Cat Scouts

SUMMER SUNFLOWER ART

Caturday Art

Today’s art is a bit different…no cats were disturbed or photographed in its creation.

We have had a total of five sunflowers this summer, and all have been in flower boxes. The groundhogs have munched all those that have tried to grow in the garden. And the squirrels have been mowing down the ones in the flower boxes. Consequently, I was excited to have Dad Tom get a couple of photos of the two we have now.

Here’s the photo that is the basis for today’s art. I normally like to tell you how I created the arty version, but I didn’t really keep track this week. I can tell you that I began by converting the photo to a pencil sketch using Picasa. The remainder of the creation was accomplished using PicMonkey. I think it is interesting, and I like it. What do you think? Was it okay to do something that didn’t involve any of the Kitties Blue?

This is our entry in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. To show off your creativity and/or see that of other bloggers, click on her badge.

p.s. We just found out that Athena is on vacation, so no blog hop this week. We hope you enjoy our art anyway!

Cat Scouts Summer Camp

Cooper Murphy and Mau have been super busy at Summer Camp in Yosemite. They’ve been doing craft projects, writing poetry and sharing s’mores recipes. They also hiked to the top of Half Dome.

Both boys have promised to share some of their poetry later in the week as well as photos of their craft projects.

It’s been a long week. Both boys and I are exhausted. Summer Camp ends Sunday, and we’ll be glad to get back to a regular schedule of visiting and finding out what you all have been doing.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

After a post with no cats, I can assure you one of the Kitties Blue will be here tomorrow. No volunteers yet, so I may need to use some form of bribery to secure a subject. Don’t forget to recruit someone at your house to join in the fun tomorrow. All of us look forward to seeing you then.

MISTY MAY MAKES A RARE APPEARANCE

Caturday Art

Misty May is here today in some art created with an app we hadn’t even heard of until last week. Allie and Raz’s mom, Sharon, used it on a photo of Raz. It is called PAINNT, and it is free to download. The app has more the 300 filters, making for endless possibilities. I used the Venetian filter on Misty May’s photo. The green, geometric border came from piZap. The green and black border was the final step using Picasa.

The very blurry photo of Misty May was snapped on the catio.

This is our entry in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. To enter some art of your own or find links to other great artistic endeavors by your fellow bloggers, click on her badge.

Cat Scouts Summer Camp

Mauricio and Cooper Murphy will be heading to a week of camp in Yosemite beginning later today. That means their activities will be cutting into blogging time as well as our commenting on the blogs we follow. So, please forgive us if we are a bit scarce this next week.

If you are a Cat Scout and have not signed up for summer camp, Mau and Cooper Murphy encourage you to do so. Lots of fun activities are planned, and it is not necessary to participate in all of them.

Sunday Selfies

Tomorrow we will be honoring Mitalee HoneyBee (Critters in the Cottage) and dedicating our blog hop to her. Mitalee received her angel wings on July 28. We loved this sweet, tiny girl and are certain Fiona and many other friends were waiting to take her under their wings. Please join us in remembering our friend.

We have no idea who among us might check in as your host tomorrow. You’ll just have to stop by to find out.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo and Cooper Murphy

NEWEST KITTY ANGEL ELLIE

Another Sad Farewell

I will be participating in the Friendly Fill-Ins today, but first the kitties and I are saddened to have lost another dear friend and “family” member. The beautiful Ellie from Friends Furever received her angel wings yesterday morning. Ellie is Mau’s wife Allie’s sisfur. She’s been having health issues for the past couple of weeks. We will be dedicating our Sunday Selfies blog hop to her. If you can, please stop by the Friends Furever blog and leave your condolences for Mom Sharon, Dad Bill and fursibs, Allie and Raz.

Rest in peace, beautiful angel. You will be forever loved and cherished and remain in all of our hearts.

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #61

As promised, I am completing this week’s fill-ins provided by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Annie (McGuffy’s Reader) and participating in their blog hop as well. To join the hop, click on the badge above to be taken to Annie’s blog.

As always, my completions are in teal italics.

1. My favorite line(s) from a film is are from two different movies. I cannot select one of these above the other. The first selection is actually a bit of dialog from the 1969 movie, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” The two characters (played by Paul Newman and Robert Redford) are standing atop a cliff when this takes place.

Butch Cassidy: Alright. I’ll jump first.

Sundance Kid: No.

Butch Cassidy: Then you jump first.

Sundance Kid: No, I said.

Butch Cassidy: What’s the matter with you?

Sundance Kid: I can’t swim.

Butch Cassidy: Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill you.

Sundance Kid: Oh, shit… (and they jump).

The following line is from the 1977 movie, “The Goodbye Girl,” starring Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfus. The character Elliot is drunk after reading the reviews of his portrayal of Richard III off-off broadway.

Elliot Garfield: I was “an Elizabethan fruit fly.” I was “the Betty Boop of Stratford-on-Avon.” I was “putrid.” Capital P, capital U, capital TRID.

If you have never seen either of these movies, rent them. They are both worth your time. I’ve seen “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” more than two dozen times. Eighteen of those were at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara, California, where I worked as a cashier when I was in college.

2. Other than blogs, a website I visit often is piZap. I use this app for all types of photo-editing, including creating Caturday Art and dressing Mau, Cooper Murphy and Allie for Cat Scout events. Here is Cooper Murphy dressed for the Cat Scouts birthday pool party this weekend. He’s practicing the hula, as he plans to give lessens during the party.

3. When I feel down, I mope. I am not someone who takes comfort in food, but if I am really, really, really down in the dumps, dark chocolate, peanut M&Ms might take my mind off of whatever is bothering me.

4. If I could find the money, I would open a shelter for black cats. Of course, all cats would be welcome.

That’s it for today. We’ll see you tomorrow for Caturday Art and the following day for week #152 of SundaySelfies.

Note: The badge for Ellie was created by Ann of Zoolatry.

July 7, 2017 by Janet Blue Angel Cat Cat Scouts Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 21

LILY TO MAU: “WHAT DO YOU MEAN GET OFF YOUR MAT?”

Wordless Wednesday

June 14, 2017 by Janet Blue Cat Scouts Wordless Wednesday 27

MAU’S EXTRA SPECIAL SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week #148

Guess who? If you read yesterday’s post, you already know who. It’s me…Mauricio, otherwise known as Mau. I like to have my photo taken, and I like to take selfies. As you can see, I am very photogenic, and I have excellent posing skills. This photo is a tad unfocused, as I asked the petretary to blow it up really big! Sorry!

My selfies are always extra special, but this one is EXTRA, EXTRA special. I made it just for my beautiful and sweet wife, Allie. Next month we will celebrate the one-year anniversary of our marriage. How pawsome is that? Do you think she’ll like my selfie? She’ll probably faint. She has a bit of a tendency to do that. I already alerted Mom Sharon to have a pillow ready to break her fall.

Do y’all think I am being too conceited? I have been told with some regularity that I am a very fine looking tuxie gentleman. And if you haven’t seen me in uniform, you should check out Cat Scouts. If you’re not a member, sign up while you are there. Membership is free. You’ll have oodles of fun and make lots of nice friends. Just remember…no hooligans allowed!

Now that I have shown you my selfie, it is time to share yours. The link is below for you to use to add your selfie. Please feel free to share the hop on your blog, by using the code that also is below. Petretary asked me to remind you to include our badge or a link back to The Cat on My Head, especially if you post the hop.

We’d be delighted if you invited your friends to join us. Remember all anipals are welcome regardless of species. We think we have the best collection of cute critters hopping each week, and we always enjoy making new friends!

Our BlogPaws Swag Giveaway

Our Caturday Art yesterday was pretty wild. Which kitty or kitties were included was not immediately obvious. In view of that, we offered the opportunity to win some goodies from the recent BlogPaws Conference. The first person to guess correctly who is in the photo will be the winner. If no one guesses correctly, we’ll use Randon.org to select a winner. If you don’t want to miss out, click on the link to yesterday’s post at the bottom of this one and leave a comment with your guess prior to 5 p.m. EDT tomorrow (Monday, June 12). We’ll announce the winner on Tuesday.

Have a great easy Sunday.

Ciao and meow, Mau

June 11, 2017 by Janet Blue Allie and Mauricio Cat Scouts Giveaway Kitty Written Blog Sunday Selfies 47

THESE ARE THE GOLDEN YEARS

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #54

Friday already? As you will see from the #4 fill-in, I am already in my “golden years,” and I need time to go by a bit more slowly. I never seem to have enough time to accomplish everything I want. MOUSES!

Anyhoo, I am participating in the Friendly Fill-Ins, hosted each week by Ellen (15AndMeowing) and Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). This is a blog hop. You can enter by clicking on the above badge.

As always my completions are in teal italics.

1. My idea of roughing it is a hotel with maid and room service. When I was a kid, we went camping every summer. I never liked getting really dirty or using an outhouse. My parents also sent me to what is commonly referred to as sleep-away camp from second through sixth grade for two-weeks. The camp I attended was part of the Camp Fire Girls organization. When I was at Camp, my mom would “clean” my room and get rid of anything she didn’t feel I needed. It always hurt to come home to find things that were important to me gone.

At this point in my life I am leaving the camping to Cat Scouts Mau and Cooper Murphy.

2. I never get sick of talking about Kitties Blue. Could there be any other answer? And with eight, the stories never end. That’s the reason I started this blog, and 1,267 posts later, I’m still “talking.”

3. My youth wasn’t always happy, but I am not complaining. My paternal grandparents were wonderful to me. I probably spent more time with them than I did with my parents. They were the only members of my family who gave unconditional love to me. I have written about them in previous posts.

4. My “golden years” are now, as I am officially retired. I do not consider writing The Cat on My Head to be work.

May 26, 2017 by Janet Blue Cat Scouts Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 20

CARDWOOD DERBY TROPHY FOR MAU & COOPER

Thoroughly Poetic & Thankful Thursday

Writing poetry is hard. Though I write about half the poetry that appears on this blog, sometimes it makes my brain hurt. This week my rhyming mojo is just plain missing. So, I am apologizing now if this week’s offering makes you feel like hissing.

The prompt letter for this week’s poem is “W.”

Even Runners-up Can Be Winners

It’s always fun to be declared a WINNER—
Even better than having a chicken dinner,
Unless, of course, you are Ashton or Bear,
Then for a tasty chicken is your only care.
Cooper and I were in the Cardwood Derby,
And Cat Scout Denmaster thought us worthy
Of this cool trophy for being first runner-up.
I think this is what they call a loving cup.
To receive it was a huge surprise.
We could barely even believe our eyes.
Both our names on a plaque are engraved
To indicate the stiff competition we braved.
Cat Scout Obi won for the second year
In a super fast dragster that had no peer.
But all the others followed our Paddy Wagon,
And in the dust we left their tails a draggin’.
Next year we’re planning to drive mush faster,
As this Derby race we’d someday like to master.
But as you can see we’re not complaining
Just planning for our designing and training,
As WINNING this race would be such a pleasure,
As well as a memory we would always treasure.

We are joining Teddy and Angel Sammy at TwoSpoiledCats, and hope you will do the same by writing a poem each Thursday. It’s a great way to exercise your brain. To read their poem and find links to other poems, click on Sammy’s badge. We believe that Teddy is also writing a poem about his Derby wins and trophy.

As you might suspect, winning this cool trophy finds us very happy and thankful. So we are entering Brian’s Thankful Thursday blog hop as well. To join that hop, click on Brian’s badge.

Do you have something for which you are thankful, like being plied with catnip while your humans are away at the BlogPaws Conference? Let us know in the comments.

Ciao and meow, Mau

May 18, 2017 by Janet Blue Cardwood Derby Cat Scouts Kitty Written Blog Poetry Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday 16

BITE ON BUTT REQUIRES VET VISIT

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

As promised, I am here to report on my health. As it required a visit to the vet, and this week’s prompt letter for Angel Sammy and Teddy’s poetry day is “V,” I have written a poem entitled, Vet Visit.

Vet Visit

Off to the vet I was carted on Tuesday,
Which turned out to be a very bad news day.
I was bit on my butt by neighbor cat…
That low-down, dirty, mean brat.
Being the exceptional Cat Scout I am,
I refused to engage with this hooligan.
I turned the other cheek, so to speak,
And that stupid cat thought I was meek;
So took advantage of my good nature,
Thinking I’m a sissy ‘cause I’m a Cat Scout baker.
My a$$ has been shaved and a shot injected,
Can’t take the chance of getting infected.
When I arrived home from that horrid ordeal,
I had a plan to show bad kitty how it feels.
I went straight to the Hooligan Paddy Wagon;
Even though, my poor, sad butt was draggin’.
I had the engine revved up and ready to go
When I heard Mom yell loudly, “No!”
I think neighbor kitty should be arrested,
So this kitty he can never again mess with.
But, for now, from revenge I’ll be deprived,
As Cooper Murphy is too young to drive!

Yep, I got bit again. I finally let Mom and Dad see it on Tuesday morning. Dr. Neel is on vacation so I saw another doctor. She was really nice, and I was an exemplary patient. Well, of course I was…I am a Cat Scout. I only made two little peeps on the way to the vet and not one while I was there or on the way home.

I refused to allow a photo of my shaved butt here on the blog. Nobody wants to see that! All the furs shaved off my back after the biting incident in January had just grown back, and now I have a naked spot again. Pffft!

If you’d like to read Angel Sammy and Teddy’s poem and find links too other poems, click on the poetry badge above.

Thankful Thursday

You probably don’t think we have anything for which to be thankful this week. But that’s not true. That mean kitty only got one fang in me this time. My beautiful and lovely wife, Allie, and so many friends have been purring and sending me POTP. I truly appreciate that and am blessed to have good friends.

We are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday blog hop. You can as well by clicking on the badge below.

Ciao and meow, Mau

May 11, 2017 by Janet Blue Cat Scouts Kitty Written Blog Poetry Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday Veterinarian 25

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES

Caturday Art

This is a very special post today with especially gorgeous art. It is not the petretary’s artistic talent that makes this art so exceptional. It is the subject…my extraordinarily stunning and sweet wife, Allie. Today is her and sister Ellie’s 15th birthdays.

I told the petretary to go easy on the effects today, and she actually listened to me. She used the Cumulus effect in Dreamscope, followed by the flowered frame from piZap and a simple border from Picasa.

This is our entry in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. To participate and/or to view the other entries, click on Athena’s badge

I am in awe that this magnificent floofy feline is my wife. In case you don’t know, we are both Cat Scouts and were married there by Denmaster on July 23, 2016. That was the best day of my life.

It would really make me feel all warm and fuzzy if you could visit Allie and Ellie today at Friends Furever and wish them a Happy Birthday.

I could not allow my beloved to celebrate without baking her a cake in my Cat Scouts Bake Shop. She is a huge fan of Hello Kitty, so I made her an HK cake. I hope you’ll have a slice and some Hello Kitty wine before visiting the sisters.

You Still Have Time to Enter Our Current Giveaway

Just in case you missed it, Kitties Blue asked me to remind you about the Purrfect Pouch giveaway. This is a wonderfully helpful product for transporting or controlling your kitty or small pup when giving meds, brushing teeth, trimming claws or grooming. To see our review and leave a comment for an opportunity to win one, click here. You must leave a comment prior to 5 p.m. ET on Monday, May 1, for a chance to win. The winner will be selected using Random.org and announced on the following day’s post.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Another week has slipped away. That means it is time to get a selfie taken for tomorrow’s blog hop. We had hoped to make it around to comment on every entrant’s selfie post this past week, but we didn’t make it. It continues to be our goal, and we will keep working toward achieving it. If the petretary wasn’t the slowest reader and longest-winded comment writer on the planet, we’d do a better job.

Ciao and meow with love and smooches for my gorgeous wife, Mau

April 29, 2017 by Janet Blue Allie and Mauricio Cat Scouts Caturday Art Blog Hop Giveaway Kitty Written Blog 22

WHAT DO CHOCOLATE, STAIRS & SPAY/NEUTER HAVE IN COMMON?

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #51

Once again I am participating in the Friendly Fill-Ins hosted by our friends Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). This is a blog hop. To participate, click on the badge to be transported to Annie’s blog.

FriendlyFillIns

1. A book I would like to see made into a movie is The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie. It was a Book Club selection at Cat Scouts. The book had a variety of quirky characters and a cat with purrsonality plus!

2. If I could afford a billboard, it would say, “Spay and Neuter Your Pets,” as I am a responsible pet parent and think everyone should be, but what I’d really like to say is:

3. I have a hard time going up and down stairs.

4. I really enjoy dark chocolate.

Our Current Giveaway

April 28, 2017 by Janet Blue Cat Scouts Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Giveaway 12

YOU
For Fiona

It seems like only yesterday…
You were just a kitten.
When I saw your pleading look,
I was completely smitten.

Now at only six years old,
You are getting ready to leave,
Soon you will have your wings.
I’ve already started to grieve.

You’ve fought hard for the past year,
And I’m not ready to say good-bye.
I can’t imagine you not in my life
I am so sad…today I had to cry.

I am grateful and blessed
For my six years with you.
You’ll live in my heart forever.
You’re one of the best ever Kitties Blue.

YESTERDAY

Many yesterdays have passed since
You gained your angel wings. Today
Is six months since you left us behind
To remember and mourn. Our hearts
Continue to hurt, and we miss
You as much as the day you left.
Giulietta whined from the catio
Yesterday as I worked in the yard.
I know you put her up to it. That
Was your way of getting me to,
Allow you to join me as I
Gardened. You were there with me
In spirit. With every meow
I thought of you and how much I miss
Your sweet face and disposition.
In these past few months, many friends
Have traveled your same path in your
paw-steps. I am certain you were
Waiting to greet them with purrs and hugs.
I pray you and your friends are laughing,
Frolicking and having fun together.
Picturing that makes me smile, but
Does not lessen my sadness at your
No longer being here to snuggle
And receive our love, care and kisses.
Fiona, please do not ever forget
You are still and always will be loved.

ONE YEAR MISSING YOU

One year has passed since you flew away,
And I still think of you everyday.
I see your sweet face in my mind’s eye
And wish we’d never had to say good-bye.
It’s nice you’ve sent us kitties needing a family,
But my dearest love, we are now at capacity.
You thought it would take more than one cat
To take your place in our habitat.
We love Cooper Murphy and baby Sawyer dearly
But thinking either could replace you makes me teary.
You were one-of-a-kind and will stay in my heart
Until the day I join you and we’re no longer apart.
When once again I can hold you in my arms
And revel in all your love and feline charms.
Together with you and all who have passed.
I will spend eternity contemplating how blessed
I was to share my life with my furry children,
Each and every one of you one-in-a billion.

UNTIL

I miss you each day.
Until we meet in heaven,
The pain will remain.

ONE OF A KIND

I don’t know how to say good-bye.
I thought you were invincible; though,
You used up many of your nine lives.
You ruled us all with an iron paw;
Never took “no” for an answer
And always got your way.
If not, you’d bark to signal your
Displeasure and sometimes raise a paw.
I always joked that you were bi-polar.
When I told people you were a calico
They immediately understood what I meant.
Today was unnaturally quiet in the house.
Can a home seem empty with eight cats?
I will miss waking up at night to find you
Sitting next to me and staring at me.
I will miss you yelling at us as you did
When you wanted breakfast and dinner.
I will miss watching you lounging and snoozing
On the porch settee on a warm afternoon.
But most of all I will miss your kisses!
When kitten Sawyer befriended you,
We suspect you were imparting your
Wisdom and secrets for controlling us.
Time will tell if he was a good listener.
But whatever he may have learned,
Neither Sawyer nor any other cat
Can or will replace you in our hearts.
Lily Olivia, you were one-of-a-kind.