Revenge of the Sock Monster

We all have them. Those lonely singles that frustrate us no end. Where did the other one go? It was probably eaten by that most insidious of all beasts - the sock monster.

I have a bag of single socks, collected in hopes of a mate turning up eventually. Or they are there because I've forgotten I've recycled the mate because it had holes or was torn. But there is something that keeps me from throwing those single socks out. Which is good, because there are so many things we can do with them.

• Use that single sock for a rag is an obvious one. Make a nice little dusting or polishing mitt.
• Make a cat toy. Stuff the toe of a small sock with catnip. Tie a tight knot or two above the herbs. Cut the top part into strips and toss it to your cat. They'll love you for it.
• I remember making lots of sock puppets when I was little. Sometimes I didn't wait for a mismatched pair, much to my mothers chagrin. All you need are buttons, ribbon, felt, glue and some imagination.
• Cut socks into strips and use as garden plant ties. I like to leave long ends to be tossed about in the breeze to help deter critters and birds. That doesn't always work but it looks pretty.
• Use them to cover bottles and jars. Bottles of oil or syrup can leave sticky rings. Slip a sock over the bottom of the bottle to catch drips. Replace with another sock when it gets messy and just wash the old one!
• You can also use it as a glass or bottle cozy.
• Fill with rice or flax seed. Sew the end closed and you have a wrist wrest.
• And my absolute favorite. Make sachets. Fill old socks with your favorite scents. This time of year I have lots of pine needles so I fill one with crushed or cut pine needles. Tie off or so the end and put in drawers or linen closets. I like to tuck them in to sofa corners so it smells nice when you sit down. You can use lavender, lemon verbena or dried lemon peel, rosemary, rose petals or any combination that makes you happy. You can also toss these in to the dryer to add some extra scent.

Reef loves his Catnip Sock

So have a snack every now and then, old sock monster. I'm ready for you.

What do you use old socks for?

A Dandy of a National Dandelion Day!

Spring is here, and with it the glory of those early blooming herbs and flowers. And what looks as cheery as the amazing little yellow flowers popping up every where - the lovely little dandelion!

There are many who look at this versatile and nutrition packed little herb as the bane of their existence. Not me - I love them! There is a plethora of information out there about the hardy dandelion, but here are a few of my favorite things to do with them:

• Feed them to my cat. Yep, that's right. My one cat, Sinbad (actually my daughters cat, but that's another story) LOVES dandelions. Any time he sees us go outside, he'll sit in the window and meow rather loudly until we bring some tender greens in for him. We think he learned about them when he used to share a nibble with our rabbit, Nibbles, when we used to bring them in for him. (Nibbles was my daughters, too). Dandelion is a great addition to your cat or dogs food. Just occasionally chop up some dandelion greens to toss in to their food. It will help keep their coats nice and shiny.
• In salads and recipes - replace some spinache with dandelion greens. Younger leaves are as bitter as the large, later season leaves (although I'll occasionally use them, too). They work very nicely in Quinoa Salad or lightly sauteed in a little oil, then tossed with cranberries and walnuts. Yum!
• I like taking the flowers and flower petals and tossing them in with scrambled eggs or omelets.
• Infusing apple cider vinegar with dandelion flowers, leaves and roots make a very nourishing addition to salads, seltzer spritzers, and a refreshing toner for your skin!

For more scoop on this prolific herbal wonder, try check the Herb Companion articles like this, the Herb Quarterly, Learning Herbs - or go on your own dandelion hunt! It's a dandy thing to do on a spring day!

WELCOME SPRING!

Happy Ostara everyone and welcome to a new spring!

It's the spring equinox - a day in balance of night and day. A promise of more warmth and sunshine to come. And what a day it's been!

We had snow this morning, surprising the bulbs and plants starting to make their way through the earth towards the sun.

And we have kittens! 3 little ones, only hours old here. Gizelle, the outside cat that has claimed us as her own, delivered 3 littles amid the chill. But their cozy in their

cat house now, waiting to grow and find new peoples to love when they get bigger.

New beginnings, new determination, a sparkling start to spring.

An Unusual Weekend of Goings and Comings

It's been a long week, and it's only Wednesday. But it all started last Friday.

Our dear and faithful friend, Tasha, passed away on Friday. Tasha was, as most dog owners will tell you, more than just our pet, she was part of our family. For 16 of her 18 years, she was the family playmate, vacuum cleaner and guardian (we adopted her from a shelter when she was about 2 years old). But 18 is very old for a dog, and her health was failing. My husband, son, daughter and my self were all there to see her off. I know she's somewhere, running at full speed as she had years ago.

Naturally, there was a sadness over the house as we remembered the things that were Tasha's, and the way she was in healthier times. But on Sunday, it was time for another parting, one mixed with happiness and sadness.

Rhonda is a loving, sweet little kitten, about 5 or 6 months old. She came to us in a rather unusual way.

I was getting ready to head to my day job when I received a call from my boss. "When will you be here?" he wanted to know. For a second I thought I had missed a meeting or something, but he needed me there because a kitten had almost been hit by a car and it looked terrified. As the resident office cat lady, he figured I'd be the best to handle it.

So I loaded the pet carrier into the car, along with a little food, and headed to work. When I got there he took me to the spot where the little angel was hiding. Sure enough, she was terrified, letting out little meows. She was hiding under a bramble of wild blackberries, so I wasn't thrilled about having to climb through to get her. A little coaxing and sweet talking, though, and out she came, right into my arms. She rubbed and meowed and munched up the food I brought. I had to give her only a little, because you could see she was starving.

I brought her home at lunch time, and she took to my husband right away, following him around and demanding his attention. You could feel every bone in her back and side, the poor thing.

But time and kitten chow and lots of loving heal many things. Within three weeks, she was looking more as a regular kitten should look. Having a few too many cats already, I took her to my favorite shelter, the Animal Rescue Force. There, one of the volunteers fell in love with our sweet tuxedo girl. The Sunday after dear Tasha left us, Rhonda's new family came to pick her up. They were delighted, and excited, and she took to them right away. It was a sad but happy farewell.

There's more though. I spoke of comings. You see, there's another cat that lives outside our house. She's a feral cat, who tolerates only rare pets from the people who feed her. She usually hangs around when she's pregnant. Guess what she did on St. Patrick's Day?

So, at the moment, it's a little quieter in our house. The older cats are all settled in their ways, barely making a fuss. We still have to put Tasha's things away. All the quiet will change soon enough, though, when the Irish brood come in for people training before we send them to their new homes.

See, we're animal people around here. That's why, if you'll notice, there's a cat in the logo of Celtic Chairde Creations. They add such interest to our lives. With all the comings and goings, I still wouldn't trade getting to know and love them all.