We Heart Sunflowers

 

It has been an extraordinary summer. Not just with Covid and social distancing but with having all this time to garden.  Starting with seeds in the basement on a grow table and harvesting everything at the end of the summer - it has been amazing.  The flowers and beds look fantastic.  One of the things we are very excited about was our sunflowers.  We have NEVER been able to get them to grow up here. I don't know if it's the extra attention or more consistent watering - but we finally got sunflowers to grow.  Tim started them with seeds in the basement and although we were not very confidant - then planted them in and around the vegetable garden.  They did great. We only planted a couple varieties but had great success.  They were beautiful and like anything new - didn't have any clue what to do about harvest the seeds for next year.  We had to do some reading about drying and saving.  Hopefully, next year we will have even more.  

The Catio

 

Poor cats.  They just don't know what happened to their comfortable NY apartment with all their familiar surroundings. They have adapted to their new home for the last 8 months but get a little antsy.  We thought we might build them a Catio outside their guest bedroom window but the planning all got bogged down with how to attach it to the house so they could go in and out their window.  We decided it might be best to go online and find a larger cage that would be comfortable for them that could also be used inside as well as outside. We found a cage suitable and are still in the process of securing it carefully and making it more comfortable. We tested it out with small individual excursions into the living room. Now, this cage is quite large and fills the living room when it is there. We couldn't leave it there for long.  After we managed a couple trips with both of them confined in it - we knew it was time to go to the next step.  OUTSIDE!  We brought Sookie out first and then Atticus so they weren't too upset.  They sat there stunned for a little while.  Atticus just stared and stared.  Sookie got very comfortable and got up on the cat bed and rolled around so we knew she liked it. Atticus was a little overstimulated and we had to take him back inside. However, we think it was a success and now we just have to wait for another warm day to venture out.