Hiccups occur when a spasm contracts the diaphragm, a large sheet of muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. This spasm causes an intake of breath that is suddenly stopped by the closure of the vocal cords (glottis). This closure causes the characteristic hiccup sound.
Deer Resistant? I've seen peonies on several lists of deer-resistant plants. Please share your experience with whether or not the deer leave your peonies alone. We're thinking of putting some in our back yard which does get some deer traffic (we use several products to try to keep them off our plants). Peonies are my husband's favorite flower.
Landscaping with deer resistant shrubs will end up being the most aesthetically pleasing way to combat the deer damage problem, as there is no fence to block views or get in the way, or no repellant you have to continually buy and apply all over you landscape or garden.