Roanoke

COME FLY WITH ME FOR SAMMY

Wow, we are so excited to be hosting our very best pal, Sammy (onespoiledcat), in our city. We are off to show him the Mill Mountain Star. It is the largest neon star in the world. As Sammy is in his hot air balloon, we must visit during the day time, so it won’t be lit up. But if you ask us, it is pretty darn impressive anyway.

We thought we might need a special permit to put up our welcome sign, but when the mayor heard who was coming, he said we didn’t need one. You see, Sammy, the King of Baconia, is known throughout the world, even in our little city.

We featured our famous star on the blog once before when our honorary brofur Bailey‘s friend’s, Sharkie and Blue, traveled all the way from Rome (via Florida) to visit us for Christmas in 2014. To read more about the star, click here.

Sammy will also get a great view of the entire Roanoke Valley from the Star. A photo of the valley taken by Dad Tom actually stumped everyone on Sammy’s Tuesday Teaser just a few weeks back.

We know Sammy has many places to visit today and won’t be able to spend time visiting with us, but Cat Scout Master Baker Mauricio wanted to make certain his best pal had a little treat to sustain him on his journey. Mau baked some special maple cookies with chocolate frosting and topped with bacon, of course!

Today is also week 30 of the Friendly Fill-Ins hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). We are hoping they will forgive us, but today we have selected to complete only #4, as we want our post to totally focus on Sammy.

4. One of the best gifts we ever received was the friendship of Sammy and his mom, Pam. We cheated a wee bit and changed the “I” to “we.”

Come Fly With Me for Sammy was planned by Madi and Easy (before he went to the bridge), and it is being held today to honor Easy as well as to celebrate Sammy. This is also a blog hop. To join the hop or follow along with Sammy on his adventure, visit Dory’s Backyard and click on the Hoppity Hops tab in the menu bar.

“Hey, Sammy, can you see us waving at you from the base of the Star?”

Blowing kisses and waving at Sammy as he zips by, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Mom Janet and Dad Tom

SHARKIE & BLUE VISIT THE STAR

Have we piqued your curiosity?

Are you wondering if Sharkie and Blue flew off to Bethlehem?

Maybe they took a ride on a spaceship?

Nope, they visited our famous Mill Mountain Star yesterday. It is the World’s largest man-made star, and it is right here in the Star City…Roanoke, Virginia. You can read about it below.

We visited during the day, so the star was not lit, but if you Google, Mill Mountain Star photos, you can see oodles of photos of it lit up.

Not only did they get to see the star, but also a panoramic view of the Roanoke Valley. The photo doesn’t include the entire valley. You can see our downtown in the distance on the left side of the photo. We live about one mile from downtown to the left and beyond the scope of the cropped image.

We’d like to give them one additional adventure before they return home, but that would involve snow, and we don’t have any in the forecast for the near future We might have to save that for a future visit. We know our brofur, Bailey Boat Cat, is missing his furiends.

But stay tuned, you never know what they might get up to prior to winging their way back to Nocturne.

Se y’all tomorrow for Wordless Wednesday.

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

January 6, 2015 by Janet Blue Honorary Kitty Blue Kitty Written Blog Roanoke Virginia 26

FLOOD PHOTOS

I know this is a blog about cats and ninety-five percent of the time it actually is. Though this post appears to have no connection whatsoever to felines, it actually does. I will explain at the conclusion of this post.

After days and days of it raining cats, dogs, otters, guinea pigs, squirrels, parrots, emus and flamingos, the Roanoke Valley, VA, flooded for the third time this spring/summer. We are currently running 12 inches over the normal rainfall for the entire year.

This is the Roanoke River. Tom took this photo three blocks from our house.

This bridge is in the same area. It crosses over the river about 20 feet above the river bed. It is part of the Roanoke Greenway and on our tandem route.

Another view of the bridge. Though the water has receded, this bridge is closed due to buckled and broken asphalt leading to it.

This is one of the low-water bridges we normally cross. The word on the part of the sign that’s underwater is “FLOODING.”

Unfortunately, one person lost their life during this flood. That person was the husband of Sara Stein, the President of our area TNR organization (Barn Cat Buddies) with which I am affiliated. He drowned Thursday while trying to clear a culvert drain in an attempt to keep the rising waters from reaching their home. Craig Ricker leaves not only Sara but also three step-sons, aged 10 to 18.

Please keep Sara, Sam, Jesse and Charlie in your prayers. Anyone wanting to make a donation to help Sara and her family or any of the foster kitties, can do so on the Barn Cat Buddies Facebook page.

July 6, 2013 by Janet Blue Backstory Barn Cat Buddies Roanoke Virginia 35

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.