HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MEOW

I'm a cat.

I'm not afraid to speak Truth To Power.

She thought she'd get away with posting this "old" picture.

An old picture from a couple, or a bazillion years ago.

She said, "well, it took a long time to make this picture, so why not?"

But I said, "oh no, oh no, you don't get away with that ... you will be held accountable!"

And speaking of counting ...

So.  Even though I've no thumbs, when I really try hard, and

believe me my friends, I tried really hard.

I got onto that 'puter thing early this morning and I fixed that there picture below

so's it's got the right number of candles!  

I counted!

I'm about to finish up kittengarten you know,

so I've learned to count to big numbers,

like really big and high numbers, and today she's hitting

them big high numbers!  Meow!

THANK YOU to all our VETERANS

 

JULY 4, 2024

 

Today, the 248th year of our Declaration of Independence.

Upon leaving the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked

what kind of government the delegates had formed.

"A republic, if you can keep it," he replied.

Can we?  Will we?

Will we be able to declare independence when the 250th year arrives?

Will enough, will many voices now declare "I dissent".

Or will the many continue to be lemmings to the sea?

BOX DAY

 

This one is too small.

I want my blankie in here.  No blankie, no box.

You're kidding me, right?

What the ... ?

Finally.  A box is a box is a box when it's the right box.

SLOW-BLINKING SUNDAY

Slow-blinking Love to all those wonderful Dad's,

the ones I know (meow) and all the other ones, too!

 

HAPPY EASTER

 

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!

 

HONORING OUR VETERANS

 

PUNKIN, PUNKINS

 National Pumpkin Day

FLASHBACK FRIDAY

Flashing-back to the fun of Woof-and-Meow Like a Pirate Day,
coming up this year on Tuesday, September 19 ...

are your py-rates getting ready?

Cap'n D.D. Dancer and his First Mate, Bosun Z. Zo

Pirates to the Bone 2019

Swishing Swashbuckling June of the Hi-Paw Seas

2021 and 2022

Today is the last day for pet friends to vote in support of the FiveSibes

challenge to help Husky House win ... 

please click here.

CELEBRATING 16 YEARS ~

 

~ today is Thankful Thursday, we are so very thankful for our time together ~

IN MEMORY OF TWO SPECIAL FATHERS

 

Comments are off today ~ 

to all the amazing "dads" out there who have and do 

make this world a better place ~ thank you.

OH, HAPPY DAY ~

Newborn gorilla cradled by mother Calaya, a 20-year-old female western lowland gorilla. 
She gave birth to her second offspring May 27. 
Photo Credit: Valerie Schultz, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

I've always been a super-fan of the Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington, DC and a long, long time ago was a FONZ [Friend of the National Zoo] volunteer.  My FONZ years date back to the late 60s and early 70s, but the experiences from those days remain vivid in my mind.

As a volunteer I did behavior-and-pregnancy watches, always during the nighttime hours, keeping extensive notes, taking photographs, tracking all movements, sounds and more.  I watched the well-known pandas, two beautiful tigers, and one gorilla named Femelle.  This observation time, spent alone with the animal, beside their sleeping cages, but at a distance of course, brought new appreciation and fascination for each of these species.  

Over time, the Giant Pandas did give birth ... "my" tiger, Kesari did as well.  Kesari was the daughter of Mohini, the zoo's famous white tiger, and she carried genes which could lead to her birthing a white tiger cub.  As best I recall, though, all her cubs over the years were golden.  And Femelle ~ the gorilla ~ eventually, with veterinarians concerned that her possible "pregnancy" had become complicated, she was temporarily anesthetized so as to be examined.  Femelle?  Well, she had just put on way too much weight and was soon placed on a diet! During those years, though never present for labor or birth, I could share in the joy of new arrivals.  

And so I read with great excitement and pleasure about Calaya giving birth.  Below is a LINK to the Smithsonian website, which shares three short videos, each delightful to watch, of Calaya and her new little one.  Enjoy!

Western Lowland Gorilla Baby Arrives

DID YOU PLAY ~ SPOT THE DIFFERENCE?

DID YOU PLAY?  THE "SPOT THE DIFFERENCE" GAME

Thanks to all who did take the time, we'll get to each of you below.  

As you can see above there were a total of 8 difference(s) between the two pictures.

1.  The fan in original picture is now missing.

2.  The old family photo is now a new family photo.

3.  A blue spring toy was added to the right of the cabinet.

4.  The turbo track scratcher has two balls now.

5.  A yellow spring that was here before is now missing.

6.  One jelly bean toe is missing from the front of the toy basket.

7.  One nip-banana is missing from the side of the toy basket.

8.  June has gotten bored by all of this, has turned her head,

 and is no longer looking at me or the camera!

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT ~

Many players found 7 differences, but not 8.

Several said that an object was missing, when they really should have said it was added!

This actually confused me as I had to look twice and thrice at both the

pictures (and their emails) to be certain.

One player who shall remain anonymous, had me laughing hysterically

by saying the paint color on the wall, where the little fan went missing was

not the same as the paint color of the wall on the other side!  Now,

technically maybe that player is/was right ... but I'm blaming that entirely on

the photoshop tool (or Home Depot's inability to properly mix/match paint)

and have disqualified that as one of the official differences!

So rather than publish "numbers", here are all our wonderful

gamers (identified by their pets who I'm sure 

actually came up with the answers) and who put in their 

best spotting efforts - all listed in no particular order.  

I thank you all ... and have highlighted in bold red those who found all 8 differences.

PAWS UP TO ALL OUR PLAYERS

Manny, Chili Bruce, Sweetie - Eastside Cats

Millie and Walter - Bird Brains & Dogs Tails

Benji and Dalton - Meezer's Mews & Terrieristical Woofs

Molly - Molly the Airedale

Cathy Keisha - Stunning Keisha

Lightning, Timber and Misty - The Chronicle of Woos

Ava - Animal Shelter Volunteer Life

Levi and Roary - Cat & Dog Chat with Caren

Beau - Fourpaws, Etc.

Dani - O Dani Girl!

A whole lot of sweet kitties - 15 and Meowing

Mudpie - Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries & Meows

Ayla, Marley, Laz and Lori - Mark's Mews

PK - Priscilla's Zine & Bookstore

Angel Madi - My Mind's Eye

Angel Eric and Angel Flynn - Eric & Flynn, Forever on Patrol

KW - It's A Snap!

Elsa and Norman - Tails Around the Ranch

BellaDharma - BellaDharma & BellaSita'ss Purrfect Pad

and

Aloha and Mahalo to Angel Zipper's "hu-mom Colleen" in Hawaii who may

often visit your blogs to comment ~ though does not have her own blog,

but came by to play the game anyway!  Thank you.

 If you think I misunderstood your email or your answers and you found all 8,

let me know, June still doesn't "read" all that well as she's still in kittengarten.

  

 

 

"SPOT THE DIFFERENCE" 🐾 A CATURDAY ART GAME

Were you ever waiting for an appointment, picked up an old magazine and came across one of those "spot the difference" photo games?  Maybe you found some, or were super-smart and found them all!  Or maybe it was time for that appointment and you never got a chance to finish ... well, put your paws here today, our game is really easy-peasy, only several to search for.  But that's your only clue [unless you know the definition of several].

Our game is open to all pets.

We do strongly suggest you email us your answers.
Just tell us your emailing them in any comment you might leave,
after all ~ if your search is successful, why leave them right here in the open for others to see?

The game ends tomorrow.  

Answers should be emailed (received by us) by midnight, ET, Sunday.

Winners?  Of course.  Plural, yes.

Sorry, we can't afford gift cards and other stuff like that [June does not allow me

to take funds from her food, treat and toy allowance, ever] ... 

but what we do and can offer is "art ~ images ~ pictures". 

Sure, I know many of you design and create your own with all the free apps available today, 

but we'll make one for you of your choosing, maybe your pet has a birthday, or gotcha day, 

or you're planning some special "thing" for your blog.

  

Each and every winner (the ones who Spot The Difference, all of them) can ask

Zoolatry for "one special picture/image" for their blog, anytime from now

until end of August 2023.  

Next Wednesday, May 10, we'll list the "answers" for any who 

couldn't find all the differences or were just curious but didn't play, 

and we'll list our winners, too.

Now, time to Spot The Difference ...

As always we are proud to join and be part of

CATURDAY ART

sponsored by the very creative Marie and beautiful Athena

of Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty.

 

THE LETTER E ~ Environment

 ENVIRONMENT

The environment, individually/collectively, should be foremost in all minds.  During April we celebrate Earth Day, April 22 and Arbor Day, April 28.  In our homes, neighborhoods and communities, and places of work, there are things we can do to have a positive impact on our environment, reducing the effects of climate change today and for future generations. Yours may be small steps, but can and will make a difference. [Badges follow this post for Earth Day and Arbor Day, feel free to copy/use, without credit on your own social media.]

POGO☺ by Walt Kelly. Walt Kelly was a well known and beloved American journalist and cartoonist whose syndicated comic strip was featured in U.S. newspapers for over 25 years, and published in 20 books. His work spoke largely to his political and social views of the times.  [Walt Kelly, 1913-1973]  The POGO☺ cartoon above first appeared for Earth Day, April 22, 1970 and has become an iconic representation of this day for over fifty-plus years since.  Used thousands of times, likely altered thousands more ~ at one time, it was a feature of an exhibit honoring Kelly's work, at the NEWSEUM [closed 12/2019] in Washington, D.C.  

We have taken part for many years in the annual event, DONA NOBIS PACEM, Blog for Peace, held in early November, sponsored by Mimi Lenox.  In 2019, the theme was Change Your Climate.  Our post that year featured an image of earth, split. Each section, but for one, included our own photographs of animals or grandchildren, our future so much more threatened by climate change.  On one panel we showed the famous POGO☺ cartoon, [slightly altered].  

Sadly, if we were posting today, in 2023 ~ we'd only find ourselves adding more trash, more garbage, depleting our resources, fighting against more devastating natural disasters, and diminishing species or the complete loss of species.  Yes.  The enemy is us.

 

WELCOME to APRIL

Welcome to April ~ for many of us, a month of warm days, flowers in bloom, and Mother Earth 
renewing herself.  Here, among the pet community, we'll be celebrating and enjoying 
many special days and events, and hope you'll join in and enjoy them with us.

The events badges below have been reduced in size to fit most blog sidebars,

and are free to copy/share/use on your own personal social media,

without credit.  These badges, full size, are also available, today, on

The Cat Blogosphere.

As you post to your blog throughout April, please remember to add your daily links

to The Cat Blogosphere ~ it's an easy way for friends to visit, new friends and old.

~ ~ ~

Here at Zoolatry, we're planning to be part of the annual event, 

the A to Z Challenge which has been held now for thirteen-years, initially with

only a few hundred participants ~ now with thousands of bloggers taking part,

across many categories of interest.

Although it officially begins today, sign up continues through April 9.

CLICK HERE for more information or to sign up.

SPRING ~

 

THE PARADE and THE SOCKS

Our St. Patrick's Day Parade was last Sunday.
It was very colorful, and noisy and fun.  But it was also cold and windy.
I watched from this little ledge around the parking lot next to my building.
I stood next to this very very tall man.  He was eating a hot dog.
He did not share his hot dog with me.  
But he did give me a green hat that looked just like his green hat.
That was very nice of him.
Mine Mommy had to go upstairs to our apartment to put more socks on her feet
because this tall man with the green hat asked to borrow her red-and-white stripey socks
and she was nice and said, yes, he could.

I wondered why he didn't wear green-and-white stripey socks.

Happy St. Patrick's Day