I just found out the other day that today, of all days, is the Chinese New Year. I also found out that this great ol' year of ours - 2013 - is the Year of the Snake. Well, truth be told, I already knew all that stuff. I keep on top of all the newsworthy items of the world and whatnot, you know. Besides, I had looked at the calendar earlier. But what was news to me was that my very own Peep #1 is... get this... a snake! That's right, she was born in a previous Year of the Snake so that makes her a snake, too. Neat, huh?
So I looked up about the snakes. One website listed lucky numbers and lucky plants for snakes along with a whole bunch of other stuff. I looked up a Chinese Horoscope in the peep's magazine, too. Research is very important for an investigative cat reporter such as myself so I knew I needed to research all 'bout these snakes. Especially since I was livin' with one and all.
I was particularly interested in the snake's lucky plants. I checked it out and the peep's lucky plants are cacti and orchids. Hmmm.... she likes orchids. She has grown a couple of cacti in her time but let's just say that maybe cacti are supposed to be lucky for her but she's not so lucky for them. It is a very unlucky cactus, indeed, who ends up belonging to my peep. From what I understand, they're pretty indestructable. You couldn't kill one if you tried. Maybe that's how the peep does it. She doesn't actually try to kill them. It just happens naturally. The peep should write a book about it or something. The Corpse of the Cantankerous Cactus. Hehehe... I like that. I think I'll suggest it to her later. Of course, if the peep was involved with the death of the cactus, there would be no mystery. All paws would point directly at her.
I kind of think the peep should stick to the growin' of the orchids. In fact, we cats even got her a new one for Valentine's Day next week. It's white with a little pink and very pretty. But don't tell her 'bout it, okay? The orchid is a surprise. We don't want to ruin the surprise, right? I think she'll like it though. They bloom for weeks and weeks and weeks for her so she'll have the flowers for a really long time.
The orchid we got the peep is a moth orchid. Hmmm... the peep was just complain' the other day 'bout moths. Oh-oh... Let's hope that was a different kind of moth. She found an old red coat of hers that was way at the back of the hall closet and it had a hole in it. Now normally, when things have holes in them, we cats get the blame but this time we were lucky. The peep is blamin' moths and said something 'bout needin' some cedar. I don't really know what she's talking about. Wait a minute... maybe the peep is gonna plant a cedar tree inside. We have some cedar bushes outside in my garden but it's winter here in Canada and cold and snowy. We could do with an indoor one, for sure! Hope she's not thinkin' of growin' it in the closet. I don't think that would work. No windows, you see. But I digress...
Back to the snakes. Some of my research indicated that snakes are a creative lot. I wasn't overly happy to hear that. The peep is also a Libra and they too are supposed to be creative. This is not good. She'll be bragging 'bout her Libran snaky creativity all over the place. I'll never hear the end of it, you know. She'll be spoutin' snake this and Libra that... MOUSES! I say. MOUSES!!! Besides, we all know who the real creative genius is in this family is. That would be me.
You know... we have snakes livin' in our garden. Some are green and some are brown. All of them are pretty small. My dad Jacob and my sister Constance like to catch snakes. I'm not into that. My dad and Connie will spend hours and hours and hours out in the garden, snakin'. They don't eat 'em or anything. They don't even hurt them. They bring them home to the peep. The peep then rescues the snakes and puts them back in the garden. She puts the brown ones near the brush pile where they'll blend in with dead leaves and whatnot. The green ones are released in spots where there's lots of green grass. The peep is awfully intent upon rescuing those snakes. She says they're good for the garden 'cause they eat bugs and stuff. I wonder though... could she think they're her kin or somethin'? You know, from her snake side of the family.
Do you know something else? We have some of the peep's lucky orchids growin' outside, too. They grow in woodsy spots. Been there since before I was born. They're called lady slippers, or somethin' silly like that. I don't know why. I've never seen a peep wearin' them on their feet, or anythin'. I've never seen a fairy wearing 'em, either. And fairies are way smaller than peeps so they'd be more likely to fit into those slippers. What's more, fairies live in the garden all the time so the lady slippers would be convenient for them to pull on a pair when needed. Although now that I think about it... most fairies go barefoot. They have wings so they spend far more time flying than walkin'. That's probably why they don't wear shoes or slippers.
I just thought of something... Snakes live out in the very same woodsy parts of my garden as those lady slippers and the fairies. I sure do hope the snakes don't eat the fairies. Maybe I should post a warning sign or somethin'. Yeah... I'll get right on that. I'll ask the peep to hammer me up a sign post for posting. Gotta run!
Great post, Nerissa.
ReplyDeleteSince it gets quite cold there in the winter, I am surprised to learn that there are orchids in your woods. Here we find it easier for our Dad to kill the orchids than the cacti. Has your peep tried growing a Christmas cactus? its flowers are somewhat reminiscent of orchids and it is not really a cactus in the sense most think of them.
Our humans are going our for dinner tonight at a Chinese restaurant the ring in the year of the snake!
The outdoor orchids are what you call 'terrestrial' orchids, I think. It does get cold here in the winter but those orchids must not mind 'cause they bloom every summer without fail. Actually... the Christmas cacti are the only cacti the peep has left and they're not doin' too well. She tried growin' orchid cacti once. They grew a lot but never bloomed. They're compost now.
DeleteMy hoomin says snakes are scary. I think so too. If they stay in the flowers, though, I won't touch them. :)
ReplyDeleteThere is some kind of luck involved with being born on a Chinese Snake year. I have forgotten what is. Maybe money. That orchid is gorgeous. Our Person would just kill it if it was here. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI tried to read your post but I don't like snakes. Not even the word. So, at least I tried.
ReplyDeleteXO,
JC
Snakeys make me skeered. But if they do not bite, they are o.k. :)
ReplyDeleteMy mom might be startled by a snake if she didn't expect to see one, but she'd do catch and release if she needed to. In all her time in the desert she's never seen one, though. Me either.
ReplyDeletePlants, on the other paw, are not something she's good at. And I would bite on them if they were nearby.
My human loves snakes and had them as pets when she was a kid. We only have rattlers here, though, and even she does not want those in her garden!
ReplyDeleteOrchids are protected over here! You can't even accidentally stand on one!! I mean what if you don't know and think it's a daisy or something? Sheesh. Great post Nissy, even if you did talk about snakes!!! xx
ReplyDeleteWe have sidewinder snakes here, Nissy. We brought one in (alive) for Mommy once and she screamed with delight!
ReplyDeleteUm, we THINK it was delight.
Happy New Year and watch out for the less friendly variety of snakes!
ReplyDeleteWe used to have miniature wild orchids growing in our fields but they have all disappeared. We thought the horses had eaten them, but mum says more likely they trampled over them. Mum doesn't like snakes but I like catching them and giving them to her.
ReplyDeleteFlynn
It's so lovely to know you have gorgeous orchids growing in your garden, Nerissa! Yay!
ReplyDeleteAnd we love that your peep rescues these wonderful snakes! She's also very very brave! Yay!
Happy Chinese New Year to you! take care
x
Hey! My Mom is a Snake too! So is one of my human brothers! I did not know all the stuff yous wrote about snakes!
ReplyDeleteKisses
Nellie
Always love your posts as I learn so much from them but, today, you did make me shiver every time I read the word "snake" ... I am a shivering mess so apologise in advance if this comment doesn't make sense - to explain the 99.01% of snakes in Australia are poisonous xxx's
ReplyDeleteThe snakes here are just garden snakes. Nothin' poisonous or anything... purrs
DeleteMy Mom is a Libra but she is born on the EVIL end of Libra. On the cusp of Libra/Scorpio which she is quite proud of BTW.
ReplyDeleteShe speaks what is on her mind and isn't all sugary and wishy-washy like a lot of Libras that she knows. Mom is the philosophical/judicial part of Libra.
She doesn't care for the snake as an animal...in reference to Chinese Astrology, depending on what chart you are looking at she is a sheep or a goat....BAAAAA....
Love, Cody
oh Nissy, yes, be sure to have the peep post a sign 'bout the snakes so's the fairies don't come face to face with one unexpected like...and about the peep and orchids...ummmmm...my Mom can kill deader than a doorstop any ole' orchid you give her...but she's pretty good with the cacti...maybe your peep and my Mom outta like get together and chat about that...huh? Oh yeah, my Mom is a "Dog" and also a "Caprikorn"...what ever!!!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I myself am a Monkey (2004) Apparently I am fun-loving, humorous and curious. I guess that's not too bad. I wish I had that creativity thing going on, though if it means growing LadySlippers, forget it.
ReplyDeleteI kinda like your idea about a present. A nice pot of Nip might go a long way to show her how much I luff her, eh? Or maybe a nice dish of Whiska's tuna? Thanks, Pal.
Nerissa, I would like to have a pair of those lady slippers.. without snakes, of course ;)
ReplyDeleteHappy Chinese New Year. We don't have snakes here and only one to be careful of which is the adder. Have a marvelous Monday.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Molly
Wow, you have snakes? I've never seen one but I bet they'd be fun to play with!
ReplyDeleteWe had lots of garden snakes in the woods behind our yard growing up but eek that make us squirm!
ReplyDeleteOink oink,
Katie and Coccolino the mini pig
The Snake is MomKatt's Chinese astrological sign so, of course, we're quite pleased that 2013 is a Year of the Snake! :) (But I don't want to meet up with one.)
ReplyDeleteHave a great day, sweetie!
BONKS!
Selina
Your neighbor cat is IN YOUR HOUSE? UNACCEPTABLE. It's an OUTRAGE, really, that your Human has allowed that....and frankly, what's wrong with YOU? Aren't there, like, 12 of you or something? Can't you chase out an introodur? I mean, it's not like he's a CHEETAH or something, is he?
ReplyDeleteI know... I know... And do you know what? He's STILL here! MOUSES!!!
DeleteMY Mummy grows lots of cactuses - and orchids too. But I like to dig them up out of the earth. She gets very upset about that. But I can't help it - if I see earth, I just HAVE to dig. (mol).
ReplyDeleteTrixie
PS. Are snakes good to eat? I have SUCH a lot to learn.
Oh, I wouldn't think so. My sister and dad just catch 'em. They don't kill 'em or eat 'em or anything like that. purrs
DeleteDon't even say snakes near my Mom....or her son Micheal, he ran and yelled like a girl when one was near rocks he was moving on the property. We are on the farming side of the park/lake so we don't see to many but there are quite a few on the other side of the lake. Mom says, that is why we bought land ON this side!!!=^Y^=
ReplyDelete