Happy Tuesday

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CCCXXXII

Periwinkle Guesses What is Scheduled for Today’s Adventure

Stinky is pacing in front of the teleportation tunnel as he usually does on Tuesdays. He has planned something they have never done before previously and hopes it will be fun. He doesn’t have to wait long before he hears the familiar whoosh from the tunnel. Periwinkle tumbles out into his waiting paws, and they share several whisker kisses and paw hugs.

Before Stinky can speak, Periwinkle says, “I bet I know what we are doing today.”

Stinky gives her a quizzical look and replies, “Okay, Smartypants, tell me what’s on the agenda.”

“We are going to celebrate either St. Gertrude’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day.”

“Well, those are pretty good guesses. But we are not going to do either one.”

Now, Periwinkle is the one with a quizzical look on her face. Before she says anything else, Stinky takes her paw and leads her out of the house. After a short walk, they arrive at their destination.

 

A cartoon man with a duffle bag and scooter in front of a large "PLAY" sign with a biker on the side and a skate park.

 

Periwinkle immediately recognizes Dad Tom standing nearby with a very large duffle bag as well as their scooter. She runs up to him, and Stinky follows.

“Hey, I remember this sign from when we went ice skating. But this is in a different place. Where are we?” Periwinkle asks.

Dad Tom replies, “This is our new skate park. It just opened. The old one was beneath the bridge, which is currently being rebuilt. This new park includes a 15,000 square foot concrete skatepark with a half pipe, bowl and much more. Plus, there is a pump track for cyclists. That’s where you two can ride your scooter.”

While Periwinkle and Dad Tom are talking Stinky climbs up on the sign. They both roll their eyes at him, but say nothing.

 

Two cartoon tabbies and a cartoon man at a "PLAY" sign at a skate park.

 

So, what’s in the bag?” asks Periwinkle.

Skating

“I have your helmets and two brand new skateboards.” Dad Tom takes these items out of the duffle to show Periwinkle.

 

Two cartoon tabbies and a cartoon man at a "PLAY" sign at a skate park with their scooter and two ew skateboards.

 

“Wow, these are purrfect. My skateboard has a Hello Kitty just like my helmet,” replies Periwinkle, as she claps her paws together. She then tells Stinky to get his paws back on the ground and check them out.

“These are really cool, but we have no idea how to skateboard,” Stinky exclaims. Then he asks his dad “Are you going to show us?”

“Not a chance, but I think if you watch some of the other kids and adults, you will get the hang of it. There is a lot of trial and error involved,” Dad Tom tells the tabbies.

Periwinkle is immediately game to give it a try. She grabs her helmet from the duffle and then gives Stinky his. They each grab their skateboards and head to one of the ramps where they watch for several minutes.

 

Two cartoon tabbies on skateboards watching a man in a plaid shirt on his skateboard.

 

“Stinky, I think we can do this. Let’s give it a try. Last one down is a rotten egg,” says Periwinkle with a giggle.

 

Two cartoon tabbies on on skateboards with a man in a plaid shirt on his skateboard.

 

“Now, it’s what goes down must come up,” laughs Stinky. “Who has fallen behind now, Periwinkle?”

 

Two cartoon tabbies on skateboards with a boy on a scooter at the skate park.

 

“No fair,” replies Periwinkle.”You weigh more than I do, so you had more momentum from the downhill to get you to the top faster!”

“Don’t be a sore loser, Periwinkle,” chortles Stinky.

“Pfffft, I bet I can beat you back down again.”

 

two tabby cats skateboarding with a boy on a scooter.

 

“Ha, ha, I win again,” shouts Stinky!

“Let’s try something else,” suggests Periwinkle. “That guy looks like he’s having fun. Let’s try some of his moves!”

 

Two cartoon tabbies watching a skateboarder in a plaid shirt doing a trick.

Two tabbies on skateboards doing tricks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Stinky, that sure was a lot of fun. Should we try our scooter on that pump track?”

Scooting

“Yes, let’s. At least we already know how to ride that.”

 

Two tabbies on a scooter following two bikers at a biking and skateboarding park.

 

Two tabbies on a scooter fand a boy on a scooter at a biking and skateboarding park.

 

“Stinky, this has been really fun, but I am getting sort of tired. How about you?”

“Yes, definitely. Let’s find my dad. We can give him our helmets and scooter and get a ride home with him.”

“Good idea. I think he is still over by the PLAY sign.”

“You are right. I see him now.”

The tabbies head over to Stinky’s dad. He leads the way to car, and they follow on their scooter. When they arrive, they give him their helmets, which he stores in the duffle bag and puts it and their scooter in the trunk. The tabbies hop in the back seat and buckle their seat belts. The two-block drive to Stinky’s house takes only a few minutes.

Picnic Time

When they arrive, Stinky tells Periwinkle that he has planned a picnic outside in the periwinkles, as they are blooming. He takes her paw and leads her around to the side yard, where his mom has already laid out their picnic and left some St. Patrick’s Day accessories for them.

 

Two cartoon tabbies dressed for St. Patrick's Day and picnicking in a field or periwinkle's after a day of skating and scooting.

 

“Stinky, what are we drinking?”

“It is green catnip beer. Do you like it?”

“Most definitely, but it is making me sleepy,” replies Periwinkle.

“Me too. When we finish our snacks, we can have a nap before you have to head home.

“Excellent!”

The tabbies finish quickly and head inside for their nap.

 

Two cartoon tabbies napping in a heart-shaped bed after a day of skating and scooting.

 

After their nap, Periwinkle and Stinky head to the teleportation tunnel where they share whisker kisses and paw hugs. Then Periwinkle enters the tunnel and is gone in a whoosh as she blows kisses to Stinky.

The End

Note: For those interested, you can visit SurferToday for an entire list of skateboard terms. (WordPress puts a line through bad links, but this is not. I just checked it again and it works fine.)

The tabbies will be purrticipating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop hosted by Sandee at Comedy Plus. If you would like to join them there, click on the Happy badge.

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CCCXXX

Another At-Home Adventure

Stinky is waiting patiently by the teleportation tunnel for Periwinkle’s arrival. They will be staying home again, so if she’s late it will be okay. But right on time the tunnel begins to vibrate and Periwinkle comes tumbling out with a whoosh. Stinky quickly sets her upright and gives her a big paw hug and whisker kiss, which Periwinkle reciprocates. She then asks, “So what’s on the agenda today, handsome?”

That makes Stinky blush, and Periwinkle giggles when she sees his pink face. “Well, I regret to say that we are staying in again today. We had gorgeous sunshine and temperatures at 70 degrees on the weekend, but now the weather is lousy again. Yesterday, the sky was spitting out little ice pellets before it rained for the remainder of the day and evening! It’s not going to be much better today.”

“Well, that does sound sucky, but you know I never mind having a home-based adventure. So, what will we be doing? I know yesterday was Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Will we be doing something to do with that again?”

What if Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day

Badge for If Pets Had Opposable Thumbs Day.

 

“Nope, Mom covered that yesterday. Today, however, is another special day. It is What If Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day (also known as National If Pets Had Thumbs Day.) established by Thomas and Ruth Roy from Wellcat. It is meant to be a fun day of imagining what pets could do if they did have thumbs.”

“That would be interesting. I wonder what I would do with my thumbs if I had them?” muses Periwinkle.

“Well actually, with or without thumbs, you and I can do whatever we want, as we are cartoon cats,” advises Stinky.

“Oh, yeah! Cool!”

I did survey my brofurs and sisfurs, and here’s what they suggested they’d like to be able to do.”

Screw the lid off the treat containers.

 

An illustration of ginger tabby cat with opposable thumbs trying to open a treat bar.

 

Open the pull tabs on cans of cat noms and maybe some human foods as well.
A tabby cat with a raised paw and an unopened can of salmon.

 

Operate the locking bar Dad built for the cat door after Mauricio learned to open it.
Open the bedroom windows to get at the birds on the feeders.

“Ooh.. those are all great suggestions,” says Periwinkle. “I think Noelle and Reesie would like to be able to give our mom a thumbs up when she does something they like, so she’ll know to do it again. And I know Noelle would like to be able to open doors to get outside and hunt lizards.”

“Those are good ones, Periwinkle. I saw a couple on-line as well: Texting our humans (of course, one would have to have a cell phone) and hitchhiking home in case we got lost.”

 

Calico cat with opposable thumbs texting on a cell phone.

Tuxedo cat with opposable thumbs hitchhiking.

 

“Stinky, it would have been great if Sawyer could have done that when he went on his walkabout,” replies Periwinkle. She continues, “I think our fursibs would like to turn on the computer or TV to watch critter videos. It wouldn’t be too hard to use their noses to turn things on, but it might be hard to get to the right channel, app or web-site.”

“You and I are very lucky, as we can do any of those things,” comments Stinky.

“Yes, we are!”

“My mom has always said that even if we did have thumbs, opposable or otherwise, we would never use them,” Stinky informs Periwinkle.

“Really? Why does she think that?”

“Well, she says that we believe we are entitled to and prefer to be waited upon by our humans. And she thinks that some of my fursibs are just plain lazy!”

Periwinkle giggles and replies, “I think she’s probably right about that.”

Non-Humans with Thumbs

“Lots of other species have thumbs, Periwinkle,” says Stinky and shows her a list:

Great Apes: chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gorillas (These all have opposable big toes on their feet as well.)
Lesser Apes: Gibbons
Old and New World Monkeys: Baboons supposedly have thumbs almost as good as humans and can manipulate small objects, and macaques also are good at manipulating small items.
Lemurs have pseudo-opposable thumbs on their hands, but their feet feature truly opposable big toes for gripping branches.
Koalas actually have two opposable thumbs on each hand.
Possums and Opossums (particularly the Virginia Opossums) have opposable thumbs, but they are on their hind feet.
Waxy monkey tree (leaf) frogs
Chameleons have multiple opposable toes.
Slow Loris
Pandas are listed in this group; though, they do not actually have an opposable thumb, but extensions of the wrist bones act like one.

Baboon, Koala, Opossom, Lemur and Chameleon giving the thumbs up signal.

 

“Stinky, that is amazing. I had no idea humans are not the only ones with opposable thumbs!”

“Neither did I, Periwinkle.”

Some History with Regard to Opposable Thumbs

“I have a time-line I can share about the emergence of opposable thumbs if you are interested,” Stinky tells Periwinkle.

“Yes, please.”

Fossils indicate that 2 million years ago primates regarded as human, directly ancestral to humans, or very closely related to humans developed dexterous, human-like opposable thumbs. These allowed for gripping and advanced tool use.

300,000–400,000 years ago:
Neanderthals and modern humans possessed sturdy, powerfully muscled thumbs that supported sturdy and precise grasping,

10,000—12,000 years ago:
Wildcats become frequent visitors to human grain stores to hunt rodents. This marks a beginning of cat domestication, where humans and cats live side-by-side and share control of food.

3000–2000 BCE
Ancient Egyptians not only accept cats into their homes but also revere them and prepare food feline paws could not manage.

“Those ancient Egyptians sure helped cats on the road to becoming beloved family members,” exclaims Periwinkle.

Stinky ruminates out loud, “I wonder if evolution will bring about felines with opposable thumbs?”

“Heck no! Neither cats nor humans would promote that. As your mom said, we cats want to be waited upon, and humans already think we get into too much mischief,” replies Periwinkle.

“What do you say we retire to the kitchen and get my servant, err, I mean my mom to prepare us some noms?”

“Excellent idea, Stinky. I am right behind you.”

Snacking with Stinky’s Fursibs

I see Audrey as decided to join us today along with Calista Jo and Kizmet,” observes Periwinkle.

“I am not surprised. She never misses a meal,” responds Stinky.

 

two cartoon tabby cats and three real cats sitting at a kitchen island eating.

 

After finishing their noms, it is time for Periwinkle to return home, and Stinky escorts her to the teleportation tunnel. The tabbies share several whisker kisses and paw hugs. Then Periwinkle enters the tunnel and with a blown kiss and wave she is gone in a whoosh.

Stinky searches for his mom and curls up on her lap for a nap and dreams of Periwinkle.

The End

For additional information about the subjects covered in today’s post, you can check out the following web-sites: A-Z-Animals, Cattipper and IFAW.

Periwinkle and Stinky will be participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop hosted by Sandee at Comedy Plus. To join them, click on the Happy badge.

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CCCXXVIII

As always, Stinky is anxious for Periwinkle’s arrival. As they will be traveling several time zones away, he knows they need to get an early start. He is waiting at the exit from the teleportation tunnel when, with the familiar whoosh, Periwinkle tumbles out into his waiting paws. They spend several minutes paw hugging and whisker kissing before Stinky leads Periwinkle back into the tunnel.

Moments later they arrive at their destination. Periwinkle looks around but doesn’t recognize anything. “Where are we, Stinky?”

“Italy!”

“Oh wow, cool. Are we going to the Olympics?” asks Periwinkle.

“No.”

“Ahh, darn. That would have been fun. If we are not attending the Olympics, what are we going to do?”

Giornata Nazionale del Gatto

Stinky replies, “We are here to celebrate National Cat Day, or “Giornata Nazionale del Gatto.” Celebrated in both Italy and Poland on February 17th, it is an unofficial holiday established in 1990 by journalist Claudia Angeletti. She invited readers of the magazine, Tuttogatta (all-cat), to vote on a date to celebrate felines. She wanted to honor kitties and raise awareness about their welfare. Several reasons exist for this date. The main reason it was selected is due to February being associated with the zodiac sign Aquarius. Those born under that sign are thought to be independent, free-spirited, self-reliant, rebellious and non-conforming. These are all traits that have been associated with cats.”

Periwinkle begins to giggle when she hears this. “Well, that certainly does describe most cats,” she says.

Stinky tells her, “The main goals for this day are to point out the importance of cats in the lives of humans, to combat negative thoughts and commonly held concepts about cats and to help homeless cats find loving homes. Stray cats have been roaming around Italy since the Roman Empire, and today the country has tens of thousands of stray/community cats.

“According to the AnyDayGuide, ‘…Italy has one of the best animal protection acts in the world, and this naturally extends to protecting the rights and welfare of its free-roaming cats as well. Under its National Animal Protection Act issued, cats without owners are considered property of the city mayor, thus granting them legal protection. Harming stray cats is punishable by law, and cats have a right to be fed and cared for in the area which they have chosen as their home. It is also illegal to deliberately remove a stray cat from its home grounds and relocate it elsewhere.

“‘More interestingly, stray cats also have the rights to be registered as a community cat colony under the government administration, thus entitling them to cost-free neutering by local authorities. A stray cat colony may be registered when at least two cats are living in an area that they have chosen as their home.’”

“Wow, Stinky, I wish the United States had laws like that,” replies Periwinkle. “So what are we going to do to help celebrate this special day?”

Time to Meet Some Cats

“I thought we could just celebrate by meeting some of Italy’s kitties and handing out treats,” Stinky tells her.

“I like that, as long as we can nibble on some of those treats as well.”

“Do you know me? Of course, we’ll be having our share of the treats.” Stinky continues, “Often, kind community members look after and feed the stray/colony cats. They are known as Gattara or cat ladies. A cat lady is someone who looks after many stray cats living in an area, taking care of their basic needs and ensuring that the living area is well-maintained. These kind humans can often be seen pushing carts carrying treats and leaving trails of cat kibble on the streets for the hungry feline population.”

Rome

 

 

Where are we going to start?” asks Periwinkle.

I set our tunnel coordinates for Rome, and that is where we are now. So, that’s our starting point.

 

Tabby cat outside with a cartoon tabby cat.

 

“This kitty is in a big hurry to get somewhere and doesn’t seem to want to stop,” Stinky tells Periwinkle.

“Then let’s find another one,” she replies.

 

Periwinkle Stinky Giornata Nazionale del Gatto: Black and white cat against a terracotta wall with two cartoon tabby cats and a container of Temptation.s

 

“Stinky, this cat wants to shake my paw. That is so nice. And, I like his one white and one black front leg with just the bit of white on his black toes.”

“All kitties are beautiful,” agrees Stinky as he gives the tuxedo some treats.

“Periwinkle look, there’s a big group of kitties. Let’s give them some treats.”

 

Periwinkle Stinky Giornata Nazionale del Gatto: Five cats with two cartoon tabby cats and a container of Temptations.

 

“The black and white cat, that sort of looks like Gibbs, is enjoying the treats,” Stinky points out.

“Ooh, ooh, Stinky, look a mom and her two kittens,” exclaims Periwinkle and runs off to meet them.

 

Periwinkle Stinky Giornata Nazionale del Gatto: Mother cat with two kittens on stone steps with two cartoon tabby cats and a container of Temptations cat treats.

 

After leaving some treats and petting the kittens, Stinky suggests. “Let’s pop back in the teleportation tunnel, Periwinkle, and head to another locale.”

Taormina, Sicily

“Stinky, where are we now?”

“We’ve gone south to Sicily,” Stinky replies.

 

 

“Okay, let’s find some kitties.”

 

Periwinkle Stinky Giornata Nazionale del Gatto:Tortoise shell cat with two cartoon tabby cats and a container of Temptations cat treats.

 

“Stinky, here’s a nice tortie. She’s head butting me so I will give her some treats.”

“That is pretty sweet,” replies Stinky as he spreads some treats on the steps.

“I think tortoise shell kitties are always nice! Your sisfur Astrid was always kind to me.” exclaims Periwinkle.

Stinky takes Periwinkle’s paw and leads her back to their tunnel. Moments later they are in a new locale.

Boboli Gardens, Palazzo Pitti, Florence

 

Boboli Gardens, Palazzo Pitti, Florence

 

“Stinky, this place is huge. Where do you think we can find some kitties?”

“They have gardens here. My mom said that the cats will be there.”

 

Periwinkle Stinky Giornata Nazionale del Gatto:TGrey tabby cat with two cartoon tabby cats and a container of Temptations cat treats in the Boboli Gardens.

 

“Stinky, look at this handsome tabby. He is giving me a kiss so he can get some treats.”

“Should I be jealous? I know Italian men are suave and sophisticated.”

Periwinkle giggles. “Of course not, silly. I love you, and you are the one and only man cat I ever want to spend time with. But every girl likes to be admired.”

Stinky kisses Periwinkle on the opposite cheek and gives the tabby some treats. Then he leads Periwinkle back to the tunnel. Before they enter, periwinkle asks, “Aren’t we going to spend some time exploring each of these locations?”

“Nope, we’re burning daylight, and I want to make as many stops as possible,” Stinky responds.

Periwinkle just shakes her head and follows him into the tunnel.

Cinque Terre

 

Cinque Terre, Italy

 

“Lots of kitties hang out here so they can try to get handouts from fishermen,” Stinky tells Periwinkle. The two tabbies quickly spot a black cat.

 

Periwinkle Stinky Giornata Nazionale del Gatto: Black cat with two cartoon tabby cats and a container of Temptations cat treats.

 

“This time, I will be standing next to this very handsome cat. He probably won’t try to kiss me,” Stinky tells Periwinkle.

Periwinkle rolls her eyes at Stinky’s comment but doesn’t reply. She knows he is just being snarky and doesn’t think he deserves a response. He turns and stares at Periwinkle expecting her to say something, but Periwinkle just shrugs her shoulders.

After giving the kitty his treats, Stinky leads Periwinkle back to the teleportation tunnel, so they can make one last stop.

La Spezia

 

La Spezia, Italy

 

“La Spezia is the largest city near Cinque Terre,” Stinky tells Periwinkle. He adds, “As of 2023, approximately 10.2 million cats live here, which includes both domestic cats as well as strays. The current human population is only 91,497,”

“Holy cat, that’s incredible!” exclaims Periwinkle. “Let’s see if we can find one to share our treats with. I know we don’t have enough treats for 10.2 million kitties.”

“Periwinkle, look, there’s a nice ginger tabby. Let’s follow him and see if he would like some treats.”

 

Periwinkle Stinky Giornata Nazionale del Gatto:Ginger tabby cat with two cartoon tabby cats.

 

“Oh no, Stinky, he seems frightened by us.”

 

Frightened looking orange tabby cat.

 

“Phooey! Let’s just leave some treats on the ground for him,” replies Stinky. “After we do that, it will be time to hop back into our teleportation tunnel and head home.”

“Great, I am getting pretty tired, but I sure have enjoyed meeting all these nice cats,” says Periwinkle. “I would like to return in the future and spend a day visiting each of these places. Can you plan that for us?”

“Definitely. They are all unique, and I would like to explore them as well.”

Periwinkle and Stinky head to the teleportation tunnel and take off for home. They arrive at Stinky’s house moments later, where they have a snack and Periwinkle visits with Stinky’s fursibs.

When it is time for her to head home, Periwinkle and Stinky spend several minutes whisker kissing and paw hugging. Then she enters the tunnel and with a final wave and blown kiss is on her way home.

Stinky heads for a sunpuddle to nap and dream of his beautiful fiancé.

The End

Note to Our Readers: Rome is the home of a cat sanctuary that houses approximately 200 cats. To find out more about the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, click on this link. When Periwinkle and Stinky head out on an adventure, I try to use photos that Dad Tom or I have taken. As we have never visited this sanctuary, Stinky did not include it as part of today’s itinerary.

Periwinkle and Stinky plan on joining the Happy Tuesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. Click the Happy badge to do the same.

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CCCXXVI

Snow Day

Stinky is always excited and anxious on Tuesday mornings, as he knows he gets to spend the day with his gorgeous and fun fiancé Periwinkle. He has planned a super fun adventure for today and cannot wait to get started. He bounces from paw to paw as he waits next to the teleportation tunnel. When he sees it begin to vibrate, he lets out a big “whoop,” which is quickly followed by the familiar whoosh from the tunnel and Periwinkle’s arrival. He rushes to grab her as she tumbles out. They tumble around on the rug together as they giggle. This gets the attention of the kittens, Tali and Gibbs. They rush in to join in the fun.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats and two kittens with a teleportation tunnel.

 

When everyone finally settles, Periwinkle and Stinky spend several more minutes whisker kissing and paw hugging.

Finally, Periwinkle speaks, “I sure hope you are taking us somewhere warm today. This cold is awful.”

Stinky frowns, as his plan is to stay at home. He knows he has planned a super adventure, but he is now unsure how Periwinkle will feel about it, so he hesitates to answer her.

Periwinkle continues to stare at him, and he finally blurts out, “No, we are staying right here, but I promise you will have fun!”

“As long as we are not venturing out into all that piled up snow and ice,” replies Periwinkle.

Stinky begins to stutter and stammer and gets a sheepish look on his face.

“Oh no, we are going outside,” moans Periwinkle.

“Yes, but I promise it will be fun.” Stinky helps Periwinkle into her coat and boots and then gets into his own warm clothes. Then he takes Periwinkle’s paw and leads her to the front porch.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed in winter clothes and standing on a front porch with snow all around.

 

Wasena Walter

Stinky tells her they are expecting a friend to join them. Moments later, he arrives.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed for winter on a front porch with snow, a pumpkin and a groundhog dressed in a colorful hat and scarf

 

“You remember our groundhog friend, Wasena Walter,” Stinky says to Periwinkle.

“Sure, but what is he doing here today? Shouldn’t he be hibernating?” asks Periwinkle.

“Yes, but he got up today for us, as I was hoping we might get a better prediction from him than Punxsutawney Phil gave us yesterday when he saw his shadow.”

“Oh, you mean when the prediction was for six more weeks of winner,” says Periwinkle.

“Right!”

At that point, Walter speaks up. “I was hoping I could offer a different forecast, but as you can see, the sun is brightly shining here today, as it was yesterday.”

“Phooey,” exclaim Periwinkle and Stinky in unison.

“Since I was unable to help you out with a better prediction, would you be interested in learning a bit about the Groundhog Club that existed here in Roanoke?” asks Walter.

“Yes, please,” replies Stinky.

Roanoke Groundhog Club

“It was in existence for 40 years and in the 1920s the group’s annual meeting at the American Legion was attended by several thousand card-carrying members. The meetings were filled with jokes, stories and entertainment. Your followers can read an article about the club in the Rockbridge County News published on February 9, 1933, by clicking on the link. The article reported that at the time, the club had been in existence for about 20 years and had 4,500 members. I am not exactly certain how long the club existed.

“In 1998 the Mill Mountain Zoo introduced a rehabbed groundhog, Tweeter, who saw his shadow. A few years later, a prairie dog named Kylie was used as the prognosticator. The zoo’s education curator explained at the time that as prairie dogs do not hibernate, they were better forecasters.”

The tabbies and Walter giggled at that.

Hats & Pumpkins

“Hey, Stinky,” says Walter, “I really like your hat. Is it supposed to be a groundhog?”

“Yep, my mom thought it would be cute to wear it today.”

While Stinky and Walter are discussing the benefits of a warm hat, Periwinkle notices the pumpkin on the steps and raises her eyebrows to give Stinky a quizzical look.

“That’s for Walter when he officially comes out of hibernation in the spring,” replies Stinky.

“Has it been here since Halloween?”

Stinky just nods, as Walter heads back to his burrow. Stinky and Periwinkle wave. Then Periwinkle takes Stinky’s paw and starts to lead him back into the house, but Stinky stops her and says. “We aren’t going inside yet. We have a couple more things to do.”

Periwinkle gives him a petulant look, which Stinky totally ignores. He takes her paw, grabs a grocery sack his mom has left on the porch and leads her down the steps to the side yard.

Beverly Bunny

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed in winter clothes and standing in a snowy yard with a gazing ball topped with snow.

 

“What are we doing now?” Periwinkle inquires.

“We are waiting for another of our friends,” says Stinky, as he points out lots and lots of paw prints in the snow. Before he can say more, a bunny hops out from under the porch.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed in winter clothes and standing in the snow with a rabbit wearing a sweater and knit hat and receiving a grocery bag filled with leafy greens.

 

When Periwinkle sees her, she claps her paws together. “I remember you, You were at my tea party, and we have met a few other times. I don’t think you ever told me your name.”

“Yes, we have met a few times. I am Beverly. It is nice to see you again.”

Stinky says, “My humans, fursibs and I have been seeing your paw prints in the snow and ice everyday and on two separate nights my mom and dad saw you slipping and sliding across the icy yard. Have you been living under our porch?” (This is a really good article about where rabbits go in the winter.)

“Yes, I have. It is so cold and my metabolism is super fast, so I often go out at night to find food. The monkey grass, sticking above the ice and snow in your yard, has been my main source of food. And I can burrow down in the dirt under the porch and stay fairly warm. It is nice that you have a critter door to make for easy access.”

Stinky laughs and tells Beverly Bunny that when they had the lattice replaced, the carpenter put in the little door so that critters like her could get in and out without digging under or gnawing through the lattice. Stinky then hands Beverly the grocery sack, which is full of leafy green veggies. Beverly thanks Periwinkle and Stinky and asks them to thank the clever carpenter. She then grabs her sack and hops back under the porch.

“Is it time to go inside now?” Periwinkle asks.

Sledding

“Not quite. We have one more thing to do, and I swear you will enjoy it.” Stinky then leads Periwinkle to the backyard and to the incline where the ice and snow have covered the steps from the driveway up to the grass. “I wanted to take you sledding on the huge hill that is just two blocks away, but both Mom and Dad said, ‘No!’ So, we are going to have to make do with this little incline.” Stinky helps Periwinkle onto the sled, and they make their first short run.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed in winter clothes riding on a blue sled in the snow.

 

After a few more runs, Periwinkle begs to get out of the cold, and Stinky agrees that he too has had enough. They head into the house where they shed their winter coats and boots. From there, they are off to the kitchen for a snack.

Snack Time & Good-Byes

 

two cartoon tabby cats and three real cats enjoy a snack at a kitchen counter.

 

“Periwinkle, I am sorry for these snack crashers.”

“I don’t mind. It gives me the opportunity to visit with them. It is, however, bad manners for men to wear a hat at the table,” Periwinkle admonishes.

“I didn’t know that, but it is fun, and it won’t be appropriate to wear again until next year.”

“Well, okay. You do look super cute,” says Periwinkle and gives Stinky a whisker kiss.

With snack time complete, Periwinkle gets ready to head home. But first, she says, “good-bye” to Stinky’s parents and all his fursibs. After several minutes of paw hugs and whisker kisses, the tabbies whisper, “I love you,” to each other. Then Periwinkle enters the teleportation tunnel, and with a wave, blown kiss and whoosh, she is gone.

Stinky heads to the bedroom for a nap and dreams of his day with Periwinkle.

The End

Periwinkle and Stinky will be joining the Happy Tuesday blog hop at Comedy Plus.To do the same, click on the Happy badge.

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CCCXXIV

Stinky is waiting by the teleportation tunnel for Periwinkle’s arrival. He’s not waiting long before he sees the tunnel vibrate. Periwinkle comes tumbling out with a whoosh. Stinky sets her upright and plants a whisker kiss on her cheek. Then he grabs his backpack and Periwinkle’s paw and leads her back into the teleportation tunnel. Stinky sets the proper coordinates and with another whoosh they are off on today’s adventure … destination Chile.

Chile

When Periwinkle and Stinky arrive at their destination and exit their tunnel, Periwinkle remarks about how warm it is. That’s when Stinky tells her they are in Chile in the Southern Hemisphere where it is summer and the temperature is 73 degrees.

“What are we doing in Chile?” Periwinkle immediately asks.

“We are here to meet some penguins, as today is Penguin Awareness Day,” replies Stinky. He continues, “Outside Antarctica, penguins can be found in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Peru, Chile, the Galapagos Islands, and the Falkland Islands. Chile is home to nine of the 18 recognized species of penguins.” Stinky pulls from his backpack a chart with photos of all the different species and shares it with Periwinkle.

 

 

“Which ones are we going to see, Stinky?”

“We don’t have time to see them all, so I have selected three of the species: the Magallanic, Humboldt and King. They all look different, and we should be able to identify them easily.”

“Where should we start?“ Periwinkle asks.

Magellanic Penguins

“If we go to the Monumento Natural Islotes de Puñihuil, we can visit both Humboldt and Magellanic penguins. There is no other place where we can see both types of penguins together. To protect the breeding colony of these two species Puñihuil was declared a Natural Monument in 1999.”

“That sounds perfect,” replies Periwinkle.

Stinky tells Periwinkle that Magellanic penguins are found on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Chile, Argentina and the Falkland Islands. They have two black breast bands and dense feathers. They stand 24 to 30 inches tall with a weight of 6 to 14.3 pounds. The males are larger than the females with an average weight of 10 pounds.

 

Collage of Magellanic penguins.

 

“Stinky, they are so cute! Look at the two kissing ones,” exclaims Periwinkle.

Stinky smiles and nods and tells Periwinkle, “The Magellanic penguins prefer burrows in soft soil or under bushes. They have a varied diet including krill, fish and squid. In total there are around 1,800,000 breeding pairs and populations in Chili are increasing. Their status, however, is near threatened.”

“I cannot imagine anything cuter, but let’s check out the Humboldt ones,” says Periwinkle.

Humboldt Penguins

Stinky tells Periwinkle about the Humboldt penguins. “They have one black breast band and pink eye patches. They range in size from 22 to 28 inches tall and weigh from 6.4 to 13.2 pounds.

 

Collage of Humboldt penguins.

 

“These are super cute as well. I like their little polka dots,” Periwinkle tells Stinky.

Stinky replies, “These penguins nest on rocky shores with guano deposits and eat small fish (anchovies and sardines). They are classified as vulnerable due to climate change effecting their supply of food.”

Stinky takes a can of sardines from his backpack, and he and Periwinkle toss them to the penguins nearby.

Then they jump into the teleportation tunnel so they can visit the King penguins.

King Penguins

Stinky shares some information with Periwinkle about the King penguin, “The King Penguin Nature Reserve (Reserva Natural Pingüino Rey) in Tierra del Fuego is the sanctuary for this second largest penguin. It has a characteristic orange color at its upper chest, at the sides of its head and in a lateral line on its beak. The colony of king penguins arrived in the area in 2010. After that the nature reserve was installed to ensure their protection. The colony originally consisted of eight penguins but with the help of biologists, archaeologists and local experts, it has since grown to include approximately 200 individuals.

 

Collage of King penguins.

 

“Stinky, look at that fuzzy chick. I can’t believe it will change so drastically when it becomes an adult.”

“That definitely will be a huge change, Periwinkle, agrees Stinky.” He proceeds to tell her, “A King penguin is from 28 to 39 inches tall and weighs between 21 to 40 pounds with males generally being larger than females. King penguins can dive to depths of 300 feet to hunt for food. Their diet consists of various varieties of fish (lanterfish being the favorite), krill and squid.”

“Stinky, what else do you have in your backpack. I could sure use a snack.”

“I brought some frozen, cooked squid for these penguins. It has probably thawed by now.”

“Is it okay for cats to eat squid?” asks Periwinkle.

“Yes, as long as it is cooked and not seasoned. It is high-quality lean (low fat) protein and contains Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as minerals including zinc, iron and magnesium and vitamins A, B12 and E. All of those things are good for us cats.”

“Okay, I’ll give it a try,” replies Periwinkle.

Cats as Penguins

“Before we eat, I have something else in my backpack,” says Stinky as he pulls out two penguin costumes.

“Are we going to wear those?”

“Yep, if we are going to eat like penguins, let’s look like penguins,” Stinky replies as he hands a costume to Periwinkle.

They climb into their costumes and each take some squid for themselves and some for a nearby penguin.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats in penguin costumes with a King penguin in Chile.

 

“Periwinkle, you look especially cute,” says Stinky. Periwinkle smiles and thanks him for the compliment.

Penguin Appreciation Day

“Periwinkle I think I should tell our readers a bit more about Penguin Appreciation Day. What do you think?”

“That’s an excellent idea.”

“Well, it actually is an informal observance. Unlike many other ecological observances, it is unofficial and not affiliated with any environmental organization. It is unclear who or when it was created, but it is celebrated annually on January 20 and gives us the opportunity to learn about and commemorate these unusual birds.

“Periwinkle, I had planned to share a list of all the zoos in the United States where one can visit penguins, but the list was much too long. Our friends, I know, can look that information up for themselves. I did find, however, that the penguin species in most U.S. zoos is the African penguin.

“I do have one final thing I would like to share. Here’s of photo of my dad with a penguin in Brazil in 2008. I think it is a Magellanic penguin chick. That species migrates there when it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere.”

 

Man and Magellanic penguin chick.

 

“Now that is too, too sweet,” gushes Periwinkle.

Heading Home

It is very late in the day and time for the tabbies to head home. Stinky sets the teleportation tunnel’s coordinates for Periwinkle’s house. When they get there, Stinky runs inside, gives Mom Sharon a hug and says, “hi,” to Periwinkle’s sisfurs. He and Periwinkle spend several minutes whisker kissing and whispering, “l love you.” Then with a wave and a blown kiss, Stinky enters the teleportation tunnel, sets the coordinates for home and is gone in a whoosh.

The End

Periwinkle and Stinky will be participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop hosted by Sandee at Comedy Plus. To do the same, click on the Happy badge.

 

 

Two cartoon tabby cats in penguin costumes with six mini cartoon penguins in a row.

FOR THE LOVE OF GINGERS

Kiss a Ginger Cat

Kiss a Ginger Cat Day badge.

 

Yesterday was Kiss a Ginger Cat Day, but like most cat birthdays, gotcha days and holidays, I missed it. And that is not something I like to do, especially as we have two current ginger kitties and one angel ginger.

 

A graphic showing love for three ginger cats with hearts and kissing lips.

 

Though I am a day late, I have given Cooper Murphy a big kiss. Raleigh would never let me close enough to plant one on him. MacKenzie was my shadow, so kissing him was no problem.

Their new mom promised to give our two not-so-tiny, ginger terrorists a kiss from me. (I kissed them lots and lots when they were living with us.) Here’s the latest photo of Oscar and Oliver.

 

Two ginger cat brothers love each other and nap together.

 

All the gingers will be participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop hosted by Sandee at Comedy Plus. Click on the Happy badge to do the same.

Periwinkle & Stinky

Please do not forget to join our adventurous tabbies today over at Friends Furever.

Thanks for joining us today.

 

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CCCXX

Gotcha Day at the Cottage

Stinky is always happy to see Periwinkle, but today is super special, and he is having trouble containing his excitement. Today is Periwinkle and her alter ego, Noelle’s, Gotcha Day. Stinky has asked Periwinkle to meet him at their cottage where all his fursibs and hers will be waiting. With so many kitties needing to use the teleportation tunnel, Stinky has gone ahead to the cottage early. He already spent a good portion of the weekend decorating.

Thankfully, all the guests are in place and are waiting for Periwinkle when the teleportation tunnel begins to vibrate, and Periwinkle pops out in a whoosh. Stinky catches her before she can knock kitten Gibbs on his bum. They spend several minutes whisker kissing and paw hugging.

When they come up for air, Periwinkle is surprised to see their families. ”You didn’t tell me we were going to celebrate Christmas today,” she exclaims.

“We are doing that, but the celebration is really for you and Noelle, as it is your Gotcha Day,” replies Stinky.

Periwinkle throws her paws around him and gives Stinky a huge hug. “Thank you, you are the best fiancé ever.”

Stinky’s mom has helped him prepare their lunch, but Periwinkle heads to the kitchen with Stinky to help him bring the food to the table.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats, Periwinkle and Stinky celebrate her Gotcha Day and Christmas in their cottage kitchen.

 

While they do that, all the others take their seats. Noelle and Lisbeth help Tali and Gibbs into high chairs.

Lunch Time

 

Two cartoon tabby cats, Periwinkle and Stinky, two kittens and 10 cats celebrate her Gotcha Day and Christmas in their cottage dining room.

 

When they come back to the dining room, Periwinkle notices angel Astrid and says, “I am so happy Astrid could join us from the Rainbow Bridge. I wish all our angel fursibs could be here.”

“Yes, that would be great, but I think we would need a bigger cottage,” replies Stinky.

Everyone grows quiet as they feast on all the nummy food. When they have eaten everything, Cooper Murphy leaves the room and comes back with a huge cake for Periwinkle and Noelle.

Gotcha Day cake with tiara and snowflakes for Periwinkle and Noelle.

 

The two ladies “ooh and ahh” over their cake. In unison, they say, “Thanks, Cooper, it is gorgeous!”

Gibbs and Tali have never seen anything like it. They squeal and clap their paws together. Stinky has to hold Gibbs back from attacking the cake. Though everyone is super full, none of the cats turn down cake.

When finished all the kitties head back to the living room where Stinky hands out gifts to everyone. Each contains a new catnip-filled toy. All the kitties play with their toys. Kizmet tries to keep Tali from stealing her new toy.

 

Two cartoon tabby cakes, Periwinkle and Stinky, 10 cats and two kittens celebrate Christmas and a Gotcha Day.

 

As they quickly grow tired, each cat curls up for a nap.

While everyone is napping, Stinky tells Periwinkle to close her eyes. Then he takes her paw and leads her to the backyard garden, which he has decorated.

Gotcha Day in the Garden

 

Two cartoon tabby cats, Periwinkle and Stinky, celebrate her Gotcha Day in a garden filled with Christmas trees and colored lights.

 

When Periwinkle opens her eyes, she squeals with delight, “Stinky, this is so beautiful. You know what I like best about our garden?”

“No, what?”

“I like that it is never cold and the flowers are always in bloom.”

“That is because it is magical,” Stinky replies.

“I love it here, and wish we could stay all the time,” Periwinkle tells Stinky.

“Maybe we can after we are married,” Stinky replies and winks at Periwinkle.

“When do you think that will be?”

“I don’t know. I think our moms have to plan that. Let’s ask them about it when we get home tomorrow.”

“Oh, that is an excellent idea, and I am super happy we get to spend the night here,” Periwinkle says.

“Me too, let’s go inside and wake everyone up, so they can begin heading home.”

“I like the way you think, Stinky!”

Once everyone is awake, Periwinkle and Stinky see them to the front porch, hug each kitty and thank them for coming and then watch as they take turns leaving through the two teleportation tunnels.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats, Periwinkle & Stinky, in front of a country cottage decorated for Christmas.

 

Once everyone is safely away, Periwinkle and Stinky clean up the living room, dining room and kitchen.

Good Night … Sleep Tight!

They are both exhausted after such a busy day, and decide it is time to head for bed.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats, Periwinkle and Stinky, snuggling in a bed in a bedroom decorated for Christmas.

 

The tabbies snuggle together and tell each other “I love you,” before sharing some whisker kisses and paw hugs. After saying “good-night,” they are fast asleep.

The End

Periwinkle and Stinky wish everyone a very, Meowy Christmas!

 

Two cartoon tabby cats, Periwinkle and Stinky, dressed in Christmas attire and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

 

Periwinkle and Stinky will be participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. To join them there, click on the Happy Tuesday badge.

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CCCXVIII

As he always is, Stinky is anxious for Periwinkle’s arrival and paces in front of the teleportation tunnel. Their adventures are the highlight of his week. When he sees the tunnel begin to vibrate, he rushes to the opening just in time to catch Periwinkle as she tumbles out with a whoosh! They immediately begin paw hugging and whisker kissing.

Snow Day (Not)

When they come up for air, Periwinkle asks, “Are we going outside to play in the snow?”

“That had not been part of my plan, but if you want to, we can,” replies Stinky.

“Heavens no, I just thought that might be something we’d be doing,” exclaims Periwinkle.

Stinky’s Health

“No way. I cannot believe we have already had two significant snow occurrences, and it is not even winter yet. And with my weight loss, I know it would feel extra cold to me!”

“I hate that you have not been well. What do you think is wrong?”

“Heck if I know. You know my brain is wired a bit differently. Mom and Dad are feeding me whenever I want and mixing my stinky goodness with warm water to try to get me rehydrated.”

“Wow, stinky goodness whenever you want is pretty cool.”

“Yep … Stinky goodness for Stinky!” Both Periwinkle and Stinky giggle at his little joke.

“So, what’s the plan going forward?” asks Periwinkle.

“Mom and Dad have cancelled my ultrasound that was scheduled for tomorrow. They want to see how I am in a week before they decide to do it or not. I’ve already gained a little weight,” replies Stinky.

Periwinkle claps her paws together. “That’s wonderful news, and I know you are happy about that. So, if we are not going out in the snow, what are we going to do?”

Making a Congratulatory Banner

“Well, first we have a project for Mom and all my fursibs.”

Periwinkle exclaims, “Oh goodie. Are we wrapping gifts? I had so much fun doing that the year your mom had Covid.”

“Nope, we are making a banner. This is the 4,000th post of The Cat on My Head.”

“Wow, that is so cool. Let’s get busy.”

The tabbies head to the kitchen where Stinky has laid out all the supplies, and they immediately start to work.

 

Nine cats and two cartoon tabby cats celebrate the 4,000th post of The Cat on My Head.

 

“Stinky, I think that came out great. Do you think your mom and all the Kitties Blue will like it?”

“I sure hope so. I am happy we could include Gibbs and Tali. Mom says it is so hard to get photos of the kittens, as they are super wiggly.”

“Kitten energy is amazing,” replies Periwinkle and then asks, “What’s next on the agenda?”

Letters to Santa

“Letters to Santa. I think I will ask for less snow.”

“Wow, Stinky, do you think he can do that?”

Stinky sighs and answers, “NO!” Then he tells Periwinkle, “My mom got us some special Santa stationary. Here’s a piece for you and a pen.”

“Thanks, Stinky.”

The tabbies quietly work on writing their letters.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats write letters to Santa.

 

letter to Santa

letter to Santa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Stinky, I am not certain Santa can read your writing. Nor do I think he can do much with these lists. Some of our requests may take a miracle!”

“Then we’ll just pray for some miracles,” replies Stinky.

“That’s a good idea. I can do that. So, what’s next on the agenda today?”

Shopping Suggestions

“I thought we could give all the parents and our cat friends a list of good places to gift shop for each other as well as some idea for good gifts,” Stinky tells Periwinkle.

“That’s a terrific idea, and I have a suggestion. It is where we kitties should shop for our humans. The site is GiftingTopia. It is Angel Brian’s dad Terry’s shop. There are so many cool things like ornaments, tote bags, mugs, jewelry, clothes, blankets and more. And everything is super cute.”

“Another great place to shop, Periwinkle, is the Cat Lady Box site. We can shop for our humans, and they can shop for us as well. They have beds, blankets and the best catnip toys. Kizmet is a connoisseur of them. They have a huge range of products for Cat ladies, including clothing, jewelry, home and kitchen items and more. Part of their proceeds go to cat shelters/rescues. So far they have donated $220,000 to 1012 shelters.”

“Everybody should shop there, Stinky. Do you have any other ideas?”

“Yes, Leo’s Paw. They have fountains, beds, toys, grooming products and lots more. They too support non-profit, rescue and adoption centers, giving homeless cats another chance for a happy life.”

“Of course, there are lots of other places to shop like Chewy and Amazon, but these are some of our favorites, right Stinky?”

“Yes, indeed.”

Some Favorite Cat Products

Disclaimer: The products Periwinkle and Stinky are sharing can be purchased from a variety of sites, including the manufacturer, Chewy, Amazon and others. Neither Kitties Blue nor Mom Janet will receive any form of compensation by sharing this information with you.

Birman cat in a pink Cattasaurus.“Stinky, we love the Cattasaurus Sawyer sent Noelle for Christmas last year. We have the pink one, and I know you all have the dark grey one.”

“That is one of our favorite things as well, Periwinkle. Just last night, Kizmet was inside and she and Audrey were playing smack paw through the little cat-shaped cutout.”

“That’s a fun game, Stinky. My sisfur, Reesie, loves curing up for a snooze in the well on the top.”

Another of our favorites is the Automatic Butterfly Cat Toy from Caroline’s Cats.

 

Two tabby cats playing with a butterfly toy.

 

automatic laser toy“Stinky, I know you all like the Automatic Random Interactive Cat Laser Toy Noelle gifted Sawyer.”

“One or more of my fursibs plays with it everyday, Periwinkle.”

Two cartoon tabby cats and five other cats watching a red laser dot!

The red dot is in front of Sawyer and the toy is behind his left ear.

 

“Periwinkle, I have one final suggestion.”

“What is it, Stinky?”

It’s the KittyKurlz. It too is available from a variety of sellers at a wide range of prices.

 

Buff colored cat bathing behind a KittyKurlz toy.

 

“You cannot see it, but there is a ball in the track in the center. Kizmet loves to start whacking it around when Mom and Dad want to go to sleep.”

Snack Time

“Stinky, this was a jam-packed adventure. I don’t know about you, but I could use a snack.”

“You know I want one, Periwinkle. Let’s head back to the kitchen. I think a couple of my fursibs might be there already.”

 

Two cartoon tabby cats, a grey cat and a dilute tortie cat having snack at a kitchen counter.

 

After they finish their snacks and have shared with Kizmet and Calista Jo, it is time for Periwinkle to head home. She and Stinky spend several minutes paw hugging and whisker kissing and telling each other, “I love you.” Periwinkle tells Stinky that she’s going to be purring and praying for him. Then she enters the teleportation tunnel and with a wave and blown kiss is gone in a whoosh.

Stinky heads off for a nap and dreams of Periwinkle.

The End

The tabbies will be participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop hosted by Sandee at Comedy Plus. To join them there, click on the Happy badge.

 

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CCCXVI

A Caturday Adventure

Even though Stinky had just seen Periwinkle five days previously, he was super excited to see and spend the day with her. They had been invited to join the annual Childrens’ Parade, which was on Caturday.

The Childrens’ Parade is an annual event in Stinky’s city, but he had never attended and was looking forward to seeing and being in it with Periwinkle. He had been told that 55 groups were participating, and he was really hoping they wouldn’t get stepped on.

The parade didn’t start until 11 a.m., so he wasn’t concerned about Periwinkle arriving on time. Nonetheless, he was waiting by the teleportation tunnel when he saw it begin to vibrate, and Periwinkle tumbled out with a whoosh right into his waiting paws.

The two spent several minutes whisker kissing and paw hugging. Then Periwinkle asked, “Why am I here on a Caturday? Do you have something special planned?”

“I do. We need to go down to the garage. My mom and dad are taking us. When they get downstairs, Periwinkle runs up to check out the kittens before hopping in the car. After they get buckled into their seat belts, Stinky’s dad backs out of the garage and heads down the alley.

Just minutes later they arrive at their destination where Periwinkle sees thousands of people. She asks Stinky, “What is happening? Why are there so many people? And why are some dressed up funny?”

Grandin Village Holiday Children’s Parade

Stinky explains that this is the Grandin Village* Holiday Children’s Parade. It has been an annual event on the Caturday prior to Thanksgiving since the late 1970s. Local organizations, dance groups, daycares, churches and scouting groups as well as others participate. “We have been invited to join in the fun. We are going to be near the front of the parade, which has 55 groups entered this year. Then we will join some of the other groups and walk with them.”

“Stinky, this sounds like loads of fun,” replies Periwinkle.

Before they join the start of the parade, Stinky gives Periwinkle a Christmas tree hat and light garland to wear, and he dons a Santa hat and holiday scarf.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed for Christmas and taking part in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA.

 

“Periwinkle, look at that giant lady. That is the tallest person I have ever seen. I think she’s supposed to be a snow person.”

“Stinky, you are so silly. That is not a giant. That is a woman walking on stilts,” explains Periwinkle.

“Oh, that explains it,” replies Stinky.

Periwinkle & Dancers

As they are at the front of the parade, they arrive at its endpoint first. They begin to work their way back through the various groups, walking with some and riding with others, as they advance along the parade route. Periwinkle joins one of the dance groups.

 

A cartoon tabby cat dressed for Christmas with a group of girls in red sweatshirts doing a dance routine with snowflakes and taking part in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA.

 

Periwinkle & Stinky With Scouts

“Oh, Stinky, look, there’s a Scout troop. Let’s join them. I know how much my brofur Raz and your brofurs, Cooper Murphy and Mau, loved being Cat Scouts.”

“And my dad was an Eagle Scout,” replies Stinky.

The Scouts tell the tabbies they can ride atop their banner.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed for Christmas riding atop a Cub Scouts banner and taking part in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA.

 

Baton Twirlers

When Periwinkle sees a group of baton twirlers, she runs off to join them while Stinky watches from the side of the street. periwinkle wishes she had a baton to twirl.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed for Christmas and taking part in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA, with a group of baton twirlers.

 

Getting a Ride

The tabbies see an elf at the front of a group on bicyclists and decide to walk with him for a little while. But a couple of the cyclists ask Periwinkle and Stinky if they would like to ride on their handlebars. Both tabbies take them up on their offers.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed for Christmas and riding on the handle bars of bikes following a man dressed as an elf in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA.

 

Stinky notices Periwinkle is no longer wearing her tree hat and asks her what happened to it?

She tells him, “My head got so hot, I felt as if my brain might explode. Your mom has my hat for safe-keeping. I hope you don’t mind that I changed to this bow and flower.”

“Of course not. I can now see more of your pretty face,” Stinky replies.

Periwinkle blushes and blows him a kiss.

Joining Frosty & Some Other Groups

Stinky and Periwinkle spot a snowman and decide to walk along with him for a while. He is the strong, silent type and doesn’t talk to the tabbies.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed for Christmas walking with a person costumed as a snowman and taking part in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA.

 

When Periwinkle spies another group of dancers, she runs to catch up and join them.

 

A cartoon tabby cat dressed for Christmas and taking part in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA, with a dance group in white fur trimmed costumes and carrying snow flakes.

 

After walking with Frosty and dancing, Periwinkle’s paws are tired. She and Stinky look for another group where they can hitch a ride and find more cyclists.

 

Two cartoon tabby cats dressed for Christmas, riding on the handlebars of bikes and taking part in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA.

 

Disney Princesses

As the end of the parade draws near, Periwinkle begins to bounce from back paw to back paw and clap her front paws together. Then Stinky hears her squeal, “Stinky look at the princesses. Do you think it will be okay for me to join them?”

“Of course, go for it.”

 

A cartoon tabby cat dressed as a princess and walking with Disney princesses and taking part in the Grandin Village* Holiday Children's Parade, Roanoke, VA.

 

Periwinkle yells at Stinky who has joined his parents in the front yard of friends, “Look, Stinky, they knew we were coming and brought a dress and tiara for me!”

Stinky yells back, “You look fabulous. Have fun with the princesses.”

The Parade Ends

Periwinkle walks with the other princesses for a few blocks, then runs back to Stinky and his mom and dad. Mom Janet explains that there is a reception with Santa, hot chocolate and cookies several blocks away, but they are going to skip it. She says it will be way too crowded, and she doesn’t want Periwinkle and Stinky to get lost in the crowd and trampled. She promises to take them to see Santa another time. Periwinkle doesn’t mind, as she wants to visit the kittens, and Stinky does not complain.

Visiting the Kittens

Mom Janet takes a couple of the kittens out of the enclosure so Periwinkle can get a better look.

 

A cartoon tabby cat with two live kittens.

 

Periwinkle squees when she sees them and gives each a head butt. After several minutes of visiting, Periwinkle joins Stinky upstairs for a snack. When they have finished, the tabbies spend several minutes whisker kissing, paw hugging and telling each other, “I love you.” Then Periwinkle enters the teleportation tunnel and with a blown kiss, a wave and a whoosh, she is gone. Sawyer retires to the bedroom for a long nap.

The End

*Grandin Village is a neighborhood near the one where Kitties Blue live. It is where Sawyer was found when he went on his Walkabout in 2021.

Happy Tuesday

Periwinkle & Stinky will be participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. To join them there, click on the Happy badge.

KITTIES BLUE BLOG 4 PEACE

Blog 4 Peace 2025

This is the 20th anniversary of Blog 4 Peace created by Mimi Lenox. And Kitties Blue are happy to take this opportunity to join bloggers from 214 countries in participating. Every year peace in our world seems to get further away. We will continue to pray for and promote it.

 

The Cat on My Head's Kitties Blue join the 2025 Blog 4 Peace, with the theme, Speak Love.

 

This year’s theme is Speak Love.

For additional information about Blog 4 Peace, click this link. To submit your own peace globe, e-mail it to blog4peace@yahoo.com.

Kitties Blue also will be participating in the Happy Tuesday blog hop hosted by Sandee at Comedy Plus. Click on the “Happy” badge to do the same.

Stinky & Periwinkle at Friends Furever

Please don’t forget to join your favorite, fun-loving tabbies, Stinky and Periwinkle, on today’s adventure. You can find them over on the Friends Furever website. Just click on Periwinkle & Stinky’s logo at the left, and you’ll be teleported there. We know they’ll be looking for you. Please don’t let them down.

Thanks for joining us today. May peace be with you!