On one of the first truly sunny days of spring, March 5, I had the blissful experience of brushing a perfect cluster of Iris reticulata in bloom at the Serge Hill Project. Each delicate flower reached skyward, its falls and standards glowing as the morning sun filtered through. Around them, the tender green shoots of soon-to-emerge plants pushed up tentatively, sensing the season’s change. The Iris reticulata—a miraculous blue-purple with vivid yellow centers—stood out in striking contrast to the earthy tones of early spring.  I used handmade Mitsumata paper from Awagami and Kozo from Kashikiseishi, precious paper gathered during my travels to Shikoku, Japan, last year.