The peonies are blooming and last week a friend brought me a beautiful bouquet from his yard.
The color was a delicate pink and the fragrance divine. The peonies took me back to my childhood. Both of my Grandmothers had pink peonies in their yards. They always had a bouquet in the house and they would always grumble at the ants that would be on the blooms. They thought the ants helped the flowers to open but the peonies around here do not have ants and they still have beautiful blooms. Must have been a Midwestern story told to all the children.
This morning, the peony bouquet looked tired and I decided it was time to throw it out. Then I caught myself and decided to take them out back and bless the Grandmothers. As I tossed the spent petals in the air the gentle western breeze lifted them up and over the prairie. I blessed my Grandmothers, the grandmothers still to come, and the grandmothers of eons ago. Still not complete I blessed the Grandmother of all grandmothers. And least but not last, I blessed my Mother for being such a wonderful Grandmother and great Grandmother and I blessed myself for the blessing of my grandchildren. My heart felt full of love as I thought of them on this beautiful morning.
Indeed. our Grandmothers did have the loveliest of peonies…perhaps still my most favorite of flowers! I have one of Grandma West’s in a pot out in back, trying to get it to give it another “GROW” after an accident with our neighbor’s fence repairmen. We were gone and they killed the one I dug and brought down from Nebraska, save this one fearless shoot. After nursing it for 3* years, it had bloomed one lonesome blossom. Thought we would never see it flower since our climate here is not especially favorable to peonies, lilacs etc. I now see a sweet blessing as I look in this small clay pot and see the small offspring of our dear Grandmother’s treasure. I. too. live a blessed life from generations past to the growth and thriving five “grands” blossoming for the next generation! The Lord has been generous to me!
Funny, it is hard to grow them in Colorado also. It think peonies like the moister climate and the ants! We can see his generosity in each flower and petal. Thank you for the beautiful comment.