I think, "This one!" until the next one so fuggedaboudit.
Do you do all the weeding and maintenance in this incredible yard?

It's been fun getting to know you and your world, Betsy in Tennessee.

lola said...

Floor Show---Cable Car--oh phooey I can't decide which I like better. They are all beautiful. I will have to see about getting some for my garden.
Babies sure are growing.

Femin Susan said...

they all are very beautiful and lovely. Hope they smell great filling your home with the lovely smell of the flowers.Butterflies too.

That yellow one looks great. My fav is(there are 3 of them, can't choose lesser of them because all are magnificent)The first yellow Iris,then the Honey Glazed Iris and the Clarence Iris.

Those little birdies looks great. You are very lucky, They think you are their mother or else will they ask you to feed them. Thanks for sharing.

Have a great day.
Cheers!

Grammy said...

Hi Betsy, I may have the Queen Dorothy Iris, But the rest are diffrent. Most of my Ires cam from Mrs D. And she has 1000's of diffrent ones. She knows them all by name. She is only near 90 years. Old. I only wish I had 1/2 the memory she has. LOL
Tomorrow is my surgery so I may be off line. depending how i fell. Take care. Big hug. Give hubby one for me too.

Leedra said...

The yellow one appears to have just a hint of white. It is so pretty. Notice the orange? I am not what that fuzzy part if called. The iris was in bloom when I was making my iris stained glass several years ago. I took glass outside to match that color for the yellow iris in the stained glass. Now that always catches my eye on the yellow iris.

Glad your bluebirds are doing good.

Leedra’s Photos For FunLeedra’s Greeting CardsPhotography By Leedra

Small City Scenes said...

I hope the babies stay warm enough or did you make teeny sweats for them? Or maybe an electric blanket. LOL
The smaller Iris are my favs but i do like Electric Ice.
I hope it warms up there and also here. And somebody make the rain stop I am trying to plant some annuals. MB

Bren Haas said...

I added a link to your beautiful iris blog on my blog about iris today for Wordless Wednesday.

LOVE IT!!!! You are one of my favorite bloggers.
Happy Garden Time!

Connie said...

I didn't realize there were so many different colors of iris around, Betsy. All so pretty. :-)