Gardening Update, of sorts

My irises are all standing tall, with multible buds on each stalk, just waiting to bloom. One brave stalk decided to start earlier this week. It's right near our front steps, and I think the wind whacked it against the steps and broke the flower's neck because when I came home from work that day, expecting to see the purple flower fully opened, it was...but it was also bent over at an unnatural and horrifying angle. So I snapped the flower off to put me out of my misery.

Another bud followed a day or so later, but it was low enough that it didn't suffer any damage when the wind blew.

I've also got several yellow irises just waiting to open. Unfortunately it's been cold and rainy for the last few days, and the buds are all huddled together, shivering and closed, waiting for the sun to welcome them.

They've got a bit of a wait. We're not supposed to see the sun until Monday. I don't know if they can wait that long.

Anyway, enough anthropomorphosizing of the flora.

Things are coming up in the vegetable gardens nicely - we've got to pick the arugula and broccoli rabe TODAY because the rabe, at least, is going to seed, and the arugula is certainly big enough to provide enough leaves for a little salad. Or to go into a couple of sandwiches.

I took a few pictures out our big front window this morning - the pansies are sprinkled in leftover rain...I love that. I think I get some distortion photographing them through the glass, but I'm not tall enough to go outside and get the shot from there. Anyway, here's how things are looking in the window box...