The tunnel suddenly let out a deep hum that vibrated through the room. A swirl of cool air rushed up from below, carrying the familiar sound of Stinky's arrival. Periwinkle’s eyes widened just as she heard a loud WHOOSH.
Stinky flew out of the tunnel entrance at full speed, stumbled across the room, and crashed directly into her in a tumbling hug that nearly sent them both head over paw. Periwinkle laughed so hard she could barely stand. “There’s my favorite tabby,” she giggled.
Stinky grinned up at her. “Missed me?”
The two of them stayed wrapped together for a long moment, sharing whisker-kisses, paw-pats, and soft, happy purring while the warm sun beamed behind them. Soon, Periwinkle said, "I hope you don't mind staying here at my house again. Today is World Plant a Vegetable Garden Day, and I thought we could help my Mom with this year's garden." Of course, Stinky agreed since he loved spending time with Periwinkle and didn't mind digging his paws in the dirt!
Perwinkle went on to tell him, " World Plant a Vegetable Garden Day 2026 is on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, encouraging people worldwide to start growing their own food to promote health, sustainability, and nutrition. Created by author Bob Matthews, this day typically marks a safe, frost-free planting time for many in the Northern Hemisphere. The goal is to promote gardening for fresh food, saving money, and boosting mental health.
How to Celebrate: Plant vegetables in containers, raised beds, or join a community garden.
Why Participate? Growing your own vegetables ensures access to the freshest produce possible.
Sustainability: Reduces carbon footprints associated with food transportation.
Health Benefits: Provides both physical activity and therapeutic benefits.
If you are a beginner, focus on easy-to-grow vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, or herbs, or attend a workshop to learn more about starting your garden." As always, Stinky was impurressed by her knowledge. He jumped up and gave her a big hug. "What was that for?" she asked. "Just because I love how you check out efurrything before we share it," he replied. She blushed and hugged him back.
"I know we did a garden last year, but I thought we might share this year's with our pals," said Periwinkle. They first checked out the big raised box with tomato and pepper plants. "Mom threw slices of tomatoes into this box, and they grew," said Periwinkle. She explained that it looked like a mess, but the plants were flourishing and had good-sized tomatoes, which you can see if you biggify.
"Mom has lots of tomato plants. Look at the "crops' she harvested one day last week," added Periwinkle.
Green Onions/Scallions: Place root ends in a jar with water; they will grow in days.Romaine Lettuce & Celery: Place the base in a shallow dish of water (about 1/2 inch) in a sunny location.
Garlic: Plant individual cloves, pointy side up, in soil to grow garlic greens or new bulbs.
Ginger: Plant a piece of ginger with "buds" in soil, and it will sprout new growth.
Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes: Cut potatoes with "eyes" (or sprouted sweet potatoes) into pieces and plant in soil.
Bok Choy & Cabbage: Place the base in shallow water to start roots, then transfer to soil.
Basil & Mint: Place stems with leaves in a glass of water until roots form, then plant in soil."
She told Stinky it was a Gulf Fritillary caterpillar, which will grow into a beautiful butterfly. No sooner did she say that than they saw this...
Periwinkle told Stinky, "The gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) is a bright, sun-loving, medium-sized butterfly known for its striking coloration. It belongs to the longwing family (Heliconiinae) and is heavily celebrated as a highly efficient native pollinator across the southern United States. It loves passion flower, which is growing on that hibiscus plant. We usually get lots of butterflies!"
Stinky spotted the butterfly on the pepper plant growing in the raised planter.
Stinky asked, "How do you keep the plants pest-free and still not harm the butterflies and other important pollinators?" Perwinkle said it's impawtent to use non-toxic sprays such as soapy water. "My mom found grasshopper babies on one of the plants and sprayed them with soapy water, which sent them scattering away."
"Even herbs like rosemary and, our favorite, catnip can repel pests. She also planted marigolds and has citronella plants to repel pests (and bitey things!)." Stinky knew Periwinkle always researched things for their Adventures so he wasn't surprised she had so much knowledge.
Rumbling tummies reminded the tabbies that it was time for a snack. Since it was nice out, they decided to stay outside so they could help themselves to the nip while they snacked.
