Happy Birthday, Thimble, Toby, Trapper, and Sweet Angel Talon!

Today is a bittersweet day. It's my sweet girl Thimble's 11th birthday. This little tabby girl is one of the sweetest beings I have ever met in my life. I love her so much, and I hope she has the happiest birthday ever.

My parents, my sister, and myself met Thimble and her 3 brothers when they were just 3 weeks old. My grandma discovered that her neighbor had found these kittens on his property, and for some reason he'd put them in a bucket. They ended up with my grandma on that day, and ultimately made their way to us. We bottle fed them, intending to foster them until they were old enough to adopt out. Obviously, we were foster fails.

Thimble's brothers include our chill, fuzzy tuxie housemate Toby, who owns my sister. Since my sister currently lives with me, Thimble (and myself!) gets to spend lots of time with her fuzzy brother.

My parents' boys from the litter are the cool, laidback tabby Trapper and the sweet, social tuxie-ish Talon.

As we mentioned in a recent memorial post, Talon gained his angel wings on April 25th, just 2 weeks ago, from suspected pulmonary carcinoma. My family is very attached to and loves every single one of these sweet kitties beyond words, in no small part because we met these babies and bottle fed them at such an early age. They were our first ever bottle babies. We miss Talon so, so much, but we will never forget him. We love him always and forever, and we hope that he and all of his siblings have the most beautiful birthday.

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I really tried to have Thimble and her brothers' new birthday doodle done for today, but I just didn't manage it. So, here's a flashback from the good ol' days.

Thimble, I am so happy and grateful to be your human mom. I love you so much, sweet girl, and I hope you have the best birthday ever.

Toby and Trapper, you are two handsome, chill fellas whom I'm so grateful to have in my life. Have the best birthday ever, boys.

Sweet, sweet Talon, I love you. We all love you. We miss you, but you will never be forgotten. Not ever. You are and always will be a huge part of us, and I hope you have the best heavenly birthday.

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Tip of the Day

Today's wildlife tip is about those bright-eyed, bushy-tailed rodents we so often seen running about. That is, squirrels. As we've all certainly witnessed, squirrels are not all that particular when it comes to what they'll put in their mouths. They are pretty resilient, but that doesn't mean we should throw any and every food out there for them. For example, bread and starchy foods are not the best diet choice for squirrels, especially when moldy. Even peanuts and corn are not all that ideal for them, again, especially when moldy. Of course, human junk food is also not a great option.

So, if you want to throw some snacks out for the squirrels, such as to enhance that Squirrel TV, try to offer them some foods that are a bit healthier for them. What, then, are some potential foods you can offer squirrels as healthy snacks? Tree nuts are one option, such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and hickory nuts. Vegetables can also be just as healthy for squirrels as they are for us, and some good options for squirrels include carrots, broccoli, and zucchini. Another option is fruit, such as apple, strawberries, and grapes. So, while squirrels may not be picky when it comes to food, if you wish to offer them some choices, there are some healthy ones you can try. Then, you and your furbabies can enjoy a healthy episode of Squirrel TV.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Window Whiffies

Hello, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we'd love for you to join us. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. My _________ is too _________.

2. _________ calls me _________.

3. I'm most likely to take _________ to a potluck.

4. I need to ask _________ for help with _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. My patience is too thin sometimes.
(I try to be a patient person. While sometimes I succeed, there are plenty of times when I utterly fail at anything resembling patience.)

2. Spam calls me way too often.
(This fill-in probably would have been more fun if I'd answered with a nickname someone calls me, but I've never really had any nicknames. So, I'll go with the fact that spam calls come to my phone far too often. Lately, it's usually at least half a dozen times a day, and I'd very much like it to stop.)

3. I'm most likely to take a dessert to a potluck.
(While I'm neither a great nor adventurous cook, I do love baking. For something like a potluck, I most often take something along the lines of brownies, cupcakes, or cookies.)

4. I need to ask my sister for help with linking my scanner to my new laptop.
(I got my new laptop over a year ago. The thing is amazing and works great, but I have yet to get my scanner program working on it. The only computer that currently has my scanner program is an old laptop that no longer has a battery or access to the internet. My sister has mentioned in passing that it should be really easy to get the scanner linked up with my new laptop, but I'm not tech savvy whatsoever, and so I just smile and nod when she says that.)

Now it's your turn!

To add your link to the Friendly Fill-Ins Linky list, just click HERE!

You can also click on the badge below to add your link.

You are also welcome to complete the fill-ins in the comments below,

or in the comments on Ellen's blog, 15andmeowing.

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Are you ready for your Eddy fix? Of course you are. Today is one of those days when you don't really get to see Eddy's face, because she was simply too busy enjoying the sunny view out her favorite window.

I let Eddy enjoy some window whiffies on this occasion, because it was such a beautiful day.

Eddy can be an especially skittish cat, and I so admittedly don't trust her around window screens. So, her window whiffies are always monitored. That's generally the case when any furry babies in my house are enjoying window whiffies, but Eddy is the cat for whom I don't risk even a single moment of unattended window whiffies, because any little thing can suddenly send her panicking. I still want her to get to enjoy fresh air sometimes, though, because she really does enjoy it, so I just keep her company and attempt to get a photo shoot out of it.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day

Eddy's birthday doodle for this year is another one I didn't get done until the evening of her special day, that being last Wednesday. So, her new drawing wasn't part of her 10th birthday post. Just as with the other furry babies' celebratory doodles this year, for reasons of sentimentality and nostalgia, this one portrays Eddy in a Harry Potter-esque setting. And so here's Eddy's wacky little doodle.

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Tip of the Day

Today's wildlife tip is another about birds. Hummingbirds, that is. These majestic little creatures love a sweet drink. To make some sugar water for hummingbirds, you can mix 1 cup of cane sugar with 3 to 4 cups of water (extra mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to roughly one week). Despite popular belief, though, please do NOT add red food coloring to the sugar water. Adding a chemical dye can potentially be harmful to hummingbirds. Rather than lace their drink with artificial colors, you can simply use a bright (such as red) hummingbird feeder to attract them. There are indeed feeders specifically designed for hummingbirds and their preferred sweet drink. Of course, don't forget to clean said feeder in between fillings, as the sugar water mixture can potentially lead to mold if the hummingbird feeder is not maintained properly. Hummingbirds can make for grand Bird TV, just as long as you take the right precautions.

Another Thankful Thimble Thursday in the Sun

Hello and happy Thursday, friends! Thimble is of course ready for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is again grateful for sun puddles, even when they start to disappear.

We've been enjoying lots of sun lately, which makes Thimble so very happy. And Thimble hopes you're enjoying lots of sun puddles as well!

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And now let's share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. My _________ is too _________.

2. _________ calls me _________.

3. I'm most likely to take _________ to a potluck.

4. I need to ask _________ for help with _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Because a birthday and a day of remembrance have fallen on the past two Wednesdays, pup Astrid hasn't gotten to share any of her newest adventures. She'll get to remedy that very soon, but I told her that for today I'll at least pick a flashback doodle in which she stars alongside the kitties. And for that, I chose one of our spooky-ish summertime doodles from a couple years ago.

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Tip of the Day

 

Today's tip in our wildlife series is all about feeding those birds in your yard. To begin, it may not be necessary to put food out for birds in warm months, when, unlike in the cold winter months, natural food sources are prevalent. That being said, it nevertheless typically does no harm to feed birds in your yard even in the warm months. So, feel free to feed those feathered friends. Your furbabies will thank you for the Bird TV.

Now, let's start with a couple of things not to feed the birds in your yard. Bread is one food that is not really all that ideal for birds. This is especially the case if the bread is moldy, which can have toxic effects. Chocolate is of course another no-no when it comes to feeding birds. Those are just to name a couple, though. If you have any doubts about a food being toxic to birds or other wildlife, err on the side of caution and do not leave it outdoors for them.

Now, on to what you can feed those birds. There can be a lot of factors when it comes to feeding birds. Different regions have different birds, different birds prefer different feed, and different feed sometimes requires different feeders or feeding methods. If you are really serious about feeding birds in your back yard, perhaps do a tad bit of research, or ask for some professional advice when purchasing bird feed at a specialty store. In short, though, birds often enjoy foods such as sunflower seeds, millet, nyjer seeds (typically put out for goldfinches), cracked corn, suet cakes, peanuts, or even some fruit. Remember what we said in previous tips, though, and place food for the birds somewhere that is safe for them, as well as for your furbabies.

Remembering My Angel Rosie

Ten years ago today, my sweet angel Rosie gained her angel wings. I'm going to use today as a time to bask in memories of her and to express how grateful I am that I was blessed with 21 years with this beautiful girl.

Rosie almost always slept in bed with me, often on my legs, as she was doing in that photo above.

When this calico lady was nearly 20 years old, she went on a road trip with me and the rest of the family. Rosie was our only furry baby at the time, and the tough little cookie was on lots and lots of medications for her kidney disease, arthritis, and other ailments. She didn't much like other people and wouldn't let anyone else medicate her, so we took her with us when a family gathering was planned in another state. Rosie did absolutely amazing on the trip.

Though the below photo is blurry, it is and always will be one of my favorite photos of Rosie. I was probably sassed in her smoker's voice of a meow right before and/or after this photo was snapped. I loved her meow and her general calico sass so much.

At 21 years old, Rosie's right eye that had gone blind over a decade before suddenly ruptured, and so it was removed. She was such a trouper before, during, and after that surgery.

While I miss my Rosie every single day, fond and happy memories of my beautiful calico angel also flood my mind every single day. I cannot express how grateful I am to have enjoyed 21 years with my sweet and also adorably sassy Rosie. She was with me from the time I was 4 until right after I turned 26. I know just how blessed I was and am to have experienced that level of companionship, and I will always love, remember, and cherish my sweet Rosie.

I love you, Rosie, always and forever.

Thank you to Ann of Zoolatry for creating that image of Rosie and myself many years ago. I still cherish it to this day.

***

Flashback Doodles of the Day with Rosie

I want to share a fun doodle of Rosie today, but I didn't finish a new one just yet. Though I'll be remedying that soon, I decided to share an A to Z Challenge flashback from a number of years ago. Rosie often helped me bake. She was obsessed with milk and also more than once trailed flour all over the house. Because of that, years ago I did an A to Z Challenge starring Rosie at her very own restaurant.

How about a bonus flashback doodle from this series starring my angel Rosie? Yeah, let's do that. So, here's Rosie and a her famous cinnamon rolls, of course with a side of her beloved milk.

***

Tip of the Day

 

As we mentioned yesterday, we are doing a bit of a different sort of series of tips, these being all about wildlife. We're staring today with some tips on feeding none other than geese, ducks, swans, and the like. First, keep in mind that not all areas allow the feeding of these birds, for a variety of reasons. So, first make sure that you're in a location that is safe and appropriate for feeding wild birds such as geese and ducks.

Now, on to feeding these birds of whom we're starting to see more and more in these springtime days. First and foremost, despite popular belief, bread is not an ideal food to feed geese and ducks. Bread does not have much in the way of nutritional value for these wild birds, and often can do more harm than good. So, then, what should you feed animals such as geese? You can offer them some regular birdseed, keeping in mind that sunflower seeds are not one that is ideal for them. You can also give them grapes, kale, and Romain lettuce. That being said, make sure that these foods are bite size, or else there is the risk that the geese or ducks could choke. So, cut grapes in half, and chop up kale or lettuce that you offer. If you offer birdseed or other small foods, mound them up in small piles for ease of eating.

Also ensure that you take safety precautions, both for yourself and the wild birds. For example, it is typically best that you not feed the birds directly out of your hands. In addition, place the food you feed them in a safe area, such as away from roads. In general, if you're not sure something is safe, simply don't do it. Interacting with wildlife can be an inspiring and unique experience, but it is always best to keep both their safety and your safety in mind.

Tonks Tuesday with a Hissy Friend

My neighborhood currently has a number of stray and feral kitties roaming about. Most of them don't allow me near them, but I put food out for them multiple times a day. Do you see the little friend through the window behind Tonks in this photo?

That skittish little kitty just recently started showing up, and he always eats at least one entire can of food when he visits. Tonks is a little sad, though, because that there kitty always hisses at her through the window. Even when she rolls her belly up and flirts with him. Don't worry, Tonks, because that little kitty is not fond of me either, even when I'm putting food out for him. But that's okay, because we can be his friends from a distance.

When Tonks was a kitten, she would be quite sassy to kitties who showed up outside our doors and windows. Nowadays, though, she's become so used to seeing kitties out there that she either ignores them or happily flirts with them. The kitties in my house didn't have much of a choice but to get used to cats being outside, because for many years my neighbor across the street had a cat who regularly went outdoors, and he visited our yard pretty much every single day. He was a very sweet cat named Tickey, and he sadly passed away in the summer of 2023.

Some of the other kitties in our neighborhood also belong to people who let their kitties outside. One kitty who now shows up in our yard multiple times a day wears some kind of collar, but it's only let me briefly pet it once so far, and I don't know much about it yet.

I am sad that an orange kitty who's been a regular in our yard for years suddenly stopped visiting us about a month ago. I called him Jonesy, and he never once let me pet him or touch him in any way. He only ever stopped at my house for breakfast and sometimes dinner, and then he'd be on his way. This Jonesy boy would sometimes disappear for days or weeks at a time, but never for as long as he's been gone this time. I wish I'd gotten him trapped and neutered. I did actually get him trapped once, but it was when I had only one trap and was trying to capture another feral who had a piece of gutter stuck around his neck. Since I only had that one trap and the kitty in need was due to visit my yard, I had to release the orange kitty. I did get the kitty with the gutter around his neck trapped and sorted out by a rescue group, but then I never got Jonesy trapped again. I pray he's somewhere safe.

All of the above said, Tonks and all of us hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I felt like sharing one more flashback doodle from our "Halfway to Halloween" A to Z doodles from a few years ago, so here you go.

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Tip of the Day

In yesterday's tip, we discussed keeping our furbabies at a safe distance from those bird feeders we put out for the wildlife. This got us thinking, and now we've decided to repeat an old series of tips on feeding wildlife, and interacting with wildlife in general. While we all certainly love animals, and so might very well enjoy visiting with them and feeding them, this is something you nevertheless always have take into careful consideration. It is important to determine whether feeding wildlife in a certain area is wise, or even allowed. There are some areas where feeding wildlife is prohibited, for a variety of reasons.

One reason why it might not be wise to feed wildlife in certain areas is that, of course, some human food is not healthy for the wildlife. Some foods can even lead to sickness in such animals. In addition, feeding wildlife can lead them to lose their fear of humans or predators, and that can be dangerous for them. They can especially be put at risk if they are fed near roads or other high traffic areas, where they can lose their fear of cars and other such dangers. Also, feeding wildlife without caution and care can lead to disease transfer. For example, some wildlife carry diseases that can be contracted by us humans or our furbabies. This means that not only can we be dangerous to wildlife if not careful, but they can be dangerous to us.

In known, controlled environments, such as your own back yard, feeding wildlife is of course more safe. Then again, you still have to be cautious of what and how you feed these animals, so that they can remain healthy and safe, and so that nearby humans and their furbabies can remain safe. We already mentioned yesterday putting bird feeders and food for wildlife out of reach of your furbabies, for their own safety as well as that of the wildlife. Over the next couple of days, we'll be discussing some tips on what to feed wildlife, so stay tuned if that is something that might interest you.

Exhausted Evan on Mancat Monday

Lately, Evan has had more good days than bad days with his megacolon. This weekend, though, he had a couple of bad days. Fear not, though, because early this morning Evan finally managed to evacuate all the whatnot that was constipating him, and he feels much better now. Evan is exhausted, but also relaxed. Maybe a little too relaxed?

Evan actually falls asleep like that quite often. I should make a collage of all the photos I have of him sleeping in seemingly suffocating positions. Evan seems to enjoy sleeping like that, though, and so I'll let him get his rest however he likes it.

Snoozing Evan and all of us here wish you a magnificent Monday!

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Doodle of the Day

I just realized this weekend that I have yet to share a couple of the kitties' belated birthday doodles. I didn't finish Evan's birthday drawing until the evening of his birthday, which means it wasn't finished in time to share in his birthday post. As I mentioned on Astrid's birthday and I believe Tonks's birthday, for reasons of sentimentality and nostalgia, this year I've made all of my furry babies' birthday doodles related to Harry Potter. And so, here's my extra special Evan's weirdly magical birthday doodle.

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Tip of the Day

Whether you feed the wildlife in the warm months as well as the cold months, be sure to take your furbaby into consideration when placing feeders and food. We often of course want our kitties and pups to be able to watch Bird TV and Squirrel TV, but that at the same time, too close of proximity can cause problems. This is especially the case for our furbabies who go outdoors. If feeders are placed where outdoor dogs and cats can easily access them, the wildlife can of course be scared off or preyed upon. What's more, there's the chance that the outdoor pups and kitties themselves can be negatively affected by close proximity to the wildlife and their feeders

First, birdseed can pose some dangers to dogs and even cats. If consumed, there is a chance that a dog or cat can become blocked by consuming too much food intended for the wildlife. In addition, it could be possible for birdseed to ferment inside a dog or cat's stomach, and thereby cause bloat, which can be a very serious condition. Another concern is if birdseed molds, which can then have toxic effects if ingested by a pup or kitty.

Second, the wildlife themselves can pose risks to our furbabies, just as they can pose risks to the wildlife. For example, the feces of some wildlife might contain parasites that could infect our kitties or pups if ingested. Parasites and other issues can also arise if certain critters themselves are caught and consumed. Some wildlife also carry transmittable diseases, which in some cases might affect our furbabies, or which our furbabies can pass to us from wildlife with which they come into contact.

So, always be aware of where you place feeders and food for the wildlife. Many of us do enjoy feeding those outdoors critters, but we also must keep our own furbabies safe. Of course, the wildlife wouldn't mind a bit of safety from curious pups and kitties as well.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Adorable Eddy

Hello, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we'd love for you to join us. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. I write with my _________ hand.

2. My plans for the month of May include _________ and _________.

3. I wonder if anyone else _________.

4. _________ is what I like most about _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I write with my right hand.
(I've admittedly always wanted to be left-handed. I am left-eyed and do certain things left-handed, but my parents have told me that as a kid I seemed to watch and mimic my older sister's way of writing, and she's right-handed. Maybe I would have been right-handed anyway, but I still often wish I was left-handed. Then again, that would probably change my style of drawing, and maybe I wouldn't like that.)

2. My plans for the month of May include cleaning my kitchen cabinets and organizing Evan's medication station.
(As always, there are lots of things I'd like to get done this month, including various home and yard projects as well as my usual drawing and writing goals. That said, two things I've been telling myself I really need to get done are cleaning and organizing my terrifying kitchen cabinets, and re-organizing Evan's medications. I used to have Evan's meds really well situated in their little station on the counter, but a couple of meds and other supplies have been added, and so now it's a mess and in need of help.)

3. I wonder if anyone else makes up and sings nonsensical songs to their kitties.
(Let's be honest, I know other people indeed do this. I'm certain a lot of you fellow cat lovers do this with your own kitties. I certainly do it with my kitties as well as my pup.)

4. Getting to spend the whole day with my furry babies is what I like most about weekends.
(I've mentioned many times before how I'm a homebody. And since I currently work full-time outside of the home during the week, I love weekends. Even if I have errands or chores here and there, I still love that I'm mostly home and can spend hours at a time with my kitties and pup on weekends. I love being home with them so much.)

Now it's your turn!

To add your link to the Friendly Fill-Ins Linky list, just click HERE!

You can also click on the badge below to add your link.

You are also welcome to complete the fill-ins in the comments below,

or in the comments on Ellen's blog, 15andmeowing.

***

Eddy wanted to share a couple more photos from one of her most recent photo shoots. She's shared a couple shots of her belly and other cuteness from this series of photos, but how about a couple of closeups of her adorable face?

Just look at that cute little snaggletooth!

I snapped that one night when there was no natural light to be seen, but Eddy's aquamarine eyes are gorgeous no matter the lighting.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I hope to do a lot of writing in my current weird and wacky work-in-progress this weekend, as well as finally finish my last A to Z doodle related to said story, and this flashback doodle starring my angel Rosie seems apt enough for that.

That was actually from my "Halfway to Halloween" April A to Z Challenge from a few years ago. With no other ideas for the letter Q, I'd chosen quill, and that there doodles was the result.

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday's spring safety tip was about taking precautions around potentially dangerous products during any spring cleaning you might be doing. In addition to spring cleaning, home renovations and other similar projects are often tackled this time of year. If you are planning any home renovations during the spring months, or any time of the year, keep in mind that some paints, varnishes, and other such products can indeed be toxic to our furbabies if ingested. The fumes of such products can also of course pose risks. Renovations and the like might also mean the arrival of bits and bobs such as nails and screws, which of course can be dangerous if ingested or if stepped on by furbaby paws. There are any number of dangerous items that might be involved in home renovations or other such projects, so always keep this in mind with regard to your furbaby. Block their access to dangerous areas, and keep all dangerous items tucked out of reach when not in use.