Post-Thanksgiving Iris

The entire Harris clan gathered in Arizona for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Between our home and Keith's brother's home, we hosted 16 people.   Thanksgiving dinner was a success, thanks to the hard work of all family members, but especially Dean and Elaine.  Dean and I cooked the turkey and oversaw creation of traditional (and non-traditional) accompaniments.  Even Lefse, a Norwegian flat bread made from potatoes, made it to the dinner table. 

"Double Your Fun," a reblooming iris,
puts on a show after Thanksgiving.

The family spent the next few days sightseeing, taking in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Titan Missile Museum, and Old Tucson Movie Studios.  Several health-conscious souls (like Keith)did some bike-riding, including our niece, Diane, who completed the Tour del Tucson the previous week.  Mom Harris helped me decorate our Christmas tree.  The balsam is now resplendent in cat ornaments and glass balls of just about every color.  Our weather was simply gorgeous, with sunny days and temperatures in the 70's.

"Again and Again," another reblooming iris, actually
reflowered on Thanksgiving Day.  I could never get my
rebloomers to perform in Virginia.

As of today, all family members have returned to their respective homes in California, North Dakota, New York, and Pennsylvania.  We're slowly returning the house to its former glory as a sanctuary for two introverts and the cats.  I completed my Christmas shopping on Cyber Monday and finished decorating both the inside and outside of Casa de las Brisas today.  Now it's time to draft our annual Christmas letter.

Looking at the weather across the country, I still marvel that the Christmas spirit thrives here in the sunny southwest as much as it does in the snowy north.  Although we're short on snow and ice and "see-your-breath" temperatures, the feeling of celebration and approaching winter pervades homes on my street.  Many put up their decorations the day after Thanksgiving.  I am a little late.

But even though we can enjoy the holidays in the same spirit as the rest of the country, there are still little things that continue to remind us we're different.  The iris now reblooming in my garden bear witness to the mildness of our climate. 

I found that several of my iris have put up bloom stalks.  They are now flaunting lovely yellow flowers in the face of coming winter.   They remind me that spring is not far behind.


Iris aren't the only flowers to enjoy the
Sonoran Desert's late Fall weather.  My
roses are still producing lovely, fragrant
blossoms.