May 2022

MEMORIAL DAY SPARK 2022 PRESENTED BY MISTY MAY

Sparks

 

Memorial Day 2022 Spark from Martin Luther King Jr. with photo of tuxie cat.

 

Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday. It is meant for mourning American military personnel who died while serving in the United States armed forces. But today, I want to mourn and remember, as well, all those who have lost their lives to the senseless and cruel shootings plaguing our country. I really don’t want to accept the disappointment and anger I feel for those who have perpetrated these horrible deeds. Like Martin Luther King, Jr., himself the victim of gun violence, I am trying to remain hopeful that our country’s citizens can heal, and our government will make some laws to curtail the sale of weapons to those harboring hatred in their hearts.

As you celebrate the holiday today, please say a prayer for those who have fought and died for our country as well as the innocent individuals who suffered and died needlessly.

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.”

Awww Mondays

Misty May is participating in the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. Click on the Awww badge to do the same.

The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky

graphic of cartoon tabby cats, Periwinkle & Stinky

Our two fun-loving tabbies, Periwinkle and Stinky, will be heading off on their next adventure tomorrow. These two youngsters have a terrific time when they’re together and love taking you along with them. So please join them at Friends Furever on Tuesday!

LASER BEAM EYES SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week #406

 

As usual, this week’s selfie host was not a particularly cooperative participant. To show her displeasure, Calista Jo refused to look toward the iPad when she snapped her selfie.

 

dilute tortie cat has laser beam eyes for her selfie, which is shown in a round, gold, filagree frame with a white rose

 

She also used the flash, which gave her those crazy, laser beam eyes. Her whiskers look rather nice, however.

Regardless of C.J.’s reluctance to join you today, she. has her paws crossed you will take part in our hop. We are going live a bit early, as I have not had a good night’s sleep in more nights than I can count. No way I can stay up until midnight.

So I’m keeping this short, and like Calista Jo am hoping you will hop with us. We appreciate your support, following and friendship.

Have an easy Sunday.



FLOWER POWER TORTIE CAT

Caturday Art

Astrid is here today with a photo from March. She was in the cat tree on the catio.

 

flower power tortie cat in cat tree turned into pastel-colored art.

 

To turn the photo into art I used the Spring*Painting*Glitch*Drip effect from Painnt. To that I added the Flower Power effect from pZap and a frame from favpng.

If you’d like to see the original photo, check out the post, “Astrid Enjoys Catio Time & Helps With Fill-ins.” It’s from March, when we were having much nicer weather.

Astrid is participating in the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty. If you’d like to do the same, click on Athena’s badge.

I made a puzzle for the jigsaw fans. Have fun!

preview117piece

Sunday Selfies Reminder

One of the Kitties Blue will be here tomorrow as your host for our Sunday Selfies blog hop. Your guess is as good as mine as to which one it will be. I’m certain they’ll all be keeping themselves out of view today. I hope lots of you will stop by to see your host and to share you adorableness with us and all your other friends. Until then, have a terrific Caturday. Personally, I am hoping for a rainless day!

 

 

 

WHAT TO DO ON A GLOOMY DAY

Feline/Friendship Friday

We have had day after day of grey and gloomy skies and what seems like endless rain. Sawyer is displaying exactly how Kitties Blue deal with this type of weather. To be completely honest, I have had more than a few naps myself. What do you do when the day is gloomy and rainy?

 

Grey tabby cat napping on a gloomy day

 

Anyhoo, Sawyer is here to participate in the Feline and Friendship Friday blog hops at Comedy Plus and Create With Joy, respectively. Click on the appropriate link(s) to join Sawyer.

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #213

On Fridays I try to participate to the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Fuhrballs). It’s a great way to let our fellow bloggers know a bit more about ourselves. You can find the sentences to be filled in on both blogs on Thursdays.

I used teal italics for my fill-ins. Explanatory info is in parentheses.

1. I wouldn’t mind being stuck in an elevator with Hugh Jackman. (I know Ellen is going to say Nicholas Cage!)

2. Now that the formula shortage is fixed, I wish something could be done about the cat food shortage.

3. If I had to sum up my life in one sentence, it would read as follows: I have been blessed with a great husband, great friends, wonderful, furry companions and many opportunities to travel to foreign places.

4. Checking into a hotel, going to my room and finding it already occupied by a nice looking man about my age is an awkward situation in which I once found myself. (I returned to the lobby and was given a different room.)

To join this hop, click on the Fill-Ins badge.

 

Kitties Blue and I will look forward to seeing you again tomorrow when we will share some Caturday Art.

KIZMET’S ADVICE

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

Today’s inspirational photo provided by Angel Sammy and Teddy from Two Spoiled Cats is too, too cute. I think the addition of Kizmet only made the photo more adorable. I hope you like the little poem I wrote to accompany it.

 

Kizmet's advice: grey cat with toddler in pink ruffled pants and aqua blue high heels.

 

Kizmet’s Advice

Please don’t step on me little one
Or fall on me with your pink ruffled bum.
You look rather wobbly in those high heels.
You might do better with some training wheels.
I think I’ll move just a wee bit further away.
You definitely look like you’re starting to sway.
Have fun dressing up in your mommy’s shoes—
Just don’t fall and get a big boo-boo!

© Janet Buickerood Blue – 05/25/2022

Writing poetry has always been one of my passions. If you check out “The Human” tab above, you can see some of the publications where my poems have appeared. I am delighted that Sammy and Teddy give us the opportunity each week to explore our creativity within this genre. If you are not already writing poetry, check out next week’s inspiration photo over at Two Spoiled Cats by clicking on Angel Sammy’s badge and give it a try.

While visiting, don’t forget to read Angel Sammy’s poem. He’s a terrific poet!

Thankful Thursday

Thursday is also the day we give thanks. Unfortunately, sometimes being thankful can be difficult. With the continued war in Ukraine, yet another senseless school shooting and our dear friend, Jean (Cooper’s girlfriend Tyebe’s mom) having a stroke, we all are feeling pretty down. Days of gloomy and grey skies and tons of rain have done nothing to elevate our moods.

So today, we will leave you with our thanks for being our supporters, followers and most of all friends. Friends are what keep us putting one foot in front of the other each day. We send love to all and prayers for better days ahead.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. To participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful. Then, insert the URL from the Thankful badge in your browser to go to Brian’s and join the hop.

 

 

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CXXXVI

Sleeping In & Another Surprise for Periwinkle

Periwinkle is happy she didn’t have to awaken before first light for today’s adventure; though, she has no idea know why not. When she does get up, she has a little extra time to groom her furs to look extra nice for Stinky. At the appropriate time she enters her teleportation tunnel and moments later lands in Stinky’s waiting paws. The two share several whisker kisses and paw hugs before Periwinkle asks about today’s adventure. As usual, Stinky’s lips are sealed. He just takes her paw and leads her back into the tunnel.

 

Cartoon tabby cats, Stinky & Periwinkle, visit Golden Gate Bridge.

 

When they arrive at their destination and emerge from the teleportation tunnel, Periwinkle’s eyes light up with amazement when she sees the structure looming in front of them. She immediately starts to panic as she fears Stinky is here to climb the behemoth. She gives him a worried look, and he immediately knows what she is thinking. Stinky hugs her and assures her he has no intention of doing any climbing. He doesn’t want to go swimming and does not think he would survive the more than 75-foot drop to the water below should he lose his balance.

So, where the heck are our two adventurers today? They are standing on the San Francisco side of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Golden Gate Bridge

Periwinkle says, “Now I know why I got to sleep in today. It’s three hours earlier here than at home. But why have we come to this scary place?”

“In two days the Golden Gate Bridge will celebrate the 85th anniversary of the first people crossing the bridge. May 27, 1937, was Pedestrian Day and some 200,000 people walked across the bridge that day. Lots of people were striving at being the first to do something historic, like run or roller skate across the bridge. One person actually walked across on stilts.”

“Do you think any cats crossed the bridge that day?” asks Periwinkle.

“I don’t know, Periwinkle. Maybe someone carried one across in a basket. I don’t think any kitty would have taken the chance of being trampled by one of the pedestrians. That is sort of why we are here today. We are going to leisurely stroll the 1.7 miles across on the sidewalk before crowds show up two days from now. That will take us to Marin County. I set the coordinates for the teleportation tunnel to meet us there.”

“Wow Stinky, that is a really long walk. It’s almost double the distance you went on your walkabout. Do you think we are up for it?”

 

Cartoon tabby cats, Stinky & Periwinkle, visit Golden Gate Bridge.

 

“I believe we can do it. I brought snacks, so we can stop often, rest and have a nibble. And I am certain if we get too tired, we can flag down a motorist to take us across.”

“Okay, let’s get started. We’re burning daylight,” says Periwinkle. The two join paws and begin their journey. “Are you going to tell me some facts about the bridge?” Periwinkle asks.

Stinky giggles. Periwinkle knows him so well. “You bet, Periwinkle. What would you like to know?” She tells Stinky to pick what he thinks is most interesting.

“Okay, how’s this? You know my dad and mom were both born and raised in California. As a young girl, along with her mom, dad and sister, she crossed the bridge often. You see an aunt and uncle and cousins lived on the Marin side of the bridge, and Mom lived on the San Francisco side. She told me she was always frightened when they were on the bridge. She was certain it would collapse, their car would plummet into the water and they’d all die.”

“Stinky, I feel so bad that she thought that. Could it actually happen?”

Some Facts

“I don’t think so. At the fiftieth anniversary celebration in 1987, 800,000 people showed up. With 300,000 people crammed onto the bridge it began to sway. The middle of the bridge actually flattened and sagged seven feet. It was closed to the remainder of the crowd.”

“Boy, Stinky, I bet your mom really would have been scared if she’d been here then!” exclaims Periwinkle. Stinky agrees.

“Why do you think they painted the bridge orange?” asks Periwinkle.

Stinky tells her that when they get home she can read all about that on this website: “6 Things You May Not Know About the Golden Gate Bridge.” He does tell her, however, suggestions for paint colors included yellow and black stripes or red and white stripes to improve visibility in the fog. Periwinkle giggles as she imagines the bridge as a huge candy cane.

About a third of the way across, Periwinkle asks Stinky if they can rest. He pulls the Temptations and a bottle of water from his backpack. They sit and eat their snack with their backs to the cars so they can watch the bay and the seagulls.

 

Cartoon tabby cats, Stinky & Periwinkle, visit Golden Gate Bridge.

 

After their snack, they feel refreshed and begin walking again. Periwinkle asks Stinky the height of the towers that carry the suspension cables. Stinky replies, “The towers are 746 feet high, and the bridge is 90 feet wide.”

“I sure am happy you have no desire to climb one of the towers,” Periwinkle tells Stinky. Stinky explains that he has the desire but is using his willpower and common sense not to do so.

Hendrick Point

Cartoon tabby cats, Stinky & Periwinkle, visit Golden Gate Bridge and view it from Hendrick Point.

 

When the tabbies finally reach the Marin County side of the bridge, they head to Hendrick Point for another snack and rest.  While enjoying their Temptations and Fancy Feast, a local kitty looking for a handout approaches the tabbies.

 

Cartoon cats, Periwinkle and Stinky, meet a long-haired, ginger and white tabby cat at Hendrick Point.

 

They happily share their noms with the friendly fellow and visit for a while before settling down for a nice nap. When they awake, they take time to admire the view.

 

Cartoon tabby cats, Stinky & Periwinkle, visit Golden Gate Bridge and view it and San Francisco from Hendrick Point.

 

“Wow, this is such an incredible view. You always find the best places for adventures,” Periwinkle tells Stinky while giving him a big paw hug and whisker kiss.

After hugging Periwinkle back, Stinky leads Periwinkle to the teleportation tunnel, which is waiting a few yards away. Before Periwinkle can ask where they are going, the tunnel whisks them away with a whoosh.

Treasure Island

Upon exiting the tunnel, Stinky tells Periwinkle they are on Treasure Island, which was a naval station from 1937 until its closure in 1997. Dad Tom and Mom Janet were married in the chapel there in 1973. The tabbies have come to view the sunset before heading back home.

They find a good place to wait, and Stinky gives Periwinkle a list of websites where she and their readers can find out lots more  about the Golden Gate Bridge.

Finally the sun begins to set. Stinky puts his paw around Periwinkle’s shoulders, and she drops her head to his.

 

Collage of three sunsets viewed from Treasure Island.

 

They watch the sunset together and “ooh and aah” over the beauty. When the sun is finally down, the kitties head for the teleportation tunnel for the quick trip back to Stinky’s house. The three hour time difference makes it very late when they arrive at Stinky’s house. Unbeknownst to Periwinkle, Mom Sharon has given permission for Periwinkle to spend the night. So after another quick snack with some meds for Sawyer, the tabbies retire for the night.

 

The End

Periwinkle and Stinky are participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop at Comedy Plus.

 

 

 

 

I’M BACK…AGAIN!

Sparks

Wowie, wow, wow! Can you believe it? I’m back again today. I have no idea why this is happening, but I certainly hope y’all don’t mind. I am doing the Spark as well as joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus.

 

I'm back again...tuxie cat spread out asleep

 

Okay, I just read the Spark and figured out why I’m back…again. It’s ’cause I’m old. In fact, I am the oldest living being in this house. At almost 19, I am 90 in human years. My humans are old, but they should hope to live so long.

And there are a few things that aren’t bad about growing old, especially the opportunity to nap whenever I want. Mom also thinks that is a plus. And she knows no longer having to get up at 5:45 a.m to get ready to go to work is a really good thing; though, she hasn’t done that in over 20 years. Can you think of anything good about growing old? If so, let me know in the comments.

Mom says I have to tell you something about this Judy Parfitt purrson (oops, I mean person). Judy Catherine Claire Parfitt is an 88-year-old, English actress. She’s worked in theatre, film and television. She’s done some American projects, but if you’re a fan of the BBC, as my humans are, you’ll know her from there. Most recently (since 2012), she has been playing the role of Sister Monica Joan in the drama series Call the Midwife.

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.”

AWWW Mondays

To join me on the bog hop, click on the Awww badge below.

The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky

Those awww-adorable cartoon tabbies, Periwinkle and Stinky, will be taking their next adventure tomorrow. These two active youngsters (who also takes lots of naps) have oodles of fun when they’re together. They especially enjoy taking you along with them, so please plan to meet them right here tomorrow!

Purrs & paw pats, Misty May

 

MISTY MAY’S WINKING SELFIES

Sunday Selfies: Week #405

 

Two selfie photos of a winking tuxie cat who shares her two beans in the second photo

 

I cannot believe I am back again this week for the Sunday Selfies post, especially as my two attempts to capture a selfie were total failures. But as all my fursibs hid when it was selfie time, that you get is me in our dad’s lap. I do apologize. Just pretend I am winking at you and enjoy my toe beans! I seem to be sharing those a lot this week as well.

I sincerely hope lots of you join me with what I know will be excellent selfies. If you do, I think my dismal attempts will be forgotten.

That’s all I’ve got to say except, now it’s your turn! And if you’ve got any friends who you think would like to participate, please invite them. We all like making new friends.

Thank you so much for continuing to join us each week and for your support and friendship.

Purrs and paw-pats, Misty May

 



PAPER BAG GINGER CAT ART WITH PHOTOBOMBER

Caturday Art

I didn’t have any recent art-worthy photos to use for today, so I took a deep dive into my photo archives. This photo of Cooper Murphy enjoying a Mission BBQ bag as Astrid waits her turn is from September 25, 2017. I used the Dark Art effect from Lunapic, followed by the XOXO filter from piZap at about 70 percent and then added a frame from favpng.

 

ginger cat in paper bag with tortoise shell (tortie) cat photobomber

 

Coop and Astrid are participating in the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty. If you’d like to join, click on Athena’s badge.

I made a jigsaw for all you puzzle fans.

preview140pieceginger cat in bag with tortoise shell cat

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Please join us tomorrow for another edition of our Sunday Selfies blog hop. We promise it will be fun and that you’ll have the opportunity to make some new friends. And if you’d like to invite some of your friends to join us, we encourage you to do so. You know that old saying, “the more the merrier!” Until then, have a great Caturday.

 

MY CAREGIVERS ARE QUIRKY

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

Last week I missed Teddy and Angel Sammy’s poetry challenge, which I don’t like to do. I am back today with another altered inspirational photo. This time, I had a little help from Astrid.

 

quirky caregivers are two ladies with hair to the floor and a tortoise shell cat

 

The poem’s structure is a bit different. It consists of rhyming and off-rhyming couplets with the title, which is also the first line, rhyming with the last line.

My Caregivers are Quirky…

Look at that ridiculous hair.
I think mice must be living in there.
When the ladies are sleeping each night,
I root through to see what I can find—
Tidbits from breakfast or dinner,
The toy I lost sometime last winter.
If I get cold, I can burrow deep within.
And, though, I’ve never reached any skin,
I can still feel safe and stay warm
Knowing I won’t come to any harm.
You may find my mistresses a bit different,
But to all my needs they are ever vigilant.
I wouldn’t trade them for a mound of tuna jerky.

© Janet Buickerood Blue – 5/18/2022

If you think you’d enjoy writing some poetry check out Two Spoiled Cats on Thursdays for the following week’s inspiration photo. You can pop over there by clicking on Angel Sammy’s badge. While visiting, please read Sammy’s poem. He is a masterful poet.

 

Thankful Thursday

Thursday is also the day Kitties Blue and I share our thankfuls with you.

  • Misty May has been on medication for hyperthyroidism for three weeks. She had bood work on Tuesday, but we haven’t gotten a report on that yet. Nonetheless, Misty May, Dad Tom and I are thankful that her weight has increased from 4.56 pounds to 4.88 pounds.
  • Dad Tom, Sawyer and I are thankful Sawyer hasn’t had a seizure in nine days. Fingers and paws are crossed that he can stretch that out for at least a few more days.
  • All the Kitties Blue are thankful their very own, quirky caregivers are celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary.

 

quirky caregivers in this photo are the Kitties Blue mom and dad on their wedding day in 1973.

 

  • All the Kitties Blue are delighted their two pots of catnip from last year came back this spring, and the plants are already big enough that they can enjoy the occasional sprig.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. If you would like to participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful. Then enter the URL from Brian’s badge in your browser.

Thanks for your support and friendship.