Complicated House Plant Energy

I have come to the conclusion that I am a house plant with complicated emotions. When I am feeling down, sunshine and water help me feel much better. The days where the sun is streaming in through my windows always have boosted my mood.

This last week I decided to change out the curtains in my bedroom. I went from semi opaque white curtains, to a set of sheer panels with yellow panels on the outsides. The day after I got them set up, I woke up to extra sunshine in my bedroom. The extra light made me feel brighter from the moment I opened my eyes.

Erza is also a big fan of the new curtains. She has always taken naps on my bed, but now she will firmly place herself in the sun puddles that stream through in the afternoons. My windows face west, so I get quite a bit of afternoon sunshine, and Erza is thrilled with this whole set up. I have also spoiled her a little bit and gotten a cat hammock that suction cups to the window so that she can look outside while she lays in the sun.

The added sunshine to my bedroom has been helping me feel brighter and more ready for the day. I also have the light that comes from the grow light in my bedroom, that has been placed to try and assist my plants. With a little bit of water added, courtesy of my bedside water bottle, I feel a boost in my overall mood by the time I am dressed and getting ready to face the world outside my bedroom door.

I have heard the comparison of wearing a fitness tracker and likening it to being a Tamagotchi. The little animal that you are trying your best to keep alive is you. I also think it would be wonderful if I could have a tracker for my plants. Either way, I feel like the comparison also applies to myself and my house plants. A little bit of water, and a decent amount of sunshine can do wonders.

Feline Smarts

In the past I am sure I have mentioned Erza’s intelligence. She has shown me her ability to think through problems and figure things out since the moment I met her at five months old. Her first display of intellect was through her pole vaulting over the baby gate that was meant to keep the kittens in their room. She wanted to explore, and seized the opportunity.

Her latest escapades are what has me writing today though. This whole situation requires a bit of background knowledge. Maggie, the buff colored cocker spaniel who has claimed my mom, has a tendency to be possessive over her toys and her food bowl. This happens less so with the other dogs, because she has to share some of those toys, but her balls are only for her to play with and she likes it that way. When the cats get to close she will grump and growl at them to make sure they are aware that she is watching them and that she will not tolerate them trying to take what she has claimed as hers.

Erza has found a way to negate this perfect storm kind of situation. I have noticed that when Maggie is hanging out in the living room, which she is one of her most likely nap spaces, Erza will start to communicate with Maggie as soon as she enters the same room. Erza has started to use her voice, and will meow at Maggie, as if to let her know what her intentions are for entering the room. It really looks/feels like Erza is letting Maggie know that she “comes in peace”.

Now Erza has certainly never had a problem with using her voice in the past. She will meow at me almost hourly, to communicate her needs, which usually involve food. Erza has also been known to meow at my family members, like she is just having a chat. The moments that will always make me smile are when she meows good night to my parents. She likes to snuggle with my mom for a bit before bed. So I will go and collect my gremlin, the nickname she has gained for her evening antics, and take her back up to my room so my parents can close their bedroom door and sleep in peace. As I leave their room, Erza will often meow at them to say good night.

What has made me a proud cat mom most in this situation is that Erza thought through the problem and found a solution that plays to her strengths. She uses her voice to make Maggie aware of her intentions. The best part though, is that it actually works. Maggie has stopped grumping at her when Erza meows and communicates. I have seen it happen several times now and I was pretty shocked the first time, but now, every time I see it, I feel like a proud cat mom.

My parents have dubbed Erza the MENSA cat. MENSA is a society of geniuses. When I see these examples of her thinking through a problem and finding a solution that works for her, I certainly agree with the nickname. Now, if only I was as proud when she uses those smarts when she is bored. Let’s just say, I will have to start cat proofing multiple things around the house if she keeps up her antics.

Plant Babies

I am pretty proud to say that I have managed to keep a pineapple plant alive for ten whole months! Obviously I am the type of person that has to name her plants, so I have named her Penelope. I also have a snake plant named Genevieve. The snake plant came with a paper steak stuck in the pot that made it sound like she had already been named, so I just went with it. Penny and Gen have two very different set of needs, but they both live in my bedroom. I have had to create some contrast to try and give them both what they need to thrive.

Penny sits on top of a white cube cabinet near one of the windows. I have placed bamboo skewers around the main body of the plant, with cotton yarn to provide extra structure. Pineapples can be heavy fruit, so the skewers have helped the entire plant stand up straight. I also have a grow light shining on her. Since they are used to tropical environments, pineapples require quite a bit of sunshine. I live in Wisconsin, where it is currently cold and dreary looking outside. So the grow light helps me provide the much needed vitamin D that helps Penny stay strong.

Gen lives across the room, on top of a much shorter bookshelf. Snake plants prefer indirect sunlight. By being across the room from the two windows in my bedroom, Gen will not be scorched by any harsh rays that may manage to sneak in my windows. I personally think she likes the placement because the leaves are growing taller.

Due to a certain predator that lives in my room as well, AKA Erza the cat, I have chosen the spots for my plants to live very carefully. They are on top of furniture that Erza can’t access. She is very curious about the plants, obviously, but I have done my best to make sure that she knows that they are not chew toys, or something to be attacked. Thankfully, she has gotten the message and the plants don’t have to fear the micro panther. (Knock on wood!)

I have taken steps to try and track when I water the plants as well. A calendar on the wall features little water droplets that I have drawn on with blue marker, on the days that I have given them water. I don’t want to drown them, so I try and remember to check the soil beforehand, to see if they actually need it.

I get emotionally attached to these plants. I get excited when I see signs that they are healthy and growing. When one of them dies, I get sad for a little while. This attachment might be aided by the fact that I have taken to putting large googly eyes on the pot of the plant. That started mostly because it amuses me. It turned into something silly that made me smile for a moment when I saw it, and there needs to be more things like that in the world. Personally, I will always take pride in my plant babies and how well they are doing. I will enjoy them while they are around and do my best to take care of them.

Ultimately they bring me joy, and I find worth in the simple things that manage to accomplish making me smile. I hope you can find a small thing that makes you smile today.

An Extrovert and An Introvert

You might have heard of the idea that the way an introvert makes friends is to be adopted by an extrovert and then become friends with their group of people. I certainly have had moments where I felt like I was along for the ride. As an introvert, I must spend time by myself, or even with a few close people, to recharge my “Extrovert Battery”. Otherwise, I am not very pleasant to be around in a social environment.

Some may not be aware that our furry companions also share these tendencies. My brother’s cat, Gobi, is very shy and it takes some time for him to warm up to company and make his way down the stairs to socialize. I would classify him as an introvert without any hesitation. Erza on the other hand, is an extrovert through and through. She wants to say hello to everyone, give them affection, and then receive some in return.

On Christmas Eve, when my Mom’s side of the family gathered at my home to celebrate, Erza started to make her rounds. She set up camp on a dinning room chair and said hello to everyone as they passed by. Once we started to move the furniture to make the table big enough for the whole family to sit around, Erza took that opportunity to try her best to steal a seat at the dinner table. As people started to find their chair, Erza was shuffled around until she ended up sitting next to me. My cousin, the last one to sit down, pulled out his chair and found Erza staring up at him as if to inform him that that seat was already taken. I couldn’t help but giggle a little at her antics as I picked her up and placed her on the couch to allow room for my cousin to join the rest of the humans at the table.

Due to her very obvious social nature, I have been having moments of laughter. This introvert adopted an extrovert. Since I am her link to the outside world, I will have to try and be more social, just to satisfy her social needs. Maintaining her social calendar is just one more duty to add to the list of things I must do as a Cat Mom.

Writer’s Block: Shake It Out

Being a writer is never a straight forward process. It requires creativity and inspiration. When I write, I have music playing, but it can’t have lyrics because then my mind will attach to those words and not the words on my page. It also can’t be too loud, or I get a bit overwhelmed by the noise.

Music is one thing that helps when I have writer’s block. I will be listening to music in the car while I drive, and scenes that I want to put in my book will pop up in my mind. Usually they are related to the song that I have playing but I try and use those ideas when they actually fit the flow of the story. Can’t just throw something in because I thought of it, it has to mesh with the rest of the plot line.

I also will put on music when I am really blocked. Stepping away from my keyboard, I will dance for a little bit. Nothing too crazy, but enough to shake up my body and the moment. Focusing on dancing and the music helps me feel a bit more energized. It might even spark emotions that I want to convey through my characters. The feeling of the music becomes a sound track that helps me get the creativity flowing again.

Another tactic is a change of scenery. For a while I was writing with a tower computer. I would sit at my desk and work on my book. Often this led to me having a hard time sitting still. I would swish back and forth in my chair, tap my finger on the desk, and stare off into space trying to think of something that was good enough to capture my attention again, to write about, to continue the story. Now that I have a laptop again, I can be found in multiple spaces around the house, working in a setting that just feels right for the day. I will be in my room, with the door closed, when I feel the need for space, or I will set up camp in one of the living room chairs when I want to feel like I am still part of the tempo of the house.

My pets are also a wonderful distraction. They have no preconceived right or wrong ideas of how to act, so having them around, and playing with them, will help me find a new angle to see things from. They make me laugh and pull me close when they want a hug. Sometimes all I need is to curl up with one of them for a moment and take a deep breath. I am forever grateful for them.

Writing a book takes patience, something I am still working on improving. Funny thing is, I tend to have more of that virtue when the creativity is flowing.

Morning Routines

Every morning I have the same steps to get ready for the day. Most days I get woken up by what my family has lovingly referred to as a Maggie pounce. Our cocker spaniel Maggie loves to run into my room, jump up on my bed and pounce on me. She proceeds to kiss my face until I give in and start to get up for the day. I can definitely think of worse ways to be woken up in the morning.

Erza follows the pup entourage and meows at me until I put her morning scoop of kibble into her bowl. She also gets a fish oil treat crushed up with her breakfast to help with the persistent dandruff that makes her very itchy. If I try and roll over and go back to sleep after Maggie has left the room to grab her ball, Erza with walk on me to get to my face and proceed to lick my eye lids to try and get me to open them back up and give her breakfast. (Again, worse ways to be woken up.)

Maggie will eventually return with her ball and wait for me to get dressed and start to head down the stairs. After I grab my daily Pepsi bottle, and give Cooper his morning dose of Benadryl, (he has so many allergies) I will sit on the large bean bag chair that we have in the living room and play fetch with Maggie. Personally I think Maggie loves to play with me in the morning because I am her personal hype woman. Every time she goes to get the ball and brings it back she is cheered on and praised. She is actually pretty good at catching the ball either from the original throw or off the first bounce.

Breakfast for both me and the dogs happen eventually, usually after Maggie is done playing for the moment. I will spend time cuddling with each dog on the bean bag chair, which has basically become a giant dog bed most of the time. The dogs will actually take turns laying on the bean bag with me and I absolutely love the fact that they each want hugs from me in the morning.

Now, since my parents and sister are out camping this weekend, I have had to do the dogs full morning routine with them. I sleep in my parents’ room with the dogs and they decide when it is time to get up in the morning. Today that happened to be 5 am. When I let them outside, because they normally wake up and have to use the facilities, only River actually did anything. Maggie and Cooper just stood on the step by the back door and looked out on the yard like they were Simba and Mufasa from The Lion King. I felt a little annoyed.

By that time I was already moving around enough that my body was waking up so I just started my morning routine and now I am trying to use the extra bit of time to be productive. It has not escaped my notice that Maggie is currently snoring in the chair next to me, and the boys are asleep in other positions around the living room. At least they get to go back to sleep.

Connections Spanning Species

Lately I have been thinking about how animals pick their person. (As I type this Erza is making herself comfy laying against my side, even across my right arm a bit.)

Erza picked me as her person, her favorite. I am very honored that she chose me and that feeling has never wavered. The moment I met her and picked her up for the first time, at five months old, she instantly started purring and didn’t want to be put down. She knew something then. She must have had a feeling about me and knew that I would take care of her. I could be trusted to look after her and give her the life she deserves.

Last night I made the joke that I didn’t think Erza would be my cat if I wasn’t the one who fed her every meal. My mom rolled her eyes at this notion and pointed out several signs that I failed to see, signs that Erza really thinks of me as her person.

Every time I close my bedroom door, I have to be prepared for the possibility of Erza pawing/clawing at the other side of the door trying to get in and be with me. She is one smart cat. (My parents have taken to referring to her as the Mensa cat.) Over time she has watched and learned that the shiny thing attached to the wood, if turned, opened the door and allowed access to the other side. So Erza has taken to reaching up to her full height and putting one paw on either side of the door knob and trying her hardest to turn it herself. I am convinced that if I had a lever handle on my door, she would be constantly opening it.

Another sign that my Mom pointed out, was that Erza likes to take naps with me. If I fall asleep during the day and don’t want a furry heater with me, I have to kick her out of my room and close the door. Otherwise Erza will curl up between my legs and fall asleep with me. She softly purrs while falling asleep. If I shift in my sleep, I have woken to find her position moved as well, just enough so that she is still touching some part of me in her sleep, like it comforts her. (She has currently progressed to sleeping, and purring, while laying on my arm. Thankfully I have use of my hand still. :D)

I think my favorite connection sign though has to be when she plays with me. Her top two toys and springs and those craft pom poms. Again, because she is so smart, she learned that if she brings me the toy, I will throw it for her and we can play together. I melt when she brings me one of her toys and places it beside me. Then she will wait for me to throw it for her and chances are pretty high she will start to play fetch with me. She has only ever really played like this with me.

Last but not least, is that she gives me high fives on command. I wanted to try out the idea that cats can learn tricks like dogs, so I got a clicker and started working with Erza. I taught her the command “Give me paw” and she will tap my hand with her paw when asked, especially if there are treats involved. I am the only one she will give high fives to. Several other have tried the command, at my request because I wanted to show off, and she refused until I asked.

Love is a connection between two souls. Erza is a light to me on some of my harder days. I will forever be honored to be the one she picked to be her person. If you own a pet, or have spent enough time with animals, you know they pick you just as much as you pick them.

The Family Pet

I always was surrounded by animals growing up. Several dogs at once, and a few cats that would lounge around the house like royalty. My current lot is three dogs, (River, Cooper, and Maggie), and three cats (Erza, Pho, and Gobi). Something I have learned being with these animals through my life, is there is a very deep connection that forms between an owner and the pet. Even if the animal did not choose you as their human, you become attached to the creature, and your memories have this happy glow to them.

My pets have always been furry, and that would be because I am not a huge fan of the other varieties. I am glad that other people find space in their hearts for these animals, because I certainly wouldn’t be able to properly take care of them due to my aversion. If you own a creature of the scaly persuasion, then I am truly happy for you. Those animals deserve to have the best life that can be given to them.

Cats in particular seem to really enjoy being around me. Since I was ten years old I have been a proud cat mom. Now for those who are against using the parent terms with our fur babies, please note that I have thought it through and found it appropriate. You take care of every need these animals have. You buy them toys and food, take them to the doctor when they are under the weather. There is a responsibility that you take on when you adopt an animal. I don’t have kids, so I can’t compare completely, but too many people their pets are their babies.

As a cat mom, I have had a partner in crime, a best friend, and a furry soulmate all wrapped into one. Smokey was my first cat. My dad brought home two kittens when I was ten years old. They had been barn cats and he only meant to adopt one, but couldn’t separate them because they were playing together and having the best time. So Smokey and her brother Riley became part of our family. Riley chose my younger sister as his person, and he completely understood what she needed out of that relationship. Smokey chose me and I was completely honored to be her person.

It wasn’t very obvious at first, but turned out that Smokey was born blind. There was no physical problem with her eyes, which we a crystal blue that I just adored, so we assumed that the connection along her optic nerve or in her brain wasn’t quite working. This fact never changed anything for me and our relationship though. Even though she couldn’t see like an average cat, she never knew what she was missing. I would pick out toys that made noise, or had reflective surfaces because it seemed like she could pick out some lights and shadows. Smell was a big thing for her, and it seemed to drive how she found her way around the world.

At age 24, I unfortunately lost her due to the original brain condition that she was born with. The vet told me to be very proud of how long she had lived because most cats with brain issues don’t live to be 14. Two weeks later, I adopted Erza. Some may say that is too fast to adopt another, but I had all this love to give and without my cat to give it to, I was lost. Erza helped heal me. She gave me plenty of reasons to smile again and to feel safe loving another cat like I had with Smokey.

Each animal has their own personality. Smokey was fairly calm, and took her time figuring out her next move. Erza loves to play with my pens, and throws her whole self into every adventure she possibly can have. (Obviously this will sometimes get her into trouble.) These differences made me feel my grief in the beginning, when I so desperately wanted Smokey back. However as time has gone by, I realized that I love that Erza is not a carbon copy of my first kitty. I enjoy watching her eyes and how they explore her surroundings, mostly because Smokey’s eyes never reacted to her world. Erza chases after toys that I throw, and I really enjoy that I am finding a new way to interact with my cat.

Our pets have love to give, and I am completely certain that they understand us in their own way. They come give us cuddles when we are sad. They know when to back off and give us a moment to ourselves. Specific words make more sense to them, like your word for their favorite toys, or what you call their meals/food. Overall though, I know that Erza understands me when I explain something to her, and the other animals in my house show the same intelligence spark in their eyes. (Don’t get me wrong there are some animals that are not the brightest crayon in the box, but the same goes for people.)

That bond that forms between us and our pets is incredibly strong and I know that I never want to go for very long in my life without having some form of it. To know the love of an animal, is to know truly unconditional love. They don’t know the concept of hate, or prejudice. It certainly makes me laugh when I see them thinking that a stranger is just a friend they haven’t met yet. They never dislike someone without getting to know who they really are.

I will forever be thankful for the time I got with Smokey, and all my other pets who have passed on. I am also so grateful for the bonds that I have now. The possibility of even more bonds out there that I have yet to make excites me. Hopefully some of you readers feel the same way.

Introducing Erza

On November 19th, 2019 I lost my childhood cat Smokey. Smokey was incredibly special to me and losing her hit me particularly hard. For the first bit I was processing my grief, I noticed that I was mostly missing the small moments of companionship that Smokey had shared with me. The solution that my Mom found was to chose another companion in the form of another cat.

Exactly two weeks after losing Smokey, my mom picked me up from campus. I was in college at the time. We headed for the local humane society and asked to see the kittens that they had at the shelter. Due to the amount they had living there, they had dedicated a room to house the kittens.

I was first to get to the door, so I opened it. The moment the door was open far enough one of the kittens vaulted over the baby gate that was supposed to prevent them from leaving the room in one large group. While the shelter employee and my mom corralled the escapee, I continued into the room.

Several kittens looked up at me and a few others were trying to hide. There were several different types of cat, from long to short hair, and several different colors. Maybe it was the contrast from Smokey, who looked like a Siamese, I was looking for, or maybe just loving the incredible colors, but I found myself reaching for the calicos. (Calico cats have black, white, and orange coloring on their fur, that is featured in blocks of colors, not mixed.)

The first calico I picked up, even though I didn’t know it at the time, was the kitten that had tried to escape. Apparently when she had gotten out of the room she made a bee line for the front door like she was trying to run away from the shelter. The moment I got her into my arms she started purring. I felt this instant connection with this tiny life.

On the inside of the door was a list of the kittens in the room. The list included their names, ages, and identifying features. Looking on the list I managed to place a name with the five month old kitten in my arms, Erza. At first I read it as Ezra, which makes me laugh now, and I had to read her name at least three times before I realized the letters were correct but I had mispronounced her name. Even through the name issues, Erza was still purring and making herself comfy in my arms.

I tried my best to really consider my options, considering how many kittens there was to choose from, but I had this connection growing with Erza as she purred in my arms. So I informed my mom and the shelter employee of my choice.

That connection that I could feel starting with Erza, was very similar to the bond that I had with Smokey. Maybe it is wishful thinking, but I think Smokey played a part in getting Erza and me together. She told Erza that her family was coming and that is why Erza jumped the gate. Doesn’t hurt that Erza has proven to be very curious about the world.

We ended up taking home a second kitten from the shelter as well as Erza. This kitty ended up bonding with my brother and is named Gobi, like the desert. My mom couldn’t leave Gobi at the shelter because in the viewing window, he was trying his best to show how much he just wanted love.

Erza, Gobi, and Gobi’s litter mate Pho, that we had adopted from Pet Smart a few days before, are now three years old and will be four in June. They explore and play all the time. I am beyond grateful for Erza and all the healing she has helped me through.