CATURDAY ART ~ In My Easter Basket

Thank you, bunbun ~ I would've liked a few little "peeps" too!

 

FELINE FRIDAY

FELINE FRIDAY

 

THANKFUL THURSDAY ~ GIFT WITH PURCHASE

My box of foodz came from Chewy.

This delivery had a gift with purchase

as it included my favorite "furniture".

I got busy right away arranging my

new furniture just the way I wanted it to be!

Once all was done to my satisfaction,

I willingly posed for mine Mommy so's she

could take a picture!

Pee Ess, after my nap I plan to dust off my nip nanner

and get those special toys I've stashed under the chair, 

I do think they'll be a nice addition to my new apartment ... 

THANKFUL THURSDAY 

 

WORDLESS ~

Wordless, and still in support of GO PURPLE!

FIVESIBES.blogspot.com

 

GO PURPLE! FiveSibes Blog Hop!

I'm here in support of all those wonderful dogs, many friends of mine, who've fought and won
the battle against epilepsy.  Mine Mommy has even told me the story of our own DougieDog, her
grandpup and beautiful and so loved lab.  Though never officially diagnosed with epilepsy, he has 
suffered from debilitating seizures, now well managed through medication and living the best life
ever.  Please read more, or join the Blog Hop today ~ or anytime through March 31 to show and share 
your support.  Thank you!

 

HAPPY TUESDAY from A HAPPY MONDAY

So, there I was yesterday, just having a little sit-in-my-rounder-by-the-window time.

Of course, oh yes, I knew it was my day, sort of a special day I'd been told,

a birthday (that's what humans call it) ... 

the day when me, my little sisfurs 'n' brofurs

arrived here to join our kitty mommy for awhile before finding our forever homes.

Funny thing is I just can't remember all that!

Anyway, it was special all day long cause mine Mommy

kept reading me all kinds of wonderful words from all of you, my friends ~

OH, MEOW ~ THANK YOU SO MUCH!

And she gave me extra cuddles, extra brushies, extra treats.

But back to that sit-in-the-rounder thing ... 

all of a sudden, I'd heard this noise, looked over,

what was that on the table?

Stretch a paw, a little more, first one, then the other ...

Now it's all paws forward

as I smoosh my face into my yummy kitty purrthday cake!

(from which mine Mommy had quickly grabbed a lighted candle so couldn't take more photos)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JUNE

ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS LITTLE,
mine Mommy said I was cute and little.

 TODAY I AM FOUR-YEARS BIG,

mine Mommy says I am even cuter and bigger

means more of me to love.

Happy Birthday, June

MARCH MADNESS

 

CATURDAY ART

 

June, framed by cherry blossoms.

FLASHBACK and FELINE FRIDAY

 Oh, hi ~ meow ~ thanks for stopping by!

[Flashback to springtime of 2022]

WARMTH, FRIENDS, FAMILY ~ THANKFUL THURSDAY STORIES

Winter is winding down, yet one is never quite sure as March marches on whether it will leave wild and windy or softly, ever so gently.  Spring has officially arrived, but as we bid farewell to "ole man winter", we did not want to do so without a big, warm THANK YOU to those who made us warm and cozy, those who made our home very special throughout these days.  Over past months (and once, long long ago) we've been blessed, been gifted ~ both June and myself ~ by dear friends, by the warmth of friendship ... you've likely seen these gifts in photos shared here before, let us tell you their stories.

The beautiful blanket draped over the chair behind June 

(she is not allowed to touch this) 

was crocheted with love by dear friend Linda, of DaWeenies of Florida.

The design, color, detail are all extraordinary and it is a round blanket

nearly 50-inches in diameter.  Linda is also the designer and publisher for the

monthly blog, Our Rainbow Friends and a personal friend of many years.

Of course, who doesn't know we're dotty here at Zoolatry.  

This big 'n' wonderful 'n' warm blanket was a special gift ~ 

and yes, used by both of us ~ 

was a gift from our very good friends, 

Miss Wendy and beautiful Dani, of the blog O Dani Girl.  

When June and I would sit together (yes, that does happen once in awhile) 

in our her polka dot chair, this kept us warmed up

against winters chill!

Now this is surely recognized, as June shows up quite often in her blankie basket.

Sometimes on top of her very own and totally purrsonal polka dot blankie.

Sometimes tucked underneath that same polka dot blankie!

Hers and hers alone ~ handmade with love, just for June by the one and only

sweet Ellen of 15 and Meowing.

June loves this blankie, she loves Ellen, too!

And yes, I can attest and swear to the fact that she does tuck herself

in and under the blankie anytime and anyway she wants!

This story is far longer than the others ~ this is a wedding shawl, but a shawl nearly as big as a blanket, handmade in the fall of 1974.  Although it was once draped over the chair, it is now safely tucked away as the tassels were far too tempting for kitty-play.  And this shawl holds far too many memories ~ 

Knit by the lovely woman and friend who also made my wedding gown, the shawl was her gift to me for a late November wedding in Georgetown, Washington, DC.  Who knew what the weather might be, but it was a warm, blue sky autumn day and this gift was perfect.  Though the gift was perfect, the wedding was not.

The night before an ambulance took my Mom to hospital, ICU, she was in a coma.

My Dad, myself, other family, all were there all night long.

Dad insisted the wedding proceed the next day even though Mom would not be there.

Saturday came, following a sleepless anxiety filled night, Dad forgot to come

pick me up to drive me to the church... so had to come back for me.  We were late.

Father Frank came to the altar in a wheelchair as he'd fallen, 

hurt his back terribly and a few too many pain pills caused his words to slur ... 

we mixed up our vows, he forgot several prayers.

Our musician, Mike, got confused about what to play, when.

But yes, we were officially married!

...

We left Holy Trinity and went straight to the hospital, to ICU.

Never fully sure, but we hoped Mom had opened her eyes long enough to see her

only daughter in her wedding gown, to see her new son in law, to

see her weary husband by her bedside, to receive a blessing from Father Frank.

...

When we finally reached our reception, many of the guests had left,

much of the food was gone, the cake had been cut (by who?).  But I was

thankful that all (at least I think all) signed our guest book!

[And of course, the honeymoon was cancelled.]

...

My Mom recovered well in time, and lived until the wonderful age of 96 ... my Dad passed in his 88th year, together they had shared over 50-years of marriage.  Father Frank remained a friend throughout life.  This November, 2024 ~ had my husband lived, we would have celebrated 50-years of marriage as well.  But that was not to be.  

So, instead, come this November,

 I'll just put on my wedding shawl, let the tassels swing around,

dance and laugh as I think back on a very memorable wedding day.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

  

WEDNESDAY WORDS

I was sitting there, minding my own business, 

enjoying a nice, albeit long-distance look

out the window from atop my polka dot chair.

Click. Click.

I look down.  Mine Mommy is on the floor below.  

What she won't do for yet another picture.

Well, she's only a little bit right, if I hadn't knocked my coffee cup

on the floor, wouldn't have been down there moppin' it up,

wouldn't have looked up to see all that cuteness overhead and

wouldn't have grabbed the phone off the table above me ...

WORDLESS or WORDY WEDNESDAY

 

SPRING

 Truth ~ we thought it had arrived sometime ago ~ 

flowers have been popping up everywhere,

flowering trees in full bloom ~ 

yet, grass is still brown and regular trees are still "nekked" of leaves!

Winter was barely a moment's thought.

Photo: the courtyard of my apartment building.

AWWW MONDAY with SPECIAL WELL WISHES

No kitties were harmed in the taking of these pictures.  And none will be now

that these old-style pull cords have been removed and updated to much safer wands.

AWWW MONDAY

When visiting Awww Monday today, brought to us all by friend Sandee,

please put paws together and send your well wishes to her, 

and to her husband Zane ~ thank you!

 

 

WISHING YOU THE LUCK O' THE IRISH

 Leprechauns,

large and small,

wishing you the luck o' the Irish!

[image from Baltimore's 2023 St. Patrick's Day Parade]

CATURDAY ART

CATURDAY ART

Repurposing a photograph to create a new and different look.

BTW: the inimitable Marjorie Dawson, of the blog Dash Kitten provided detailed
step by step instructions, with easy to follow images on the use of layers
to create and design unique and interesting images of your pets.  If you did not
get a chance to see her post earlier this week, please CLICK HERE.

Our art gallery image this week took the original below.  
Step one: a tight crop to remove unnecessary
background area, which is often only a distraction, then resize/reduce image.

Step two: the reading glasses were highlighted, copied as a layer, the base

layer converted to black and white.  

Step three:  shadow detail was added to the reading

glasses.  Various areas of the image were either slightly sharpened or

softly blurred, to draw the eyes attention to the center of the image,

and hairline rule border added.

SMALL, MEDIUM or LARGE

Mine Mommy says that once upon a time I was a small cat in a small box.
(Qualifier: these are photographs from 2-years ago March)

Oh dear.

She claims today I would be a medium cat in a medium box, or
purrhaps even a large cat ~ trying to get into the medium or the small box.

I tend to disagree.  

We do agree I continue to be a prime cat!

FELINE FRIDAY

THANK YOU ~ CHEWY !

We were away all last week and found a package waiting when we returned.  
A surprise, as nothing had been ordered ~ what could it be?

A gift!  And what a wonderful gift it was!

It's ME ... me, myself and I.

A real portrait, all the way from CHEWY!

(per June ... almost better than food, treats or toys!)

(per Mom ... super better, better than any picture I can make with photoshop!)

We love it, thank you Chewy!  Thank you for always bringing us foodz, treats, toys, litter and so much more.  

We appurrciate you, we depend on you and we do

enjoy shopping with you ~ 

and hope all our friends do too, if'n they don't already.

CHEWY

MY WEDNESDAY WORD

I actually chose my own word this week after I heard it during a commercial break ~ mine Mommy was watching the news on her computer and all of a sudden there was a meowing computer-cat jumping on a kitchen counter and a computer-mommy opening a can (I know that sound), and I heard that computer-mommy say ~ "here bootsie, this is supper fit for a gourmand, just like you, bootsie baby!"  

So, I said to mine Mommy, "I'm your baby, right ... is my supper fit for a gourmand, am I one of those, what is a gourmand?"  And she said, oh yes you are!  Gourmand ~ the kitty who takes great pleasure in eating, the kitty who has a hearty appetite, the kitty who cleans her plate and leaves not a crumb.  That's me!

Unfortunately, she went on to point out that at my last visit to Dr Vet, I weighed in at 14.56 pounds and was notified that my ideal weight is actually about 12 pounds and again, unfortunately, in the very near future when much of the food in my cat food drawer is used up it will be replaced by different foods of lower-calorie counts and I will likely see smaller servings on my plate at each meal as we work together (together?) to restore my now plump little body to the healthier and better weight it was last year!  

Apparently I do not need to add the word gourmand to my voCATulary after all.  Sigh.

  

HAPPY TUESDAY

 ~ a sunny day is a happy day ~

HAPPY TUESDAY