First a person moved into my neighborhood. She grew the most beautiful irises I had ever seen.
I painted them. Camping on her street with permission.
She knew I loved them and when she decided to dig them up and move the bed, she gave me bulbs.
It was a leap of faith, finding a sunny spot with good drainage.
Much digging and weeding and nurturing and three years later, I had beautiful irises. Variations on a theme of lavender, red purple, and black.
I was savoring the moment to be able to paint in my own back yard. A looming cloud carrying golfball size hail said otherwise. Luckily the hail only shredded the blossoms, not the plant.
Feeling very sad that I had missed my opportunity this year, but learning to assess damage in a hopeful way. I noticed this wonderful hidden flower. It was growing low protected by the beautiful leaf-spears.
I painted it in the rain.