Learning From Sweet Peas

 Since my last post, the sweet peas have begun to grow earnestly. We have had the perfect mix of sunshine and rain this week, gracing all the plants equally. I haven't done a thing except to check on their progress.

Many, many of the plants have decided to grow upward, their tiny tendrils holding fast to the strings of the net where I entwined them last week. A few, such as this lovely, white sweet pea, have continued their upward climb, clinging to the net with tiny tendrils, accepting the sun's gift, and bursting into fragrant bloom.  This one has  grown far above its fellows! 

Oddly enough, about a third of the plants have set their tendrils on to other plants which are also trying to grow skyward. Unfortunately, since the plants in this category haven't found the real support, they are leaning sideways.

And then there are the poor babies which worked their way out of the net and fell back to the ground to lie flat on the dirt. They are matted and small.

Growing among the sweet peas are some impostors; gorgeous little orange flowers, but obviously not sweet peas.  Don once said that the definition of a weed is anything growing where you don't want it or didn't plant it.

I'm still working on the analogies…children, students, people in general. The sunlight, water, and soil all must have their counterparts, and perhaps the reader has thought of his or her own.  Let me know your thoughts in comments below! Thanks.