November 2021

FRIENDS LIVE IN OUR HEARTS

Sparks

Yesterday, Cat Scouts had a gathering to remember Scout Angel Timmy and Scout Einstein’s, wonderful dad, Pete Cusack. It was happy and sad, and it made me think of friends I have loved and lost.  That is the inspiration for today’s Spark from Helen Keller.

 

friends live in heart

 

My life and I know that of many others was better for having had this generous, kind, compassionate and caring man in it. We will miss him, but cherish the memories forever.

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.”

In addition to being the representatives for today’s Spark, Calista Jo and Cooper Murphy are joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus.

The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky

 

Our two little, tabby adventurers will be sharing a new adventure tomorrow over at Friends Furever. They both have their paws crossed you will take a few minutes out of your day to join in the fun.

 

HAPPY HANUKKAH SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week #380

 

HANUKKAH SELFIE

 

Hanukkah begins this evening, and so Mom has framed by selfie accordingly. I sure hope my Angel Charles stops by today and sees me. I really miss him a lot.

Mom likes my selfie, but she is slightly miffed at me. Whenever she tries to help me with my selfie, I look away. Cat sitter Kit helped me with this one, and I sat purrfectly still with my eyes on the phone. I think Mom should be happy that I liked Kit and was a good girl while she and Dad were away.

Mom is super tired after eight hours in the car, and so asked me to keep this short. With that in mind, I am inviting you to hop along with us. The hop is open through Thursday, so you don’t need to post today to join. If you would rather enjoy a nice Easy Sunday, snap that selfie on Monday or Tuesday or… Well, you get the idea.

I also have been informed that neither Mom nor Dad plan to stay up until midnight to add me to the hop. I promised not to complain about, but only if I got to have a puzzle today. Surprisingly, I didn’t have to beg, and so, here is your Lisbeth Hanukkah jigsaw puzzle.

preview132pieceHappy Hanukkah from Lisbeth

Hopping Time

With no additional jibber jabber, I am officially inviting you to add your selfie to our blog hop. I know you want to! And I will join up with you in the morning.

And to all those who celebrate:

Hanukkah Sameach!

 

Purrs and paw-pats, Lisbeth

 



OFFICIAL CHRISTMAS DECOR INSPECTOR

Caturday Art

 

Christmas decor inspector

 

Mom has decided that our Caturday Art from now through Christmas will be holiday themed. Last year I didn’t arrive until just a few days prior to Christmas, so I didn’t get in on any decorating…only de-decorating. So, this year, I am making certain I inspect all decor and snoopervise all arrangements. I can’t wait to get started on the trees.

As usual, Mom used Painnt and favpng for our art. The effect she used in Painnt is Boceto.

I am going to pop over and visit Athena on her Caturday Art blog hop. If you’d like to do the same, click on her badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #287

So Mom managed to complete all the fill-ins this week without asking for help from any of us. Though, I guess she didn’t have much choice, as she’s not at home. Of course, she didn’t manage to get them posted on the correct day. For some reason, she thought it would be okay to take a day off on Friday. 

Anyhoo…Friendly Fill-Ins is a blog hop hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs).

To participate, look for the sentences to be filled in on both blogs on Thursdays. To link up, click on the Fill-Ins badge.

Here are Mom’s completions in teal italics.

1. I find it easy to choose a gift for any of my friends, as I know what they like.

2. I find it difficult to choose a gift for Dad Tom. If there is an item he needs or wants, he usually gets it for himself.

3. Now that I’ve found someone to look after Sawyer and the other Kitties Blue, I can consider leaving home for a few days at a time.

4. I’m especially looking forward to seeing friends this holiday season.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

So Mom and Dad will be home this evening in plenty of time for her to help us put together our Sunday Selfies blog hop. And one of us has already snapped our selfie and is ready to be your host. We know that will make Mom happy…no begging, pleading or bribing required. 

As usual, all the Kitties Blue, including me, hope you will join us by showing off your adorable self. We so appreciate your willingness to join us each week.

Purrs and paw-pats, Kizmet

p.s. I almost forgot. I persuaded Mom to turn my art into a puzzle for you. Enjoy!

preview130pieceInspector Kizmet

THANKSGIVING GOTCHA DAY & SAD FAREWELL

Thankful Thursday

Today is my fourth Gotcha Day, and for that I am very thankful. This was my first official photo taken that evening.

 

Thanksgiving gotcha day

 

This was my second official photo taken the following day. I may have been just about the grumpiest cat on the planet.

 

Thanksgiving gotcha day

 

I have to admit, I am a bit grumpy today, as Mom and Dad are not here to spoil me, but as I now have a second Gotcha Day (the day Mom brought me home from my walkabout) on July 21, I have decided to cut them a little slack. Because I can have a seizure at anytime, Mom has not left the city limits since October 2018. And I am certain she will tell Kit I need to get extra treats today.

I am slowly making friends with Kit. As Kit puts it, Astrid still thinks she’s an axe murderer. On the other side of the coin is Kizmet, who slept with her last night. The remainder of the gang are taking this unusual event of a “live-in” cat sitter with aplomb. As long as they are getting their meals on schedule, they really don’t care who is feeding and looking after them.

Anyhoo, I really am thankful as are all the Kitties Blue that Mom and Dad are spending Thanksgiving with family.

Profound Sadness

We are all in shock at the loss of our dear friend, Dad Pete Cusack, from Tomcat Commentary by Tim. Pete and his furry gang have been our friends and following us from the very beginning. They also were with us on our Sunday Selfies blog hop from week one. We have found that pet bloggers are incredibly caring and compassionate people, and Pete was at the top of that list. He was a kind, thoughtful, generous and loving individual. We are thankful to have known him and had him as a friend and supporter. We will miss him terribly, but he will remain in our hearts always.

I am going to pop over and join Brian’s Thankful Thursday blog hop and then sign-off.

All the Kitties Blue, Mom Janet and Dad Tom wish
everyone a joyful and blessed Thanksgiving.

 

Purrs and paw-pats, Sawyer

 

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CX

Stinky is more excited than ever for Periwinkle’s arrival. He thinks he has planned a first-rate adventure for them, and is thrilled when she arrives a bit early. With the usual whoosh from the teleportation tunnel Periwinkle tumbles out into his waiting paws. After the usual whisker kisses and paw hugs, Periwinkle asks for details of their destination. Stinky refuses to tell her, grabs her paw and leads her back into the tunnel.

The First Thanksgiving 

When they arrive at their destination, Periwinkle blinks several times, as it appears that they have traveled back in time a few hundred years.

“Where are we, Stinky?”

 

 

“This is what is now known as Plimoth-Patuxet, previously Plimoth Plantation. It is a replica of Plymouth Colony, the site of the first Thanksgiving in 1621,” Stinky explains.

“Wow, this is the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving. That is very cool!”

“Yes, it is. It was a celebration of the Plymouth colonists first autumn harvest and took place over three days sometime between late September and mid-November,” Stinky tells Periwinkle. “Fifty-two colonists and 90 Wampanoag native Americans celebrated together.”

 

 

“This garden doesn’t look very well tended, Stinky? Is this where they grew their pumpkins and sweet potatoes and green beans?”

“Periwinkle, this is a replica from the 17th century, and the Pilgrims didn’t have any of those things to grow or eat,” Stinky tells Periwinkle.

“That doesn’t sound right. Those are traditional Thanksgiving foods. Please tell me that they at least had turkey,” replies Periwinkle.

“Maybe. Though wild turkeys are native to the area, it is just as likely that they ate ducks, geese or swans. The only first-hand  account of the feast says they did eat fowl. The birds would have been stuffed with herbs, onions or nuts. They also had venison, as the Wampanoag killed five deer for the occasion. There really is no first-hand account that lists other food they might have had.”

“Interesting. So, how come we celebrate for only one day at the end of November if the first feast took place sometime between late September and mid-November and lasted for three days?” asks Periwinkle.

Stinky tells Periwinkle that the Continental Congress and several Presidents, including Washington, Lincoln and FDR were involved in proclaiming a day in November  as Thanksgiving, with the first being in 1777.  It was not until 1863, however, when President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to officially fall on the last Thursday of November. That’s when the modern holiday was first celebrated nationally.

With some deviations, Lincoln’s precedent was followed annually by his successors. In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt departed from tradition by declaring the next to last Thursday that year as Thanksgiving Day. He did that again for two more years, but some Americans refused to honor his declaration. So, on November 26, 1941, FDR admitted his mistake and signed a bill into law making the fourth Thursday in November the official national holiday of Thanksgiving Day.

“Wow, Stinky, that certainly was a long and drawn-out process. Thanks for the history lesson, but can we look around some now?”

“Of course, I have lots of additional information, but I can walk and talk,” Stinky tells her.

Periwinkle gives Stinky an eye roll and look of exasperation, which he doesn’t see either.

Touring Plimouth-Patuxet

 

 

“Stinky, their houses sure were shabby looking. I don’t think they had heat or A/C,” Periwinkle exclaims.

Stinky points out the chimneys to Periwinkle and tells her they heated in fireplaces with wood. Also, he tells her that temperatures are cooler here in Massachusetts, and especially were 400 years ago, and they didn’t need A/C. Not to mention, they didn’t have electricity.

Stinky then asks Periwinkle if she’d like to see a replica of a wetu. Periwinkle gives him a quizzical look, and Stinky explains that wetu is the Wampanoag’s word for house.

 

 

“Sheesh, Stinky, I don’t think I would like to live here either,” blurts out Periwinkle.

Stinky giggles before telling Periwinkle that families erected these houses at their coastal planting grounds and lived in them throughout the growing season. But when the weather turned cold, the Wampanoag returned to the protection of inland villages. Dwellings in the villages were either long (50 to 60 feet usually), multi-family residences or smaller, round wetuash (plural of wetu). He knows Periwinkle wouldn’t enjoy that.

Stinky can see that Periwinkle is getting bored and says, “I will tell you how they constructed the wetu some other time.”

“Oh thanks, Stinky, as I do not ever plan to build one of these wetu-thingies I’d prefer not to hear about it.”

Visiting the Mayflower Replica

“In that case, lets head to the Mayflower II,” Stinky replies.

 

 

“Stinky, this reminds me of the pirate ships from Meow Like a Pirate Day. But I don’t understand why it’s called the Mayflower II.”

Stinky tells Periwinkle that Mayflower II is a reproduction of the 17th-century ship Mayflower. It was built in England in 1955 and ’56. It was sailed to America in 1957, recreating the original voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. As they tour the ship, Stinky refrains from telling Periwinkle more about the ship. Instead he decides to regale her with some information he has learned about turkeys.

Turkey Trivia

“Periwinkle, do you know to what extinct creature the wild turkey is related?”

Periwinkle thinks for a moment before answering with a question in her voice, “The Dodo bird?”

“You know that is not a bad guess, but the Dodo did not live in America. It is actually the T. Rex and the Velociraptor,” Stinky tells Periwinkle.

“I remember hearing that before, Stinky. I just forgot.”

“An adult wild turkey has 5,000 to 6,000 feathers, and turkeys have been around for nearly 10 million years; though, they almost went extinct twice. Also, wild turkeys can fly up to 55 miles per hour, and they sleep in trees.”

Periwinkle tells Stinky that those are all interesting facts, but that she knows something that will really surprise him. “Male turkeys are known for their gobbling sound. Female turkeys, however, cluck like a chicken, yelp when agitated or excited or purr like a cat when they are contented. Isn’t that the coolest thing, Stinky?”

“Wow, Periwinkle, I would love to hear that.”

“Me too, Stinky!”

“Periwinkle, I think I’m ready to head home and get some noms. How about you?”

“Oh, yes please. I am famished.”

Paw-in-paw the tabbies head back to the teleportation tunnel. Moments after entering, they arrive at Stinky’s house and Stinky’s mom fixes them some Fancy Feast turkey and giblets with some treats on the side. When they’re full, they visit with Stinky’s fursibs and take a nice long nap.

Finally it is time for Periwinkle to head home. The tabbies share lots of whisker kisses and paw hugs and wish each other a happy Thanksgiving. Then Periwinkle is gone in a whoosh.

The End

 

 

The tabby turkeys are joining the Happy Tuesday blog hop at Comedy Plus.

 

EASY SUNDAY FOR AWWW MONDAYS

Awww Mondays

Sawyer spent his Sunday enjoying a snoozy easy.

 

easy Sunday

 

Sawyer is joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. If you’d like to do the same, click on the Awww badge.

Sparks

With Thanksgiving this week, I wanted a Spark representing gratitude. I hope you think I made a good selection.

 

 

William Arthur Ward was an American motivational writer, who lived from 1921 to 1994. He published more than 100 articles, poems and meditations in magazines like Reader’s Digest. He also had a column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram entitled, “Pertinent Proverbs”.

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

 

Tomorrow is our favorite day of the week, as it’s when Periwinkle and Stinky, share an adventure. Tomorrow they will taking you on another Thanksgiving-themed adventure. These two fun-loving tabbies will be taking off from here, and they hope you’ll join them for some fun!

 

 

CALISTA JO’S GRUMPY CONTEMPLATIVE SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week #379

 

contemplative selfie

 

As you can see, I am less than enthusiastic about being your host today. And Mom says that I look grumpy. I claim that this is my contemplative expression. Well actually, I enjoy hosting. I just don’t enjoy having to take a selfie to do so. But that’s the price one has to pay around to see all of you on Sunday.

I know most of you do not mind this intrusion of your privacy or at least tolerate it better than most of the Kitties Blue. We’ve got a couple of show-offs in our midst (Cooper Murphy and Kizmet) but the remainder of us are somewhat less social.

Anyhoo, I’ve snapped my selfie and am now sharing it with you. The moment I finish this, I am going to sleep. I am not a night owl. Well, I am not much of a day owl either. Of all the Kitties Blue, I am the one who can nap all day and sleep all night. Easy peasy.

Sorry, I do seem to have slightly drifted off topic.

Hopping Time

Now it’s your turn to share your selfie. You can do so anytime between now and Thursday, so if you’re not in the mood today, no problem! I do hope you will join us, however, as my family and all your friends enjoy seeing your adorable face.

Finally, all the Kitties Blue (and Mom too) appreciate your friendship and support. Pet bloggers rock!

Purrs and paw-pats, Calista Jo

 



ART FROM SUPERHERO SIDEKICK KIZMET

Caturday Art

Today’s art features Kizmet.

 

SUPERHERO SIDEKICK KIZMET

 

I used my favorite, tried and true app, Paint, to create this. The effect is “It’s Really Just Art After All” with the hard light filter. As usual the frame is from favpng

I made a puzzle for you as well.

preview117piecePurple Cat

Kizmet is participating in the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty. You can do the same by clicking on her badge.

Superhero Sidekicks Calendar

The original photo from which I created today’s art may be the one Helen Woodward Animal Center uses in the 2022 Superhero Sidekicks Calendar. As we were unable to travel to California for a photo session, Dad Tom took a couple of photos for HWAC. At this point, we have no idea which photo was selected for the calendar. We also don’t know which month she will represent

What we do know is that you can pre-order your calendar now by clicking on the graphic below. The Calendar is $18 with a shipping fee of $5. All profits benefit HWAC.

 

Once again, Kizmet, Dad Tom and I want to thank everyone who made a donation to HWAC and voted for Kizmet in the contest. Here’s the link to the post where I announced her eighth place finish, “We Couldn’t Have Had a More Thankful Week.”

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Can you believe we are winding down to the conclusion of another year of sharing our selfies on Sunday? I don’t know where the year has gone, but it will soon be no more than a memory. So, it’s time to pop in front of that cell phone or camera and snap your very own selfie. As Thanksgiving is just a few days away, dress it up with a fall or Thanksgiving theme if you would like. I am not certain which of the Kitties Blue will be your host tomorrow, but I am fairly certain there will be some bribery (treats) involved in securing their selfie.

Until then have a terrific Caturday.

 

MISTY MAY & COOPER MURPHY REDUX

Feline/Friendship Friday

On Wednesday I shared “Toe Beans & Tailios Tangle.” This is the photo from which I cropped that photo: Misty May and Cooper Murphy snoozing on the bed with the photo pillow of Mau in the background.

 

Misty May Cooper Murphy

 

I made a puzzle of the toe beans and tailios photo for those interested.

preview120pieceToe Beans & Tailios

Misty May and Cooper Murphy are joining the Feline Friday blog hop at Comedy Plus and the Friendship Friday blog hop at Create with Joy. You can do the same by clicking on the appropriate badge(s).


Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #286

I am participating in the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). This week I got some help from both Kizmet and Sawyer We all used teal italics for our fill-ins.

To participate, look for the sentences to be filled in on both blogs on Thursdays. To link up, click on the Fill-Ins badge.

1. I am thankful for my husband, Kitties Blue (past and present) and my friends.

2. I look forward to eating pecan and pumpkin pie (both of which I’ll be making) on Thanksgiving.

3. Kizmet: I didn’t realize I would be living with lots of other cats until I became one of the Kitties Blue.

4. Sawyer: There’s no shame in liking treats better than stinky goodness with medicine in it.

Thanks for checking in with us today. We’ll be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art.