I housesit (for trees). I’ve gotten to enjoy lots of different kinds of houses, including 1920’s bungalows, mid-century moderns, modular homes, split-levels and apartments. It’s like a mini vacation in a great environment (that I don’t have to clean).

In those houses I petsit. There are usually dogs or cats, sometimes both. One house had three cats, one dog and one fish. That’s my record. And I’ve also taken care of a very talkative bird and a prickly little hedgehog. Under my watch one fish died, but not the one in the pet-filled house.

While watching houses and pets I’m also plantsitting. I very closely watch the watering schedule because I have a purple thumb and am known for killing my own house plants. So far (fingers crossed) all my plant clients have and are surviving.

In the last month there have been two bonuses to my housesitting, petsitting, plantsitting jobs. Last month I stayed at a cute little house with a great backyard, a nice kitty — and three Susie trees, an Elberta peach in the backyard and two Amur maples in the planting strip out front.

And now I’m staying at a 20’s bungalow with a fun cat and lots of house plants and two Susie trees. These beautiful Persian Parrotias stand by the curb.

How do I treesit? I walk under them, I touch their trunks, I talk to them. I love Susie treesitting.