Posted by Loulou on May 26, 2013 | 0 comments

Grooving….

I know I’ve mentioned my drug patch, for that is exactly what it is, except legal. Above, I am in my slightly altered state, able to let go of an unsuccessful mouse chase, failed bird hunts, lizards too fast for my taste, and so on…

But I have to say a few words about places who sell other ‘nips’ in place of the real thing. Being of the mint family, the look of catnip can fool you, especially some nurseries I happen to know who sell “catnip” or “catmint” and it’s not at all gonna do the trick, believe you me.

Maybe this blog photo will help when you go to get catnip for your kitty. Mama had it planted on the border of her roses in Los Angeles and it took off and grew in enormous beds, but what did I care? It was for those no-good OTHER kitties, Luna and Sushi (a fat little bowl of seduction, but I saw right through that!).

But now, I have my own little north 40 of delicious, sniffy, incredibly potent ‘nip, and am I happy!

Mama says that mint is one of the best things you can have in a garden, especially if you love mojitos, but I like catnip in my mojito when they deign to make me a little one.

Just kidding…

But put your mint in a big pot or somewhere where it can be controlled or you’ll have a mint-covered garden and house and out buildings in short order. Mama grows lemon mint, real mojito mint, peppermint and mentuccia, which is the best mint for cooking carciofi alla romana (see Kitty Food). Even I like a bit of the heart with a little butter on it, and artichokes are better than bran for….well, we won’t go there.

They certainly taste better than bran, that’s for sure.

One day mama will grow violettes, those little purple artichokes that are tender, tender and great in salads with parmesan, but meanwhile, her neighbor, Jean, supplies our kitchen with his. I’m gonna have to take pictures of HIS garden…oh, boy. His family has been here in the Pyrenees for generations, and his garden makes ours look like a potted plant! But ours is big enough for me to get lost in after I sniff my catnip…

I just love it when anthros call, “Kitty, kitty, kitty” and you are right there under their feet but they can’t find you and get all worried and you just sit there and watch, stoned and happy.