May time around the yard

Is there anything more glorious than spring flowers? Ok maybe fall leaves but be that as it may spring is always bursting with life and May is such a lovely time in Utah.
I took some pictures of lilacs and Iris in our yard.

The Iris are kind of special to me and Mr Creative as they remind us of his mother Edith who passed in 1997. She was a lovely woman who was always kind and welcoming to me as the DIL. She had a rather tough life with many illnesses that were chronic and sometimes made it so hard to have a normal life. She was a good homemaker of her times and kept up much of her canning and creating until it just wasn't feasible any more.

Iris were a very special to her...she called them Flags, which I understand came from them being in bloom around Memorial Day, the day we remember the fallen military. She would order special varieties from catalogs and her DH, my FIL would plant them in the large flower garden and every spring they just were glorious. My first Memorial day she asked me to help prepare the bouquets for the graves and Mr Creative and I and his family sometimes, would roam the yard cutting all sorts of flowers but the Iris were almost always the mainstay of the bouquets.

She had them in all shades of purple and pinks but also had many unusual colors as well. I think her favorites were the extra ruffley pink ones with streaks of darker pink. We did try to transplant them to our garden but within a few years these two plants were all that was left. I guess we don't have the soil (ours is very rocky and her's was sandy) nor skill to grow them.

I also just love running water in the yard and since it was the right time to get the fountains going I just rejoiced when I got them all functioning. The froggy was made by my youngest DS for Mother's day 3 years ago. He is just darling spitting water.

The watering can with a spigot was made by my DH for me for Mother's day about 6 years ago and I just love to listen to that can fill with water. I have used it for displays and everyone is so surprised that my DH made it for me. He was not so sure I wasn't crazy but I knew he could "make it work" in the end.

the other fountain is the one I bought last month and it is wonderful. Not only does it have soothing running water but no cords since it is solar and the birdies come and drink too.