Smudge Sticks

Mary Curcio & Jon Frandsen shared these photos of their adorable cat and said, "Smudge always likes to check in on us whenever we are in our Takoma Park, MD, garden and to remind us to take a break by demanding head pats and belly rubs. But what she likes best is trying out and picking the perfect spot to watch the world from (and to have her picture taken). When she is inside she enjoys surveying her outdoor domain (sometimes with her buddy Joplin), sitting in boxes, and loudly moving socks from one floor to another. "

Mango Ripple -- a Truly Delicious Treat!

Lara Kris Watson shared these photos of her kitties and said, "Ripple is the brown one [shown above], he was found outside in 2018 with a cut tail and ear. He was saved by A Cats Life Rescue and I took him in to foster him. One look at him though and I knew I couldn’t give him back! He is now 2 and the light of my life! He loves to wake me up with meows so he can go outside to play!"

"Mango is the orange cat [shown above]. I rescued him when I lived in upstate NY from a friend who had a farm. People kept leaving cats at his farm and Mango had an eye infection, so I took him so I could care for him. I moved back to the area in 2017. I took him to Friendship Hospital for Animals to continue his eye care. but eventually his cornea burst and he had to have his eye removed. Now he is a pirate and much happier to have the painful eye gone! He loves to explore up the streets and greet all the people who come to my Purple Community Bins. Everyone loves Mango and some neighbors come just to visit him! Their favorite spot to lay in the summer is in the cave under a bush in my Gratitude Garden."

"People enjoy my Gratitude Garden in the summer and kids love to look for all the treasures of fairies, gnomes, and statues in the garden. The Purple Community Bins help lots of local families who are experiencing food insecurity and having Mango and Ripple there to greet them makes their day!"

Wear Your Green for St. Gertrude!

Here is an update of one of our most popular posts:

Thank you to the Crazy Cat Ladies Community on Facebook for letting my know about Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, who is the patron saint of Cats AND Gardening. I'm Catholic, adore both cats and gardening, and had never heard of her. No lie! 

The 17th of March is her Saint's Day, which she shares with St. Patrick. "Fine weather on her feast day meant it was time to begin spring planting." This may also explain why we think of St. Patrick's Day as the traditional day for early spring crop sowing -- especially peas -- even though St. Pat has nothing to do with gardening.

She lived from 626 to 659. According to Catholics Online, "Gertrude was a mystic, (who was) gifted with visions. She befriended the Irish saints Foillian and Ultan." You can read more about her life here and here.

Let's reclaim the day for St. Gertrude and wear your green proudly in memory of her love for gardening and for cats!

Swizzle Sticks

Jessica Walliser from SavvyGardening.com shared this photo of Swizzle tempting fate by closely inspecting a sharp, flowering cactus on a window sill.

She said, "He is age 6 and was adopted as a kitten for my son’s 10^th birthday from Animal Friends shelter in Pittsburgh, PA (with his sister, Alyssa). Swizzle is super persnickety. He reminds us of Niles from the television show Frasier." 

"We also call him Swiz-whiz. He’s an indoor-only cat, a very loud purr-er, sleek as silk, and a giant scaredy cat. When chasing a feather on a string, he can twisty-jump a good 4 to 5 feet into the air. He lives up to the name Swizzle."