Heritage Gorgeous

That gorgeous Peony brings my heart delight!
For several years now, it has lived in it's pot, carefully tended by me and my nostalgia. Never blooming, but I've remained ever hopeful. You see, that peony is from the ranch my Grandparents lived on for over 50 years. The place were my Dad grew up and I learned how to ride horseback. The endless miles of field and hours on end spent with Grandpa saying little more than a few words the whole time, but building volumes of understanding of and with each other. My first memories of an impressive, massive garden that you could actually eat out of were formed there. I adore the Ranch House (even though it is but a memory and another lucky family lives there now) to this day with it's basement filled with Grandma's canned goods and the ping pong table Dad made in his youth, and spiders or course. I learned the wonders of a barn, bales of hay and secret forts on that ranch. Days of library books checked out in droves for summer reading and Cinnamon Rolls baked by Grandma. For me, there was a sense of wonder and earthy freedom that came with that Ranch and my summer visits. Someday having a similar ranch is my dream. This year, finally, that lovely, gorgeous peony decided it was time to bloom. And with it, as always, bloom or no, comes a flood of precious childhood memories.