Thursday 19 May 2011

Flowers and a cat update.

May I heartily recommend these flowers as something to grow in your garden if you have room. They are sweet rocket (Hesperis matronalis), self-sown from a couple of plants I bought from the market about 5 years ago for 75p each - they've been spreading around gradually and this year I had a bed half-full of them, all for free! I'm sure you must be able to grow them from seed though, well worth it as they should just keep on self-sowing. They are in mixed purple, white and paler purple and are gently scented. But what I hadn't realised was what fantastic cut flowers they make.

These ones have been in the vase two weeks already with petals gently dropping occasionally but still going strong - often flowers taken from the garden can last a disappointingly short time but these have been brilliant. The ferny thing with them we inherited with the garden, I think it's a kind of Thalictrum but whatever it is it's lasted just as well as the rocket.

Other cheery flowers at the moment are these beautiful roses (and Fairtrade, didn't know you could get Fairtade ones) given to me by a friend for my birthday:

I've never had enough to properly fill my grandmother's rose bowl before and it was really nice to put them in it. Monty draped himself around the arrangement for added decoration.

Leo is obsessed with chewing plants, so nibbled on all the ends of any green parts of the roses. He's had to be banned from the front porch, where I have an artificial flower arrangement, because he was chewing the plastic grass and then being sick. Plastic grass. Thought cats had more sense. It's in the bin now. (And yes I had provided a bit of real grass to chew as well, because I'm never quite sure if they need something in grass, although that made him sick too!)
They are settling in well, we have covered our sofas with a ridiculous array of mis-matched throws to protect it, and they seem to be learning to use the scratching post, which shakes when Monty sharpens his claws because he is SO big and strong.

Leo is very helpful and tends to stay with me in the day - here he is helping with filing papers.

He tried to help with cake-making too but I got him a bit floury by cuddling him half way though.

So they are both slowly becoming part of the family and Leo particularly is very affectionate now, which is lovely although of course I miss Archie's cuddles because he was such an unusually snuggly cat, but I think Leo may well be similar one day.

Finally, some words of advice from one of my birthday cards, surely we should all follow this as a matter of principle in any circumstances we may find ourselves in:

15 comments:

  1. That sweet rocket is absolutely glorious! Oh, how lovely to freshly-cut flowers in your house.

    I didn't know you could get fair trade roses, either, but that's fabulous. They look gorgeous in your grandmother's bowl, with added decoration by Monty. I love his white paw with black pads, by the way. :-)

    And I see how helpful Leo is! Perhaps I could borrow him to help at the office. LOL. It's terrific they're both fitting in and obviously making themselves right at home. You'll always miss Archie, that's a given. But wonderful to have two kitty "kids" to entertain you and bring you comfort.

    Belated happy birthday wishes are in order, apparently, though I'm not quite sure when you celebrated your day. I do like the advice on that card, though!

    Lots of (((hugs))) and Light,

    -Kim (Kea/Musings on a Small Life)

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  2. The flowers are so beautiful! Never seen as beautiful as the ones in your picture...
    Monty and Leo look really nice and sweet, and they seem to like to have pictures of them taken!
    I hope you're having a good day,

    Annalisa

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  3. Hello, so glad Monty and Leo are makin themselves at home and helping out, and you sound so much more cheery and Happy Belated Birthday too!
    Take care
    love
    Lyn
    xxx

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  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Awwww it's your birthday! Yay!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

    These flower arrangements are gorgeous!!! Oh I'm useless with growing from seed! Even bulbs actually!! I do better when they're plug plants!! But I shall keep an eye out for this beauty!

    Oh Leo and Monty. Beautiful Leo and amazing Monty! Leo in the box looking up and Monty hugging the bowl of roses...! I think my jaw is about to snap in two from going "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!" at these pics!

    Oh and you have my mantra there - so off I go to eat some more cupcakes! Yay!

    Have a lovely evening Felted House and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Take care
    x

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  5. That is the best advice I've seen, ever. Now to have an endless supply of cupcakes...

    I cannot have any greenery in the house other than cacti which the Horde soon learns bites back. *sigh* Your flowers are gorgeous!

    The boys look like they are so at home with you; it's normal to make comparisons and miss Archie, but these two will have their own place in your heart soon, if they don't already. Archie would be pleased. Don't think I'm strange but I'm convinced that one of my Bridge Kitties (Dusty) sent Rupert to find us. The two are so much the same it's incredible. Or maybe he reincarnated!

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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  6. Hope you had a fantastic birthday. Those flowers are stunning. Just stunning. The roses are simply beautiful too, as his the fabulous little tuxie draped around the roses. No plants allowed in our house, unfortunately ... they would be eaten in no time flat. Archie will always hold a special spot in your heart, but I am sure the addition of two lovebugs will help ease that discomfort.

    purrs
    >^,,^<
    ♥Abby♥

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  7. Cat helping and cupcakes ... Love both of those !!!

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  8. Those flowers are lovely - I think I shall buy some for daughter M's garden - she has a steep slope and needs something that doesn't need too much TLC. Love the cats too!

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  9. Yay for cats [and for cupcakes]!! You are quite right to befriend some after losing your Archie (very sorry for that).
    All my cats chew on grass to be sick, it brings up hairballs and is disgustingly yucky to watch!!!
    Beautiful flowers.
    xx

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  10. Happy birthday! I was so happy to see in your last post that you had a couple of rescue cats keeping you busy, I'm glad they're settling in OK. Our cats took months to become cuddly, I think the cold weather helped - sometimes in the autumn kept the heating off even though we were a bit chilly, just so they would come to us for warmth!! I really love Monty's black pawpads on his white paws, they are so cute!

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  11. Aren't pets helpful! lol!

    The flowers look ggorgeous, I will have a lookout for those!

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  12. So glad to read your post today ... I've been wondering how you were getting on. Looks like your two new friends are settling in very nicely indeed!
    xxx

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  13. Once again, you bring a smile to my face with the photos and stories of Monty and Leo's antics... priceless!!!! Love the flowers and was amazed at the Fairtrade roses ... I got a spray of flowers from hubby for my birthday ... roses, irises, lilies, and tulips and NOT ONE OF THE BUDS opened ... I was so peeved, typical of force grown flowers ... nothing is nicer than home grown ones. Your pink/purple ones look lovely.
    Sorry I missed your birthday, hope you had a great day ... sending you the best wishes I can for a happy year ahead. x

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  14. That kind of helping is SO helpful isn't it! Glad they're both settling in, and I'm so pleased to see someone else whose cats lay on the table! Now I don't feel guilty! Hope you had a great birthday.

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  15. I am so pleased to have come across your blog- I am only just starting to dabble with felt :) but I adore cats! Your black one looks like mine, Scooter (18 yrs old!) and your b & w one looks like my Figs, whom I had to let go 6 years ago next week- still miss her, she was such a cheeky cuddle cat!

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