Frozen Iris: response

I've read all the e-mail concerning frozen, or otherwise stressed, iris
carefully, and the consensus is encouraging. 
 Of course I know setosa is hardy as a boot - it's the fact they were at
such a vulnerable stage that made me so concerned. I wasn't prepared to
be faced with what I came home to. But I've been busy regrouping,
analyzing & formulating several game plans in my mind (and counting my
many blessings). So yes, no matter what happens with these iris, I'll be
able to deal with the situation I'm given. If I lose them all, I have
the progenitors, and will have the same plants, more or less, in 4 or 5
years. But realistically, I think I will lose some, and keep some. My
livelihood does not depend on them, so it doesn't affect me financially.
The one fact repeated several times which is well taken is that of
watering the plants once they have begun to thaw in the spring. It's a
point I did not consider, but of course! I know a person can suffer from
dehydration if they have only snow to eat for moisture (Wilderness
survival 101 - along with "Always remember to bring along duct tape, a
propane torch for starting a basic little boy scout campfire, lots of
smoked salmon [makes you really thirsty so you have to eat snow
constantly] and your cell phone, in case things get really bad"). I
appreciated Duane Buell's comments from Juneau. I sort of consider our
iris kissing cousins.(But no comments, Duane, on how you prefer Jerky to
smoke salmon. I know the thoughts of you fishing oriented people down
there - my brother says Jerky is his favorite food on his fishing boat,
because it tastes just as good coming up as going down.)
Another thing: the stories of other people's iris climatic calamities.
It seems that many people here have gone through (and survived) griefs
with their iris, setosa or not, and I find it comforting. Not that I
wish others to experience such things, only that many understood very
well. And it seemed that, to a person, the message was, as Griff Crump
said, tommorrow is a new day. That simple message coming from people who
have, by the accounts I read, gone through more than I, must stand as an
encouragement and a lesson of their experience. It is an appropriate
thought on a New Year's Day, is it not?  My day is much better.
Kathy Haggstrom
Anchorage, AK
Zone 3
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index