Rain or Shine

Today is one of our favorite days of the week, in large part because it brings with it the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by lovely Athena.

Our art for today came about because of what Mother Nature has been offering us these days. We had ourselves some beautiful, Spring-like weather this week. Temperatures reaching 70°F, gorgeous sunshine, we had it all. But what else comes with Spring? Rain. That's right, yesterday those clouds overhead covered up the sun and sprinkled some rain on us

Around here, we have a complicated relationship with rain. Of course, getting soaked with rain is simply no fun. Just ask pup Astrid. She says that rain is liable to make you melt. Isn't that just downright obnoxious?

Really, though, even if I can't convince my pup of this, rain serves its purpose. Spring may mean rain, but rain means growth and beauty. Just picture those flowers that will all be blooming soon. It's not just the sun that makes them grow, but the rain as well.

So, long story short, those thoughts on rain led to today's art.

Can you see those little furbabies of mine? They're just hanging out in that little growing garden of theirs. To be honest, though, this is one of those drawings that I'm not quite sure about yet. Sometimes when I sit down to draw, I end up just winging it. That's what I did here, trying new techniques along the way. I'm not sure how I feel about the result yet, but perhaps it will grow on me. It may have to, as this piece is intended to become our Spring blog banner, or at least the first one.

Well, we hope all of you furiends of ours enjoyed our rainy garden party!

Happy Caturday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Many dogs and cats do not like the feel of rain, both when it comes to it falling on their coats and when walking on a wet ground. On rainy days, kitties are often lucky in the sense that they can keep their bathroom habits indoors, using their sheltered litter boxes. For pups, though, the world is most often their bathroom, and that means going out in the rain to do their business. If your pup does not like going out in the rain, brainstorm their situation and what solutions might help. You could try accompanying your pup outside and holding an umbrella over them. Another option is to ensure your yard has at least one area with overhead protection from rain, whether it be from a tree or something constructed, and to use that area for rainy day bathroom breaks. For those who will tolerate it and benefit from it, there are also raincoats for dogs, as well as boots to protect their feet from wet ground. Then again, sometimes all it takes is for you to accompany them outside in the rain, as they may simply need that added reassurance. And, of course, positive reinforcement is a great method, such as by praising your pup or offering treats when they succeed at going out in the rain and getting the job done. Rain can be a bit of a downer, but it doesn't have to prevent your pup's potty breaks!