Natural Habitats

This is the Blue Louisiana Iris in its natural state next to the cement pond. It is flush with spring growth and ready to put on a big show. A really big show I hope. The Amaryllis which also fill this bed and bloom earlier around Christmas and New Years have faded away and been swallowed up again by the Iris.



















This morning I was crouched on my hands and knees peering into a small muddy hole I dug around an antique hydraulic irrigation valve that had gone bad and needed to be replaced. The last two old hydraulic valves in a system I have been converting to conventional electric valves as the old ones go bad, went. Such a lovely parting gift for me.

Before I could even get the old valve out my back had twisted into a knot and it went bad too. I think my chiropractor broke me on my Wednesday monthly visit. OUCH! I had been doing so well for over a year.

Bent to one side and walking back and forth to the truck for parts and rolling around on the wet ground like a wounded beast I got one valve replaced and reconnected to its station in an exquisite feat of irrigation pipery. I disconnected the hydraulic/electric converter that had kept old and new working from one electric clock and carried the dangling carcass of wires and tubing out to the truck like some large dead critter held by its tail.

The lovely bed of Blue Iris by the cement pond was my parting view. I was hoping it would be the final time, but I have to go back when my back is back to replace that last valve. Shovels do not work right when you are twisted into a knot. I couldn't dig another muddy hole.

It is good there isn't a saying to "Stop and Smell the Iris". I did that once and these Iris smell like cat pee.

















Driving out of the neighborhood the Tabebuia trees at one house were in full bloom. The ground underneath is a solid yellow carpet of petals. These trees are blooming all over Kihei right now. Bold shocking deep yellow balls of color like the blazing sun pop out at you in places you never even noticed them before.