March 2018

A SPARK OF HOPE

Sparks: Week #24

 

Sparks of Hope

 

Samuel Smiles (23 December 1812 – 16 April 1904), was a Scottish author and government reformer. His masterpiece, Self-Help (1859), promoted thrift and claimed that poverty was caused largely by irresponsible habits, while also attacking materialism and laissez-faire government. It has been called “the bible of mid-Victorian liberalism,” and it raised Smiles to celebrity status almost overnight. (Wikipedia)

Angel Fiona and I are joining Annie at McGufffy’s Reader for her Sparks blog hop. In establishing the hop, she wrote, “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!” This is what makes Sparks so special and why I look forward to participating each week.

If you’d like to join the hop, click on the Sparks badge.

Sparks badge

 

Thank you from Giulietta

Giulietta and I are grateful to everyone who joined the Sunday Selfies blog hop yesterday and left birthday wishes for her and our precious angel, Fiona. As Fiona is unable to say, “thank you,” personally, it seemed appropriate for her to deliver today’s Spark. Fiona was already ill when this photo was taken, as you most likely can see from how thin she is. In spite of that, she still was able to enjoy a sunpuddle and the warmth of the sun on her face.

 

BIRTHDAY SELFIES

Sunday Selfies: Week #188

Today Giulietta and our special angel, Fiona, celebrate their eighth birthday. Fiona left us almost 16 months ago, but as long as sis Giulietta is alive, we will celebrate Fiona as well. Giulietta snapped 23 selfies and was pretty miffed at me that I made her take that many, but she’s not great at looking at the cell phone. I’ll share the final photo later in this post. It’s a doozy. But first here is the gorgeous birthday girl.

 

Giulietta's Birthday Selfie

 

Of course, Fiona was unable to send a new selfie from the RB, but she too needs a birthday “card,” so I made her one from a photo taken before she got sick.

 

Angel Fiona's Birthday Selfie

 

Our resident baker, Cat Scout Mau, made a cake for the girls. We hope you’ll join us for a piece of cake and some champagne.

 

 

Remembering a Friend

Before hopping Kitties Blue and I want to honor and remember a super sweet woofie, who now has her wings. Maggie was an adorable and energetic Rack Russell Terrier who lived with my dear friend, Mary Jane, her husband, Kevin, and their daughters, Emily and Amelia. In her photo she is posing with a Christmas ornament I gave her a few years ago.

 

Time to Hop

Now it’s time for you to share your selfie with all of us. If you are new to hopping or just need a refresher course to enter our hop, here are some pointers.

  • The link to add your selfie to the hop is below.
  • You also will find below the code to use if you’d like the hop to appear on your blog.
  • Posting on Sundays is not necessary to join.
  • You do not need to be a cat to enter. All anipals are welcome regardless of species.
  • The hop remains open for entries through Thursday midnight.
  • Please be so kind as to display our badge and/or link to The Cat on My Head.

Giulietta’s Outtake Selfie

Giulietta's Outtake Selfie  

WEARIN’ O’ THE GREEN

Caturday Art

 

 

Sawyer is decked out in green (and yellow) today in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. I selected a filter from Painnt entitled, Greenify, with the hope of getting something worthy of a St. Patrick’s Day post. I was so pleased with the outcome that I didn’t add any additional effects from Painnt but stuck with the original. The green and yellow border flowers were added with piZap and the frame with Picasa.

I selected this photo of Sawyer on the catio specifically for how “busy” the photo is, hoping this would make for interesting art. And it did.

The “Wearin’ O’ the Green” photo is our entry in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. To join in the fun or view arty submissions from other bloggers, click on her badge.

As promised yesterday, Mauricio is sharing his St. Paddy’s Day limerick from 2015. (If you’d like to see some additional St Patrick’s Day limericks by Kitties Blue, click here.)

 

 

Celebrating St. Gertrude

March 17 is also the feast day of another important saint. St. Gertrude of Nivelles, who lived from 621 to 659, is the patron saint of gardeners, travelers, widows, recently deceased people, the sick, the poor and the mentally ill. People call upon St. Gertrude for protection from mice, rats, fever, insanity and mental illness. But first and foremost, St. Gertrude is the patron saint of cats and cat lovers. So while your hoisting a green beer or two today, give a toast to St. Gertrude.

Sunday Selfies: A Birthday and a Remembrance

Tomorrow will be a big day on the Sunday Selfies blog hop. We will be celebrating the seventh birthday of Giulietta and Angel Fiona. This is a day filled with joy and sadness for all the Kitties Blue. We are happy to be celebrating with Giulietta but wish Fiona was still here to enjoy her special day with all of us. In honor of her birthday, Giulietta will be your host for tomorrow’s hop.

Additionally we will be remembering Maggie. Maggie is mommy’s friend, Mary Jane’s, woofie who recently received her wings.

We hope to see lots of you here tomorrow for the birthday celebration and then hope you’ll stick around and join the hop.

 

GRUMPY SAWYER HELPS WITH FILL-INS

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #97

Sawyer helped with the fill-ins this week. Several of the Kitties Blue volunteered to complete #2, but Sawyer won out as he is the quickest to anger and doesn’t resort to just hissing and displays of stink eye and helicopter ears. He uses all of those but prefers more aggressive displays of anger.

1. When I am nervous, I bounce my legs up and down.

2. Sawyer: When I am angry, I growl, bite and flail my legs. I pretty much do this whenever the humans try to pick me up or hold me.

 

fill-ins

The stink eye is obvious. That was accompanied by a growl as well.

 

3. Today, I know for sure that I’m going to very quickly get sick of seeing basketball on the TV.

4. For St. Patrick’s day, I will repost Mau’s St. Paddy’s Day limerick, and Cooper Murphy and Mau will go to Ireland with Cat Scouts.

 

fill-ins

Cooper Murphy, Allie & Mau – St. Patrick’s Day 2017

 

Friendly Fill-Ins is a blog hop hosted by Ellen (15 and Meowing) and Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). The intent is to give bloggers the opportunity to learn more about each other.

Ellen and Annie each compose two incomplete sentences for participants to complete. If you’d like to play along, you can find the blank fill-ins on their blogs on Thursday.

The blog hop takes place at McGuffy’s Reader. To join, click on the badge.

 

 

 

 

 

A HAIKU AND THANKS

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

This week’s inspiration photo for Angel Sammy and Teddy’s poetry challenge is majestic in scale. Unfortunately my poem is not. In fact, it is just an itty bitty, title-less haiku. I apologize to our hosts for not doing better.

 

To a spectator
Obstacles may seem daunting
Or worth the challenge

To read Sammy’s poem, which is always inspired, click on his poetry badge. If you check out the comments, you will find links to the poems of other bloggers as well.

Thankful Thursday

The Cat on My Head has been added to two more “Best” Lists. We are happy to be included with many of our favorite blogs at  Best for Pets.

The second is Top 25 Pet Blogs 2018 at Stop the Fleas. Again many of our favorite blogs are on the list along with The Cat on My Head.

We are always happy to be honored in this way regardless of the sites’ motives. We feel every opportunity available for individuals to find and follow our blog is a good thing for us.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by our friend Brian. To join the hop, click on his badge.

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF

Sparks: Week #23

 

Sparks #23 from Astrid

 

Astrid is always true to herself; though, she’s not much for engaging with others.

Eleanor (Ella) Laura Davan Mills (née Woodward) is an English food writer and entrepreneur under the brand Deliciously Ella. She has a blog at deliciouslyella.com.

Astrid and I are joining Annie at McGufffy’s Reader for her Sparks blog hop. In establishing the hop, she wrote this, “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!” This is what makes Sparks so special and why I look forward to participating each week.

If you’d like to join the hop, click on the Sparks badge.

Sparks badge

LISBETH’S BEST SELFIE EVER!

Sunday Selfies: Week #187

I am really excited to show my selfie today, as I actually took a good one. I always say one and done, and then it turns out crummy. But today I got it right the first time. I sure hope Charles comes to visit and sees how pretty I look.

 

Lisbeth's Green-eyed Selfie

 

So, you probably are wondering if I was naughty again and that’s why I am here. That is not the case. I have been purrfect in every way. In fact, as Mom writes this for me, I am sitting right next to the computer purring happily. No escapes and no hiding. I am here today as I have been hanging out with Mom, and I was an easy target when it came to selfie time.

I not only like my photo, but I also love the spring green frame Mom selected for me. It accents my eyes, is purrfect for the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day as well as to brighten our spirits as snow is scheduled to arrive later today.

Time to Hop

Now that I have shown you my selfie, it’s time for you to share your selfie with all of us. If you are new to hopping or just need a refresher course to enter our hop, here are some pointers.

  • The link to add your selfie to the hop is below.
  • You also will find below the code to use if you’d like the hop to appear on your blog.
  • Posting on Sundays is not necessary to join.
  • You do not need to be a cat to enter. All anipals are welcome regardless of species.
  • The hop remains open for entries through Thursday midnight.
  • Please be so kind as to display our badge and/or link to The Cat on My Head.

Happy Birthday

Today all of the Kitties Blue want to send special 16th birthday best wishes to our friend, Madi. Madi is a Cat Scout with Mau and Cooper Murphy. She also is the girlfriend of Mau’s brother-in-law, Raz. And Lily Olivia was a Crotchety Cougar with her. Madi also has her own blog, Madi and Mom Down Home in N.C.

In celebration of her birthday, Madi is taking a road trip, as she’s now old enough to get her driver’s license. The trip is a blog hop. To find out how to join, click on the link to Madi’s blog.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lisbeth (with kisses for Charles)



CALISTA JO’S TUMMY ART

Caturday Art

After last week when Cooper Murphy showed off his tummy art, Calista Jo demanded equal time. Before she shows off her arty belly furs, here’s the link to Cooper Murphy’s Purple Period post from last week in case you missed it.

Now without further ado, we present Calista Jo.

 

CATURDAY ART - C.J. Tummy

 

Again, I turned to the Painnt app to create this week’s art. This is the Cartoony effect with the original color filter and hard light color composition. In piZap I added the Deep Aqua filter at 40 percent, and the black floral border. The final black/aqua border was added using Picasa.

Here’s C.J.with her substantial tummy and wearing her all-natural furs.

We are joining Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. We recommend anyone, who enjoys using their imagination and creativity, to produce some art for this blog hop. A variety of free apps are available to help you convert your photos to art. To find links to other art or join the hop, click on Athena’s badge.

CATURDAY ART Sunday Selfies Reminder

That’s right, it’s time for you to pull-out your best smile and snap a selfie for Sunday’s blog hop. The kitties and I worked extra hard in an attempt to visit the blogs of all who entered last week. We know we missed a few. If you were one of those, please accept our apologies. We are going to work even harder this next week to visit everyone. We appreciate all of our faithful hoppers and those newbies who have joined us recently. Thank you for your support.

SAWYER AND COOPER HELP WITH FILL-INS

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #96

Friendly Fill-Ins is a blog hop hosted each Friday by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). It gives each of us the opportunity to get to know our fellow bloggers a bit better. Each Thursday, they both post the sentences to be completed. To participate, fill-in the blanks in each sentence and then link up on Annie’s blog. To hop over there, click on the Fill-Ins badge.

I got a little help with the first two fill-ins this week. The generic quality of them made it easy to turn their completion over to a couple of Kitties Blue. Here are our completions for this week. They are in teal italics.

COOPER MURPHY 1.Before you go to sleep you need to stake your claim to a good spot on the humans’ bed. An east/west position is always preferable, as Mau and Calista Jo are demonstrating. Sawyer and I have completely taken over Mom’s spot.

 

Fill-Ins week #96

 

SAWYER: 2. After zooming or watching birdies and squirrels from the catio, I like to take a nap on the top perch of the cat tree or mom’s feet.

 

Fill-Ins: week #96

Top to Bottom: Sawyer, Lisbeth, Astrid

 

3. Winter sucks, except for male cardinals, which look gorgeous against the backdrop of fresh, bright-white snow.

4. Spring is not my favorite season, but after a long winter, it certainly is welcome. These are crocuses from our yard in 2016. It’s too darn cold to go outside and take photos of this year’s spring flowers, which have snow on them.