Picture Time!

My computer is back and you know what that means! I was able to transfer yard pictures from my camera to my laptop to share and I was able to get a hold of Cocoa's toothless pictures. So, without further ado, pictures!

Yard Pretties
My irises have done really well this year so far. Of course, that was before this cold front came in. I'm not sure how they'll be after this weekend. *pout* I don't think irises are made to bloom in 34 degree weather. But hopefully they'll survive. If not, I still have some pretty pictures.

Last year we stretched the corner bed all the way down one side of our house. We got a ton of irises from a neighbor and planted then in the new addition. Those irises have really done well and are absolutely gorgeous.

Part of the new side bed in bloom

When our neighbor told me they were mostly purple irises, I was pleased thinking they were the "normal" irises you always think of when someone says "Iris". Most of mine were yellow from my parent's house, with a few more interesting ones from my grandma (though most of those have yet to bloom) so the idea of adding some "regular" irises was neat. But they weren't the "regular" variety, but this gorgeous fancy, white-with-purple-speckles-and-edges purple irises. I LOVE them.

Our not-so-plain purple irises

Tons of them are blooming or about to bloom

I just find them fascinating and so beautiful

Of course, not all of them are that speckled purple. I have a few that look like this white and lilac combo (though not all have bloomed (and after the cold weather, I'm unsure as to if they will bloom) so some could be just lilac).

A few of my irises are like this delicate looking one

Aren't they gorgeous? Almost all the ones I have in the original corner bed are yellow. There are some darker purple ones and supposedly some other fancy ones from my grandmother, but I suppose I need to dig them up and split them because they haven't bloomed in the past 2 years. I think they are supposed to do better (have more blooms) when they are split and trimmed in fall. Maybe I will do that this year. Because I love how our yard looks in bloom.

I can't wait until our bed is overflowing with irises. I hope to add some more unusual ones in the future, too. I also want to extend the corner bed the other way, along the back fence, and plant with bulbs (mostly irises but also daffodils and daylilies. Maybe some gladiolas and dahlias if the ones I planted last year do well). When we stretch the bed along the back fence, I want to incorporate the two apple trees into the bed, too. Ultimately, it would mean that almost 1/2 of our back yard was bulb bed. But hey, gorgeous flowers and less grass to cut and water!

Cocoa Time!
And now it is time for the toothless Cocoa. I actually have her teeth in a plastic bag beside my computer. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. But before they go to their final home (which will honestly probably be the garbage), I think I might take a pictures and post them. Because I'm icky like that.

Anyway, here is where that bag of teeth came from:

Gummy Kitty

The little purple bits are her stitches. They haven't come out yet but they aren't bothering her so we are just leaving them in for now.

She's still doing great with no teeth. Though, have I mentioned?, it is so sad to see her try to eat a spider plant without teeth. She just gums it but eventually gives up because she can't tear it. So sad. But not as sad as she was with a feeding tube in, so I know removing her teeth was the right thing to do!