Yes, life is so full of twists. It keep it interesting!

How I got my nickname: my mother is the baby of 16 children. I have around 70 cousins on that side of the family and some are still being discovered. My uncles were naughty and firtile boys in the 70s and 80 I heard.

Family reunions, gatherings, on the street, funerals, I always heard from someone, "hey cousin!"or "what up cousin". Or being introduced as "cousin gabe". When I went to visit family in NorCal it was always, "ay cuzz, come here cuzz...". I eventually told my Michigan and southern family just call me cuzz for short instead of cousin and it just stuck.

When the Internet was invented they asked for these things called usernames, so I've always used CuZZ4shorT.

Plus, Cuzz is fun to say.

And fun to be one -- usually!!

Thanks for explaining your handle, Gabe -- I did wonder.

Great explanation, Gabe! Because I have a small family, I'm always jealous when people talk about connections with cousins. Good for you, you lucky cuzz!

I thought it might have something to do with cussing rather than cousins. One never knows!!

Barbalee said:
I thought it might have something to do with cussing rather than cousins. One never knows!!

I do my fair share of that too. Especially when I returned to my dismantled garden. Cuss4short, Kick4short, Pout4short are my other nicknames this week

Hello everyone,
My name is Carla and I live in Arizona. By the time ya'll are posting your iris my are done for the year. This year my first iris of the year bloomed on 2/18/16, it was an oldie Bess Bergin. My Los Coyotes bloomed from 5/1/16 through the end of May, I think this one loves the desert. I hope you do not mind if I watch and drool, I just joined and so my plants are done for this year but I will be sure to post them next year....This is one of my new favorites Prismatic Crown...happy gardening!

Happy back atcha, Carla! I'm the ultimate watch and drooler since this is my first year with irises so have no blooms (other than the one bloomer I bought at a garden center just cuz I had to)! I'll be watching for more pix from you next winter!

Carla. That sure is a nice bloom you posted. My fiends in the Phoenix area are all worried that their irises might not deal with the very hot weather they have right now. Is there anything you do to keep your irises from frying in the heat? I told them to keep them mulched and water often. So far they have made it through 3 years.

Cuzz4short said:How I got my nickname: my mother is the baby of 16 children. I have around 70 cousins on that side of the family and some are still being discovered. My uncles were naughty and firtile boys in the 70s and 80 I heard.

Family reunions, gatherings, on the street, funerals, I always heard from someone, "hey cousin!"or "what up cousin". Or being introduced as "cousin gabe". When I went to visit family in NorCal it was always, "ay cuzz, come here cuzz...". I eventually told my Michigan and southern family just call me cuzz for short instead of cousin and it just stuck.

When the Internet was invented they asked for these things called usernames, so I've always used CuZZ4shorT.

My mother came from a family of 11 children, and I have lots of cousins, too. We all grew up in the same neighbourhood and it was a great childhood. There was always someone to watch your back! My count for cousins is in the 50's, so you have more than I do

Hi Carla!

Welcome to the iris forum, Carla! We will all be waiting for photos next year but don't wait to jump in now with your iris comments.

Wow thanks everyone for the warm welcome. Tom (TVEGuy3) the leaves will turn pale and crunchy sometimes but I water every 3 days here, I keep totally crunchy leaves pulled off and keep mulching as needed. I watch for the start of re-bloomers (it hasn't happened yet) but I am told it can in special years, and in the fall I do a major clean up.. .in January I feed them. I started with 5 cultivar 7 years ago when we moved from Washington back to Arizona. I have added 70 cultivar in the last 3 years. I am working in the garden today to get ready to mulch again, this happens several times a year because my ground is just awful and it seems to digest the compost quickly. I buy tried and true iris that are supposed to do well in the heat...The only new ones are the Iris recommended for our heat. Another iris I love in the heat is Sundown Saber.

Carla, Beautiful irises!

Carla!

Hi Carla! to the Iris forums!!

Carla!

Wow, love your Sundown Saber! My Dad lives outside of Phoenix during the winter. They have iris too, but I don't know if anyone takes care of them the months they are gone (through the summer). I am guessing that the iris that like heat are also a bit drought tolerant?

😊

Lucky, lucky, @SpringGreenThumb! My three boys kept me in shape when they were at home, but they're all adults now, so.... Keep some at home!

Nice to have new people with whom to chat.