Friendship Peony

The first peony bud to open this season, on a plant given to me by friends Cindy and Kurt. Looks like it could be "Pink Parfait" - very light pink center with a pink cup. A good part of my garden started in theirs, iris, hibiscus, resurrection lilies, daylilies, and hostas. The iris are blooming, too, deep purple crayons bursting into iris fireworks.

I used live view and an extension tube on this shot. Live view made it much easier to see what was in focus and to get it sharp as possible. Love the soft pinks and early morning dew.

First Bloom

The first peony blossom opened yesterday - it's one of Grandma Wilk's. Seems fitting for Memorial Day.

To soften the vivid magenta and green and reduce the contrast against the house, I used a Lightroom 3 preset called "Aged Photo" on this shot, and added a vignette and a bit of grain.