This Time, Fur-Real

Cris Blackstone, a master gardener and education coordinator with the NH Landscape Association, wrote, "Our cat has been integral to our household for a year and a half, I got her on Valentine’s Day! She’s originally from Puerto Rico, rescued and traveled to Virginia, then to the New Hampshire SPCA, where she chose me when I was on a visit there to see if it would be my lucky day to come home w/a cat. It brings tears to my eyes to remember the look on her face when the vet tech put out my cat carrier to have her climb in. She looked over her shoulder at me with the most endearing face. Earlier in the day, we met and I couldn’t take her at that time, because I had to go home and get the kitty carrier, plus buy litter and food to be ready for her arrival. Since I left without her that time, I think she had her little kitty heart disappointed and wanted to ensure this time, it was For Real. 

"Her name is Zwartje. (Swaaart-cha) which is from the Dutch word for black, and built on the way it’s made diminutive in Dutch, to equate with 'cozy little black fluffy thing.' Interestingly enough, she has some super power which comes to me in the best way. I had a knee replacement, and she’ll sit across my legs when my knee is flaring up and painful, and her warmth plus her weight on my knee is almost like a reiki treatment. 

"I’m happy to know she’s joining the ranks of the cats and plants you share through the site! She’d thank you, too, were it not for the fact she’s busy right now, batting on the door to our cellar which we have converted to our “Plant Lab” where we are sorting and stacking many 72-cell plant trays and she’s eager to go knock those piles over!"

See more photos of Zwartje on Cris' Instagram account at @makescents_nh