Startling! Working this trail in the northernmost Golan region of Israel, searching for butterflies. Always alert, eyes panning from right to left, left to right, poised to note flight. Searching for butterflies. Hyper alert. Lebanon, less than a mile away, is sadly the home of Hezbollah, whose adherents violate all that we learned as children. We were taught to be good citizens, respect the rights of others, and be there to help if someone needs helps. On the other side of the formidable fence, beyond the horizon, roam folks who have been taught, no, trained, to Kill. What a place you see here. Absolute beauty, with hungry knife tips conspiring heinous acts, somewhere over the hill.

Can you imagine my thoughts when I saw these Hermon iris blooms along this trail? OMG! Working to score butterfly images for wingedbeauty.com, I reached floral beauty. Delicate, yet stubborn flowers with petals whose intricacy of tiny inkspots an artisan at Cartier would require weeks or more to copy and master. THE Master craftsman at work. Amazing.

I have never seen irises growing in the wild. I had to reckon a moment, Am I hallucinating?

I have grown irises in my own gardens since 1970. I have occasionally enjoyed comments made by people passing, as I was working my perennial beds. I have grown very beautiful irises. Hermon iris rivaled any that I have ever seen. Period.

These plants are protected by law. They grow on trails that few people ever travel. They bloom in early Israeli Spring, when they go largely unseen.

What a treat on a unique trail in an extraordinary place. What a Shame that the fence will never come down . . .

Jeff