Today’s post was going to be a gardening post: a post about growing and caring for balcony plants and adding some greenery to your living space, even if you only have a small outdoor place, like I do.
In today’s post I was going to tell you how, at the beginning of April, I decided that this year I was going to turn our small balcony into an oasis of peace where I could read, practice yoga in the mornings, and unwind sipping tea in the late Summer afternoons, or have a candlelight dinner with my husband after the kids fell asleep.
In today’s post I was going to tell you how I planned every aspect of the design and how determined I was to make that happen. I was planning to tell you the story of how we donated the old balcony furniture that was too big for our small space and purchased a set of pretty, wooden chairs and an extensible table from Ikea, that fit our space much better. I was going to write about how, pretty much as soon as we got off the plane from Belgrade, I bought herbs and flower seeds, planted them in small pots and nursed them in my office’s window.
Today’s post was going to be about my excitement at seeing the little seeds grow, slowly at first, decidedly and strongly after just a few weeks. I was going to tell you the story of the bag of soil that wasn’t enough, of the extra pots we had to get, of how the different herbs ended up being grouped and of how anxious eager I was to harvest my first tomatoes and the first basil leaves to have a fully home-made salad.
Today’s post was mostly going to be about the happiness I felt every afternoon, at dusk, when I sat down on a chair with a book, the kids playing quietly inside and June’s refreshing breeze blowing my hair, and watched my plants grow healthy and strong.
But this is not today’s post because, two days before the solstice, something happened that changed forever the landscape of our balcony.
Well, someone happened. A tiny little furry someone named Galadriel (but affectionately called “Kitty”).
On June 19th, my husband came back home from work and told me that a little kitten had been abandoned at the entrance of our building and that she was scared and hungry. He had seen her going around the car in the morning, and assumed she belonged to someone else, but now she was in a box, under the mail boxes, crying. “Do you want to bring her home?” I asked, unsure of where he was going. “Yes”, he replied. “But if we bring her home it’s forever, she becomes a part of the family and there’s no going back”, I said. “I know. It will be good for the kids”, he replied. “Bring her, bring her!” I asked, excitedly, and off he went down the stairs. Barely a couple of minutes later he came back with a tiny kitten with big eyes who was terrified of everything but very, very willing to be caressed and cared for. I held her in my arms, and fell in love with her!
And if I fell in love with her, you can imagine the children’s happiness with her arrival! They spent three hours glued to her, and even brought their blankets and teddies to the balcony, determined to sleep where Kitty was sleeping and nowhere else.
We had no food for her, so we gave her a little milk and softened rice crackers, because her teeth were barely starting to come out.
We had no bed, so we improvised one with a shoe box and some old towels.
We had no litter box, so she used a pot where I was planning to plant more rocket but obviously won’t.
We had no plans to have a cat, but she came into our lives and she is here to stay.
We thought we didn’t have a place in our lives for a pet, but we do. More importantly, we have place in our hearts.
The landscape of our balcony has changed and we are so happy. (The plants, not so much, but that’s another story ;))
Isn’t she cute? We are in love!
How about you: Do you have pets (or, ahem, “furry friends”)? If you have a cat, do you know of any way of disuading them from destroying plants and flowers? (help! cry mint, basil, parsley and oregano). Please let me know in the comments below!
She’s so cute!!! I would also bring her home if I saw her.
I think she’s meant to be part of your family.
As for us, my kids would really want to adopt kittens we see on the streets (they’re cuddly, I tell you!) but our neighbors in the villa where we live don’t want any cats in the house. Sigh. It breaks my heart that my kids wouldn’t be able to experience the joy of taking care of cats (we had more than 10 cats when my siblings and I were younger!).
I do!
I read that putting pepper helps. But I can not assure you.
At home we had 2, all of them from the street.
Last December the male died, what was pretty sad, because we had him since he was from hand’s size.
Now we have a beautiful cat a year and a half and love her.
A few months ago we received a gift, it’s sale forbidden, of a family that could no longer have him, a turtle: Thor … but now that it’s winter over here, he is sleeping 🙂
Enjoy that beatiful kitty… <3
I’m so happy to hear you saved Kitty! so many cats and dogs in Cyprus need people like you to care for them. 🙂 and it is wonderful for the kids! unfortunately we can’t get a cat because my fiancé is allergic (his eyes redden and itch) but we grew up with pets in Africa and my parents adopted a poodle a few years ago here. They make such a difference! has she not tried scratching the couches? The lady next door owns many cats – actually people dump them in her garden 🙁 and she said there’s a spray to teach them where not to go! maybe it will help with the plants. When I see her next ill ask! 🙂
Thank you! I think she was meant to come to us too 🙂
I hope you’ll be able to have a kitten soon!
That’s a great idea, I will definitely try it!
Thor the turtle! What an amazing name! 🙂 What your cat’s name?
She does try to scratch the couches! My husband is planning to build her a scratching pone this weekend, we already have the supply. I also joke that she is definitely Greek because she keeps munching on my oregano 😉
I would love to know more about that spray, if you can find out! People dump cats at my mother’s house as well (she has 3).
Do you have dogs or any other pet?
¡Oh por dios! Tus plantitas están extremadamente bellas: no hay cosas más linda que plantar, regar, sacar yuyitos. Bueno, al menos para mi que nací rodeada de plantas, trabajé en un vivero y soy cuidadora oficial de plantas ajenas jajaja (y me animo a decir que enfermera de plantas las 24 horas).
Y del michifus… ¡Preciosoooo! Tiene unos ojos tremendos y seguramente va a ser un gatito super bueno 🙂 Creo que como toda mascota lo más importante es ser muy rígidos al principio al respecto de las reglas de la casa: ¿no romper plantas? No romper plantas. ¿No pis en el piso? No pis en el piso. Habrá que observarlo detenidamente y lo más importante es hacerle notar su mala conducta en el mismo momento en que la está llevando a cabo. Poco más te puedo decir de gatos porque lo mío son los perros 🙂
Ah, y por supuesto… precioso tu blog como siempre Marce 🙂
Hola Maga! Gracias por contestar!
Update: Kitty rompio todas las plantas jajaja. Al resto de las reglas se adapta mas o menos bien, pero con las plantas no hubo caso…intentaremos nuevamente la proxima primavera cuando este mas grande!
Un besote enorme! Y suerte con la nueva camara, a ver si alguien se apiada de ti y te regala una!