It’s peony season, and peony season signals my annual pilgrimage(s) to the corner of Sussex and Brunswick where peonies bloom in abundance. Last year, I arrived too late, and the flowers were already splayed wide open, and some were even taking their last breaths. They’re just as beautiful in that state, but I do like to watch them transitioning from introvert to extrovert, and from fresh and perky to aged and listless. Which is why I visit several times over several days. Between June 1st and June 7th, my phone is filled with pictures of peonies. Beyond being beautiful, they’re also emblematic of the passage of time. As I scroll back, among the various shades of pink petals, I see fresh-out-of-the-kiln pots, my children’s toothless smiles, selfies, screenshots and outings to the lake that feel both like yesterday and a lifetime ago.