February 2023

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CLXXVI

Train Trip

Stinky is anxious for Periwinkle’s arrival so they can get started on today’s adventure. They will be making a whistle-stop tour around Stinky’s home state of Virginia. When he hears the familiar whoosh from the teleportation tunnel he is waiting with open paws to intercept Periwinkle. After some whisker kissing and paw hugs, Stinky takes Periwinkle’s paw and leads her back into the tunnel for a a very quick trip to the train station in downtown Roanoke. 

When they arrive at the station and Periwinkle sees what Stinky has planned, she claps her paws together & exclaims, “Oh goody, a train trip. This is so exciting.”

“I hope our friends will think so,” says Stinky.

“Why wouldn’t they?” asks Periwinkle.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed in warm coats and hats at the Amtrak Station in Roanoke, VA.

 

USA/World Spay Day

“Well, because they aren’t coming along. You know, Periwinkle, those who adventure with us are well aware of how important it is to spay and neuter their pets and companion animals as well as feral cats living in colonies. And last year, over on your blog, we did a special PSA for USA/World Spay Day. In fact, if our followers want to read more about it, they can click on the link to that post.  So, while we are busy spreading the word around my state, we are going to give our readers the opportunity to revisit some of our favorite past adventures from my blog.”

“I like the idea that I get to spend the day with you riding on a train, so I hope our readers won’t mind that they won’t actually be joining us today,” replies Periwinkle.

“Periwinkle why don’t you select a favorite adventure first,” says Stinky.

Tea Party

“That’s easy. I loved the Tea Party you had for me on June 8, 2020!”

(To visit any of the past adventures, click on the photos.)

 

A ground hog, rabbit, squirrel and robin at a tea party with two cartoon tabby cats.

 

“That was a great adventure, Periwinkle. I got to invite some of the woodland creatures who hang out in our yard.”

“I loved meeting all of them. They were so kind to me.”

Double Date with Tyebe and Cooper Murphy

“I really enjoyed our trip to Sandstone Falls in West Virginia on March 30, 2021, when we went hiking, fishing and picnicking with Cooper Murphy and his girlfriend Tyebe.”

“That was great. It’s fun to include friends in our adventures occasionally; though, I do prefer when it is just the two of us,” Periwinkle tells Stinky.

 

A white cat, and orange tabby cat with two cartoon tabby cats (all wearing hats and holding fishing poles) at Sandstone Falls in West Virginia.

 

Tortola, BVI

“Stinky, visiting your parents favorite vacation spot on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands on May 10, 2022, was one of the most exciting and romantic adventures ever! I’d like to visit there again.”

“It really is beautiful there, Periwinkle. We can definitely go back sometime,” Stinky tells her.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats sitting on a roof over looking Long Bay in Tortola, BVI.

 

Eagles

“Our trip on the James River on April 27, 2021, to visit the Eagles was one of my all time favorites,” Stinky tells Periwinkle.

“Oh, Stinky, me too. We were so lucky they liked us and didn’t try to eat us for their lunch!”

 

Two cartoon tabby cats, wearing hats, and sitting on a branch with two eagles.

 

Preparing for Thanksgiving

“My turn again, Stinky. I had so much fun when we went to Mau’s Bake Shop on November 26, 2019, and he helped us make Thanksgiving pies, and we made you a Gotcha Day Cake.”

“That was a great one, as Mau was still with us then. And I really liked my cake,” replies Stinky.

 

A collage of two tabby cats wearing chef's hats and a tuxedo cat in an apron and chef's hat in front of a bakery and with a cat face cake.

 

“Those really were great adventures, Periwinkle. I hope our friends had fun revisiting them.”

“I sure know I did, Stinky. We have had so many great adventures…176 to be exact! And I am happy we were able to remind everyone how important it is to spay and neuter their pets.”

“It looks like it’s time to return to my house for a snack and a visit with all my fursibs.”

“Sounds good to me, Stinky,” replies Periwinkle.

After a snack, visit and quick nap, it is time for Periwinkle to return home. She and Stinky spend several minutes whisker kissing and paw hugging. With a final wave, Periwinkle hops into the teleportation tunnel for the trip home.

Stinky heads to the bedroom for a nap already thinking about seeing Periwinkle next Tuesday.

The End

Periwinkle and Stinky will be joining the Happy Tuesday blog top at Comedy Plus. Click on the badge below to do the same.

 

SPARK: REDIRECT YOUR ENERGY

Sparks

 

Photo of the full moon with a white halo surrounded by a peach colored halo and clouds with the following quote from Ralph Marston : You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination."

 

I have used this Spark previously on September 12, 2019. As it was a few years ago, I hope you don’t mind me sharing it again. The original post was “Sparks of Positivity & Determination.”

I am sharing it again, as I need the reminder. I have been super frustrated with trying to find a new theme for my blog and learning how to make the change without sending my entire site into a blackhole…never to be seen again. Doing this is not something I want. Unfortunately, my current theme cannot be updated to be compatible with my host’s servers. Trying to find something similar to my current theme that does not require either too much customization or have an exorbitant price is proving to be a challenge. But, enough about that.

Dad Tom took this gorgeous photo of the full moon.

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

Today’s Awww Mondays photo is also a flashback. It is one of a series of photos I took on April 9, 2020.

 

Very large ginger tabby cat lying on his back with all four fetid the air.

 

Cooper Murphy was being a total goofball that day. I think our giant, ginger tabby is totally awww-adorable! Let me know if you agree.

Cooper Murphy will be participating in the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. If you’d like to do the same, click on the Awww badge.

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, as it is Stinky’s turn to plan their adventure. Adventures are more fun when you join in, so they’ll be waiting for you.

 

 

SHADES OF GREY PROFILE PORTRAIT

Sunday Selfies: Week #445

 

Grey cat, looking sad, in a shades of grey profile portrait.

 

Kizmet is looking a little sad but still lovely in her profile portrait in shades of grey. She had a little help from Dad Tom to create it. She’s sitting on the back of her dad’s chair watching it rain. After some gorgeous, warm weather with lots of kitty catio time, it has turned cold and wet. There was a lot of napping going on in the house yesterday.

So this is Kizmet’s selfie for the week. I know she would love for you to join her on the selfie hop. Remember, you don’t even need to post today to join. Our hop remains open through Thursday at midnight ET.

Kitties Blue and I thank you for visiting—and hopefully hopping—today. Have an easy Sunday.

 



KITTEN SIBLING RIVALRY

Caturday Art

 

Two tabby kittens napping together and edited with Hyperrealism from Painnt, turning them into a kaleidoscope of colors in an ornate gold frame.

 

Today’s art features the kittens.  I used the Hyperrealism effect from Painnt with Lomo coloring. The frame is from favpng.

Audrey and Raleigh look like sweet kitten siblings in this photo. But that didn’t last long, as you can see in the photo I took immediately following this one.

 

Brown/black tabby kitten holding the head of a buff colored tabby kitten in her paws and trying to bite him in an exhibition of kitten sibling rivalry.

 

Raleigh tried to bite Audrey’s neck and in return she grabbed his head and went for his ear. Just a bit of kitten sibling rivalry. Mostly, these two get along famously. Kizmet is Raleigh’s main rasslin’ and bitey partner.

Raleigh and Audrey are participating in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. You can do the same by clicking on her badge.

Jigsaw Puzzle

preview110pieceColorful Tabby Kittens Art

Hope you enjoy completing this!

Sunday Selfies Reminder

It’s that time again to snap your selfie and join our weekly Sunday Selfies blog hop.  Your host for this fun hop has yet to be determined. So, you’ll have a surprise when you stop in. And, of course, we are always surprised to see what you select as your selfie to share with us and all your friends.

Don’t despair if you cannot join us tomorrow. Our hop remains open through midnight Thursday ET.

Thanks for dropping by today. Kitties Blue and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWO YOUNG FELINES IN THE SUN

Feline Friday

Two young felines, a tabby kitten and grey cat sitting on separate perches on a catio in the sun.

 

Audrey and Kizmet, who were enjoying another warm day in the sun on the catio, are joining the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. To participate 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. Friendly Fill-Ins is a blog hop hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). On Thursday they each select two sentences to be filled in by hop participants, and you can find those on both blogs. Enter the hop by clicking on the graphic.

Amazingly, I did not need any help from Kitties Blue this week. I completed all the fill-ins myself. I used teal italics for filling in. Additional information is in parentheses.

1. An item discontinued that I want brought back is Toll House Choco Bake Pre-Melted Unsweetened Chocolate. (It was the best for making wonderfully moist chocolate cakes.)

2. I would eat apricot pie every day if I could. (Unfortunately, I don’t know anyplace outside of California where I can get it.)

3. It’s almost time for spring, and I can’t wait. (It actually seems to have arrived early! Do you see those eaves on the tree in the above photo? And if you read yesterday’s post, you know that my yard has daffodils and crocus blooming as well.)

4. The 1960s were the good old days. (Especially the music!)

Thanks for joining us again today. We’ll be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art. Hope to see you again then.

 

OOPS!: A POEM FROM SAWYER

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

Teddy and Angel Sammy (Two Spoiled Cats) have provided another fun photo for today’s poetry challenge. In keeping with the black and white photo, Sawyer is this week’s feline addition. Granted he is a bit hard to see. That’s him right in the center. The poem is from his point of view.

 

 

Oops

From a distance this looked like fun,
So I made a run and jumped aboard,
Everyone was laughing and dancing
As we twirled round and round.
When suddenly my stomach turned upside down,
And I horked up my breakfast on the ground.
My barf didn’t land on any of my fellow riders, but
The kids were grossed out and made me dismount.
I think I’ll head to the swings and maybe
Someone will give me a push.
My tummy is empty, so I should be okay
To fly high and even try to touch the sky!

© Janet Buickerood Blue – 02/22/2023

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. And, as I always suggest, please read Angel Sammy’s poem when you visit. He sends it to Teddy each week from the Rainbow Bridge, and he is a masterful poet.

Thankful Thursday

Thursday also is the day we share our thankfuls.

All of us remain thankful for our unseasonably warm weather. I have managed to get some yard work done, and Kitties Blue are loving the catio time. The forecast for today is for a temp of 80 degrees F. This does make me a bit concerned for what this summer will bring in the way of hot temperatures. It’s still a month until spring, but daffodils and crocus are blooming in our yard and all over town.

Kitties Blue and I are thankful for those of you who are reading and commenting on the “Looking Back” posts. I am enjoying “refreshing” them and presenting them to you, especially to those who weren’t with us when we started out 10+ years ago.

Dad Tom and I are thankful for everyone who left birthday wishes for him on Monday’s post.

Kitties Blue and I remain thankful to everyone who follows, reads and comments on our posts. We truly appreciate your friendship and support.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by our friend, Brian. If you’d like to participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful and then click on Brian’s badge to join the hop.

 

 

RALEIGH FINDS NEW NAPPING SPOT

Wordless Wednesday

 

Orange tabby kitten sleeping in the hammock at the bottom of a cat tree.

 

Raleigh is joining the Wordless Wednesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. You can do the same by clicking on the WW badge.

 

Looking Back

Last week I totally forgot to include a Looking Back post on Wordless Wednesday. Sorry! This week’s Looking Back post is from November 14, 2012. It is entitled, “Cat Crazies.” I hope you’ll check it out and leave a comment there if you enjoy it.

Thank for joining us today.

 

 

A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY SPARK

Spark for Dad Tom

 

Birthday card for the Kitties Blue dad, Tom, with his photo cut out as a star and a quote from Madeleine L'Engle that says, "The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been."

 

I have to agree with Kitties Blue, Dad Tom is a great cat dad. He’d have to be to put up with the shenanigans of the current crew as well as all those that came before. He’s a total pushover. As I write this, he just gave up his chair to Misty May and Kizmet. And he rarely has enough room for himself in bed at night. He’s the chief pooper scooper as well as meal and treat distributer. Kitties Blue and I are so fortunate to have him in our lives.

I selected a Spark I think is totally appropriate for today’s birthday celebration. Both Dad Tom and I have had great lives with many wonderful adventures and memories. But we are happy to be in our 70s, except for all the aches and pains of old age. When asked how he is, Dad Tom’s usual reply is, “I’m still looking down on the daisies.”

The author of today’s Spark, Madeleine L’Engle (1918 – 2007), was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and young adult fiction. She’s best known for A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels.

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

 

Those two fun-loving tabbies, Periwinkle & Stinky, will be setting off on a new adventure tomorrow. It is Periwinkle’s week to plan what they’ll be doing, so you’ll need to join them over at Friends Furever. They’ll be waiting for you.

 

 

NAPPING KITTY BLUE IN BLUE

Sunday Selfies: Week #444

 

Orange tabby kitty napping in a blue chair and framed in a blue frame.

 

Napping is so much more important than taking a selfie, so I made Dad Tom take this photo of me. Then Mom mucked it up with this frame in an attempt to cover up all my fur that is clinging to the chair. Sheesh! You can still see it if you enlarge the photo the tiniest bit!

Well, that’s enough of me complaining. I am supposed to be inviting you to join me on our blog hop. It’s easy and fun to do. It only takes a couple minutes to add your link. And, if you cannot do it today, that’s okay. You have until Thursday at midnight ET.

So, I have now done my duty and will be returning to my nap. Thanks for joining us. Enjoy an easy Sunday. That’s what I’ll be doing.

Purrs & paw pats, Raleigh

 



VAN GOGH-ESQUE CATURDAY ART

Caturday Art

 

Van Gogh-esque Caturday art rendering of a dilute tortoise shell cat in burgundy, yellow, pink and peach with a frame containing yellow flowers and butterflies.

 

Calista Jo is the subject of today’s Caturday Art. The effect I used is Hanson from Painnt. I think it’s the first time I have liked an effect just as it is without tinkering with it. The effect reminds me of the paintings of Van Gogh, one of my favorite artists. The frame is from favpng.

I have a puzzle for you as well.

preview110pieceDilute Tortoise Shell Cat Art

Calista Jo will be joining the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty. You can do the same by clicking on her badge.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Tomorrow is one of our favorite days of the week. It’s when we get to see cute photos of you…our friends! All of the Kitties Blue and I will be waiting here for you. The identity of your host is still in question, as it often is. So, even if you don’t participate in the hop, we hope you’ll at least drop by to see which of the Kitties Blue graces us with a selfie.

Again, thanks for being our followers, supporters and friends. I have some decisions to make with reference to the blog and its future, so if we are absent on occasion, I hope you’ll forgive us.

See you tomorrow!