It was the lock of the door which had been
closed ten years and she put her hand in her
pocket, drew out the key and found it fitted
the keyhole. She put the key in and turned it.
It took two hands to do it, but it did turn.
And then she took a long breath and looked
behind her up the long walk to see if any
one was coming. No one was coming. No one
ever did come, it seemed, and she took
another long breath, because she could
not help it, and she held back the
swinging curtain of ivy and pushed back
the door which opened slowly--slowly.
Then she slipped through it, and shut
it behind her, and stood with her back
against it, looking about her and
breathing quite fast with excitement,
and wonder, and delight. She was
standing inside the secret garden.

~Frances Hodgson Burnett~

A Secret Garden

Summer is in deep bloom in New England. We girls are fascinated by the concept of a
"Secret Garden". In today's busy world, we need to find a place to relax and enjoy
the beauty of our own secret space. In summertime we have the beauty of nature all
around us. We have to create our own secret garden for ourselves. There's something
comforting about a space that's yours, and yours alone, where the vegetation both
muffles the sounds of the outside world and provides you with some privacy.

For some people this is a small garden within a larger one, or a gazebo. For others,
it's a sheltered patio or a screened porch. If you're cramped for space, there's
no reason why you can't enjoy a little secret garden of your own. An apartment
balcony can be screened by climbing plants, or a sunroom can be transformed into
a small forest by using pots and planters. No matter how close your neighbors are,
your small garden can be your private space. You can include a windchimes and a
tabletop fountain for the sounds of nature. There is a bird clock in our sunporch.
The birds chirp their own sweet song on every hour. In the summertime, the screened
door and windows allows us to hear the birds and sounds of nature.

We are indoor kitties and have to make do with Meowmie's sunporch. She has plenty of
safe potted plants for us to pretend that we are in our own "Secret Garden". Our
only drawback is that we have to share our garden with Meowmie, Deowdie and our fur brother McGee.

Jessie mews

I love the idea of a secret garden. I guess you can say I have one on our porch, where I have toys, my favorite bed, some oat grass and a little pot of catnip. Meowmie says she can't keep any other kind of plant around me because I eat them, and she also says I mow the Oat Grass down as if I were a goat. Wonder what she means by that????
Purries Jessie

Your activity for this month is to mew about what you have or would like to have
for your own "Secret Garden". Mew to us, Shirley and Sophie by clicking on the contact
button below.

Please send in your pictures and biographies for our "Getting to Know
You" page. Remember, we also have former gardens for you kitties to plant in.

The midi is playing "Secret Garden" by Geoff and is used with permission.
Click on his button below to visit and download some of his midis.