The Cat On My Head

THANKFULS, POETRY & A PRAYER REQUEST

Thankful Thursday

We always are happy on Thursdays to share with you the things for which we are thankful.

A grey tabby cat and a pale ginger cat on a catio.

Sawyer & Raleigh enjoying catio time.

I am delighted to report and truly thankful that Sawyer has not had a seizure (that Dad Tom and I know of) in four-and-a-half weeks. He is delighted to continue to enjoy kitten stinky goodness with his meds.

ginger cat wearing Cat Scout uniform

Cooper Murphy is happy he was able to follow in his big brother, Mau’s, paw steps and become a Cat Scout and eventually share leadership with Teddy (Two Spoiled Cats) of The Wildcats Troop. With the lowering of the Cat Scouts flag for the final time this past weekend, Cat Scouts came to an end. I am not certain what Cooper Murphy will do with all his free time. Regardless, I am thankful he, Mau and I had the opportunity to be a part of this organization. We thank Karen Nichols, Denmaster, for creating this group and dedicating nearly ten years to it.

Kitties Blue and I are so thankful for each of you who follow and support us. We truly appreciate your friendship.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. To participate, click on his badge.

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

As much as I tried to add one of the Kitties Blue to this week’s poetry inspiration photo provided by Angel Sammy and Teddy (Two Spoiled Cats), it just wasn’t to be.

Here’s the photo followed by the Haiku I wrote to accompany it.

Baby wearing an aqua and lime green swim cap in a swimming pool and being held by a woman

Swimming is so fun
The water tickles my toes
Mom, please don’t let go

If you’d like to try your hand at writing some poetry, check out Two Spoiled Cats, by clicking on the poetry badge. You’ll find next week’s inspiration photo, as well as the poem Angel Sammy sent to Teddy from the Rainbow Bridge. I hope you’ll read it. Sammy is a terrific poet.

Purrs & Prayers Please

One of our dearest friends, Raz (Friends Furever), who just happens to be the brother of Sawyer’s girlfriend, Noelle, and Angel Mau’s wife, Angel Allie, is not well. He’s been ill for several months and on medication, but he’s lost a lot of weight and is not doing well. If you can, please send him some prayers. And kitties, if you can add some purrs and POTP that would be wonderful.

Thank you.

MORE SUITCASE SHENANIGANS

Wordless Wednesday

Grey cat in an empty suitcase with a blond women in glasses (the author) standing behind her.

Kizmet is joining the Wordless Wednesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. If you would like to participate, click on the WW badge.

Looking Back

This week’s Looking Back post is from a previous Wordless Wednesday, and I think it’s one you will thoroughly enjoy. As a bonus, there’s nothing to read, just an incredibly adorable photo of our first ginger tabby, Mackenzie. It is from October 10, 2012, and here is the link: “Wordless Wednesday: Cat Nap Attack.”

May 31, 2023 by Janet Blue Looking Back Wordless Wednesday 13

GINGER AWWW & MEMORIAL DAY SPARK

Awww Mondays

I honestly believe there is nothing more awwwdorable than a ginger cat.

Large ginger cat sleeping on his face.

Cooper Murphy is proving my point as well as joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. You can do the same by clicking on the Awww badge.

Memorial Day Spark

Today we remember all those, including service animals. who gave their lives for our freedom!

Sparks is the creation of Annie from McGuffy’s Reader. Sparks began as a blog hop, created by our friend. Annie stated when she began Sparks, “I believe we are meant to be lights in this world. If we allow our light to shine, we can see where we are going. It is then that we can begin to truly see each other clearly. Together, we can light up the entire world.”

The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky

Your favorite, fun-loving tabbies, Periwinkle & Stinky, will be setting off on a new adventure tomorrow. You’ll be able to find them on Periwinkle’s blog, Friends Furever. I know whatever Periwinkle has planned will be loads of fun, and you’ll definitely want to join them. Adventures are always more exciting when you come along, so they’ll be waiting for you.

May 29, 2023 by Janet Blue Awww Mondays Dad Tom's Photography Sparks 13

THE END OF AN ERA

Sunday Selfies: Week #458

No…it is not the end of Sunday Selfies! But yesterday marked the end of Cat Scouts after ten years of adventures, fun and learning. Mau was one of the early members, and when Cooper Murphy joined our family, he too became a Cat Scout. Cooper and I will miss the fun and camaraderie, but it was time to say farewell. At this point, there are more angel Scouts than active ones.

Preparing for the end the past few weeks has had Mau in my mind constantly. He was a great Cat Scout and a wonderful member of our cat family. I miss him every single day. With him uppermost in my mind, I am sharing one of my very favorite photos of him for today’s selfie. I shared it in the past for a Spark, so some of you may remember it.

So without any additional preamble, her’s Mau!

A tuxedo cat wearing sunglasses and trying to push them off his face with his paw.

I do hope you have enjoyed this look back at our handsome boy. He was a character!

Hopping Time

Now it’s your turn to join us and show off your selfie to your friends as well as Kitties Blue. We don’t even mind if you repurpose a selfie like we did today. We just want to see your adorable faces.

Kitties Blue and I are aware this is a holiday weekend, so if you are too busy to participate today, don’t worry about it. The hop always remains open through Thursday.

Even if you don’t join our hop, we’d like to that you for following and supporting us.

Have an easy Sunday.

May 28, 2023 by Janet Blue Cat Scouts Looking Back Sunday Selfies 28

AUDREY ART X TWO

Caturday Art

I loved this photo of Audrey on the cat tree due to her sweet expression and her shadow on the wall. Unfortunately, the original photo was out of focus. So, that made it the purrfect candidate for Caturday Art. And, I have two versions for you today, as I could not decide which I liked best. If you have a favorite, please let us know in the comments.

A torbie cat in a cat tree with her shadow on the wall in some art with pastel colors and surrounded with an aqua lacy frame and a blue-green butterfly.

Torbie cat and her shadow in an artistic image in aqua, rust and brown and surrounded with an aqua, rickrack frame.

To create both of these artistic images, I used Painnt. The first image uses the Legoo effect with soft lighting and analog color composition. I created the second image with the AmyK 3 effect. Both frames are from the favpng app.

Of course, two artistic photos means you also get two puzzles.

120 Torbie Cat Art #1120 Torbie Cat Art #2

Audrey will be participating in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. If you’d like to join her there, click on Athena’s badge.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

It is time again, tomorrow, to share your selfie with the Kitties Blue and all your friends. Raleigh was supposed to be your host tomorrow, but I made him use his selfie photo yesterday on his naughtiness confession post. That means I will be trying to find one of the other eight to step up and take over the hosting duties. I suspect some treats will be involved in the process of persuasion.

Thanks for coming by to visit with us. We hope to see you again tomorrow.

May 27, 2023 by Janet Blue Caturday Art Blog Hop Jigsaw Puzzle Kittens 12

NAUGHTY CAT & FILL-INS

Feline Friday

An orange tabby cat in a crouched position staring at the camera with a sad look on his face after being naughty.

This was supposed to be my Sunday Selfie, but my mom said I had to post it today. She also said I had to confess to being a naughty cat. I refused to come in from the catio for dinner two nights in a row. Last night I managed to hide so that Mom couldn’t find me. I wedged myself into the very back of the bottom cubby of the cat tree on the upper deck. My fur color just happens to match the covering on that tree. Until Mom got down on her belly and shown the flashlight into the back of the cubby, she couldn’t see me. Of course, I wouldn’t come out. She had to drag me out and haul me into the house. Did I mention that it was 10 p.m. by then.

I think you know by now that I am not a social cat, and I do hide often. Even so, Mom said that she does not appreciate me scaring her yet again.

When I came in the house, I started romping around and acting goofy, as if nothing unusual had happened. She thought that was pretty insensitive of me. But I am a cat, and I make no apologies for my behavior. I also will let you decide if you think I was naughty or just stubborn.

Purrs and hisses, Raleigh

Raleigh will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. To do the same, click on the Feline Friday badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Time again to let you know a bit more about Kitties Blue and myself by completing the weekly fill-ins. Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs) host the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop. On Thursday they each select two sentences to be filled in by hop participants. You can find those on both blogs. Enter the hop by clicking on the graphic.

My usual helper, Sawyer, took over for me today on fill-in #4, and his cartoon alter-ego, Stinky, completed #2. Thanks, boys!

We all used teal italics to complete the sentences.

1. This weekend, I plan to finish washing the front porch.

2. Stinky: Spending time with Periwinkle never disappoints.

3. I once saw our cat, MacKenzie, standing at the backdoor alongside a possum as if to ask, “Can I keep him?”. (I will find the photo and share it sometime in the future.

4. Sawyer: You’ll never hear me say, “I don’t want any treats.”

So, that’s another week of filling in. We will be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art. Hope you’ll join us again then.

May 26, 2023 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Kittens Kitty Written Blog 10

OODLES OF THANKFULS & THE COTILLION

Thankful Thursday

We have a long list of thankfuls for this week.

In spite of Sawyer being a a little stinker and hiding for a major portion of our time away, meaning he didn’t get his meals or meds, he hasn’t had a seizure in three-and-a-half weeks. That’s the longest he has gone without one in quite a while. I do attribute that to our now feeding him kitten food with his meds.

I am thankful to have been one of three first commenters on The Tuesday Teaser at Two Spoiled Cats. But even better, I am thankful to have provided the Teaser photo and to have stumped all the guessers. I received these two badges.

First commenter badge from Tuesday Teaser. Badge for fooling everyone with the Tuesday Teaser photo at Two Spoiled Cats.

Dad Tom and I are thankful for reaching our 50th wedding anniversary and enjoying a few days away at the Hope and Glory Inn in Irvington, Virginia. Periwinkle & Stinky visited there on Tuesday. If you missed that post, here’s the link, The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky: Part CLXXXVIII.

Man and woman in their 70s cuddled together in a restaurant.

Our next thankful involves some very special friends. On the way home from our trip, we met Pam and David (Two Spoiled Cats) for lunch. We hadn’t been able to get together since August 2021, so it was a particular pleasure to have this time together.

Two women (one with long blonde hair and glasses and one with short dark hair) in front of a sign for Randolph's on the River restaurant.

Our final thankful also involves Pam and David. They gifted us with this gorgeous anniversary present, which Dad Tom and I will cherish always. (Sorry I didn’t get a better photo of it.)

Shadow box with two human figures made from stones, a real piece of tree and a branch with a red heart and the words: Janet and Tom Love is forever Celebrating our 50th Anniversary

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. To participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful and then click on his badge to join the hop.

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

On Thursday, I also enjoy writing some poetry based on an inspiration photo provided by Angel Sammy and Teddy from Two Spoiled Cats. I do attempt to add one or more of the Kitties Blue to the photo each week, but this week I didn’t find a way to do that and then write a convincing poem.

So here’s the phone sans kitties followed by my poem.

Ballroom filled with dancers from the 1950s at a cotillion.

The Cotillion

Once upon a time, young ladies and men
Practiced this annual tradition
Of dressing up & going to cotillion—
A custom from the eighteenth century
For young people of a certain pedigree.
It’s still a practice not just a memory.
Dinner jackets and white dresses,
Boutonnieres and wrist corsages—
All dictated by the most stringent protocols.
In the long past, I did enjoy this.
But now I am content just to reminisce,
As I remember the night of my first kiss.

If you’d like to try writing some poetry, check out Two Spoiled Cats (by clicking on the poetry badge) for next week’s inspiration photo. Please read Angel Sammy’s poem when you visit. He sends it to Teddy each week from the Rainbow Bridge, and his poems are always exceptional!

Thanks for joining us today. We’ll see you again tomorrow for Friendly Fill-Ins and Feline Friday.

May 25, 2023 by Janet Blue Anniversary Poetry Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday 10

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I’M DOING THIS WRONG?

Wordless Wednesday

Tuxedo cat with Purina Friskies Pate box on her head.

Lisbeth is participating in the Wordless Wednesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. If you would like do the same, click on the badge below.

Looking Back

This week’s Looking Back post is from December 8, 2012. It is entitled, “No. 1 Kitty, Skooter, Loved Christmas.” I think you will enjoy it, as you will have the opportunity to learn a little bit about Dad Tom’s and my first cat. If you do like the post, Kitties Blue and I hope you will consider leaving us a comment on it.

As always, thanks for visiting.

May 24, 2023 by Janet Blue Christmas Looking Back Wordless Wednesday 17

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CLXXXVIII

Stinky is excited for Periwinkle’s and his adventure today. He is waiting with open paws when Periwinkle arrives with a whoosh from the teleportation tunnel. They spend several minutes whisker kissing and paw hugging. Then, before Periwinkle can say anything, Stinky leads her back into the tunnel.

Irvington, Virginia

Moments later they arrive outside a huge yellow house. Immediately Periwinkle recognizes where they are and says, ”Stinky, this is where your mom and dad spent their 50th wedding anniversary just a couple days ago.”

“Very good spotting, Periwinkle. My parents told me how beautiful this place is, so I knew we should come and check it out. Today we are only going to visit the Hope and Glory Inn and its beautiful gardens. We will come back another time to see some of the other local sites. The Inn is in Irvington, Virginia. The town sits on the shore of Carter’s Creek, a tributary to the Rappahannock River. It was formerly known as Carter’s Creek Wharf from from 1873 to 1891 and thrived as a steamboat port at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. The town could only be reached by boat.”

If our readers would like to know more about the history of Irvington, this is a great site to explore: Welcome to the Town of Irvington, Virginia.

The Hope & Glory Inn

Hope and Glory Inn exterior

Stinky tells Periwinkle, “The Inn was originally an elite boarding school called the Chesapeake Male and Female Academy. It existed from 1889 to 1907. The Inn consists of six guest rooms upstairs, but my parents stayed in one of the cottages located among the gardens. They are original buildings to the school as well.”

“Stinky, let’s go check out those gardens,” Periwinkle suggests.

Brick path surrounded by a garden and with two cartoon tabbies on the path.

“Periwinkle, the path behind us leads to the pool, but it isn’t open yet.”

Two cartoon tabbies on a brick path through a garden.

“This is the path looking toward the Inn. There are cool signs throughout the garden with what our moms would call Sparks written on them. Unfortunately, some flowers like the peonies have finished blooming and others, like the hydrangeas, haven’t started yet. But there are lots of pots of flowers and other cool plants.”

Collage of four different plants.

“What are these plants?” asks Periwinkle.

“Starting in the upper left corner and going clockwise, they are: Rose campion, Chinese holly, Asian clematis and Japanese spindletree,” Stinky replies and then takes off toward an object in the yard.

The Mini Inn

Birdhouse replica of the Inn with a cartoon tabby cat standing on it.

“Stinky, please come down. You are going to scare the birds living in that house.”

“No I won’t. I promise not to stick my paws inside, but I just had to get up here at check out this cool replica of the Inn.”

“If you come down, I see something we can both climb on,” Periwinkle tells Stinky.

The Ballerina

“Wow, Periwinkle, this statue is perfect for us to climb on together.”

“And it offers a great view of the garden,” says Periwinkle.

Sculpture of a ballerina with two cartoon tabby cats standing on her tutu.

After the tabbies climb down, Stinky takes Periwinkle’s paw and tells her there is someone they need to meet. He leads her into the Inn’s dining room. That is where they find the person his mom and dad said is very special to the Inn.

Dining room at Hope and Glory in with two cartoon tabby cats.

Executive Chef Meseret Crockett

When Meseret sees the tabbies she hurries to meet them and give them big hugs. She is a cat person, and Stinky’s mom told her he and Periwinkle would be visiting. She invites them out to the garden to take a photo with her.

Photo of Chef Meseret Crockett in a garden with two cartoon tabby cats at her feet.

Chef Meseret is a native of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She was educated in French schools and graduated from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Our readers can learn much more about Chef Meseret under the Dining section on the Hope and Glory Inn’s website. After a nice visit, Chef Meseret tells Periwinkle & Stinky that she would like to fix them one of her specialities for their lunch. She suggests they sit at the bistro table outside Cottage One, which is where Stinky’s parents had their breakfast every morning. The tabbies are happy to oblige.

A Gourmet Lunch

Soon after they settle into their seats, Meseret brings them lunch—her famous crab cakes, which are made with no fillers, just crab and aioli.

Two cartoon tabby cats sitting at a bistro table outside a cottage and eating crab cakes.

Periwinkle and Stinky immediately dive into their lunch. They can be heard oohing and ahhing as they eat. Stinky tells Periwinkle that the crab cakes are every bit as good as his parents said they were. Periwinkle agrees that they are exceptionally nommy delicious.

After lunch, the tabbies thank Meseret for the extraordinary lunch and promise to return, just as Stinky’s mom and dad had done. It is then time to enter the teleportation tunnel for the return trip to Stinky’s house.

When they arrive, Periwinkle spends some time visiting with Stinky’s parents as well as his fursibs. But, finally, it is time for her to return home. After several minutes of whisker kissing and paw hugs, Periwinkle enters the tunnel and is gone in a whoosh.

Stinky heads to the catio to nap and dream of Periwinkle and delicious crab cakes.

The End

Periwinkle & Stinky will be participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. If you’d like to do the same, click on the badge below.

May 23, 2023 by Janet Blue Dad Tom's Photography The Adventures of Stinky & Periwinkle 14

PAWS, FUR & AWWWDORABLE AUDREY

Sparks

I saw today’s Spark on Quora and knew I had to share it. It definitely “spoke” to me, and I am certain it will do the same for all our followers.

Drawing of a tabby kitten with the following quote: "The best antidepressants have 4 paws and are covered in fur."

Awww Mondays

Audrey is here today for the Awww Mondays blog hop. She discovered my bike helmet and in trying to determine what it actually was, she tried to take a bite out of it. I don’t know what you think, but I think she’s pretty darn awwwdorable.

Torbie cat checking out a bike helmet by tasting it.

If you’d like to join the blog hop at Comedy Plus, click on the Awww badge below.

The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky

Those two fun-loving tabbies, Periwinkle & Stinky, will be setting off on a new adventure tomorrow. You’ll be able to find them right here. I have no idea what Stinky has planned, but I know he and Periwinkle will want you to join them. Adventures are always more fun when you come along, so they’ll be waiting for you.

May 22, 2023 by Janet Blue Awww Mondays Sparks 14

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.