friendly invader

When I was very, very young, I lived in a house with a trellis outside my window. Climbing up that trellis was a thriving morning glory plant. I used to love to stick my nose deep into the blooming flowers and breathe in deeply. This was not to enjoy the smell, but to get the delicate petals to wrap themselves around my tiny nose. I've loved morning glories ever since.

I didn't realize it when I first moved in, but my house in Bloomington has morning glories growing outside of the kitchen window. The landlord does not like that the plant creeps around our house attaching to anything it finds, but we like the greenery and I like the flowers. This year, it flowed horizontally from the corner of the house to the kitchen door. In fact, it has now somehow extended its tendrils into the house, sneaking in through a small crack between the screen door and wall. It looks to be crushed every time we close the door, but it still thrives. Every day it grows longer, and today I noticed that the indoor tendrils have buds. Soon, the morning glory will bloom every morning in our kitchen. I can't wait.