I missed the flowering prime of these peony blooms, but nonetheless found a beauty even more compelling in its starkness (and playfulness – think underwater). That night a severe thunderstorm came through, and the next day, all the petals here had fallen away, leaving only those magnificent earthen ruby-colored seed pods.
** The response by Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki, to a student’s request that he distill his teachings on the Way into their simplest possible form.