April 2019

BIRTHDAY SPARK FOR ALLIE

Sparks

As I told you yesterday, today is my beloved wife Allie’s birthday. I selected a Spark especially for her.

 

 

I also selected flowers and baked a cake in my Cat Scouts Bake Shop.

 

 

And, of course, I have made a card.

 

 

Please join Kitties Blue, Mom, Dad and me in wishing Allie (Friends Furever) a happy birthday and join us for some cake and champagne.

 

 

Sparks began as a blog hop, created by our friend, Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). Annie has been taking a “break” from blogging, so there is no hop. Unfortunately, during this break, Annie has been the victim of a hacker. This has continued to keep her off-line and caused her much distress. Kitties Blue and I ask for your continued prayers for Annie and her family as they try to reconcile this mess and get their lives back to normal.

Many of us believe in Annie’s vision: “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!”

For those of you unfamiliar with Shirley Bassey, she is an 82-year-old, Welsh singer. Her career began in the mid-1950s, and she is best known for her powerful contralto voice and for recording the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker. She is a Dame of the British Empire.

Awww Mondays 

I cannot think of anything more “awww” worthy than my lovely wife on her birthday, so we’ll be joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. To join, click on the badge below.

 

Purrs and paw-pats Mau (with love, smooches and wishes for the best birthday ever to Allie)

 

MAU’S EXTRA SPECIAL SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week #246

Something totally out of the ordinary happened yesterday: I volunteered to take the selfie. I didn’t do it to save my fursibs or to relieve Mom from her usual nagging. I did it because tomorrow is a very special day. And I cannot think of a better way to celebrate that special day than to make it a two-day celebration.

 

Mau's Sunday Selfie for Allie

 

Happy one-day early Birthday, Allie! You are not only my wife but also the love of my life. I’ll wait until tomorrow for the cake, champagne and flowers, but I wanted you to have and unexpected surprise today as well.

I sure hope lots and lots of friends will join the hop today and say, “Happy Birthday,” to the most beautiful kitty in the world, either here or at Friends Furever.

Hopping Time 

Here are those hopping tips we provide each week.

  • 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.
  • Take the opportunity to visit some of the other hop-alongs and make some new friends or reconnect with some old ones.

Thanks for hopping over to see us. If you are new to our hop, WELCOME!

Purrs and paw-pats, Mau (with love and smooches for my beloved, Allie)



ANGEL LILY OLIVIA’S CATURDAY BOX ART

Caturday Art

As I did yesterday, I delved into my archives for today’s photo. This photo of Lily Olivia is from 2017. You can see the original photo on the post, “Caring for Your Aging Cat.”

 

Caturday Art - Lily Olivia

 

To create today’s art, I began with the Floreado effect in Painnt. I changed the hue a bit and then used Picasa to sharpen the photo, remove a large logo from the front of the box and add the HDR filter at about 50 percent. I used piZap to add the “graffiti” sticker to the big blank area in the top of the box.

Angel Lily Olivia is joining the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty. To check out Athena’s art or that of your fellow bloggers, click on Athena’s badge.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Can y’all believe that tomorrow is the last Sunday in April. That means one-third of 2019 has almost disappeared. Whew…where did those four months go? Kitties Blue probably spent a whole lot of time napping through those days, and they’ll most likely be taking their easy tomorrow as well. I’ve got my fingers crossed that one of them will step up and snap a selfie to share with you.

And this is your early warning to do the same so you can join us for tomorrow’s blog hop. Remember, all anipals are welcome regardless of species. So, please invite all your animal friends to join us.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

 

 

WHY MISTY MAY FEELS OLD

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #154

As we do each Friday, Kitties Blue and I are joining the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop. The hop is hosted by Ellen from 15 And Meowing and Lorianne from Four-Legged Furballs. Each Thursday, they post four sentences with blanks to be filled in by those of us who participate. On Friday, we post the completed sentences on our blogs. This week Misty May helped me. We both used teal italics for our completions.

To join in, click on that badge on the left. You’ll be transported to Four-Legged Furballs.

1. I got my first cell phone in the mid-90s. The Kitties dad got it for me. It was big and clunky. I didn’t want it and rarely used it.

2. I wish the word “boo,” as used to refer to one’s significant other or any random person could be removed from the English language.

3. I’ll never outgrow my enjoyment of coloring. Here is a kitty picture from the Happy Color app, which I “colored” on my iPad.

 

fill-ins - coloring

 

4. Misty May: Being deaf make(s) me feel old.

Feline Friday

For the Feline Friday blog hop at Comedy Plus, I decided to share a flashback photo from 15 years ago (April 6, 2004). Some of you might be thinking that is Fiona in the foreground, but it is actually our original grey cat, Louise, with Madison giving her a bath. If you don’t know these cats, who passed before the debut of The Cat on My Head, you can read about them on The Felines page.

 

fill-ins - flashback

 

To join the Feline Friday blog hop, click on the badge below.

 

TODDLER BALLERINAS

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

Each Thursday our friends, Teddy and Angel Sammy (Two Spoiled Cats), challenge us to write a poem about a photo they provide. This week’s photo is another super cute one making writing the poem exceptionally fun. Here’s the photo.

 

Toddler ballerinas

 

Toddler Ballerinas

Pam and Sharon’s moms wanted
Their daughters to be ballerinas, but
The toddlers were too small to reach the barre
And too young to achieve the positions, but
The girls loved their tutus and ribboned shoes,
As they felt like beautiful, little princesses.
So, each week, they eagerly went to class
And spun and tiptoed around the studio
While their moms beamed and clapped,
And their princesses grew into ballerinas.

© Janet Buickerood Blue 04/24/2019

Not only do the boys provide the photo, but Angel Sammy also transmits a poem from the Rainbow Bridge. He’s one of the best poets we know, and his poems are always worth reading. So, even if you don’t want to participate by writing a poem, please click on his poetry badge to visit and read Sammy’s poem. You’ll also find links to poems by other bloggers in the Comment section.

Thankful Thursday

Today’s also when we tell you for what we are thankful. 

Cooper Murphy is thankful for finding all 24 eggs in he Cat Scouts Easter Egg Hunt. As far as we know, he’s the only Cat Scout who found every egg. He’s thankful for that, but he’s even more thankful for besting his big brother, Mau, who found one less egg. They both earned a badge, and Mau won a catnip condor toy.

Both boys received PDF copies of The Cat Scout Handbook.

If you are not a Cat Scout, you are missing out on lots of fun, educational opportunities and service projects. Why not check out the Cat Scout site. Click on the Easter badge to go there.

Every single day, Kitties Blue and I are grateful for the friendship and support of our fellow bloggers. Thank you!

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by everyone’s pal, Brian. To join the hop, post on your blog for what you are thankful and then click on Brian’s badge.

LISBETH’S EASTER SUNDAY SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week #245

 

Easter Sunday Selfie

 

I hope you all like my special Easter Sunday Selfie. All of the Kitties Blue wish you a blessed day filled with joy, love and family time.

If you’d like to decorate your selfie, that would be terrific but, of course, not necessary.

Before I leave you to go see what the Easter Bunny brought us, I am posting Mom’s blog hopping tips.

Blog Hop

  • 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.
  • Take the opportunity to visit some of the other hop-alongs and make some new friends or reconnect with some old ones.

Thanks for hopping over to see us. If you are new to our hop, WELCOME!

Purrs and paw-pats, Lisbeth (with love and kisses to my sweet boyfriend, Charles)



CALISTA JO & THE ROSE WINDOW

Caturday Art

Our beautiful Calista Jo is the backdrop for today’s art. Her photo has been overlain (using PicMonkey) with one of the rose window from Notre Dame. Dad Tom took that photo when we visited Paris in 2013.

 

Caturday Art: C.J. & Rose window

 

Like most of those who own a television, we watched on Monday as Notre Dame de Paris burned. Seeing flames rage through one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited really hurt my heart. I am thankful so many of the treasures housed at the cathedral were saved and millions of euros have been donated to rebuild and restore this historic site.

C.J. is entering the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty. To enter some art of your own or view that of others, click on Athena’s badge below.

 

Sunday Selfies Easter Hop

Tomorrow, Kitties Blue will be celebrating Easter on the Sunday Selfies blog hop. Whichever of the kitties is the host, they will Easterize their selfie, and all participants are encouraged to do the same. This, of course, is not a requirement. 

Mau and Cooper Murphy also will share a fun video that will make you smile.

We are looking forward to seeing our usual hoppers and welcoming new participants.

 

SPRINGTIME ON THE CATIO WITH LISBETH & FILL-INS

Friendly Fill-ins: Week #153

For Good Friday, Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs), have provided us with a couple of Easter-themed fill-ins. My completions are in teal italics.

1. An Easter memory that I have is of my first Easter after moving from California to Kansas City, Missouri. It was 1974. It snowed.

2. I hope to purchase nothing more this year, as I have already spent too much on various items needed for our addition.

3. When the days are warm, I like to go swimming.

4. If the Easter Bunny visited my house, he’d be surrounded by eight cats looking for treats or a nice bunny rabbit lunch.

Each Thursday, Ellen and Lorianne post four sentences with blanks to be filled in. Participants complete the sentences, and we post them on Friday. The blog hop takes place at Four-Legged Furballs. Click on the badge above to go there.

Feline Friday

Kitties Blue also like to join the Feline Friday blog hop at Comedy Plus. Today Lisbeth is in the spotlight as she enjoys a sunny afternoon on the catio. To join the hop, click on the badge below.

 

Fill-Ins

 

A CHEEKY POEM AND THANKFULS

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

On Thursdays, we like to join our friends, Teddy and Angel Sammy, and write a poem based on an inspiration photo they provide on the previous Thursday. This week’s photo is another super cute one. I don’t think you can look at this squirrel and not smile.

 

Thankful Thursday

 

Cheeky Squirrel’s Lament

Does this nut make my cheek look fat?
Maybe I should have thought of that.
I needed to have a much better plan—
Selecting a smaller nut, like a pecan.
I could have shelled that super fast
And then enjoyed my nutty repast.
Maybe I can pucker up and spit it out
‘Cause I know for help I cannot shout.
Gathering nuts (for wintertime) to store
Is a tedious task I truly abhor.
Being able to buy a nut when hungry
Would certainly cause me less grief.
But until I can earn some cash,
I guess I’ll need to keep a nut stash
And stretch my poor cheeks to the max!

© Janet Buickerood Blue 04/17/2019

If you are interested in participating in Thoroughly Poetic Thursday, check out Two Spoiled Cats (by clicking on the badge below) for next week’s inspiration photo. And while you are there make certain to read Angel Sammy’s poem. It’s always masterpiece.

Thankful Thursday

We’ve got three thankfuls this week.

First from our mom: One of her very favorite television shows, The Amazing Race, began a new season last night.

Second from all of us: Our dad knew the Tuesday Teaser (Plaza des Armas, Lima, Peru) at Two Spoiled Cats, as he’s been there. We weren’t the first to guess correctly, but we still won this special Easter Teaser badge.

Third from Sawyer: All the fur has grown back on his front legs from the IVs he had on his last two visits to the emergency vet. He’s just as grateful that he has not had a seizure of an extended length that would necessitate a trip there.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by our friend, Brian. To join in, post for what you are thankful, and then click on the badge below to go to the blog hop.

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