Growing Cat Grass for your Kitty

My kitty, Meia, loves cat grass (Avena sativa, or the common oat) and it's so simple to grow in just a small pot in your window or in a large planter on your deck.  There are no real answers, even by vets, as to why cats eat cat grass, but either way your kitty will go nuts over the lush grass that comes from it and it's also a great way to get them to add more fiber into their diets.

 This is one of my favorites to use.  It's from a company called, Botanical Interests and they have some of the best seed selections I've seen online.  You can purchase your seeds from BI, here.

Just add soil to a simple pot or planter, add the seeds and cover with soil.  Done!

In just a short time you will have cat grass growing for your kitty to munch on.  Be sure to mist once a day to help keep the soil moist.

Meia loves it!  I will sometimes catch her laying in the pot with the grass, she just loves it that much.  Ha!

Five Simple Things (March 10)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Weather.

The above pictures all happened on March 8. We got a large amount of sleet early in the morning and it sleeted off and on until around noon, to which a rainbow appeared shortly after and the sun stayed out for another few hours. It was unusual, but it seems to be the norm in this area now. After the March 8 weather, on March 10, which is below, we had a little bit of snow in the morning and then the rest of the day we got a large amount of snow that fell in a short bursts throughout the day. 

 

 

Skylar and I love to always see the snow coming down. We are like the delightful little kids running out to play without a care in the world when the snow starts to fall. It was not only a beautiful sight, it was also neat to see it falling at random times throughout the night.

2. This Moment.

 

My humidifier created some ambiance against my vintage lamp one night this week and I just loved how it looked. I love old history, and this moment sort of made me feel like I had gone back in time for a brief moment.

3. This Kitty.

She's always up to something that makes us laugh. If it's not her laying on the television area, to sleeping, to exploring her grass/water station, she's always doing something to make us smile. We just love her so much. With having Meia gone, we are glad to have another great cat helping fill that void from time to time. Meia's absence, as well as Milo's, is always felt, but Eleven makes that hole just a bit less painful with her personality.

4. This Box.

Another great hit from Kiwi Eco Box this month. Love these colored pencils, candle, and Eco Hero Handbook. Looking forward to utilizing everything in this month's box! You can sign up for the April box here and get $5 off.

5. These Washes.

Loving these Necessaire body washes. Skylar and I absolutely love the eucalyptus scent, and the bergamot is a close second, for sure. Definitely recommend these products. Necessaire also sells body lotions with the same scents, and unscented, and they are top notch! You can try the Eucalyptus here and the Bergamot here. You'll love them!

One last thing:

Lately we have not been feeling 100%, so this week a made a homemade immunity shot and we drank one ounce of it a day all this week and we are feeling a lot better. This is something I am going to start making each Sunday, so we have a shot every day for a week, especially when the weather turns colder and more people seem to be getting sick. This season, knock on wood, we haven't had any sickness pass through us, but it's always better to be prepared. Here's how it's made.

Turmeric Immunity Shot:

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons ginger (chopped)
• 1 orange (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lemons (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon turmeric

Pulse everything for 20-30 seconds in a food processor, or blender. I use a blender with a metal drive and it works great to grind everything up. Strain through cheese cloth and pour into individual two ounce bottles.(I use these) Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Drink an ounce to two ounces a day, which is about a shot glass size. If you don't use the one ounce containers you can store all of it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and just pour a shot glass size every day instead. 

 

Positive affirmations this week:

Unfortunately, when you start to get better, you're also going to get really sad. The hard truth of getting better means revisiting things we aren't comfortable with. During my therapy sessions there's many times I had to stop to reposition my mind in order to be able to talk about the hard things. One incident in particular took me almost three months to completely get my feelings, trauma, and emotional state out, because it was hard for me to get past the sadness. Overall, it's something that has to happen and it's the worst part of therapy. A positive with it is that once we get past the sadness you start to get better. It's true and it's such a wonderful feeling getting past that sadness. You can do this! You can get better! You are going to be okay! We are broken for a moment, but then repaired for a lifetime. Remember, you aren't your trauma. It happened to you, it doesn't define you and you are strong! ♥

Have a nice weekend.

Our almost move and where we are now

Our "almost" move and where we are now.

A few months back Jeff and I decided to split and the plan was for me to move back down south to Arkansas for awhile, if not for good.  We planned everything out, down to the drive back.  John, a friend of mine, came up to Oregon to help us pack and to help me make the drive back with Skylar, Baz, and Meia (my cat).  The POD was delivered on September 5, 2013, and took five days to pack up with everything Skylar and I accumulated in the past nine years while living in Oregon.

While the POD was being set up, I already had doubts that this was the right decision for our little family.  I believed that the thought of being homesick wasn't at all why I wanted to move.  Of course, Jeff couldn't leave his job to come with us, but as the man was lowering the container, something just didn't feel right.

It took us all of five days to pack the container and it was stuffed from ceiling to floor and wall to wall completely.

We even rented a little Uhaul trailer to carry some odds and ends with us for the trip back as well.  We even had to go as far as paying $500 extra on my car purchase to get a hitch installed on the back.

We even took a little break from all of the packing and crying and took Skylar over to the water park to let him play a little bit and forget about what was going on.  Even if it was for an hour, it was an hour that no one thought of anything at all and it was a great time.

As we finished the last of the packing Jeff helped plot a good drive for us to take and a drive that would allow us to see many sights along the way.  

We locked the POD container and began the goodbyes.

Skylar and I did a last walk through of the house to make sure we got everything.

Jeff said goodbye to Baz.  We have had him for a long time and Jeff was sad to see him leave.

He even said goodbye to Meia, even though she doesn't like Jeff, she almost seemed sad.

Then came the worst part of the entire move, Skylar saying goodbye to his daddy.  This moment right here will never, ever happen again.  There was a horrible sadness in the air that moment we hugged and said goodbye to Jeff, even John felt it and commented on what a terrible moment to be present for.

I gave them all the time they wanted, but it still wasn't enough.

Skylar and his daddy exchanged little notes on each other's hand to read later after they weren't together.

The last hug was given and we all loaded in the car.

And we drove away..........

We got about 10 miles from the house and halfway up the Cascade Mountains before I had to pull over and stop for a few minutes.  I was crying so hard that I couldn't think straight, let alone drive anywhere.  It was at that moment that my friend John looked at me and said, "Shelly, turn around and go back.  You don't want to really do this, so turn this car around and go back to where you want to be."  I agreed that I was making a HUGE mistake and I turned around and headed straight back to where I am supposed to be.  Arkansas is a lovely place, my family lives there, and I will always consider Arkansas my home away from home, but Oregon is where I belong and it is my new home now.  Nine years is a long time to live some where and just to pack up and leave was too much for me to do.  Plus, Jeff is who I am meant to be with and to leave him and not have him be part of my future didn't seem right at all. 

Jeff even posted on his Facebook page about how awesome of a story it is.  It's a moment that we both needed to see what was right in front of us the entire time.

Needless to say, the fully packed POD took another full five days to unload.  John helped with a few things, but had to fly back to Arkansas.  It was a "move" per say that made me realized what I had and what I will have.  But the best part about it, it didn't just make me realize it, it made Jeff realize it too.  We are both in a better place since this "almost move" happened and in all honesty, it's the best thing that could have happened to us!

Unfortunately, it rained for two days straight and water was seeping into the POD from the outside, so the last four things remaining in the POD were unloaded rather quickly before the rain water could reach them.

So after unpacking the POD, on October 1, 2013 the POD company came to pick up their container.  We owe PODS a huge thank you for being so understanding with us and helping us more than they even realize.  If it wasn't for the PODS company delivering the container and allowing us the freedom to pack and unpack on our own terms, I don't think we would have ended up the way we did.  

The man that delivered our POD was the same man that picked it up.  He asked why it was empty and I just smiled and said, "It is empty on purpose,"  and I started to cry.  He looked at me and nodded and said, "I am glad it is, I wish the best for you and your family."  

If you've ever wondered how these containers are delivered and picked up......

The next few days after the POD was picked up, we have been putting things back where they belong and a few nights in a row we have eaten pizza so we can concentrate on getting things back in line.  Curtain rods went back up, dishes went back in the cabinet, and even the dogs went back to their respected beds in the living room corners.  I've even joked about how clean the house is now.

Things are getting back to normal for us, but we will always hold a special place for the PODS company and OUR dear friend John. 

The day we moved the last item out of the POD all three of us did nothing but laugh and have a good time.  I was so glad I decided to turn around on that mountain and come back.

I've also found my new favorite.  Organic Lavender Oil helps to control a lot of stress and anxiety and it was put to the test during the "almost move."  I prefer the NOW brand if you are interested in purchasing the one pictured and giving it a try.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story.  Our story is a very delicate one and for the last month and a half has been a very emotional one for us all.  I appreciate everyone that supported our choices and our mistakes along the way.  Again, thanks so much for taking the time to read about our "true love" story and our starting over.  Jeff and I have been together for 13 years, and married for 10 years this past February.

"I’m home again.
And it feels good.
Feels good to be back 
to the routine that I was 
perhaps taking for granted."

If you're interested in using PODS for your next move, give them a call at 877-770-PODS.