Backyard Flowers

Peonies are really interesting; they start as tightly packed little balls and gradually squeeze themselves out into a very complex blossom.

Almost out of my shell…

I vaguely recall that my grandmother raised peonies, among many other types of flowers, in the joint back yard of our conjoined houses. Other than a little spading in the spring to loosen the soil for planting, I was not very involved in the raising. Being a kid, in fact, I largely ignored them.

Now, as an adult, I can hardly believe how beautiful flowers are.

I think of peonies as little model galaxies: tightly bound to start with, gradually erupting into a complex, chaotic flurry of color and form.

Here’s another group of peonies that caught my eye this evening.

Going for Baroque

I also checked the crabapple tree; it has set a good crop of fruit. I’m hoping it will attract Cedar Waxwings soon; they love small fruits. I’ve never seen one, but have been fascinated by them since I was a kid.