One of the things I like to do when I start my day is have a stroll in the back garden. I always make a bee-line to the flower box at the back to see if there’s anything new. Since I gave the cat mint and lavender such a severe hair cut about a month ago I’ve been keeping an eye out for new growth. The cat mint has grown back bushy and full of its usual zingy fragrance, and the lavender, although slower, is making its way back, too.

Occasionally I’ll look out at the garden and spy a neighbor cat rolling around in the flower box, enjoying the sunshine and squashing all of my plants. It’s hard to stay mad about such a minor transgression when it’s clear the cats adore the cat mint. I like to think that the damaged plants might grow back stronger some day and be able to withstand all of the commotion.

The back garden doesn’t have all that much going on at the moment, especially since the weather has shifted back toward the chilly end of the spectrum this past week. The grass needs cutting and there are bulbs still yet to be planted, but it’s just as lovely to see a few tulips buds begin to peer out of their leaves.