A bit of earth

Last year just before I got preggo and exhaustion set in to not depart for 9 months, I threw about 6 old potatoes out into our little dirt pile.  I buried them and figured "if they grow, they grow, if not. . . oh well".  So, they grew, and they bloomed and then they just. . . kinda. . . died.  I was bummed, but not devastated.  After all, they were squishy and old when I put them out there, I wasn't even sure they were going to grow, and besides the soil I put them in was AWFUL  I'm pretty sure there is only dirt about 6 inches down and then it's cement.  I also planted some iris bulbs my husbands grandmother gave me and I rejoiced as I watched those four little plants bloom.
My Mother had a plot of irises at the top of our driveway that would bloom with purple blossoms every spring.  I loved that spot of hope and color after the long dreary Idaho winters.  I remember watching them as the little buds began to emerge and I knew that the browns and grays and dirt of winter had been beaten back again.
Imagine my excitement this year when EIGHT little plants came up!  I was literally doing happy dances. I wasn't even sure the poor things had survived our never ending winter.
My sister Rosalee offered to share some of her garden with me including her many colors of irises and I joyfully said I would take some.  I guessed that digging them up and moving them a hour away would shock them badly enough that they wouldn't bloom this year, but I was looking forward to a LOT of color next year.  She gave me some of each color she had.  I helped her dig them up rushed home and put them in the ground.  Then I left on vacation for four days. . .
When I got home, my little flower patch looked like someone had taken a torch to it.  They were all laying on the ground like exhausted little children so I tried to prop them up with soil.  Sad but hopeful, I turned on the sprinklers and waited. 
My visiting teacher and friend bought a tomato plant and brought it to me with excerpts from this talk from the most recent LDS general conference.  She is so amazing.  I love her.  Well, now I had to include veggies in my little garden spot, so my husband and I went and purchased another tomato, two pepper plants and a package of onion starts.  It took me a couple days but I finally got them all in the ground. (Don't condemn. I have no idea where my days go.) Yesterday I got the little garden plot fertilized, and now I need to weed.  This is harder than it sounds because my 5 month old son doesn't like me being out there.  Maybe when hubby comes home tonight. 
Anyway, a while ago I noticed some little green leaves coming up where I had not planted anything this year!  I knew what it was, and now, it looks like this:

As I was out watering my little garden today I was so happy to see the onions greening up.  My grandmothers irises are about to bloom

You can see how sad and tired the other irises look in behind the tall ones.  Poor kids. . . hopefully next year.  Here are my tomato and pepper plants:

You can see a little of my "volunteer" plants there to the top right :D and the onions behind the tomatoes.
 Imagine my excitement when just as I was about to go back inside so little Sharp Toes wouldn't get sunburned, I noticed this:

and this:

Can you see them??  Those poor torched little irises are ACTUALLY going to make flowers for me.  I'm so thankful for this bit of color I hugged little Sharp Toes and almost cried.  You can even see in that bottom picture how sad and burned the leaves got, but that tough little flower is still going to bloom! 
So finally here's a quick picture of the entire garden spot:

You can definitely see how sad those poor irises look.  But Some of them are blooming!!  Grandma's are in the front.  They are the healthy looking ones. . . They were more well established and therefore more able to withstand four days of neglect.  Anyway, see that tall stick that looks more like a wire or something to the left of my hose?  with a spidery looking base?  it's come up each year we've been here.  It makes a purple fluffy looking flower at the top of that tall stalk.  I have no idea what it it, but I leave it alone because it was here and it's not hurting anything.  Anyone know what it is and can tell me?
You know I find it a little funny but with this small amount of playing in the dirt I find myself fantasizing about when I have my own house and can grow a "real" garden with rows of plants instead of two and more variety than just onions, peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes.  I'll grow peas and beans and squash and cucumbers and zucchini and corn and and and. . . I feel blessed for what I have now.  I'm so thankful my eyes found those blossoms.  I'm so glad I have hands that can pull weeds and plant and water.  I'm so thankful for eyes that can see the beauty of this world.  I'm so glad I have a landlord who will let me play in the dirt.  :)  Feeling so blessed. 
Every time I go out there I find myself singing this song.  Love you all.  Here's hoping you have your own "bit of earth" and don't worry.  It may look dead, but remember spring will beat the winter every time.