Peony Perfection

Oh what a gorgeous, old-fashioned, well-endowed, and timeless flower is this bright red bushy Peony. My first memories of them are the brilliant spots of color in old Iowa graveyards, lining the fence in the first Quonset Hut my family lived in up to when I turned 5, then transplanting them to our own farm from Grandmom's house, my mom's huge bouquets of the heavy flowers on the kitchen table - with the occasional ant brought in with them (!), transplanting a few to our place in Washington, dear friends Jack and Jewell Swan generously giving me many of their extras over the years, and now, my very own 15 bushes are just beginning to bloom extravagantly in my own garden!  How cool is it that the first huge bloom fits so nicely into the lovely vase which was a wedding gift for my folks in 1950.  The whites and pinks and ruffly peonies are soon to come. How sweet it is! :)