August 5, 2013 by Born To Organize

Kitty in Search of a Play Date

Our three kitties love the time we spend in the garden. One by one they join us outdoors. We installed a cat fence-in system over 16 years ago to keep them safe, so they have the run of the garden without the dangers of street-life. It’s been the best of both worlds.

Lindy in repose

When we first installed the system, we monitored carefully for possible escape routes. Our fab felines quickly settled in and we let out a collective sigh.

Beijing enjoying her solitude

Then…Mighty Mouse came along. Mouse belongs to a neighbor, but he prefers life at our place. He’s also the Harry Houdini of the cat world. He knows the ins and outs of our house and garden, and makes himself at home wherever his little paws carry him. Mouse navigates his way into our yard by crossing the neighbors gate along the top of the shared fence. From there he weaves through the Jasmin vine, over the netting and across one of the broken standards we keep meaning to fix.

This weekend he joined us in search of a play date.

Mouse looking up

bird on the fence

Our furry friend listened to the birds rustling in the orange tree for a while, but lost interest when Lindy came outside. He circled her for a game of patty-cake, but she was not amused. Her bent ears sent a clear message of annoyance. Mouse wised up and moved on.

Fun and games

Next up, he tried to engage Beijing. She was busy snoozing, pressed against the warm rock wall, when Mouse slyly meandered nearby. He inched closer and closer, sitting down each time in the dirt. Before he could dangle an inquisitive paw, Beijing stood up, braced her shoulders and vocalized her first warning. Unperturbed, he held the higher ground. ‘I have no time for this nonsense,’ she seemed to say, as she turned her back and returned inside in what I can only imagine was disgust. I found her sphinx like in the entry way, wondering when the intruder would be heading home.

Let’s play!!!

“I’ve had it!”

Slinky avoided Mouse altogether, staying hidden in the side yard till the coast was clear.

I think it might be time to place an ad in the personals: Handsome young kitty, in search of a play date.

Do they have eHarmony for cats?

April 7, 2013 by Born To Organize

Loving All Creatures, Great and Small

Do you know what dogs, birds and mice have in common? My unconditional love of all creatures, great and small.

This last week I encountered all three.

Dark Eyed Junco

Dark-eyed Junco Nest

In late March I wrote about my amazing discovery, a small dark-eyed junco nest. Mama junco built her little house in a Nandina shrub growing on my client’s patio. She lined the nest with fur from the resident Lab.

Mama junco ‘posed’ for pictures a week ago Friday from a nearby tree. I left with a bounce in my step, looking forward to seeing her again the following week. When I returned Tuesday there was no sign of her. She’s either abandoned the nest or met with a darker fate. It’s been a full week since any of us have seen her. Perhaps the recent commotion around the front door sent her packing.

I’ve wondered if she registered the potential for trouble and simply decided to start again elsewhere. My client generally enters the house from the garage, so the front door, near a sheltered patio and elevated from the street was probably a good spot. Now realtors, inspectors, potential buyers and garden bloggers are traipsing past her tiny home. My hope turned to sadness by weeks-end as I passed the lonely collection of tiny speckled eggs.

Field Mouse/Cat Mouse

Mouse Relocation Tools

Thanks to the milder weather, I opened the back door early as I went about the start of my day. Rounding the corner to our entry way, I heard a tiny squeak in front of the neighbor’s cat. The cat, named Mighty Mouse, brought in a tiny field mouse, alive but obviously stunned. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a small plastic tub. I shooed the cat, covered the mouse and called my son for help. He isolated all four cats in different rooms while I tried to figure out what to do next. I could see tiny feet poking out and hoped she wasn’t injured. I placed a weight on the tub and ran for my crafting mat. Slowly and gradually I slid the mat below the tub until the mouse was completely trapped between the layers. I released the mouse at the edge of the deck, hoping she wasn’t someone’s mother. She was wet from the grass and stunned, but seemed unharmed. I went inside for the camera, reasoning that if she was gone when I got back, all was well. Much as I wish I had her picture, I’m happy she moved on.

A Lab Named Rosie

Rosie the Magnificent

Lining Nests for 13 Year’s and counting

I finished my week in the company of Rosie, a gorgeous sweetheart of a dog. Her loving ways and sounds of contentment when you give her a scratch are endearing to all. Rosie is perhaps too old to chase mice, but several strands of her lovely fur line the now-abandoned nest of the dark-eyed junco. She’s still in the game.

How about you? Do creatures play a role in your life? Do you have a story to share?

February 25, 2013 by Born To Organize

Sentinel Kitty: Guarding the Garden

Kung-Fu Fighter, leg at the ready
Guarding the Gourds

There is a terrible rumor going around. You may have heard it. It implies, in unkind terms, that cats do nothing but sleep all day. It’s simply untrue.

I know how these rumors get started. To the untrained eye, there is a kernel of truth. The reality, however is this: they’re on stealth guard. What appears as slumber is a clever ploy. Friends (and foes!!!) tiptoe around them to insure undisturbed sleep. Kitty keeps her eyes tightly closed but ready to pounce at a moment’s notice, all the while keeping a close watch on garden treasures.

The next time you see a slumbering feline, take a close look at what’s nearby. Sentinel Kitty might be guarding the Crown Jewels, or something really important, like Sacred Tulips.

Lindy guards the house plants

Halt! Who goes there?

Slinky Malinki, Stealth Kitty

Crown Jewels aka Tulips

January 24, 2013 by Born To Organize

All’s Well with Slinky

A quick Slinky Malinki update for all who’ve been following along: her labs came back normal! She lost a bit of weight so they recommend a weight check in 30 days. Otherwise, all’s well. =^..^=

We’re doing the happy dance! Thank you for your support

Slinky Warming Up

January 1, 2013 by Born To Organize

Kitty-corner

According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, kitty-corner means

“in a diagonal or oblique position” <the house stood kitty–corner across the square>

Silly me! All this time I thought it meant the garden corner where kitties congregate.

Our kitty corner saw a lot of activity this week. One morning, a stunning Siamese cat appeared, staying just long enough for a picture. I’ve not seen her before but what a lovely. She has a chocolate-brown face and brilliant blue eyes. I wonder what she’s looking at?

Handsome Kitty Drops By

An hour later our neighbor’s cat showed up in the same spot. Kitty should be on the other side of her own cat fencing. She’s found a way to escape the yard, but they never see her do it so they don’t know how. We keep hoping we’ll discover her escape route. So far, no luck. She’s got that “I’m not supposed to be here” look on her face, doesn’t she?

Flash Looking Sheepish

Flash on the Move

There she goes.

In the inside corner pocket of the garden, Beijing likes to drape herself on both sides of the door. She keeps her torso outside for maximum sun, while resting her head on the threshold. This sends a less than subtle message to the resident felines that they’ll have to go around.

Beijing Warms Up

Lindy and Beijing taking sun (Sorry, Lindy, this corner’s taken)

We love our garden’s kitty-corners. Perhaps I should send a note to Merriam Webster to suggest an additional dictionary entry: where cats congregate. What do you think?

December 10, 2012 by Born To Organize

Cats in the Garden: The Holiday Addition

Our afternoon temps were in the mid-sixties (F) this weekend, with skies bright and clear. What a perfect, late-autumn day. I planted tulips, raked leaves and swept the patio, happy to have the time outdoors One by one the cats joined me in the garden. They vie for my attention, while avoiding each others wrath.

Over the years I’ve had a few cats that got along, but mostly my feline companions merely tolerate each other. The current pecking order is as follows: Lindy is ten, and has lived here the longest. She mostly gets her way. Sadly, she’s been terrorizing Slinky, who backs down every time. I’m convinced that if Slinky “stood up to her” things would improve. Before Slinky, Lindy got along with all cats, including the visitors.

Lindy-Lu, we love you

Lindy spies Slinky behind the trellis

Top Cat

Beijing, once a stray, joined us three years ago. She’s an aging cat with arthritis and kidney troubles, but she behaves like a brute and takes no prisoners. She makes us laugh. Beige is always looking for a lap and will settle into one the moment anyone sits down. She’s in love with my husband, and I think she wonders where he goes all day.

Beijing or ‘Beige’…cause she’s neither white nor orange

Slinky is young, semi-feral and just now spending most of her time indoors. It’s been a long process, with a few setbacks. She enjoyed the late afternoon in the garden as well, hiding from Lindy but keeping her eye on me. By evening she came indoors where she is enjoying her new digs.

Slinky takes a bath

Slinky Keeps Watch

I can’t begin to imagine a world without animals, nor my life without felines. Their (mostly) serene presence soothes the soul.

November 10, 2012 by Born To Organize

Garden Calendars: Pretty and Practical

We have a calendar-giving tradition in our immediate family. Each Christmas I choose a wall calendar for the boys, based on current interests and trends. I usually buy my husband a sailing-themed calendar or to mix things up a bit, lighthouses. It will come as no shock to you that yours truly likes gardening calendars. Since the men in the house aren’t big shoppers, I’m free to choose my own.

I suppose in some ways, wall calendars are quaint. I’m a big technology fan, and rely on Outlook and an iPhone to keep track of personal, professional and family appointments. There is something reassuring, however, about a calendar hanging on the wall. I like to glance over at the date, or flip through the months looking for a holiday or the next full moon. The photographs or illustrations are always beautiful, a miniature piece of art that changes monthly.

Calender to Envelope

In the past few years, I’ve re-purposed the prior years calendar. I like making envelopes, stickers and bookmarks, as well as gift tags to drop over a bottle of wine. It’s fun coming up with different ways to use the art.

Here are a few of my favorites for 2013:

The Secret Garden Wall Calendar

“Hidden away from well-traveled paths, the secret garden possesses magical powers of restoration and rejuvenation. With a year of lush and luxurious retreats, The Secret Garden Calendar offers serenity with every glance.”

Who can resist a secret garden? Not me! What a great place to rest my eyes when I’m taking a break from the computer. These calendar pages will make great envelopes too when the year is over. It’s good to plan ahead.

Old Farmer’s Almanac Calendar

“For everyone who is going or growing “green”! Original full-color illustrations dominate each monthly spread and are complemented by useful and entertaining gardening lore, timely advice, and fun facts. Plus, a region-specific chart identifies the best days and Moon phases for planting vegetables.”

I’ve purchased this calendar in the past and love it. It’s filled with useful tips and wonderful illustrations. For me, it harkens back to a seemingly simple time. Love it!

A Cat in the Garden

“Gardens and felines have a natural rapport. The cat’s stature brings it face-to-face with long-stemmed blooms, within easy pouncing distance of breeze-blown ornamental grasses, and a short hop from sun-warmed deck chairs. Weaving delicately through the potted plants or waiting in ambush for an unsuspecting bug, the household cat lives in regal symbiosis with backyard flora. Photographer Del Greger presents twelve new portraits of cats and flora in this calendar, each one paired with a cat-centric quotation.

All of Pomegranate’s calendars are printed using soy-based inks on FSC® Forest Stewardship Council™certified paper.”

Never mind that the cover reminds me of my darling Lindy, this calendar is gorgeous throughout.

Do you still use a wall calendar? What’s your favorite?

September 5, 2012 by Born To Organize

Kitty Bouquet: Catnip on a String

It’s always nice to bring your hostess a bunch of flowers from your garden, but what about the resident cat? Since kitty usually calls the shots in feline-centric households, it only seems fair. I propose catnip on a string.

Not all cats are susceptible to the intoxicating oils of the catnip or cat-mint plant. When presented with a fragrant bunch of greens, about half of all cats will respond. Be sure to offer your gift in an appropriate setting. If kitty drools green catnip all over your hostesses white couch, you probably won’t be invited back.

Hostess Gift
Catnip with a Bow

I hope this is organic

Shall I go ahead and give it a try?

Tasty!

Catnip Bouquet Tutorial

Turn at least 70% of your growing space into a catnip garden.
Pinch a few leaves from the plant once it’s fully grown.
Tie a bow around the bunch (six inches or less, please so kitty doesn’t get tangled).
Deliver to your feline host.

If you follow these instructions carefully, you’ll be invited back again and again. Enjoy!

June 25, 2012 by Born To Organize

Three Out of Four Cats Agree: Nepeta Cataria Rocks!

The verdict is in, at least as far as our cats are concerned. It’s a resounding “yes” to fresh-picked catnip. I performed this highly scientific test in random order. In other words, whatever feline showed interest first. Since Lindy, 10, had her eye on the plant, I started with her. She immediately dove into the lawn where I placed the catnip, rubbing her chin against the leaves. I pulled my hand away to take the picture, and she continued to nuzzle the leaves. Next up, Beijing, 15,who came by to see what all the fuss was about. She leaned down to smell it, rubbed it a bit, then picked it up and took a nibble. Tasty! Slinky, 2, is a wild one, frightened of just about everything. She took some coaxing, but once she got a whiff of the catnip she immediately took to the scent as well.

Neighbor kitty hung out on the fence, observing the tests and making sure I didn’t falsify the results and jeopardize my catnip seed funding.

Lindy-Lu gives it a Paws-Up

Beijing Finds it Tasty

Slinky Says Yes to Catnip

Neighbor Kitty: I’ve got my eye on you!

You can read more about the properties of Nepeta cataria, also known as catnip or cat mint here.

May 6, 2012 by Born To Organize

Catnip Corner: The Purrfect Spot

How to Grow the Perfect Catnip

I’ve been scouting for the perfect spot to plant our catnip which needs full sun and easy feline access. I had pretty much resigned myself to planting in a low pot, when I noticed this bare patch of earth near the lawn next to the other mint. Kismet! er…catnip!

We have a pair of seed-embedded cards from a Petco fundraiser we’ve been saving to plant this spring. I’ll plant one now, keeping the second as a back up just in case this first batch fails to deliver. It seems a bit of a shame to cover these clever cards with dirt, but I’ll save a fortune on catnip.

Here’s a bit about catnip also know as cat mint from catworld.com. This powerful herb has many human uses and attributes, beyond a feline-high:

Catnip tends to have a sedative effect on humans. It is most often drunk as a tea.

It is also useful for settling an upset stomach. It has also been used to treat headaches, scarlet fever, coughing, insomnia & smallpox.

Catnip can also be used for cuts, studies show it has a natural healing quality. Crush fresh catnip leaves, damp them & apply to your cut. **

Pregnant women should avoid catnip.

It can also be used as an aromatic herb in cooking & salads.