My grandma Noice introduced me to the sweetest odor that would grab you, and bathe the senses in its beauty. She would carry me to the Peony plant led by the odor. The bush of lobed, green leaves, on large stems of white and red flowers could be seen from the front  porch. These flowers literally burst into view. When I touched the bud that had opened, It was so soft.   The  enormous size of the bush supported each bloom that began from small sealed buds. There were so many ants crawling over each of the closed buds. 

Grandma would bend over and hold one of the open buds up to my nose, and that sweet, sweet odor would make me so giggly, it tickled the inside of my nose. Grandma and I would laugh together at my reaction, and I would sneeze if I got to much of the pollen up my nose. I was small at the time maybe two or three. I still can see her face and smile. I am sure this became a ritual of spring. Somewhere a picture exists of those bushes, as she had many large Peonies.

Happy times cause us to try to repeat them, so I planted some two years ago. This year they really produced some beautiful blooms. This of course caused us to buy two more. The yard smells like them, and it is a real experience to sit in the morning, spring sun and have that sweetness fill the air . As I sit I remember grandma’s smile with each breath of the nectar of the Peony Plant, I am glad to have had a moment again with Grandma.