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?

July 1, 2013 by Born To Organize

Mad Dogs and Redheads, Get Out of the Midday Sun

As temperatures heat up across the country this week, I marvel at the good common sense of our felines. I continue to plow through work and household chores, miserable in this 100 degree heat. They on the other hand seek the cooler ground.

Early in the day they stretch out on the damp concrete patio. As the sun rises, they come indoors and sleep away the hottest part of the day under a ceiling fan or in the cool recesses of a closet.

Lindy, made in the shade

Beijing, looking frail but still hanging in there

The garden, too, knows exactly what to do on these over-heated days. Sinewy roots reach down to capture the cool water below, letting blooms open wide for the sun. Then they pack up shop as the sun sets and store their energy for the following day.

Helianthus, Sunflower

Cosmos and Forget-me-nots, happy in the heat

Even our native ancestors had more sense than we do. I see posts on Facebook of people running in the mid-day heat. Several spectators arrived in Las Vegas area hospitals after suffering from heat stroke while sitting in an outdoor amphitheater in the mid-day sun! And who do you suppose was offering the tomatoes a mid-day drink in the blaring sun? Guilty!!!

So…today I’m taking a page from the common sense manual. I ate an early breakfast with my husband outdoors in the patio shade. I finished my garden chores before 9 and now I’m writing with my feet propped up on the paper shredder under my desk, ceiling fan whirring overhead. My afternoon client has A/C (hooray).

Once back home I’ll try avoiding my natural tendencies to go, go, go by referring once again to that common sense manual. If you need me I’ll be doing (almost) nothing, until the blaring sun recedes for another day.

Hey…nobodies perfect.

Ways to beat the heat:

1. Drink plenty of cool water.

Slinky Malinki has a cool drink

2. Take a refreshing bath.

Mighty Mouse thinks a bath might cool me down

3. Enjoy an afternoon nap.

Shine On

Special thanks to Tamara of Botanical Gardens for including me in her list of Shine On Awards. It’s so nice to be appreciated. Tamara writes:

I am passionate art and nature lover. As I work for the third age university I got the opportunity to develop a new field of education for our seniors-my idea was to start the senior garden volunteers program. I find it intriguing for this program is not only a bond between education and nature, but it mirrors connections between society, ecology, development, individuality. My wish is to start an inter generational project with our senior garden volunteers. So this blog is also about topics dealing with importance of botany education, senior learning,inter generational learning, ecology,garden volunteers, art. Because, as I have mentioned before-it is blog about My Botanical Garden.

June 20, 2013 by Born To Organize

Summer Solstice: We’re Both Right!

I’m old school. Sure, I have a computer and a smart phone, but I still hang a paper calendar on my wall. I love glancing over my shoulder now and again to see who’s celebrating what and where. According to my wall calendar, Summer Solstice is Friday, June 21st. Imagine my surprise when my husband commented over dinner that today was the longest day of the year.

Turns out, both are true, depending on where you live. Here on the west coast of the United States, Summer Solstice hits late Thursday night. On the east coast, it’s Friday. My friends in the UK are already celebrating and are privy to the cute Google Doodle, which as of this writing, still hasn’t rolled out in Silicon Valley.

The Weather Channel has a stunning image from Australia here that you won’t want to miss. As we approach the longest day of the year, they’re experiencing the opposite.

The Guardian has a screen shot of the cute Google Doodle, though not nearly as fun till you can interact with it. I remain a child at heart.

The fact that everyone observes both the summer and winter solstice gives me a sense of camaraderie with the rest of the world. It feels like a big party and we’re all invited. Happy Solstice wherever you live. ☼☼☼

Herb and Vegetable Garden on the Summer Solstice (includes pumpkins, strawberries, basil, tomatoes, peppers and raspberries)

Shared affection with Mouse the Cat at dusk

June 2, 2013 by Born To Organize

Planting the Strip: Three Cheers for More Dirt!

Mighty Mouse offers up his own opinion

In early January, I polled my readers on the pros and cons of re-planting the sidewalk strip. I wanted something other than lawn. The vote was split down the middle.

We’ve lived in this house for 17 years, adding trees, flowers, shrubs and vegetables, but that boring strip of grass never changed. I thought of planting summer vegetables in the strip or veggies and a few flowers.

It’s not that people disliked the idea. The no votes worried about doggie deposits or thieves in the night. Others feared vandalism (they’d seen it before) or easy access for neighborhood cats.

The yes votes suggested flowers instead of vegetables (less tempting to passersby) and one reader suggested a raised bed. Head slap! What a great idea.

My husband was happy with the status quo. I was ready for a change (and more garden). Once he knew what it meant to me, he agreed to the idea *and* built the planting bed. It’s 16 x 4 x 1 feet or (5 x 1 x .3 meters)

The sidewalk strip, planted with sod

Planting bed, newly delivered potting soil

What fun I’m having with all that extra space! I can’t wait till things start filling in. Plants include:

Status (transplanted from the back yard)
Nasturtium (started from seed in my kitchen window)
Cosmo (another transplant); and
Nursery finds including Candy Tuft ‘Masterpiece,’ Chocolate Mint, Heliotrope Blue, Lemon Thyme, Snapdragons and Verbena.

Newly planted, irrigation installed

Yellow Snapdragons

Candytuft ‘Masterpiece’

Feline Neighbor

Another reader comment suggested removing some of the lawn on the property side of our lot. I did that as well, planting sunflowers, Alyssum and Forget-me-nots. I covered all of it with a pop-up tent to keep the squirrels and snails at bay. Nothing grew! Finally I removed the cover and planted bedding plants instead.

Low and behold, the seeds are now sprouting and everything is filling in nicely. Apparently they weren’t staying moist enough to germinate. Lesson learned.

Planting the corner

So far, so good on the planting strip. My neighbors are giving it a thumbs up and other than the character in the photo, above, no untoward behavior other than cat-napping between the plants.

May 27, 2013 by Born To Organize

Mr. Mischievous: Mighty Mouse Mayhem

Secret Garden: Under Construction

Though gardening can be a solitary activity it’s rare that I’m alone in the dirt. Mr. Mischievous, aka the neighbor’s cat is always along on the journey.

Mouse finds it irresistible when I’m down on all fours in the garden. Apparently it’s equally irresistible causing trouble.

Kitty rolls at my feet, nibbles on the swaying grass and chases clods of dirt at the end of a weed. Unfortunately, he’s also a bit of a ‘bull in a china shop.’ Last week, while I had my back turned, he made himself comfortable on top of the City Picker. I’ve done plenty of reading on mulching tomatoes and cat mulch wasn’t on the list.

Mouse keeping the tomato seedlings warm

My fairy garden is under (re) construction after he sent the entire pot, heal over castors on to the deck. It gave us both quite the start, and sadly snapped off the tiny leg of my treasured Boomdeeadda deer. My husband worked his magic with a few drops of super glue, but that deer now looks askance when he sees Mouse headed his way.

Fairy Garden Kerfuffle

This week I started a second miniature garden, tucked between a few plants at the base of our Magnolia tree. The garden is at ground level so nothing can fall and break. That’s not to say that a curious cat can’t wedge himself into the same tiny space, confident that the new little clearing is just for him.

Mighty Mouse in the Secret Garden

Help me!!!

Once he tires of making mischief, he’ll demand I pick him up. On several occasions, he simply climbs on my stooped back and curls himself in to a ball. It’s hard not to admire that level of confidence.

It’s all about me!

If you’re in the neighborhood and you see me down on all fours with a white kitty napping on my back, be sure to wave hello. More likely than not, Mr. Mischievous will trot out to the curb to say hello.

I’m trying to get some shut-eye here.

Be sure to check back for the Secret Garden debut later this week.

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

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.

July 28, 2012 by Born To Organize

Lindy in the Garden: Our Big Girl Turns 10

Lindy-Lu, our beloved black and white kitty, just turned ten. We adopted her seven years ago from our local Humane Society as a birthday gift for my oldest son. She’s been a gift to us all.

Our family looked at every single cat available for adoption that day, but in the end she chose us. She reached between the bars with her paw and patted my son.

Lindy is good-natured and outgoing and unlike most cats, she comes when called. She’s too big for our laps, preferring instead to lay across the back of the couch, nestling near our hair. The moment I head outside, she is by my side, following me from place to place.

Mighty-Mouse, the neighbor’s kitty comes calling and wants to play. She’s receptive on occasion, but for the most part views him as an annoying little brother. At 16 pounds she could take him, but she prefers to give him a warning growl. Sometimes he actually takes the hint.

As I go about my gardening chores, she settles into the grass or between a couple of nearby shrubs. I often think she’s keeping an eye on me, offering her quiet companionship as she tucks in her paws and gives me the blink of acceptance. The garden wouldn’t be the same without her.

July 11, 2012 by Born To Organize

Slinky in the Garden

Slinky’s Domain

Slinky Malinki, our shiny black kitty, arrived a few years back. Her haunting green eyes, spoke of unhappy lives; slight moves put her on the attack.

We fed her each day; she would eat and run away, returning each night for a meal.

Should I venture a reach? She would greet me with teeth, trying to pet her lost all its appeal.

Slinky gradually came ‘round, but remains leery and unbound, affection is given with care.

Now she sleeps near my pillow and head-butts my face, it’s hands she continues to fear. Each passing year, a little less fear, what I wouldn’t give to let her know she’s safe.

Slinky Near the Strawberry Patch

Like a Sunflower, Slinky Rotates with the Sun

Proud Lady

Making Progress

Did you know:

Cats head-butt as a way of showing affection.
Feral cats can be tamed. Here is an informative, compassionate article written by The Lucky Few
We named our Slinky after a wonderful children’s book: Slinky Malinki by New Zealand writer Lynley Dodd

February 16, 2012 by Born To Organize

My Beautiful Bronze Pathway

Garden Walkway

Salvador and Hugo are working their magic again. They finished installing the stone and gravel pathway yesterday and it looks great. It’s functional and beautiful, the marriage of any good design. I love it!

Sal is repairing damaged irrigation pipe and hauling soil today. Hugo is installing bender board and preparing the ground for sod. The invasive roots of our neighboring pine need some taming, but the tree’s majestic beauty makes this exercise worthwhile every few years.

Our three cats are inside keeping an eye on things. They get to explore the changes each afternoon when the noise and activity settle down. Our neighbor’s cat is fearless, however, so he’s been out there exploring at will.

Rain is in the forecast this Saturday, just in time to give everything a good rinse. Is there anything more intoxicating than new grass, damp rocks, fallen pine needles and freshly turned clods of earth?