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Garden Plans With My Furry Foursome

Reader Contribution by Gina Gaines
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Hope you are having a happy start to your new year! Here at our Wild Garden Burbstead in northwest Georgia, winter is just now settling in. So I happily settled into the rocker by the fireplace with a warm cup of cocoa, my Farmer’s almanac, favorite seed catalogs and garden planner. Don’t you just love sitting by the fire and dreaming about spring?

Our DIY fireplace and cozy second-hand rocker

Just as I was about to put pen to paper, Sasha, our calico kitty, decided my lap looked like the coziest place in the room. She was very helpful in turning the pages of the seed catalog. And, even with her help, I managed to begin listing possible vegetable cultivars for next spring. The list had not grown very long when Sadie, our little terrier-mix decided she would fit in my lap too. It wasn’t long before Sasha’s brother, Ziggy, wanted in on the action. Then poor Candy, our oldest and largest fur-baby, came and stood by the rocker, whining in protest because there wasn’t room for her. Since Princess Sasha doesn’t like her fur to get all mussed up, she was more than glad to give Candy her spot. Her departure loosened my hold on the catalogs, which sent Ziggy flying under the couch for cover. Aha! Candy saw her opportunity and promptly hoisted her 40 pound backside with all the grace her arthritic legs could muster. Sadie, who absolutely hates getting wet, was promptly doused in lukewarm cocoa. After the fur, paper and cocoa settled, and I finally exhaled, Candy looked up at me with her big, sad, brown eyes. Tail thumping slowly, she gave me the tiniest kiss on my chin, sighed contentedly, and laid her old head in the crook of my arm.

I really do love sitting by the fire and dreaming about spring. But I’ve decided there’s more room to dream on the couch!

Sadie, belly-up in the foreground, then Ziggy on my knees and Sasha on my feet. Candy is on the pillow and the abandoned rocker hides in the shadows

Thankfully, there’s still time to get that planning done. I love catalogs that I can hold in my hand, but the online ones work just as well. Lots of folks don’t know that the Old Farmer’s Almanac can be found online. It doesn’t have as detailed information as the paper version unless you are willing to pay for the downloads they offer. And actually, I think it’s more economical to just buy the Almanac at the store. But their website is still very helpful when making your plans, as are the wonderful blogs here at Capper’s. I’ve noticed that many of these bloggers have their own websites with many goodies to offer. I would encourage you to check them out, and visit my other blog as well. You can find me at ginasinspirations.com – The Wild Garden Burbstead | Building a little homestead in the suburbs. Come on over and meet my furry foursome and read about all the wild adventures we’re having in the garden, the house remodel, and their new critter castle!