the iris moment

Wild irises always pop out by June 1st! Scientists may tell us that there is no time or space and that it's all in the conscious human mind, but the seasons around here seem to have a calendar that they refer to. Today's calendar page said Bloom Wild Irises! Fields show solid patches of these palest purple flowers - individually smaller and less showy than cultivated irises. To me their arrival ushers in summer - and today feels like summer. It's warm-cloudy and a bit humid. It may rain or not.
     Driving back from Santa Fe late yesterday, around Espanola the mountains began to be obliterated by what looked like smoke diffused over a huge area. This is the time of year for wildfires and the air seemed thick. Quite different from when we started out that morning, top down, driving through clear canyon air into a crisp world of blue and green. We didn't see any smoke plumes so it's a mystery. Today there is still a smokey haze in the air that makes the mountains look like they're almost hiding behind a tulle veil.

     Anxious to return
pale irises bloom all at once.
     Gone tomorrow.