Peonies are the subject of a 1964 b&w home-movie that illustrates the basic natures of my sister and me:
The movie camera whirrs.
Two little girls in white dresses walk to a thicket of peonies in bloom.
Obviously following off-screen direction, Big Sister (turning five) picks a peony.
She faces the camera with her flower, a picture of loveliness.
Little Sister (me, three) bends over to pick her peony. She grasps it by the stem and tugs. And tugs. And tugs, and falls over backward.
Standing up, she displays her result: an entire peony plant, roots and all.
That's pretty much all you need to know about Sister and me.