June 19, 2022

ZOOLATRY ~ THROUGH THE YEARS ~ 2007-2022

We are here today to celebrate 15 years of of blogging as Zoolatry ~ 15 years of many pets, many friendships ~ years of fun and joy and laughter and occasional missteps.  Times of sadness and sorrow and coming together in an amazing and caring community.  Moments when you have been there in support of us for which we have been so grateful. We have seen too many beloved pets cross their Rainbow Bridge.  We have bowed our head as too many friends have passed on.  All missed, yet all remembered.  We are thankful to all who have visited this little blog over the years, it is a compliment to us every day.  
It is a privilege to be part of this community and I thank each and every one of you for welcoming us.   


June here ~ as your spokes-kitty today!  Although you are used to seeing me in blue and white polka dots, I've not been here for 15 years, so out of respect for mine Mommy, and all those who came before ~ I'm wearing the red-and-white stripes that say Zoolatry!
With over 5000 posts to our blog, we couldn't choose what to share.  So instead we have selected some of our headers.  They change almost every month, and they reflect the wonderful pets who have been part of our lives, and some times of transition.  
So if you have a few moments, let me tell you the stories of Zoolatry, as it was "once upon a time ..." 


Maggy and Zoey, two Himmies, beautiful and silly Florida girls owned this blog from 2007 to 2012.  Maggy was mine Mommy's "heart cat" and Zoey was definitely Poppy Vic's first love.  They were all lost and sad and heart broken when Poppy moved to heaven in the fall of 2012 and soon thereafter life brought big changes for all of them.  


As mine Mommy has shared the story with me, life and circumstances change, not always as we want them to and in the spring and early summer of 2013, the lovely home was sold and she said farewell to the sunshine and beaches of Florida.  The move North did not allow for Maggy and Zoey to join her, and her heart was sad again.  But Maggy remained a Florida girl finding a new home on the Gulf Coast with Ms Peggy of Peggy's Place and living a beautiful life there for many years to come.  Zoey too found the purrfect place, with mine Mommy's bestest friend, Auntie Dee!  She became a traveler (!) spending her winters back in Florida and her summers in Maryland and all her days to follow with her new brofur Pip, a good good and long life.  Mommy got to see Maggy from time to time and she got to visit with Zoey a lot as she visited back in Florida, and she had moved to Maryland!  So all was well and good and happy!
 

In her new Maryland home, mine Mommy fell in love with wonderful Dougie Dog.  
He became the new feature for Zoolatry (oh my dog, who'd thought a dog would take over!!!)  
But Maggy and Zoey continued to visit-and-appear virtually, 
through photos shared often from their new homes!  And Dougie Dog, mine
Mommy was living with her young family and they were off to work and school
every day, so she and DD were best pals and she loved him so!  This young
chocolate Lab was the best boy, friendly, smart and oh so loving.
And ever so handsome!
(though in my opinion, sorry, dogs cannot be as handsome as cats!,
remember, I, June, am writing this ...)


Then, the time came when life interfered again ~ 
Maggy took off to heaven, and a year later, Zoey followed her.  
Mine Mommy was so sad,
even though she knew both her beautiful girls had lived good and long lives.
Now, they would be angels, forever young when shown on Zoolatry.
A header later on showed the "family" of pets as by then she would
often featuring her grand pups on the blog.


It's summer into fall 2020!
I have learned that mine Mommy was a "crazy lady",
there's a world wide pandemic going on and yet
she up and decides it is time to move!  To live on her own again!  And the
next thing that happens is she's living in a studio apartment in a high rise
building in a new city she's never lived in before and doesn't know her way
around and doesn't know any peoples there and a couple weeks later she
adopts me after years of not having a kitty-cat and MEOW ... is she "crazy"?
Yes.  But guess what?  It's worked out just fine!
And now Zoolatry is mine.


Now it's June 2022.  
June in June!
The polka dot kitty has taken over Zoolatry.  I'm happy, she is happy.  As it should be.
Most of the time I dominate (as it should be) this blog.
Sometimes we share it with our friends.  Sometimes we have special headers.
Sometimes we show our family.
As it should be.
We love being here ~ and we love all of you.



Though today we're celebrating 15 years of Zoolatry,
it is also a special day to remember our Dads ...
mine Mommy had a really great Daddy and Poppy Vic was a special Dad!
She loved them both, she misses them both.
And she remembers many "other Dads" who filled her life as well.






34 comments:

  1. This is a beautiful tribute to Zoolatry, and to your life, Ann. I felt quite emotional reading it. You are inextricably connected to the Cat Blogosphere, indeed even the face of it for these last 15 years. As much as you were thanking us all, for being part of it, I would like to thank you for all the blood, sweat and tears that you have put into it. Zoolatry is a work of art, and you the artist. And you have come full circle with June as your muse. Her name is very appropriate given the month of Zoolatry's inception. Congratulations on 15 years of superb work, made with love. Love and hugs, Wendy and Dani.

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  2. Such a beautiful post of memories and also for the future. I am sitting here with a lump in my throat and more than a tear in my eye.
    Most of all though, congratulations on 15 wonderful years.

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  3. June this is purrrrrfect! I am so glad you showed us all the headers, they tell the story in photos. I first followed this blog when Dougie was in charge, it was the year all the bloggers met together out west. The tribute to your parents, Ann is also perfect and heart warming with a tad of sad.... Happy Bloggaversary! Happy Fathers day to your dad's in heaven

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  4. Congratulations on fifteen years of blogging, Ann, through all the life changes. Your post makes me cry, actually, just thinking of how bittersweet life is, how hard journeys can be. I think you've been especially courageous to start over, and more than once at that. Thank YOU for sharing your life, and the life of the non-humans who have been so important to you, for these past fifteen years, and may you continue to be able to do so for another fifteen. ♥

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  5. Happy, Happy Blogoversary! We've only been around for eight years, but we've been following you all that time. You and your blog are such an important part of the blogosphere, and you do so much to remember pets. Junie, you are the purrfect cat to take over and keep things going! Many thanks for your email after our move and for the lovely comment you left on our blog. Our mom needed those messages! Here's to 15 more years of blogging and friendship!

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  6. Happy Fifteenth Blogoversary! What a beautiful tribute with so many wonderful memories.

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  7. So many beautiful memories, both happy ones and sad ones. It seems LOVE can't exist without both sorts.
    Happy Blogaversary.

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  8. What a wonderful post. Happy Blogoversary!!!! Happy Father's Day in Heaven to your Dad.

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  9. Ann and June you picked the most purrfect way to celebrate 15 years. Your headers and words surely told the story you wanted to tell.
    Hugs Cecilia

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  10. Although I have not read from the beginning, it's been a long time. I appreciate you so much. You bring a smile to my face when I see something new .... well sometimes it's a sad thing but you know... I'm still happy to see a post .... Thank you for sharing the memories. I do remember some.

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  11. Happy Blogoversary! There sure have been lots of changes over the years but your blog is always a ray of sunshine. Happy Father's Day to the beloved dad's in your life.

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  12. Concats on your blogaversary, and hugs and purrs on this remembrance day.

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  13. Happy, happy blogiversary! To many more! Lee and Phod

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  14. Such an amazing journey, not always happy, but amazing still. I enjoyed the look back with your wonderful headers even though some made us a bit weepy. Happy Blogoversary dear friend, we love you!!!!

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  15. Mee-yow wow June girl an Miss Anne what an amazin journey ZOOALTRY has been on during 15 yeerss of bloggin!
    BellaSita Mum losted all her blogie postss from August 2005 to Aungust 2012....so shee REELLY appurrciates you have so many fotoss an memoreess you can share online here!!!
    Mee nevurr mew that red an white stripess were yore sigynature Miss Ann. An wee REELLY DUE liek June'ss Blue Polky Dotss...they suit her so well.
    CONCATULATIONS on 15 WUNDERFULL YEERSS of Blogging!
    Long Live ZOOALTRY <3 <3 <3 <3
    ***paw kissess*** BellaDharma an {{{huggiess}}} BellaSita Mum

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  16. What a wonderful post, June. Thank you for sharing your mommy's bit of life with fur and human.
    Your mommy is a brave woman and it sounds as if you two will do well together for a very long time.

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  17. Happy Blogoversary to you and your mom! I always enjoyed reading about Zoey, Maggie and Dougy and now I enjoy reading all about you. XO

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  18. Concatulations on your Blogoversary ! Keep up the good work !

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  19. Happy Blogoversary! Yours was one of the first blogs we found when we started blogging around the same time you started. Thank you for all you've done for the Blogosphere!

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  20. Congrats on fifteen years of blogging! This was such a lovely and meaningful look back!

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  21. Magnificent post and photos and wonderful tribute to your Dad and your husband ~ and I am grateful for you and your creativity ~ Congrats on 15 years blogging ~ Xo

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)`

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  22. Happy Blogaversary!!! We think we have been with you through most of those years and fondly remember so many of these photos. Through each of these years our Mom and all of our Angels, and now we three, We have developped a beautiful friendship with all things Zoolatry and are forever grateful for this friendship. Happy Father's Day to Vic in heaven.

    Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

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  23. Such beautiful memories....thank you for sharing them with us. ♥♥♥♥

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  24. A life of rich ups and downs. I am just glad we still see you (and June you get to charm us every week).

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  25. Thank you for the history of your wonderful blog. You have had a lot of llve in your life.

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  26. What a special remembrance of your blogging years so far. We are so very grateful for you, dear friends. Happy 15th Blogoversary! XO

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  27. A truly beautiful post - a lot of years of love, fun, and most of all living life to the fullest. Thank you for sharing so much of it with us. We have always loved you and the blog..........always.

    Hugs, Pam and Teddy and Angel Sammy

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  28. Mark's Mews - That was special. Such changes in yer Mom's life, June, Treat her good. She needs yer attention...

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  29. Susan from Bucks County PAMonday, June 20, 2022

    Happy Blogoversary June and Ann. I enjoyed going down Memory Lane with you. Wish you many years of blogging!

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  30. Wow, 15 years! That is amazing!
    Happy Blogoversary!
    Thanks for sharing all that history with us, June! You are a great reporter!
    And we are happy that your Mom has a kitty once again!

    Hugs and love!
    From us silly pups and our Petcretary.
    ((( ♥ )))

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  31. Wishing you many happy returns of your blog anniversary and lots of fun posts into the future!

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  32. happy lated anniversary and here’s to the next 150
    so very glad to have found your blog, so very glad
    to call you friend❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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