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| On February 12, 2021, the west floodplain was green, showing signs of spring. |
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| The Louisiana irises looked particularly vigorous, with fresh, upwardly mobile leaves. |
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| On February 23, 2021, things have changed. A bright winter sun blasts the floodplain with light, but it doesn't look like spring any more. All of that fresh green growth was knocked back by a week of harsh winter weather, uncharacteristic for northwest Louisiana. |
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| The verdant iris bed is gone. The iris leaves are white and have melted to the ground. |
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| But, so it appears, the irises have survived. Even though these plants were covered with snow and ice for five days, they show signs of being ready to start anew. |
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| Will we see any flowers this spring? |
