PANDA-MANIA POETRY and THANKFUL

Twelve-hundred pounds of bamboo to feed,
That many apples and carrots we'll need.

Icy-cold colorful popsicles, too.

For the big panda party at the National Zoo.

A pool to play in ~ can we have snow on the ground?

Tall trees for climbing and big balls to roll round.

Our special guests soon arrive, Qing Bao and Bao Li.

Welcome ~ Giant Pandas ~ to Washington, DC. 

What fun today to join Sam's Poetry Corner at

TWO SPOILED CATS

Photo credits: Roshan Patel, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Make note of this day ~ Jan 24, twenty twenty-five

for two new Giant Pandas appear live

at the National Zoo in Washington DC

that's when and where you can see

Qing Bao and Bao Li

*ching-Bow "green treasure" just 3 years, plus 4 months old is she

*Bow-lee "precious treasure" only one month older he happens to be

thankful to have them back in DC, for me and for you

it's panda-mania again at the National Zoo

* * how to pronounce their names

and we're also joining 

THANKFUL THURSDAY

 

THANKFUL THURSDAY ~ and ~ SAM'S POETRY CORNER

It's Thursday!
We are always Thankful on this day (and every day) ...
but we also decided to put our paws back 

to pen 'n paper and join the fun over at

Sam's Poetry Corner.

SAM'S POETRY CORNER

Once a week fun with Angel Sammy from

ONE SPOILED CAT

... please furgive us, being visual purrsons, we had to play with the picture, too ...

THANKFUL THURSDAY

BRIAN'S HOME

I'm a little kitty 

who won't get hung out to dry,

and if you'd really like to know why . . .

it's cause I keep my paws very clean,

sparkling white,

for which mine Mommy is thankful

each day, every night.

 

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

 What a photo Angel Sammy tempted us with for todays Poetry Corner ~  we couldn't resist!

SAMMIES

Playful and silly,

white as vanilly.

But don't expect tranquility,

in a Sammie home.

Furry, soft, sweet.

Not content to lay at your feet,

only in your lap is life complete,

for the Sammie in your home.

A heart so big, eyes shining bright,

showing the famous smile, a joy, a delight.

It's always love at first sight,

with a Sammie.

For more about Sammies, just read below.

Meet Chewy and Fiona, the Sammies I know!

My son, daughter in law and two grandchildren live in central Florida and have two beautiful and loving Samoyeds, Chewy and Fiona. They are as wonderful, playful, active and loving as mentioned in our "poem" above. It's always been fun to visit with my family, and my grandpets over the years, and I'm thankful for all of them.  A few photos below from times past ~ smiling, silly Sammies, and the family (taken in different years) with their pets. [One photo includes Angel Dio.] 

Sam's Poetry Corner

Two Spoiled Cats

Thankful Thursday Blog Hop

Brian's Home Blog

All photos courtesy of the Sammies family.

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

It was a most intriguing photo that was presented to us for today by TWO SPOILED CATS ~ we did write a haiku.  And have also chosen to post a very old (2007/08) picture of Angel Maggy and Angel Zoey which immediately came to mind when seeing the image.  

It is also Thankful Thursday, and World Wildlife Day, and I am are thankful for the many beautiful animals that fill our world.  Photos below from favorite zoos, aquariums and places I have visited.

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY (Mary Jane & Elaine)

I can't remember "why" but it's been forever since we joined Sam's Poetry Corner, but taking a peek at last week's photo encouraged us to "get back to it"!  Two "ladies" of a certain time who reminded us of our many great aunties, and I imagined the conversation that may have happened as they waited for the photographer to take their portrait. It is also Thankful Thursday, and I am thankful not to have to dress as they did ... 

MARY JANE and ELAINE

"Took half a day to dress this way," groaned Mary Jane.

"And still your bustle's all askew," retorted sister dear Elaine.

Mary Jane moaned, "my waist is not this small,

the corset laces are so tight, surely I will faint and fall!"

Elaine agreed, "well, this horrid hat weighs heavy on me

and my head does ache miserably."

Yet, the sisters did agree, their husbands were tickled pink.

Indeed, both said, "of what we might want, they would never think!"

"They do love how we look.  How we dress and comport.

We must not anger them at all, or we see looming divorce court."

Mary Jane, "if you could live in another time, 

what time would you choose that to be?"

With great assurance Elaine replied,

"in 2022, when women will be far more free!"

SAM'S POETRY CORNER

THANKFUL THURSDAY BLOG HOP

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

~ HANK ~

Along the river bank, 

waits a boy we will call Hank.

Patient, intent, quiet, alone.

Wanting, needing fish for the evening supper at home.

A rod he holds in his steady hands, he gazes on waters still,

for one swimming by, one prompted just by the power of his will.

One tempted by his tasty bait,

one so hungry it will not swim on, it will not wait.

One not to throw back, into a river glistening bright,

but to feed, to nourish his big family this night.

For it was his duty to help, he must do his part.

Toting home an empty bucket would break his heart.

The trail to home was not long, through a sun dappled wood.

Soon the cabin he'd see and he felt so danged-good.

His bucket splashed water, shoulders ached, yet were straight up with pride,

as happy eyes beamed at the large fish inside.

His Mom and his Dad,

brothers, sisters, some big, others small.

Grandma and Grandpy

all anxiously waiting for his call.

"Fish for supper, got me a big 'un, fire up the coals",

yelled the boy we called Hank,

"all's good, all's right,

hands together now in prayer,

all have supper tonight."

So many grow, fish, hunt for their own food ~ they are to be commended.  And so many grow, fish and hunt for our food and for them we should be thankful.  And for our food we should not be wasteful.  In the USA we are blessed with a bounty of food often not so around the world ~ and yet in every town in every state, our own neighbors go hungry and children go to bed every night with tummies empty and aching.  So it incumbent upon each of us with a full cupboard to share all we can, to support food banks, charities and those groups that provide meals to others in need.  Thank you to Angel Sammy and Teddy from TWO SPOILED CATS for todays photo which prompted us to give thought to the food challenges so many face today.

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

Yet again, Angel Sammy and his brother Teddy, from TWO SPOILED CATS 

have found a sweet and memorable image for todays poetry challenge.  

Those of "my age" will likely recall playing marbles with friends in the neighborhood, 

trading favorites, collecting the precious ones, 

and saving allowances to buy more at the five-and-dime.  

I have one big and beautiful green

and another that's deep ocean blue.

If you have a golden yellow cat's eye

I'd like to trade with you . . .

Purrty please, meow.

On this Thankful Thursday we are giving thanks for Brian's good health news, blessings to him and his family ~ fondly, Ann and June.  

 

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

Angel Sammy and his brother Teddy from TWO SPOILED CATS went across the pond this week and gave us this amusing photo for our poetry challenge.  It's a sight we suspect one often sees on any street in any city in Scotland.  As happens frequently, it stirred some thoughts of past generations in my own family, shared here as well.  We chose haiku and admittedly, it is a form usually a bit easier to write than rhyming poems! 

Is he perhaps wearing a MacMillan plaid kilt?

We are thankful to know much, if never enough, of
our family history on both the maternal and paternal sides.

Grandma and Grandpa each had siblings by the "dozen" and we would

see most at annual family gatherings.

It has always been my regret that I did not ask many more questions

when I had the opportunity to do so.

~ ~ ~

Special purrs 'n' prayers today for dear Brian of Brian's Home Blog who is having some very important tests for his health issues.

Our long time and very good friend Jacqueline of Jacqueline's Cat House has said farewell to her beloved Halle.  Once upon a time five beautiful kitties shared their lives and love here together, now there is just one and it is heartbreaking.  Choose kindness today, visit Jacqueline with words of comfort on this sudden loss.  Thank you.

JACQUELINE'S CAT HOUSE

~ ~ ~

TWO SPOILED CATS

BRIAN'S HOME THANKFUL THURSDAY

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

This is my poem ~ and this is for you, and if it puts hungers

in your tum-tum for some icy cool yum-yum, 

head to the fridge or the nearest ice cream shoppe ~ whichever is closer!

Thanks to Angel Sammy and Teddy for todays poetry photo challenge.

Our freezer is never-ever without ice cream!  Often it holds several flavors ~ of course, chocolate!  Butter pecan, Mint Chip, Coffee!  

Are we spoiled?  Without question, a small market right in the lobby of our apartment building makes it all too easy to keep a supply always at the ready, and oh are we thankful for that! 

If you asked what our favorite is, the answer: 

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake!  

Tell us your favorite!

TWO SPOILED CATS

BRIAN'S THANKFUL THURSDAY

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY with SUSIE

I think the little girl in today's poem-photo challenge is named Susie.

Don't know why.  It's just the name that popped into my head the first time I looked at the picture.  Then Susie started scampering around in that often-crazy-mixed-up-head and told me she would write her own poem in the form of haiku.

Susie looks a bit young to know her alphabet, and have composition skills, 

but kids these days are awfully smart, so I said,

"great, I like that ... go for it!  So, here is SUSIE'S haiku."

COME CLOSE

by Susie

as dark comes to us

you are safe under my light

come close to me now

a story I'll share

with you my best ever friends

I love you so much

💙

Thank you Angel Sammy and Teddy from Two Spoiled Cats for the charming image you shared today, and Susie says "thank you", too!  It's always fun (well, most the time it is ~ sometimes it's more difficult than fun!) to take up the challenge you give us each week . . .

And it's Thankful Thursday over at Brian's Home Blog.  Today, along with being thankful for all the good things in my life, I'm thankful Susie popped into my head and wrote the haiku for Zoolatry, as I'm still drooling on the keyboard from dental surgery and slurring the words I type . . .  

TWO SPOILED CATS

BRIAN'S HOME BLOG

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

THANK YOU Angel Sammy and Teddy!  We loved todays poetry photo challenge ~ as the "memory keeper" for many of our family  photographs of past generations, we've often, through Photoshop done our best to repair damaged pictures.  Photos with tears or rough edges, stains or tape residue from being in albums.  It can be a long and tedious process, but worthwhile especially for ones we wanted to frame.  From time to time, once finished with repairs, we'll give it a sepia tone or colorize the image.  Todays "high button shoes" picture immediately brought to mind two photos. One of my maternal Grandma and my Mom, and Mom with her two sisters, and inspired our untitled poem as well.

Grandma wore button-up shoes

as did her daughters three.

T'was just after the turn of the century

and comfort then still wasn't meant to be.

Each morning she would curl their hair,

she'd add a big fluffy bow.

They'd dress in pretty pinafores,

even if they'd nowhere to go.

Next, the socks.  And then those shoes.

Button them up right and tight.

They must stay on all day,

until to bed at night.

They wore those button-up shoes

in the North Dakota cold.

They wore their button-up shoes

in the hot, dry Texas sun.

I'm thankful I wasn't a "mama" then.

I'm thankful I can wear 

sneakers, stripey sox or none!

Special note: this poem is very much reality based.  My grandparents (Grandma was originally from Prince Edward Island) were living in Saskatchewan when my Mom was born.  Grandpa's employment soon saw them moving to North Dakota.  Then another move to Colorado for a time, and then eventually to Wichita Falls, Texas where they then lived for many years.  And I am thankful I did not have to dress my children daily the way they were in generations past!  It seems it may have taken until lunchtime to get them ready to go!

SAM'S POETRY CORNER

TWO SPOILED CATS

THANKFUL THURSDAY

BRIAN'S HOME BLOG

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

Another photo challenge from Angel Sammy and Teddy ~ it looked to us like one from the early 1950s, the kind of playground we ourselves may have gathered on with school friends.  Hopefully though not with so many on the big slide!

And as often happens, it reminded me of a photo of my own two grands from many years ago, a photo I had redone as "photo-art" ~ so we are showing both pictures today, and sharing a little poem for each.

CALL 911

Soon a four-kid pile up at the bottom of the slide.
Eight banged up knees.  Lots of bruised pride.
Somewhat like a game of pick-up-sticks
or a multi-car pile up on Route 66.

SIBLINGS

Hey, please go down, not up.

Go the right way!

But little brother follows big sister,

everywhere, every day!

Sam's Poetry Corner

TWO SPOILED CATS

We're thankful that our own kids 'n' grands have managed to "slide" through those youngest years without broken bones 

yet know there have been times of banged up knees and bruised pride ~ but that's always a healthy learning experience.

Now we're off to join the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop at

BRIAN'S HOME BLOG

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

Angel Sammy with his sweet brother Teddy from TWO SPOILED CATS gave us this beautiful library photo for this weeks poetry challenge.  We were not up to the challenge of a "rhyming poem" for the image ~ so made an attempt at a little haiku instead. 

Whether in small towns or major cities, our libraries are our treasures.  Taking us into new worlds and old, opening our eyes to new possibilities, they are teachers beyond the classrooms.  When one learns to read and chooses a lifetime of books for themselves, they have "friends" forever.  As always, we were also inspired to share an image of our own neighborhood library, founded by an esteemed Baltimore businessman and philanthropist.  It is as extraordinary inside as is its main entrance which we photographed.

No Kindle for me.

I want the smell and the feel

of a book in hand.

As I turn each page

the paper crisp to my touch

it nurtures my soul.

TWO SPOILED CATS

It is also time for the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop at

Brian's Home Blog.

Today I am thankful to have had parents who instilled a love of reading

in me, one I have tried to share and pass on.

A Special Thankful Thursday

A WEEK WITH ZOEY

During her many years living here at Zoolatry, Zoey loved to share her "poetry and prose", even if a bit elementary in style!  Today is Thoroughly Poetic Thursday at Two Spoiled Cats and though she didn't write for the special picture they suggested, she is sharing some "oldies" from her files, with apologies to Angel Sammy.  It's also Thankful Thursday over at Brian's Home Blog and we're always thankful for the time spent with sweet Zo and her sweet ways!  So, please indulge us as we look back at our "author" ...

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

Angel Sammy and Teddy took us back in time showing how kids had summer fun!  Thankfully, the joy of bouncing about on a pogo stick still is popular and a great way to get outdoors.  Bounce over to read more imaginative poems at TWO SPOILED CATS.

Her pigtails fly  

when she does her pogo POUNCE!

🠝

His freckles wiggle on his cheeks  

when he does his pogo BOUNCE!

🠝

19-Forties Summer FUN!

and

kids still love it in 20-TWENTY-ONE!

🠟

Thankful, as always, for my three grands!  

One shown here perfecting his pogo bounce.

🠟

[we admit to cheating with this picture as it is not really 2021, but maybe more like 2015?  grandboy is now a teenager more likely to be rock climbing or skateboarding these days, but the old photo worked!]

Bounce over with us to the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop at

Brian's Home Blog

THANKFUL and THOROUGHLY POETIC THURSDAY

WARNING: Not Suitable Unless You've Taken Dramamine

Read on, but only if you dare!  We came up with two upchuck-worthy poems today: a human version and a pet version. And friends Angel Sammy and Teddy came up with an quirky/unusual photo challenge for today. We're not sure who would be interested in taking a bite into this ~ let alone manage to consume the entire thing!   Maybe if you hop over to visit them at TWO SPOILED CATS you'll find someone who did! 

THE BARFING BURGER

A Poem For Humans

No!

Won't eat it,

cause I am a wimp.

If'n I did,

I'd blow up like a blimp!

Then off to the loo,

you'd see me rush.

And out it would spew,

like an exorcist gush!

THE BURGER SHE ATE

A  Warning Poem For June and all Cats & Dogs

June!  Do not eat that!

For I can barely speculate,

what will be in your litter box.

What it will surely activate!

So many bad things

that burger will stimulate,

awful smells, ugly sights,

both enough to nauseate.

June! Do not eat that,

I do not exaggerate!

Honey, you'll have such

a big belly ache!

TWO SPOILED CATS

THANKFUL THURSDAY

BLOG HOP

Thankful we didn't even try to eat this!