Years ago, on the afternoon of my daughter’s first day of kindergarten, I asked her how it went. “Not good,” she said. “There are too many rules.”

“Rules are ok,” l said. “We have rules.”

“No we don’t.”

“Sure we do,” I paused, trying to think of one. “Don’t hurt others… that’s a rule.”

“Well, their rules are different,” she said. “Like, stay in your seat. Don’t talk. Don’t hug your friends.”

“Oh… well, some rules are different depending on where you are,” I replied.

In our yard, we have two strict rules about milkweed:

1. Mow around it.

2. If it pops up in a flower bed, let it grow.

This is why: