How are my precious "puddy tats?" I’m always happy to share photos of my pets since so many of you ask how they're doing. I’m pleased to report my lovable cats are thriving.
I currently have seven feline companions here at the farm. Four live in my Winter House: Magnolia, my silver shaded Persian; Dahlia, my dilute calico Persian; Lilium, my brown Persian longhair, and my chocolate Persian, Chrysanthemum. Down at the stable are my two barn cats, Cinco and Mayo. And, in the greenhouse is Blackie, my only male.
Enjoy these photos.
This is Magnolia. She’s been with me since January of 2025. She has beautiful golden-copper eyes and a friendly disposition.
Here is Magnolia lounging in my sitting room. Persians are known for being laid-back, charming, and affectionate. Magnolia loves people and greets all those she sees.
But she’s also very curious and is often seen roaming from room to room, upstairs and downstairs, keeping an eye on everything.
Here she is looking at Dahlia, the youngest of my Persians.
I think Dahlia wants to play…
And there they go… Chasing is a natural instinct for cats – scanning, stalking, pouncing, and even “capturing.” This kind of play keeps reflexes sharp and muscles toned.
Dahlia has captured everyone’s hearts here at the farm. She is also a Persian. The breed is well loved for its regal appearance and Persian cats are often referred to as the “aristocrats of the cat world.”
Dahlia also loves company and attention. Here she is waiting on my stairs and hoping for a rub.
Lilium is about three and a half years old with beautiful facial expressions and markings.
Of my Persians, Lilium is the largest. Males and females are medium-to-large-sized cats with round, flat faces, known as brachycephalic, and long, flowing coats. Lilium traveled all the way from Doha, the capital city of Qatar in the Middle East. I adopted Lilium, Magnolia, and Chrysanthemum through Rock ‘N Rescue.
Lilium is playful, confident, and very friendly. And she definitely loves a good stretch.
Persian cats with long hair require daily combing and brushing to prevent their fur from matting. All my Persians are brushed every day.
And this is Chrysanthemum, the latest Persian to join my clowder. Here she is in the enclosed porch where the “kitty buffet” is kept for all the cats in my Winter House.
Her gorgeous coat is chocolate to smoky brown.
She’s a follower – she loves following guests and sitting with them.
And many of you know this handsome feline – Blackie, my Greenhouse cat.
Every day he makes his rounds, saying hi to everyone he sees.
At night he’s back indoors guarding the greenhouse from any and all small furred intruders.
This is Cinco, the Calico. Cinco and her sister, Mayo, stay around the stable complex under the watchful eye of my stable manager, Helen Peparo, and her crew.
Here’s Mayo, or as she is affectionately called, “May-May.” She will always roll over hoping for a belly rub.
I am so happy these cats feel safe and comfortable in my home. They’re all happy, healthy, and thriving. How are all your “puddy tats” doing this summer?
Regular care and maintenance are essential to keeping the trees and plants at my farm healthy and beautiful throughout the seasons.
Four years ago, I began creating a garden maze of distinctive hedges, espaliers, and shrubs in the pasture across the carriage road from my Winter House terrace. Following a detailed plan that I designed specifically for the space, I selected and planted hundreds of different specimens to provide year-round texture, structure, and interest. This week, my grounds crew is working on mulching the beds, which improves soil health, conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, regulates temperature, and enhances overall plant growth and beauty.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
A living garden maze is a puzzle of plantings. Rows branch off with various pathway options and dead ends – with only one correct route to the center. I designed the maze in this three acre pasture, where I could see it right from my window. This row shows Upright Japanese Plum Yews, Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata.’ These have a carefree, vertical growth habit. The foliage is finely textured, shiny, dark green, and deer resistant.
Everything is looking so lush and green, in part because of the maintenance and care I give them throughout the year. This is a row of young arborvitae.
Each shrub or bush is planted appropriately with enough space to accommodate its full grown size.
Just in the last month, some of the rows had become overcome by pesky weeds. Here, it’s hard to even notice this row of Burkwood Viburnum, Viburnum x burkwoodii. Chhiring uses a piece of spare siding as an edge marker. This makes the task so much easier and faster.
Using the strip as a guide, Chhiring drops small amounts of mulch along the bed. This rich, dark mulch is made right here at the farm – this batch is one year old.
Chhiring carefully spreads the mulch down around the plants and over the weeds.
And then he spreads it outward until the edge of the siding strip.
I am so proud of the mulch I make here. For most gardens, a two to four inch layer is sufficient. I mulch and compost my gardens once or twice a year.
Chhiring has a clear guide for mulching and the mulch will kill the weeds by blocking them from the light. The mulch will also act as a barrier that keeps weed seeds buried too deep to germinate.
Here, one can see more of the plants. the bed is looking great already.
When the job is complete, the row looks so much better.
And in this area, a selection of handsome London planetrees, Platanus acerifolia ‘Bloodgood,’ a relative of the mighty sycamore. These trees are large shade trees with broad open crowns. They were the perfect choice for the center of my maze, where they will surround and shade an open space.
The leaves are light to dark green with three to five pointed lobes. These planetree leaves look similar to maple or sycamore tree leaves. The large, pointed leaves with toothed margins measure about seven inches long and up to 10 inches wide.
Its most striking feature is the naturally shedding bark, which peels in thin, curly strips to reveal a dappled pattern of cream, ivory, and olive-green.
I instructed the crew to make it completely straight on top – it’s another job well done.
Monrovia, a wholesale plant nursery specializing in shrubs, perennials, annuals, ferns, grasses, and conifers with several nursery locations across the country, helped me to finish the maze. Their plant collection is exceptional – please look out for Monrovia whenever shopping for plants.
This is holly, which features bright red berries combined with glossy, dark green foliage. Many varieties of holly, Ilex, have compact habits and glistening leaves that’s excellent for hedges, borders, and yes, mazes.
Everyone at the farm admired the weeping blue atlas spruce, Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula.’ This dramatic weeping evergreen is naturally slow-growing with a sprawling horizontal habit that is often trained into an upright, serpentine form. Pendant branchlets display icy-blue needles.
At the end of certain rows, I placed anchoring specimen trees to add more interest. I am so proud of how it came out.
And close to the north end of my maze is my giant eagle looking out toward the landscape beyond. It’s taken careful planning and planting and now I’m looking forward to watching all these plants mature and also confuse those who dare stroll through.
It’s always so satisfying to check off time-consuming cleaning projects.
Yesterday, my housekeepers started cleaning and polishing my silver. This task is done regularly - at least twice a year to remove tarnish, restore shine, and help preserve the value and craftsmanship of the pieces. There are several ways to clean silver. One popular nontoxic method is to fill an aluminum pan with hot water, add salt and baking soda, stir until dissolved, and then soak the silver until a chemical reaction removes the tarnish. While this technique is quicker than polishing by hand, some experts caution it may cause pitting and can strip away the beautiful patina many collectors appreciate. Using a silver polishing cloth made specifically for precious metals is another convenient option. I prefer using a high-quality, non-abrasive commercial silver polishing cream for routine care.
Enjoy these photos.
Polishing silver three or four times a year is the best way to keep it in good condition.
Look at this piece, which was cleaned and polished just last February. It is already slightly tarnished.
These pieces also need a fresh polishing – they are a bit gold in color. While tarnish is not considered damage, it dulls the metal’s appearance and can obscure fine details.
I’ve used Wright’s Silver Cream for years. Wright’s Silver Cream is a gentle all-purpose polish that works on all types of silver. It also works nicely on stainless steel and chrome.
After washing this silver dish with dish soap and warm water to remove any dust, Enma applies a small amount of silver cream.
Enma rubs both sides of the dish, thoroughly spreading the cream on every surface of the piece. Tarnish ranges in color from a light yellowy gold to almost black, depending on how long it has been allowed to develop. In addition to using soft sponges and rags, use cotton swabs to apply the cream to tight spots and crevices when cleaning.
After rubbing the piece with silver cream, rinse the piece very well with warm water.
All the cleaning is done on a terry cloth towel lining the bottom of the sink, so the metal doesn’t bang against any surfaces. The towel is also a good idea to use when washing special china… just in case anything slips through the fingers.
Here, Enma cleans two small trays. After rinsing off the silver cream, she washes the pieces with dish soap and water again to ensure all the cream is removed.
Enma does this carefully and thoughtfully to ensure there is no soapy residue.
Once a piece is completely cleaned and polished, it is dried with a soft absorbent cloth right away to avoid any water marks. Never let silver air dry.
These pieces are shining beautifully once again.
Enma does the same with this large serving tray. First she applies the cream. The silver will start to brighten as it is rubbed. Always use silver polishes that are non-abrasive, and opt for formulas, such as creams and gels instead of sprays.
Then rinses off the cream and washes it with dish soap and water.
Finally, it is dried thoroughly. Enma is sure to wipe every area, getting into the tight spaces carefully. It’s also a good idea to use gloves when taking on this task, so the cleaning cream does not come into contact with the skin.
Here’s Enma with the freshly polished tray. Another tip – never clean silver in the dishwasher. The detergents’ aggressive chemicals, combined with the washer’s high cleaning temperature, will eventually turn it grey or white, with a dull, non-reflective surface.
The tray is then returned to its spot in my Brown Room.
And all the silver pieces are placed on top. Because my silver is cleaned regularly, it doesn’t take too much time to get the job done.
And look at the difference in color between this tarnished bowl and the newly polished pieces – the small bowl is next to be cleaned and polished.
The joy of owning beautiful silver pieces does require some work to keep everything looking beautiful, but it is all well worth the effort.
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