Of chickens and Chionanthus Virginicus!

Here is the newest addition to the Heart's-A-Burstin homestead - Frank.  He is an Ameraucana rooster that we got from someone in the community who is moving soon.  

Here are three of our Buff's in the laying boxes.  One is trying to set but she has no fertilized eggs to hatch.

Frank is settling in nicely with his 9 new friends.

This is an Iris that we planted last fall.  We were quite surprised and pleased how beautiful it turned out to be.  The two tone coloration is quite striking.  I think at least some of the Iris rhizomes we planted last fall are supposed to be rebloomers.  

Here is another Iris that I captured when the dappled sun was illuminating it and the surroundings were mostly in shade.  By exposing for the bright flower I got most of the background to disappear without any special editing on the computer.  I might just leave it the way it is to prove it wasn't a make-up studio shot.  

Announcing another new addition to the Heart's-A-Burstin Homestead.  This is our Chionanthus Virginicus that we got the Saturday before Mother's Day.  This fringe tree appears to be a male due to the large showy blooms.  We saw others at the nursery that had a smaller finer bloom and from reading that seems to be the female.  It is a fragrant tree with a very pleasant smell.

Here is a close up of the blooms.  We are hoping it will like its new home.  We have lost a Japanese Maple and a weeping evergreen in the same spot.  Other plants grow well in that area such as Azalea so we are hoping this fringe tree is compatible.

We are enjoying the spring and the rains.  Seems like our drought was broken by the plentiful spring rains we have been getting.  Back in early April it was dusty and the ground was cracked open like you might expect to see in August.  It is 6:05AM on Sunday morning and I hear Frank crowing.  Sounds like he is doing well at his new home.   Time for more coffee and to go see Frank and crew.