Holiday

EASTER SUNDAY SELFIES

Sunday Selfies: Week #190

We are going to keep this short, as we know you want to enjoy the holiday and not spend a lot of time reading.

We have two hosts today. Just as Lisbeth had hoped her boyfriend Charles would see and like her art yesterday, your selfie hosts are hoping the same thing.

Astrid and Mau are here to send love and Easter greetings to their spouses, Sampson (Kitty Cat Chronicles) and Allie (Friends Furever).

All the Kitties Blue, Dad Tom and I wish everyone a happy and blessed holiday whether you are celebrating Easter or Passover.

Time to Hop

Now it’s time for you to share your selfie with all of us. Please add some colorful holiday touches if you like. And if you are new to hopping or just need a refresher course to enter our hop, here are some pointers.

The link to add your selfie to the hop is below.
You also will find below the code to use if you’d like the hop to appear on your blog.
Posting on Sundays is not necessary to join.
You do not need to be a cat to enter. All anipals are welcome regardless of species.
The hop remains open for entries through Thursday midnight.
Please be so kind as to display our badge and/or link to The Cat on My Head.

Thanks for hopping.

WEARIN’ O’ THE GREEN

Caturday Art

Sawyer is decked out in green (and yellow) today in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. I selected a filter from Painnt entitled, Greenify, with the hope of getting something worthy of a St. Patrick’s Day post. I was so pleased with the outcome that I didn’t add any additional effects from Painnt but stuck with the original. The green and yellow border flowers were added with piZap and the frame with Picasa.

I selected this photo of Sawyer on the catio specifically for how “busy” the photo is, hoping this would make for interesting art. And it did.

The “Wearin’ O’ the Green” photo is our entry in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. To join in the fun or view arty submissions from other bloggers, click on her badge.

As promised yesterday, Mauricio is sharing his St. Paddy’s Day limerick from 2015. (If you’d like to see some additional St Patrick’s Day limericks by Kitties Blue, click here.)

Celebrating St. Gertrude

March 17 is also the feast day of another important saint. St. Gertrude of Nivelles, who lived from 621 to 659, is the patron saint of gardeners, travelers, widows, recently deceased people, the sick, the poor and the mentally ill. People call upon St. Gertrude for protection from mice, rats, fever, insanity and mental illness. But first and foremost, St. Gertrude is the patron saint of cats and cat lovers. So while your hoisting a green beer or two today, give a toast to St. Gertrude.

Sunday Selfies: A Birthday and a Remembrance

Tomorrow will be a big day on the Sunday Selfies blog hop. We will be celebrating the seventh birthday of Giulietta and Angel Fiona. This is a day filled with joy and sadness for all the Kitties Blue. We are happy to be celebrating with Giulietta but wish Fiona was still here to enjoy her special day with all of us. In honor of her birthday, Giulietta will be your host for tomorrow’s hop.

Additionally we will be remembering Maggie. Maggie is mommy’s friend, Mary Jane’s, woofie who recently received her wings.

We hope to see lots of you here tomorrow for the birthday celebration and then hope you’ll stick around and join the hop.

CHRISTMAS SECRET PAWS

Secret Paws 2017

As we have since we began blogging, we are participating in the Secret Paws gift exchange. This is coordinated by Truffle and Brulee’s mom, Paula, from Sweet Purrfections. We are most appreciative for her hard work in gathering all the information and assigning the Secret Paws.

Since it is a secret, we cannot tell you where or to whom we sent our gifts. And we have no idea what Mom sent, as we were not allowed to help with the wrapping for obvious reasons: 1) ripping the paper; 2) getting tape stuck in our furs; 3) chewing on ribbons; 4) trying to steal the gifts for ourselves and 5) spilling our guts and letting everyone know what we sent.

So here are some rather boring (and bad) photos of our wrapped gifts.

We have no idea who our Secret Paws is, as we have not received our gift yet. But Christmas is still six days away, and Mom won’t let us open our gifts until Christmas Day, so we aren’t worried about it. We’ll let you know all about our gift after Christmas as well as where we sent our package.

We told Mom that the Hello Kitty wrapping paper wasn’t a good enough cat representation for this post. So, here is our gratuitous kitten-in-a-box photo.

Last night was the first night Sawyer was not confined to the living room. When we went to sleep, he was sleeping on a pile of pillows atop the antique trunk at the end of Mom and Dad’s bed. You’ll have to wait until Thursday to find out how that experiment worked out, as tomorrow we’ll be wordless.

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

December 19, 2017 by Janet Blue Christmas Holiday Kitty Written Blog Secret Paws 16

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #82

We are back again with more holiday-themed fill-ins. Kitties Blue asked me to complete all four this week. As I always do, I’ve used teal italics for my completions.

1. Snow is beautiful when it is falling, but I want it all to melt before it turns grimy and ugly.

2. I enjoy decorating everything with white lights at Christmas. They glow makes me happy.

3. One holiday memory that I cherish is the year my grandparents gave me a pogo stick for Christmas. My grandpa got on and “pogoed” himself right into the juniper bushes.

4. I always thought that Santa gifts were the best. That’s where all the fun stuff could be found…crayons, silly putty, pick-up sticks, jacks and slinkies!

Neither Dad Tom nor I have taken any photos as yet of this year’s decorations. And we didn’t decorate last year, as my heart was not in it after Fiona’s passing. Because of that, I am sharing some past Christmas photos that you may or may not have seen. They are from 1950, 1966, 2012 and 2015.

Friendly Fill-Ins is a weekly blog hop hosted by friends, Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). If you’d like to participate, you can find the fill-in sentences on their blogs each Thursday. After you complete your post, you can enter the hop on Annie’s blog. Click on the badge below to go to McGuffy’s Reader.

December 15, 2017 by Janet Blue Christmas Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Holiday 18

THANKSGIVING WISHES FROM KITTIES BLUE

Thoroughly Poetic Thanksgiving Thursday

Today’s prompt letter should be “X,” an exceptionally hard letter to poetize about. Being the good pal that he is, angel Sammy gave us all permission to chose our own subject. He didn’t even post any suggestion words. We are quite thankful for this!

As you might expect, we decided to write a poem of Thanksgiving for our Mom and Dad. Though it lists some of our many transgressions, our humans understand we are cats and mostly do as we please.

Thankful for the Bestest Mom and Dad

Sometimes Kitties Blue are not well behaved.
We act as if we’re totally depraved.
We whine and caterwaul for our dinner…
Can’t help it if we don’t want to get thinner.
We ask to go in and out dozens of times a day;
It is one of our favorite games to play.
We camp on the stairs so no others can pass.
Yeah, sometimes each of us can be a gigantic ass.
We like to wrestle and bite each other on the necks.
I guess you could say we are the worst smart alecks.
Growling, hissing and spitting can be fun,
When we can make the other kitty squeal and run.
All of these pastimes drive the humans to distraction,
As they try to stop us from committing each infraction.
We pay them back by sleeping east/west in their bed
Or, like Misty May, upon their faces or heads.
You’d think we’re not fit to live in a house…
That we should be outside to catch a mouse
And have it for our breakfast, lunch and dinner,
As punishment for our being incessant sinners.
But our humans love us. We know this to be true.
It doesn’t matter what we meyowl or do.
So today we thank them for giving us a home
From which we have no desire to roam.
And good noms, snuggles, scritches and kisses.
We are kitties whose lives are filled with riches.
Happy Thanksgiving to our Mom and Dad.
Now fetch us some turkey or we’ll be very bad!

We are joining Sammy and Teddy for their weekly poetry day. To read angel Sammy’s poem, which he transmits from the Rainbow Bridge, and find links to other poems, click on his badge.

Thankful Thanksgiving Thursday

We have so much for which to be thankful, as we outlined above. We also are thankful for all our blogging friends. The relationships we have made over the past five-plus years are precious to all of us and Mom nd Dad as well. We wish you all a blessed day filled with love and happiness.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by our friend, Brian. To join the hop click on his badge. We are sending Brian a special thank you for hosting this hop and a reason to reflect each week on all the things for which are thankful.

Finally a photo for you from our favorite and original turkey, Lily Olivia.

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

November 23, 2017 by Janet Blue Holiday Poetry Thankful Thursday Thanksgiving Thoroughly Poetic Thursday 25

VETERANS DAY ART WITH LISBETH

Caturday Art

I am here to celebrate and honor all veterans of the armed services on behalf of Kitties Blue and our humans.

Mom took this photo for me to send to Charles, as I am lying on one of the purple blankies he sent me. I thought it would make a great starting point for today’s art, which we are entering in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art Blog Hop.

My art was created using PicMonkey and Picasa. I love how my eye ended up framed by one of the stars on our American flag.

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, honoring military veterans; persons (and animals) who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

Daniel William Lipinski is the U.S. Representative for Illinois’s 3rd congressional district, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

This is our entry in the Caturday Art blog hop. To enter or find links for other art, click on Athena’s badge.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Yep…it’s time again to put on your best smile and snap a photo for tomorrow’s blog hop. Entries were really off last week. If you’d like to invite your friends to join in the fun, that would be terrific.

Until then…

Purrs and paw-pats, Lisbeth

November 11, 2017 by Janet Blue Caturday Art Blog Hop Holiday Kitty Written Blog Veterans Day 20

CHRISTMAS FLASHBACK IN JULY

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week 62

Once again, I am joining Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Annie’s (McGufffy’s Reader) weekly fill-in blog hop. It’s always interesting to see what sentences they select for us to complete. Sometimes they are cat-friendly and Kitties Blue can complete them. Other times, like this week, they are more human-oriented. Anyhoo, here’s how I completed the fill-ins this week. As always, my completions are in teal italics.

1. My inner child likes to color; though, I haven’t had much time for it since I became a member of my 50th High School Reunion planning committee and started researching to find missing classmates.

2. My favorite month is probably December, as I love all the Christmas lights and decorations. I did not decorate last Christmas, as I just didn’t have the heart after Fiona passed on December 1.

Some Christmas photos from 2015. Maybe if we all stare at these long enough, we can channel some cooler temperatures!

3. My favorite commercial(s) is are the ones for Progressive Insurance with Susan Lucci, as they always make me laugh as do the State Farm Insurance commercials with J.K. Simmons, especially the one with the synchronized swimming dogs in the flooded living room. To be truthful, I usually zone out when commercials are on, and in most cases I fast forward through them as I record most things on DVR.

4. Personally, I don’t care for okra, rude and disrespectful people, individuals who are cruel to animals and those who abandon their pets.

Both Annie and Ellen post the fill-in statements on their blogs on Thursday, and on Friday we complete them and then zip on over to Annie’s to link up for the blog hop. If you haven’t joined in, why not? This is a great way to learn more about your blogging friends. Click on the badge at the top of the post to be transported to McGuffy’s Reader.

Caturday Art

Tomorrow is Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty‘s Caturday Art blog hop. This is another hop not to be missed. It gives you the opportunity to use the many photo-editing apps and your imagination to create something beautiful, unusual, funky, etc.

Tomorrow, Kitties Blue will be having a guest artist. We’ve already had a sneak peek at the art. We are certain you will like it. So please come back to visit then.

July 14, 2017 by Janet Blue Christmas Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Holiday 22

CELEBRATING OUR INDEPENDENCE

Independence Day 2017

Some people don’t like kitties. They say we are too independent. But this post isn’t about that. Today’s Independence Day celebrates the birth of our nation 241 years ago. Wow, that’s a long time ago. We can’t count that high even if we use all our toes.

But never mind. The most important thing is that we kitties feel fortunate to have a home in the USA…the home of the free and the brave. As you celebrate today with your picnics, parades, barbecues and fireworks, please remember and thank all those who fought and continue to fight for our freedom.

And here are a few things to think about today, with gratitude to Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence.

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.

No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will.

It is always better to have no ideas than false ones; to believe nothing, than to believe what is wrong.

Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.

Peaches and Paprika and their Mom Carol have created a Catriotic slideshow featuring many of our blogging friends. You can view it on YouTube by clicking here.

Have a happy, quiet and save 4th.

Purrs & pawpats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo and Cooper Murphy

July 4, 2017 by Janet Blue Holiday Kitty Written Blog 22

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO SERVED & DIED

Memorial Day: Remembering

Memorial Day is an American holiday. It is observed on the last Monday of May and honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War. It took more than 100 years for Memorial Day to become an official federal holiday. That didn’t occur until 1971.

Remembering those killed at Normandy in World War II.

Dad Tom and the petretary visited Normandy (France) American Cemetery & Memorial in 2013.

Though Memorial Day was established to honor those who have given their lives in service to our country, we asked Mom if we could honor her father as well as Dad Tom’s. They both served in Word War II and returned home at the conclusion of the war. Mom’s dad was in the U.S. Army. Dad’s father was in the U.S. Navy.

Harvey H. Buickerood – 1943

Harriet and E.M. Blue – Washington D.C. – 1945

Our prayers today are with all the families who have lost friends and loved ones in service to the USA. And we applaud all those who have served and are currently serving in our military.

p.s. We had planned to share photos of the all the goodies we received from Bionic Basil as well. But we decided not to dilute this post. We will share that with you tomorrow.

May 29, 2017 by Janet Blue Holiday 15

TRIO OF EASTER SUNDAY SELFIES

Sunday Selfies: Week #140

The tale of Phoebe’s Traveling Sunglasses continues today with our Sunday Selfies blog hop. Last Sunday Calista Jo was the model. This week we have three models, Mauricio, Giulietta and Lily Olivia. As you can see the girls were a bit more cooperative than Mauricio. This photo shoot was totally reminiscent of the recent Bobble Hat debacle. Though it may appear as if I am strangling him, no cat was harmed during this photo shoot.

We have four additional kitties to get in the shades before we send them on to the next stop on the tour. I believe that those remaining may need to be approached while they are sleeping. as I do not expect any cooperation.

This is our Sunday Selfies blog hop. Though it is a holiday, we hope many of you who hop with us regularly will join us today. And newcomers are always welcome to join in the fun. After all, what better day to hop than Easter. The link to add your selfie to the hop is below. You may also add the hop to your selfies post as well if you’d like. If you do so would you please do us the courtesy of displaying our badge and/or linking back to The Cat on My Head. Thank you!

April 16, 2017 by Janet Blue Holiday Sunday Selfies 46

YOU
For Fiona

It seems like only yesterday…
You were just a kitten.
When I saw your pleading look,
I was completely smitten.

Now at only six years old,
You are getting ready to leave,
Soon you will have your wings.
I’ve already started to grieve.

You’ve fought hard for the past year,
And I’m not ready to say good-bye.
I can’t imagine you not in my life
I am so sad…today I had to cry.

I am grateful and blessed
For my six years with you.
You’ll live in my heart forever.
You’re one of the best ever Kitties Blue.

YESTERDAY

Many yesterdays have passed since
You gained your angel wings. Today
Is six months since you left us behind
To remember and mourn. Our hearts
Continue to hurt, and we miss
You as much as the day you left.
Giulietta whined from the catio
Yesterday as I worked in the yard.
I know you put her up to it. That
Was your way of getting me to,
Allow you to join me as I
Gardened. You were there with me
In spirit. With every meow
I thought of you and how much I miss
Your sweet face and disposition.
In these past few months, many friends
Have traveled your same path in your
paw-steps. I am certain you were
Waiting to greet them with purrs and hugs.
I pray you and your friends are laughing,
Frolicking and having fun together.
Picturing that makes me smile, but
Does not lessen my sadness at your
No longer being here to snuggle
And receive our love, care and kisses.
Fiona, please do not ever forget
You are still and always will be loved.

ONE YEAR MISSING YOU

One year has passed since you flew away,
And I still think of you everyday.
I see your sweet face in my mind’s eye
And wish we’d never had to say good-bye.
It’s nice you’ve sent us kitties needing a family,
But my dearest love, we are now at capacity.
You thought it would take more than one cat
To take your place in our habitat.
We love Cooper Murphy and baby Sawyer dearly
But thinking either could replace you makes me teary.
You were one-of-a-kind and will stay in my heart
Until the day I join you and we’re no longer apart.
When once again I can hold you in my arms
And revel in all your love and feline charms.
Together with you and all who have passed.
I will spend eternity contemplating how blessed
I was to share my life with my furry children,
Each and every one of you one-in-a billion.

UNTIL

I miss you each day.
Until we meet in heaven,
The pain will remain.

ONE OF A KIND

I don’t know how to say good-bye.
I thought you were invincible; though,
You used up many of your nine lives.
You ruled us all with an iron paw;
Never took “no” for an answer
And always got your way.
If not, you’d bark to signal your
Displeasure and sometimes raise a paw.
I always joked that you were bi-polar.
When I told people you were a calico
They immediately understood what I meant.
Today was unnaturally quiet in the house.
Can a home seem empty with eight cats?
I will miss waking up at night to find you
Sitting next to me and staring at me.
I will miss you yelling at us as you did
When you wanted breakfast and dinner.
I will miss watching you lounging and snoozing
On the porch settee on a warm afternoon.
But most of all I will miss your kisses!
When kitten Sawyer befriended you,
We suspect you were imparting your
Wisdom and secrets for controlling us.
Time will tell if he was a good listener.
But whatever he may have learned,
Neither Sawyer nor any other cat
Can or will replace you in our hearts.
Lily Olivia, you were one-of-a-kind.