Swede Reaction.

Most of us, cat owners, are aware that our pets can show particular fondness for the smell, or the chemicals in plants such as Cat nip and Cat Mint.

Nina, our white feline, used to have strange taste anyway, and was never fooled by either of the above plants.
For example she used to be a lover of fruit. Well, fruit she was allowed to eat that is. Avacado, Kiwis, Melons, anything I'd be peeling on Sundays for our fruit salads, and when she started licking the inside of the peels, I would cut her slivers of the fruits she preferred, and she would love these.

Last Friday, I was peeling slices of Turnip, or Swedes, as the English call these root vegetables.
As usual I dropped the waste into the yellow microwave lids. Nina, looking for a snack or just attention, jumped onto the table and became very interested in the peel of the vegetable I was preparing. However not once did she look at the peeled cubes in the bowl- all her attention was on what was in the yellow lid.

It was hard to prevent her from tipping the thing off the table, but it was even harder to keep on going.
I have no idea which chemical is inside this skin. Perhaps someone can tell us this, who knows.
I can only guess that celeriac and Fennel have similar chemicals because celery stalks/leaf is the top of the roots, growing underground.
If anyone can tell me more, please do; this silly cat has roused my curiosity now.

It was hard to get any decent pictures as 'madame' was so incredibly High that she was not only unstoppable, but she was moving so fast too. And of course right underneath my nose, leaving me not much distance; All she wanted was to rub her nose right into the inside of the Turnip's skin.

Wings, wheels and Long Legs

Leaving my birds in the capable wings of Junior, I left for Rehabcare again for a chat and lunch.
Rehabcare is a kind of day-centre for people with physical, sensory disabilities, and it also has a wing for people with intelectual disabilities. {a big word for some lovely people though! }However it is not your ordinary day centre where users hang about, waiting for tea, coffee or lunch. Here, people come who still have an active mind, Work on exercise machines, do crosswords, take part in cooking, gardening, PC, writing or painting classes, etc.
The main reason I go is to talk to people with the use of one hand, after stroke, for my One Handed Booklet.

The garden of the centre is where wheelies and other users get into gardening and therefore has raised flower and veggie beds and the main vegetable garden is divided into small plots. The garden is mostly tended to by the users of the section for those with mental disabilities, where each can grow his or her favourite vegetable. It is not often that Lumix and I venture into the main veggie bit.
At first I went Bee and Butterfly hunting among the beds near the building, a Large White soon got my attention, as it was flying above the large Nasturtiums in one of the raised beds. It let me come very close while it was still flying about and once it had landed. Then it took off around the corner and as I followed it I drifted a wee bit off course and sank into the mud. Getting onto the path again was one of those typical no-hopers on your own, but luckily I got help from two of the girls, working here.

Needless to say, I had to stay on the path! Hence my visit to the vegetable garden. {I have bit of trouble staying indoors} The Butterflies here were all at the other side of the fruit trees, too far off. The Artichokes did catch my eye as did a handsome and very ordinary Spider. You know how architectural plants and Grasses are in vogue these days {while I always liked them, without the need of plants men/women telling me of their uses, like Artichokes and Grasses.} Well, this Spider struck me because of its structure and its shadow, faint as it maybe. I’d really love to have a Macro lens, one day.

Then you get back home and notice that the Jackdaws had done another disappearing act with my peanut cake tub again.


DunnockJunior in the rain, yesterdayHouse Spider above my tableArtichokesLarge White ButterflyHouse Spider in the SunWild Fuchsia