Bearded Iris Bud... On the verge...

Strolling through the garden this morning this brilliant purple iris bud caught my eye and I caught my breath and bent over to just gaze at it in wonder. There is something about the flowers in bud, on the verge of opening, that hold so much promise. Once they open they have a short time of blooming, and then fade, and drop. but now, today, in my mind's eye, this iris could bloom forever...