peonies--from outside

Last week, for a workshop, I was trying to keep a passel of peonies from maturing too fast (keeping them in the refrigerator), but there were four buds I picked too early and those I was trying to hurry along by putting them in hot water and letting the sun hit them through the window. This was a surprising view I glimpsed of them from outside, as I came up the back porch steps.

And here they are from the inside.

They didn't open before the workshop, but someone used them, so maybe they opened later.