Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Chatting with a "Mare" & an Iris Garden for my Outdoor Wednesday...

Today was a bit of a downer for me., until I grabbed my camera...and got in my car on my lunch break & took off for the unknown picture I wanted to capture. For months now I've wanted to take pics of horses, this is one I found along the road by a lane. I stopped and chatted with her...what a blessing it was to visit with this lady! ;) She had like six friends too...I'll share more on another Outdoor Wednesday...since I had already completed my post for the Iris Garden to share today.
Another Outdoor Wednesday with Susan from "A Southern Daydreamer"...
Thanks Susan for hosting such a fun Outdoor Day!


I've often talked about the Iris Bulb Sale my mother held two years ago to raise money for a children's orphanage in Peru.
She's actually held the sale two years in a row, the first year raising $1,000 by selling her bulbs for $1 & $2 each. She was 73 the first year, and my sister Becky & I were visiting when she had it. We all camped at the Iris Garden to help dig, load, and sell the Iris's to locals who stopped in over a period of 2.5 days. My mother advertised in the local paper, and with the sign she made all by her lonesome in the pic below. Isn't she a cutie?
Her Iris Garden is the largest I've ever seen. And in the country it offers a great open door backdrop of lush green mountains and a clear blue sky for taking photos! I had a blast that day...literally laying in the grass snapping the pics!
This shot was taken from the underneath of the Iris...it's one of my favorite shots!
This purple one looks so lovely amidst the yellow ones...
This is an "Old Fashioned" Iris... I love the little Zebra looking stripes on the lower petals.
This is a tea photo I snapped., and I used a special filter on this one for my custom photo note cards I sell. I love it, because it looks as if it's a drawing.
I used another filter on this one and also showcased it with a spotlight.
It doesn't even look real, but it is. It's one of her black irises.
Another favorite is this one that has the sky in the background with the clouds.
I layed down on the grass to get this shot., and didn't even get any ticks in my hair. ;)
Full of Smiles is the Solo Yellow Iris amidst some blues in one area of the garden...adorable!
Another Old Fashioned Iris...LOVE it!
This hangs in my powder room on my California Lilac walls...it's so ruffled and feminine!
She had so many varied colors, and they seemed endless...I took about 400 pics that day. It was hard to select the best ones for my photo note cards, but I managed. Many on this post made the cut!
This pic gives you an idea of how lovely they were when the colors were close and varied...
And my favorite Iris... I call Kathleen! My dear friend Kathleen Ellis gave me a cutting of this bulb probably 15 years ago. I gave my mother a bulb, and she since has created many many bulbs as a result of that one. I have given this Purple & White Bearded Iris the name of "Kathleen", since she was the one that shared it with us. Is it not exquisite? Just like my friend Kathleen! ;)
Well...these are just a teency weency part of my Iris Outdoor Garden Tea Party favorites.
Maybe I'll show you more on another Outdoor Wednesday!
Now, don't forget to drop by Susan's to catch all the other Outdoor Wednesday posts!
Enjoy today, the "present", for it is truly a GIFT!
~CC Catherine

23 comments:

Kat said...

Thanks for sharing these beautiful flowers with us. And your mom is a cutie! You are a wonderful photographer, I love the tea set photo. And the one with the clouds - I can't choose, they are all gorgeous! Great post, Kathy

CIELO said...

Oh CC how delightful, your mom is such a terrific gardener... I love all her irises, such color and beauty... the fairy spirits must live in her garden.... would you please tell her "thank YOU" from me...

Smiles

cielo

xinex said...

OMG, CC! Those irises are gorgeous and you are right, Kathleen is so pretty, colors are so vivid and mama is such a cutie. I like all of them. Bless your mama's heart! Beautiful photography!!...Christine

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

Happy Outdoor Wednesday CC Catherine!

Oh my, the irises are absolutely gorgeous!

Thanks for sharing your photos.

Susan

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Wow CC,
Your photos are gorgeous and I love the notecards you made. You are very talented! Love the pic of your mom too! Cindy

Jewel Sauls said...

Those irises are gorgeous and so is your mother! That tea party photo with the filter is amazing! :D Jewel

Silver said...

these are so pretty and gorgeous!wish i have these in my garden! but the weather in my part of the world would be too harsh for them unfortunately.

hugs,

~Silver

Ldy ~~ Dy said...

I love horses. They seem so wise somehow. Love the photo of Ms. Mare. As for those gorgeous irises...you know me! I love the color purple and lavendars in florals..and combined with the yellow! My senses get happy! Your mom is sweet! You have taken great pictures..love the angles from underneath and ground level. Huggy Hugs!

Anonymous said...

CC you keep me on my toes at all times. Is there anything else I should know about you my friend??
Glad your down time was spent with the beautiful Mare.
Now, your mom and those Irises. You captured their beauty and her.
I must get some of your pretty cards oh my.
BTW when you visit please go to my awards page. I posted something from you. ; )
Love Claudie
xoxoxo
P.S. What a sweet note from the beautiful Cielo.

Karen said...

Hey! I recognize a couple of those shots!!! They are gorgeous! Love the teaset! You are so lucky to have such fun with your Mom!!!! I wanna come!
Hugs! Karen

Anonymous said...

A sure sign of spring. I'm so ready for it too. Doesn't look like GA is going to get that snow I ordered. :-(

Light and Voices said...

I liked the tea set shot and the iris with the blue sky. You have an eye for photography. Thanks for your OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY post.
Joyce

Anne Fannie said...

I want to go there and look at those Iris!!!!
So very pretty! I just love Irises.

Anonymous said...

Catherine, the iris are amazing!! I love them.

We had one lonely iris at our home, after 5 years. We had many at the farm. Last year, J dug several at his Aunt Ruth's. Anxious to see how they do in their new location.

How wonderful your mother sold iris to benefit children in Peru.

Chandy said...

Oohh, oohhh! I love those irises!!! I hope someday you can do a giveaway for some of those bulbs! I'm in love!!!

Carolyn of What Now? Tablescapes
http://whatnowtablescapes.blogspot.com

Sue said...

Oh my!!! It has been a long time since I have seen so much beauty . And to be able to see this all together is remarkable!!! Thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Sue

Terri Steffes said...

So how do we get our hands on some of your note cards?

Anonymous said...

What lovely flowers, and that tea photo is beautiful!

♥ Kathy said...

♥ Iris ♥

Really I do ♥ them :) they are so beautiful. And the horse too :D pretty!

Anonymous said...

How precious of your mom to hold an iris sale to benefit a Peruvian charity. She's a special lady, and her flowers are gorgeous! I really enjoyed your Ash Wednesday crosses, too. Those are very inspiring as we begin our journey to Resurrection Sunday.

Maryrose said...

Your photos are stunning and I want to be just like your mom. What a sweetheart. Thanks for the peek, Maryrose

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Amazing, Catherine! Just amazing!
GORGEOUS flowers. Thanks for sharing these...

Happy OW!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Anonymous said...

WOW, one of my most favorite flowers is the Iris. So photos are amazing as is your mom for selling the bulbs for charity. She sounds like a great mom and person. she is very pretty too.

Hugs...Jeanne