MERCED EASY STREET (Kanarowski 2025) TB, Midseason, 36”
INSPIRED…. from my youth
Midwesterners like me sometimes have a different way of looking at things than people in other parts of the country. In talking about my early years growing up in Michigan, I have told young Californians that way back then, I was born in a log cabin that I helped my father build. They don’t get it.
This geographic difference also carries over to our work ethic. There seems to be a very real phenomenon known as the Midwestern Work Ethic. Here’s how it works. The vast majority of us grew up with a very simple life plan. We actually graduate from school, find a job that will pay our bills, are always on time, always work hard, reliably report for work even when there is a foot of snow on the ground and below zero temperatures are forecast, take two-week vacations to the same lake every year, and stick it out until retirement. What’s so hard about that?
The only part that I left out is that on occasions, we do like to have some fun. One type of ‘fun’ is to talk about ‘our plan’to find the pathway out of our rut. The same two urban myths seem to have grown out of this problem-solving dilemma. One goes like this. “If I only could save up enough money, I’d put it in the bank …. and just live off of the interest.” Sounds good! But the last time I went back to Michigan for my 50th class reunion, the guys that had proposed that very idea years ago were still working their usual jobs. So apparently, this first brilliant idea just didn’t work that well.
The second urban myth that seemed to regularly make the rounds was what I’d call the Easy Street method. The idea here was to somehow figure out a brilliant yet illusive way to ‘make it big’ …. and thereafter be able to live on Easy Street for the rest of your life. The problem here was that after an extremely careful examination of many of the local street maps, there wasn’t an Easy Street to be found. So, nobody could actually live there!
LOOKING DOWN …. and looking ahead
As my adolescent years passed, at 20 years old, I found myself looking out of an airplane window flying into California. I was ‘on orders’ to report to the U.S. Navy Riverboat School in Vallejo …. Pre-Viet Nam. Having never been ‘out west’ before, I was truly awed by the grandeur of the famous Sierra Nevada mountain range. Below was an intensely beautiful, pine tree covered landscape interspersed with pristine mountain lakes and even a few, late-summer, snowcapped glacial peaks. Mixed in with this optic delight was the occasional, hidden-away, small town. People lived down there! Very little people!
So, this was my first look at the famous Sierra Nevada mountain range …. Home of Lake Tahoe, giant redwoods, Big Foot, Bonanza’s Ben Cartwright and even some Hippies. I’d pass on the Hippies, but I was old enough to know that you can’t have everything your way. I’ve gotta’ tell you, I made up my mind right then and there, that this was the most beautiful place that I had ever seen …. and I wanted to live right down there!
FINDING…. my own happy spot
After only a couple of years, and after an unusual mixture of circumstances, in 1976 I drove my broken-down, rusted-out Pontiac station wagon into Mariposa California …. A small mountain community where I have now lived for the past 45 years with my wife and family. Up to the task, mountain living is measurably more demanding than city dwelling. I have to be my own road department, garbage man, brush cutter, firewood provider, lawn service, firefighter, water company, emergency electricity provider and occasional bear chaser. I really can’t and don’t complain, after all, it was my choice. Besides, how can anyone complain when you have almost everything that you ever dreamed and wished for?
BUT THERE WAS ….. one remaining thing
What about the Easy Street thing? Well, here’s how that all turned out. I actually found my Easy Street. I accidentally discovered it while driving to a nearby town. On the north side of Merced California, a street sign with only four big letters grabbed my attention. There it was! .... right before my unbelieving eyes .... 'E A S Y' street. MERCED EASY STREET was the actual, un-imposing, non-descript, real-deal street .... but with big personal meaning for me. How cool is that?
FORMAL FLOWER DESCRIPTION …. (attempt)
TB, 36”, Midseason
STANDARDS: buff pink
STYLE ARMS: darker and contrasting orangey-buff-pink
FALLS: pale blue-violet, randomly dry-brushed deep red-violet, more concentrated at shoulder, 3-eighth inch buff-pink rim, limited cream-ground haft marks
BEARD: bright red-tangerine
OTHER BELLS AND WHISTLES? …. plenty!
Next Generation colors, application, harmony and form
Colors broad array of highly complementary shades and blends
Each fall planted rhizome has averaged one stalk and 3.4 increase
Fading or aging loses minima color, ages well
Plant proportions and stem strength, good
Branching good
Breeding very limited usage, will set a pod
Form highly desirable orbicular form, substantial fall overlap
Bud Count primarily double sockets with occasional triples
Highest bud count observed 11
Bloom Season relatively long flowering season
Rim pleasingly complementary to the overall flower
Beard Color strong red-tangerine
Fragrance moderately sweet
Plant Vigor good
Flower Size average for a TB
Ruffles strong, lavish and abundant
Curb Appeal overall excellent, stunning
Strong interest by judges and garden visitors
Rare I know of only one other iris of similar appearance
Problems none observed
A FLOWER THAT …. shouted
As a new seedling, this one shouted …. Look at me! MERCED EASYSTREET overtly displayed multiple iris advancements, all on the same flower …. Modified Aril spot, unusual dry-brushed fall color, breakthrough contrasting colored style arms, near red beard, overly-lavish ruffles, modern overlapping form, and exceptional curb appeal. MERCED EASYSTREET appears to represent a strong advancement toward what I have previously named the fake aril-spot look as the flower mimics the distinctive aril spot irisarians are so familiar with. With its many attributes, MERCED EASY STREET was easy to love. Beautiful, different, quality …. An Iris From The Future.
“FROM MY HYBRIDIZING NOTES”
“Best semi-Aril spot to date. Quite interesting. Great color harmony.”
PARENTAGE…. Seedling #0749: Arizona Cave Painting X Gladiators Get Ouchies
RECOGNITIONS and AWARDS