Peonies & Friends I

Jessica Berry

Earthenware clay, wheel thrown, hand built embellishments.

Monologue: On a sunny morning, after the first blooms from the peonies have begun to droop, but before the petals fall, the babies begin to emerge. There has not, in the 13 years we have lived in this house, not been a summer without rat babies, though there have been summer without the peonies. The babies climb the stalks and dash out of with when spotted. They are the main character in our yard in the spring, Followed closely by the urban deer and bright red cardinals who sing the loudest in the morning. Living knew the buzz of the city, composting like a good citizen, and sharing our neighborhood with. Several domestic laying hens ensures that there will always be baby rats playing in our peonies!