Botanical Conservatory

 Last weekend I went to the Botanical Conservatory with my friends!  I hadn't been there in a few years and I think this was only the second time I went there just to look at plants and not to photograph people.  It was fun!  It isn't that big, but it is such a beautiful, relaxing space to enjoy!  I was super excited that they were selling used bulbs for $1.50.  😃  I only bought 3 pots worth and I kinda regret not getting more, especially of the hyacinth.  This summer and fall I plan to redo the flower beds in the front of the house, and I'm so excited to add in the new plants!

Cats and Plants

 Here are some recent pictures of the cats and the plants enjoying the sun as spring approaches.  😊

Kira's Gotcha Day

I'm late in recognizing Kira's Gotcha Day.  It was April 6, but that was in the midst of Link being at our house so I was too busy to celebrate her.  Kira also had a vet appointment last week, which she doesn't like.  She's lost another pound since the vet saw her last year, and overall the vet was quite happy with her, so that was great to hear!  

Kira is such a great cat, and I think she is often overshadowed by Arien.  Kira doesn't always want tons of attention, but if she is in the right mood for snuggles, she'll climb right on you and make herself at home.  Kira is quite ornery when she does want attention.  She often sits on my mouse pad to try to prohibit me from working.  I generally banish her to her window hammock, which to be fair, she absolutely loves.  I think one of my favorite things about Kira is that she knows her name and will often come when called.  I wish all cats were like that!  It truly is so convenient if I don't know where she is and I think I may have trapped her in a room.  I just call her and wait until she comes running at me, meowing all the way.  She's seriously so awesome!  I love her so much!

A Bit More of Link

 

Link goes home soon so I wanted to post the rest of the pictures I've taken.  The second half of this week has been much busier, and we've had to separate the cats so I haven't taken many pictures.  Basically, Arien went from hiding from Link to using the cat door (which she rarely does) to go to the basement to attack Link.  So, we've had to make it so the cat door can't be accessed unless we are home and Arien is sound asleep.  It's been a bit annoying fiddling with doors and a gate just to get things secure enough that Link is safe and Arien is somewhat happy.  Link has been very lonely, but I've been spending as much time with him as I can while keeping him tucked away downstairs.  I have also been letting Kira go to the basement to visit him as much as possible.  Kira still sometimes hisses at him if he's moving around, but she doesn't attack him and mostly seems happy to be with him in the basement.  I caught them sleeping on separate couches.  They are so cute.  

All in all, despite having to enforce the "worst case scenario" plan of keeping the cats almost 100% separated, Link has been a sweetheart and is handling it so well!  I was afraid he'd destroy things out of boredom or frustration of hearing us upstairs but being alone.  But he's being an angel.  That said, I doubt he'll be visiting us again.  Arien has been so stressed and upset whenever she hears him, sees him through the cat door, or smells him.

Link's Visit

This big big boy is visiting us this week.  Link is my brother's cat, and they are on vacation for Spring Break.  Link needs medicine twice a day so instead of me driving out to their house, we decided to have him come to us.  He's mostly living in the basement, but during the day when we are home, we are letting him upstairs.  I'm pretty sure he is in love with Kira.  He is trying so hard to win her heart, and she hisses at him and whines at him to go back to the basement.  Occasionally she charges at him, but he backs away and so does she.  Sometimes when the basement door is open so Link can join us upstairs, Kira sits at the top like a guard dog, and he chirps and sings to her.  😂

Arien wants nothing to do with Link which is why she's not in any pictures.  At first she hid from him.  Then she grew comfortable just ignoring him and letting Kira take charge of keeping Link in line.  But I guess Arien felt Kira wasn't doing a good enough job and decided she'd handle Link herself.  When she saw him upstairs yesterday, she chased him through the house going in circles a couple times because Link missed the exit to the basement.  They knocked over a plant before I got them to stop.  😑  I escorted Link to the basement, and Arien calmed down.  However, we do have a cat door installed in our basement door.  Link doesn't know how to use it so it's enough to keep him downstairs.  Kira has occasionally wandered to the basement (she helped Link empty his bowl of food once when I left it out for him 😒), but she mostly likes to sit and watch him from the other side, but if he is up close, she'll hiss, smack the door, and walk away.  Arien won't go downstairs, but being the little firecracker she is, she always hisses when she passes the door to make sure Link knows how much she doesn't like him.  Hahaha!