Strip away these stony shields… curl me up a budding nudity, shining open in love’s sweetest light; melt me down a soulful vulnerability pulsing, humming yum ‘til all the lil masks fall laughing on the ground, bowing to the best of real, unfolding heart, heart, heart…
J. Ruth Kelly 
Mine are blooming this week too. 🙂
Ah…don’tcha just love peonies? :0)
Yes I do. My mother likes them too, but they won’t grow reliably as far south as she is. Apparently they need some cold weather.