The irises are blooming!

Spring has officially arrived at my house where the irises are blooming!

I've been watching the buds grow wondering which day the flowers would bloom. Would they wait until Friday - my birthday! - or a few days earlier? I walked out the front door Tuesday and gasped as I do each and every year at the beauty of nature's gift.

The whites are in a small bed near the front door. The purples are in a bed that rings the crape myrtle tree.

Irises are a beautiful birthday week gift each year!

First iris of the season!

I had a wonderful surprise when I opened the front door this morning. The first iris blossomed! The purple and white ones are ready to pop any day now.

Last year, none of the purple/white ones blossomed. But this year there are quite a few buds.

This makes me happy!

Writing Prompt Friday (#15)

Today the prompt is a simple but glorious one: NATURE.

In all its glory, from the leaves on the trees to flowers that bloom, the wild places of the planet, the forests and streams, the mountains and more, nature gives us plenty of opportunities to enjoy its natural beauty and power.

I'll share with you a few of my favorite things about nature in a couple of days. In the meantime, write your thoughts on nature and feel free to share them in the comments.

And here are a few of the nature photographs I've taken. The flower images were taken during a trip to Ocean City, Md. The flora at the hotel was really beautiful.

Along one area were whites.

I particularly liked this one.

A shell from the James River beach in Surry County, Va. I picked up several as I walked along the shoreline.