pistil envy

my neighbor to the west has 3 peony bushes. every spring i await w great anticipation the spectacular magenta explosion. over a period of 11 or so days, each tightly wrapped bloom opens, revealing seemingly hundreds of the most delicately fragrant petals you have ever smelled. when a fierce wind stirs things around, the blossoms litter our side yard like confetti in a ticker tape parade.

until fairly recently, the house sat vacant for a few years, and i could snip away with impunity, filling vase after vase or ichibana-ing to my heart's content. now i must admire from afar or break down and buy my peonies at an outrageous $5-8 per stem. never mind. i think i shall plant some of my own.