Stop and smell the Hyacinths!

The week couldn't get any crazier...

My Dear was leaving for Taiwan for a week which means I'll have to do all the housework by myself and look after the Squids (Squealing Furkids) and a bossy Mama Cat ...  

After sending my Dear off at the airport I agreed to help a Dear friend to foster 2 tiny kittens, newborn with eyes still closed... I don't know what the hell I was thinking as I hardly have any luck with young animals. The previous 3 that I tried to foster all did not make it and this is the problem with Fostering; there really is no guarantee even with all the best care, most expensive Milk Replacement Formula, round the clock feeding, cleanest Environment etc etc that the youngsters will survive. You can only do your best and hope they pull through...

Fostering young animals can be very emotionally and physically draining; although I wish more people would give Fostering a shot rather than dumping young animals they found to Animal Shelters which they will probably never survive. A lot of people don't realize that they can actually HELP an animal tremendously by offering a temporary home; safe and clean environment for a young animal to grow big enough to be vaccinated and then get them rehomed.

I had hopes when I laid eyes on the two little grey kittens; meowing and screaming for milk... They would latch on the milk bottle and feed hungrily each time and wail their little lungs as you massage their little tummy to help them wee & poo.... But sadly, the two did not make it :(  It is easy to be disheartened and self-blame till I never Foster anything again... Still, sigh... There are still so many animals out there that need our help....

To console myself, I bought more plants and flowers... It is time of the Year again and one of the trips to IKEA, we saw they had stocked up on Hyacinth Bulbs again! Yay! Dear bought me 3 last year but they were eaten up by either rodents or snails... Managed to pick this two fat and healthy unopened Bulbs!

"Virgin" Bulbs from IKEA (RM 9.90 each)

In the Greek Legend, the youthful and beautiful Hyacinth, was the poor victim of jealousy; While out throwing discus one day with Apollo, the Wind God Zephyrus who also had a thing for Hyacinth, was so jealous that he caused the wind to blow against them which caused the discus to strike the poor Hyacinth (apparently on the head!!). It was possibly a freak accident, Zephyrus probably never intended to kill Hyacinth, but where he's blood flowed, grew a little fragrant flower, Apollo then named, Hyacinth...

Hyacinths are famous for it's fragrant, showy blossoms which comes in various shades of Pink, Blue, Violet, White and Yellow... Although I have to say as excited I was waiting for the little buds to emerge and bloom, the smell did make me a little bit sick after they were in full bloom.

NOTE of Caution: If you are sensitive to pollen from flowers, this is not the plant for you. Hyacinths produce Oxalic Acid which causes irritation in certain people who are allergic... no wonder I have been sneezing like mad for the past few days!! To pet owners, Bulbous plants are considered toxic to animals. It is advisable to plant these away from pets or not within reach!

You can actually spend hours gazing at them if you don't mind putting up with the sweet and sickly smell ... Definately worth the few sneezes !

Hyacinths can make any Shelf look good !