October beauty

I was completely taken by surprise last Sunday. I started cutting back the garden, dried stalks and withered leaves--when I came across this......2 iris buds. We've already had a killing frost, I wondered how did these 2 make it this far.

Oh, the iris. The beautiful, full-figured beauty.

She is struggling to open. Anais Nin said, "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in abud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom". That quote always reminds me of the iris. The buds get so big they look like they are about to burst just before they open. This strong willed beauty is reaching toward the October sun and sky, she knows her time here is short. That's not stopping her from trying her hardest and making the most of the time she has.....