...of wild iris, that is.  

I never know when we drive west on Highway 64 between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla at this time of year whether the wild iris will be in bloom.  Yes, the bloom happens sometime in June but precisely when depends on temperature, winter moisture, and spring rainfall.  It is a guessing game.  You just go in June and hope for the best.

As we drove west, there were green meadows full of yellow peas and false hellebore (corn lily), but wild iris seemed few and far between.  I was a little disappointed as we drove over the highway passes, scoping out the bloom.  There was a smattering here and there, and I made a few shots but it wasn't until we headed back east that a nice community appeared near a small rivulet.  I walked over with my camera and realized I had discovered a real mother lode, more valuable than gold to a photographer.  Each step I took, whether on soggy or dry ground, more and more patches appeared.  The mother lode was all around me.  I kept walking and shooting and walking.  I wanted to take a portrait of every iris but would get lost in the group.

Although they are all similar, wild iris display a wide variety of colors from fuchsia to blue and multiple shades in between.  Some are rich and dense with color while others are subdued.  Here is a sampling of those that caught my eye before the summer witching hour of noon nipped at my heels.

Wild iris-3

Wild iris-4

Wild iris-6

Wild iris-5

Wild iris-7

Wild iris-2

Now that you have been forced to overdose on wild iris, I will promise that next week's blog will be something completely different.  Maybe...

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image@