Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

We've made it to Thursday. Woohoo! Not only is this the eve of Friday, but it's also time for Angel Sammy and Teddy's fun Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

This week we have the letter L with which to work. We are of course continuing on with our usual theme, and so we have an L of a someone for you to meet.

Laila the Librarian

When you are in need of a book to read,

There is only one place to go, indeed.

That place is, of course, the library.

If you’re lucky, there you will meet the book fairy.

But, book fairy or not,

The library really is the hot spot.

It’s where you can travel to near and distant lands,

Simply by flipping through the pages in your hands.

Do you know what else makes the library the best place to go?

Laila the Librarian, of course, you know!

She really is quite superb,

So long as you ssshhh and do not disturb.

Laila can guide you to just the right book,

No matter what it is for which you look.

Craving a classic?

Laila knows which one is most fantastic.

Or maybe you seek a story with some magic?

Or perhaps something a tad bit tragic?

Laila the Librarian is quite well-read,

And she always hits the nail on the head.

Simply ask her what read she might suggest,

For Laila the Librarian has a recommendation for every request.

To visit the real Laila who inspired this poem, just click on her name there! Oh, and as always, here's Laila the Librarian's little doodle:

Now, for those of you who visit our blog frequently, you might remember that Thimble is our resident librarian. She loves spending time with her books and keeping tabs on each and every one of them. During her breaks, though, she also loves looking out the library window.

And that is what Thimble would like to enter into Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble is so very grateful for her library and its books, and of course for sunny windows and the window whiffies that come with it. There is so much else for which we are thankful as well. We are thankful for our home, for each other, for our family, and for our furiends like you.

We are also thankful today for our safety. Not all are so lucky, though, and we are sending our deepest purrs, barks, and prayers to all those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Though we wish we could do more, we have been making donations to rescues and organizations tirelessly working to assist animals and others in need of help in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Many of our blogging friends have been offering links to amazing groups in need of such donations. We greatly appreciate the sharing of these resources, as they better assist us in knowing where to send whatever we can to help.

If you are interested able to donate toward the rescue of furbabies affected by Hurricane Harvey, some links for doing so can be found below. You may have already seen these same organizations mentioned on the blogs of other friends, but at the same time this list is also far from all-inclusive. Even if you cannot donate monetarily, some of groups need donations of items such as spare carriers, blankets, food, litter, litter boxes, and so much more. And, of course, purrs, barks, and prayers can work wonders.

Animal Defense League of Texas
Austin Pets Alive!
Best Friends Animal Society
Houston SPCA
San Antonio Humane Society
SPCA of Texas

Unfortunately, even in a tragedy such as this, there are scammers out there. We have worked to ensure that we only linked legitimate rescue and shelter sites here, but please do be cautious when donating to any unknown causes.

Not So Wordless Wednesday

Remember back on Saturday, National Dog Day, when we said that Astrid would indeed get to celebrate with a doggie donut? Well, she did just that!

Yum!

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Our Artsy Fartsy Endeavor of the Day:

It's that time of year again, when arts and crafts fairs run rampant before the big holidays! I'll be having fun at many such fairs over the next couple of months, which means I'll be making some new pieces in the days to come.

I've mentioned here before how not only do I enjoy drawing, but also crafting, most especially using upcycled paper goods. One of my newest favorites is creating various pieces of mini art. I like to get tiny pieces of cardboard, doodle on them, and then turn those into tiny wall hangings, magnets, or even little pieces of jewelry, like this experimental necklace I made for perhaps some pup-loving little kid out there.

Sometimes my artistic experimentations fall flat, but I still enjoy tinkering with all sorts of crazy creations. I mean, cardboard jewelry? I don't know how that will really work out in the long run, but I'm having enough fun with the idea that I have at least a dozen such pieces in the works right now. I've also decided that I'll be having some giveaways of some of my crazy creations over the next few weeks as well!

Tasty Tuesday (#ChewyInfluencer)

The kitties got to review some treats last week, so now it's Astrid's turn to try something out for this month's Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program. And what she got to try out was Nutro™ Wild Frontier™ dry dog food.

Can you tell where that bag of food came from?

Anyway, Astrid has become a fan of lamb-flavored foods, and so we went with that version. In addition to the flavor, one of the most promising aspects of this food was the size of the kibble.

This food comes in small kibbles, which is Astrid's favorite. After all, why should a 70-lb dog be expected to chew big pieces of food? Other benefits of this food include high-protein lamb as the first ingredient, and that it is grain-free.

More importantly, though, did Astrid like it?

She sure did! As always, it was difficult to get photographic evidence of Astrid inhaling enjoying this yummy goodness, but hopefully that blurry shot there gives you an idea how much she likes it. So, four paws up it is for Nutro™ Wild Frontier™!


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Nutro™ Wild Frontier™ dry dog food in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own. We only review products that we believe will be of interest to our readers, and we never recommend a product that we do not believe in.)


Astrid and all of us here wish you a tasty Tuesday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

 

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Our Tuesday Tip of the Week:

Colder weather can often lead to dry skin not only for ourselves but also our furbabies. In such cases, don't forget that diet and particular ingredients might help your pup or kitty with such issues. When it comes to dry skin and dry coat, evidenced by such things as dander and dull fur, healthy oils are one potential dietary aspect that could benefit your furbaby. For example, fish oil and coconut oil are two that could be added to your dog or cat's diet to help combat skin and coat dryness in the winter. What's more, healthy oils such as these can have even further benefits. Fish oil, for example, can also potentially help with arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It is also said to potentially promote a better memory even in our pups and kitties. Coconut oil, in addition to combating dry skin and coat, is known to potentially aid in weight loss and can increase energy levels. Of course, if your furbaby does indeed suffer from dry skin, dry coat, or other similar issues in the winter or other months, do be sure to discuss this with their veterinarian. Ask if or what kind of oils might best suit your dog or cat, and how much and how often these should be given. Feeding healthy oils is not the only way to combat winter dryness, though, so of course also discuss with your veterinarian what other solutions might be beneficial. Summer is making its exit, so help your furbaby to be prepared for a happy and healthy autumn and winter!

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Today, we remember all of our angels who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. 

We will hold them in our hearts, until we meet again.

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day began in 2015 with Deborah Barnes of Zee & Zoey's.

Sunday Selfie Window Whiffies

The furbabies around here had a debate about who would be starring in today's Sunday Selfies blog hop, which is of course hosted by our Kitties Blue furiends over at The Cat on My Head.

Ultimately, the Sunday Selfie debate was won by a little lady cat named Thimble.

Thimble decided to show off how she got to enjoy some lovely window whiffies.

Have any of our furiends been enjoying some window whiffies lately? We sure hope so!

Happy Sunday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Caturday with the Dog

Today, for Athena's Caturday Art blog hop, we had a kitty all doodled up and ready to share with you all. But guess what? We found out that it's National Dog Day! So, plans were changed, and now we're celebrating a certain pup around here.

This one's for you, Astrid! And, yes, this pup does get a doggie donut today!

Happy National Dog Day to our pup pals out there! And an equally happy Caturday to all!

Happy Friday!

Isn't Friday such a wonderful day of the week? We sure think it is. Just one reason for this is how much we enjoy participating in the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge each week.

This fun challenge is hosted by none other than 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader, and these hosts of ours gave us some fantastic fill-ins yet again this week.

1. _________ is a waste of time.
2. My favorite app is _________.
3. My first car was _________.
4. The best car I ever owned was _________, because _________.

Here's how I fared with these:

1. Vanity is a waste of time.
(Part of what I'm trying to say here is that I, personally, don't see the point in spending a large chunk of your day making yourself look like someone you're not. I've had women tell me that their morning routine, such as their hair and makeup, takes them 1 or 2 hours, and I can't even imagine that. I think I would go crazy if I knew I had that much preparation waiting for me every morning. Maybe this just makes me lazy, but it takes me something like 5 or 10 minutes to get ready for work each day. What I like, though, is that this which happily leaves me plenty of time for the important stuff, like furbabies and family.)

2. My favorite app is Pinterest.
(I just recently got a smart phone, and one of the first apps I got was for Pinterest. I'm not a big tech junkie, so apps aren't something I seek out, but this one was a must for me. I get a lot out of Pinterest, like recipes, book recommendations, and all those quotes I keep splattering all over my daily doodles.)

3. My first car was a 1994 Plymouth Acclaim.
(This was my parents' car, but they let my sister and myself learn to drive in it, and then we drove it all throughout high school and even college. My sister and I each drove it to various jobs we had, to classes, on errands, you name it. We drove that car into the ground, the poor thing. It even tried to catch on fire at the library once, its brakes once went out when I was heading to a pet-sitting job, and it also hated cold weather so much that I sometimes would have to sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and one on the gas to keep it revving and running. It had a lot of miles, but also lots of memories.)

4. The best car I ever owned was my 2010 Chrysler Sebring, because it's still loyal to me today.
(This is the first car that I myself bought, after I graduated college and had my first job. Not only was this one of the first truly big purchases I made using my hard-earned money, but it is still with me today. It takes me anywhere and everywhere I need to go. I know it's not an especially "fun" car, per se, and certainly no classic, but I am pretty darn fond of it.)


Many of you probably know what's up next. And that would be...Eddy!

When I first adopted this little lady, she was a very skittish little kitten. She's still my most skittish furbaby by far, and it took her a year to get to the point she is in that there photo. That's right, for at least a year, Eddy was too afraid to go anywhere near the front door, because that's where scary strangers appear, you know.

Now, though, Eddy enjoys (cautiously) gazing out the door. She doesn't even run anymore when someone passes by on the sidewalk. If they come toward the door, though, she's out of there. Baby steps, as they say. Oh, and her favorite is to spend time with Evan when he's at this beloved door of his. He's not always the best at sharing, but Eddy adores him anyway.

We hope all of you furiends of ours have a fabulous Friday!

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Art of the Day:

Today I will be sharing the last drawing-turned-magnet that I created for Ann of Zoolatry. Can anyone guess who the star of this last piece is?

It's Zoey! Zoey, with her beautiful blue eyes and that adorably famous tooth of hers, was such fun to draw. Many of you probably already know Zoey, but if you don't, you can of course learn more about her at Ann's lovely blog, Zoolatry.

And of course I also have another of the images Ann created for me, using one of my favorite photos of my Angel Rosie and myself. This one is so fun and artsy. Ann even used one of the little doodles I made of my Angel Rosie (after her faulty eye was removed!).

I don't know how Ann has mastered all of these artsy effects, but she sure works wonders with them. Now, I do have a couple more images that Ann created for me. However, they are my Autumn and Winter ones, and I'm going to build up some suspense and make you guys wait to see them closer to those times of the year.

I want to thank Ann again for creating these beautiful images for me! I simply adore how she captured the love I shared with my Angel Rosie.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Happy Thursday, everybuddy! We of course are all geared up for another Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, hosted by the handsome Angel Sammy and Teddy.

This week brings us to the letter K. For those who have been visiting us each Thursday, you probably already know what type of poem we'll be sharing today. So, here it goes.

Kinley the Knitter
 

Kinley is a pro.

There is much that she does know.

But do you know what she enjoys more than anything?

The answer is, of course, knitting!

Kinley the Knitter is a pro with that yarn.

She knows how to stitch, loop, and even darn.

Kinley is your girl if you’re in need of warm socks,

Or if you need a soft hat to cover your locks.

Perhaps you’re in need of new mittens or gloves?

It’s Kinley the Knitter’s goods that everyone loves.

To wear her knitted goods you don’t even need a reason.

In fact, you can don them in any season.

Kinley can knit you a swimsuit for Spring and Summer.

Without this, swimming would certainly be a bummer.

But of course in the Winter and Fall,

That’s when you’ll want Kinley’s goods most of all.

So be sure to ask Kinley for those cozy socks and a hat.

Oh, and a scarf, certainly don’t forget that.

Then all you’ll need is a pair of warm mittens.

By then, Kinley the Knitter’s goods will surely have you smitten.

To visit the real Kinley, just click on her name there! And, of course, here is the doodle we made for Kinley the Knitter.

Now, you know what else we have for you today? A Thimble update! Specifically, an update on her impacted ear wax. Guess what? It's all gone! All better!

Some of you might remember that, when Thimble went in for her annual exam last week, impacted wax was discovered in her right ear. In hopes of flushing it out of there, I was given an ear cleaning solution to use at home for a week. After three days of ear flushing with this cleanser, though, Thimble's skin started to react to it – her ear and the surrounding skin turned bright pink, was clearly itchy, and was very warm to the touch. The poor girl was so irritated by it. The V-E-T of course advised us to discontinue the ear cleanser.

So, on Tuesday, Thimble went in for a recheck. If her ear wax remained impacted, we would either have to hope to find a new flushing agent to use, or go with sedation for safe removal. But, we didn't have to do either, because just those three days on the irritating cleanser was enough!

Needless to say, both Thimble and I are thankful that nasty ear wax is all gone. That's why we're entering our ear wax gratitude into Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

We are of course also grateful for so much else, including our furiends, like all of you!

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Art of the Day:

Continuing with our sharing of the art Ann of Zoolatry and myself created for each other, here we have a handsome pup named Dio.

Dio lives with Chewy, whom we shared with you yesterday. I couldn't get enough of this ear pose of Dio's, which he so cutely modeled in the photos that Ann provided of this adorable boy.

And, of course, we have yet another of the wonderful images Ann created for me, using one of my favorite photos of my Angel Rosie and myself.

I will always treasure these images I have of my Angel Rosie, thanks to Ann.

Wordless Wet Nose Wednesday

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Art of the Day:

Ready for another installment of the art that Ann of Zoolatry and I created for each other? That being said, certainly many of you know of Ann's grand-doggy Chewy. You know, the adorably fluffy pup?

That there is the magnet Ann asked me to create of handsome Chewy. I really, really, really enjoyed pouring through photos of this fuzzy cutie. Let me tell you, his smile is contagious!

Now, we've shared with you the spring and summer images Ann created for me using a photo I sent her of my Angel Rosie and myself. We're going to hold off on showing you the autumn and winter ones until a little closer to those seasons. So, today, we're in a red mood, and red means love, and that leads us to this lovely image Ann created for me.

I adore this one, and I cannot wait to plaster it all over the place for Valentine's Day. Thank you, Ann, as always!

Tuesday Taste Test (#ChewyInfluencer)

It's that time, when we review some goodies as part of Chewy.com's Blogger Outreach Program. This time around the kitties are first up.

To be honest, this month I chose a product primarily for Evan.

And why did I choose to try out VetriScience­­® Vetri Lysine Plus treats for my boy? Because when I first met Evan, he had some of the most severe ocular and nasal discharge I've ever seen in a kitten of 6 weeks. He was sneezing and was all shades of congested. Ever since then, Evan occasionally has mini flareups of these symptoms, which leads to the conclusion that he had and therefore still has feline herpesvirus (see our tip at the end of this post for more on feline herpesvirus).

Though this concept is sometimes debated and contested, lysine has been said to potentially aid in the resolution of respiratory issues and overall boost the immune system. For this reason, it is often used for cats who develop herpesvirus. Therefore, I decided to see if Evan would enjoy some treats that might help him during his respiratory flareups.

Aren't these VetriScience® Vetri Lysine Plus treats pretty darn cute? Though they may look like cute little fish, these treats are actually chicken-flavored. Since I typically choose to avoid feeding my cats fish, and since my cats most enjoy food of the chicken variety, this made me very happy.

But, did they make Evan happy?

The boy sure did lick at the treats, especially when I broke them into pieces. He licked and licked and licked at them, but he would not eat them. I found that strange, to be honest, as Evan is usually all in or all out when it comes to treats. He either loves them or hates them. Yet, for these, he sort of fell in the middle. He didn't like them enough to actually eat them, but he enjoyed them enough to lick them to a gooey mess.

I also offered them to our housemate Toby, the other primary kitty treat eater in the house. His reaction? He completely ignored them. Thimble batted them around (fly, fishies, fly!), but, unsurprisingly, she would not eat them. Also unsurprisingly, Eddy ignored them. The only one who ate them was pup Astrid.

So, Evan might give these treats one paw up or so, but I guess that's about it. If you think your kitty would like or might benefit from the VetriScience Vetri Lysine Plus treats, though, do be sure to give them a try, as the felines here are pretty darn finicky and therefore can't be considered all that great of a source when it comes to rating food.


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received VetriScience® Vetri Lysine Plus cat treats in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own. We only review products that we believe will be of interest to our readers, and we never recommend a product that we do not believe in.)


Happy Tuesday to all!

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Art of the Day:

We're back again today to share some more of the art that Ann of Zoolatry and myself recently created for each today. Yesterday you got to see the magnet Ann asked me to create of her handsome feline furiend TK, and today you get to see the one I crafted up for TK's equally handsome buddy Pip.

I won't lie, I often get nervous when doodling up anything for any of our real life furiends. I always worry that I won't properly capture them, and that is something with which the perfectionist in me always struggles. Nevertheless, creating TK and Pip (and all of the furiends I've doodled!) still always brings me such great joy. Besides, who wouldn't want to gaze and admire and ooh and aww over photos of cuties like these?

I am of course also now sharing another of the gorgeous images Ann created for me. In case you missed it or forgot, I sent Ann one of my favorite photos of my Angel Rosie and myself. The original had a busy and not all that pretty of a background, and so I asked ever so talented Ann to work her magic on it. Below is the summery piece she created using that photo.

I was speechless when Ann sent me the images she had created. They are all beautiful beyond words (as are all of Ann's masterpieces, as I'm sure you all already know!), and I will always treasure them.

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Our Tuesday Tip of the Week:

Cats can develop what is called feline herpesvirus. This is not to be confused with the form of herpes that humans contract, and cats and human cannot contract herpes from the other species. In cats, herpes often manifests with symptoms such as sneezing, ocular and/or nasal discharge, congestion, fever, loss of appetite, and a variety of others. It can be transferred by way of the discharge of an infected cat, such as their nasal or ocular discharge, or their saliva. Though it can potentially arise in any cat, herpes most commonly develops in cats living in more stressful conditions, such as a shelter environment, or those with a compromised immune system. It can also occur due to other stressful events, such as moving to a new home. When adopting a cat from a shelter, when moving, or when going through any other stressful event, always monitor your cat for signs of stress-induced ailments such as herpesvirus. What's more, once a cat is infected with herpesvirus, they typically have it for life, and will sometimes have flareups throughout their life, something which you would also have to monitor.

If a cat develops herpesvirus or has a flareup, always be sure to consult a veterinarian as needed, as symptoms can sometimes be severe, especially in cats with other respiratory issues, in cats who are geriatric, or in cats who are in any way immunocompromised. Depending on the severity and progression of the virus, some cats will require antibiotics to clear infection. For congestion, cats can be given children's nasal decongestant drops, but of course this should first be discussed with a veterinarian. Another way to relieve congestion is through the use of humidity, such as from a humidifier, or by spending time in a steamy bathroom. Other potential treatments might include eye drops, lysine, and finding ways to reduce stress for the affected cat. If you have a cat with herpesvirus, do be sure to discuss with your veterinarian the proper treatment, and also recommendations for helping prevent future flareups.

Special Mancat Monday

Every once in a while, I like our Mancat Monday post to focus on why my mancat Evan is my hero. For those who might not know or remember, Evan is hind limb paralyzed. This is the result of a coyote attack that Evan survived just days before I met him, when he was roughly 6 weeks old. Obviously, Evan does not have typical use of his hind legs. But, that doesn't stop Evan one bit.

This boy walks in his own way, runs in his own way, plays and plays and plays in his own way, and even jumps in his own way.

Can you see why Evan's my hero? He's what you might call different, yes. But, Evan is also why I have come to adore the term specially abled. Evan is perfectly able to do whatever he pleases, just in a very special way. Nothing gets him down.

I know a lot of people often wonder why I don't hook Evan up with a set of wheels or something similar. That's a perfectly good question. The answer as to why Evan does not ever use anything along the lines of a wheelchair is that Evan does not enjoy having things strapped to him. I have tried, but he very much so does not like it, and he lets me know that. So, I just let him do as he pleases. Since he is more than happy with that, so am I.

Evan and all of us here wish you a marvelous Monday!

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Art of the Day:

As we mentioned yesterday, over the next week or so we will be sharing some art that Ann of Zoolatry and myself created for each other. Ann asked me to create some magnets portraying some of the furbabies in her life. One of those furbabies is a handsome mancat named TK.

Drawing TK allowed me to try something new. In his many wise years, TK has developed cataracts. I honestly had never drawn eyes in this way before, but thanks to TK, I now know how. Moreover, TK is one handsome boy, and I found great joy in doodling this piece for him.

We also mentioned yesterday how Ann created for me some beautiful images using one of my favorite photos of my Angel Rosie and myself. (To see the original photo, visit this post here.) Just some of the images she created were ones for each season. The following is the lovely Spring image Ann created.

As always, Ann's work is beyond beautiful. We'll be sharing more of this art tomorrow!

Sunday Selfies

We are of course all ready for the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the furry cuties over at The Cat on My Head.

Last week, Thimble stepped up to snap some selfies. Evan didn't want to go without a turn, so he decided to be our star today.

Oops, Evan snapped that one just a bit too soon.

Hmm, not quite lined up right, huh?

Any better? No?

That's a bit better, isn't it? Well, it will have to do. Selfies aren't easy business, you know. They require a great deal of skill.

We're wishing all of our furiends a stupendous Sunday!

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Art of the Day:

We mentioned recently how Ann of Zoolatry and myself created some art for each other. Ann asked me to craft some magnets with portraits of some of the furbabies in her life. For today, we will share with you the magnet I created for none other than pup Dougie.

I really enjoy creating pieces such as magnets out of upcycled cardboard, and even doodling my drawings on spare bits of scrap paper. That's how I created Dougie's magnet, as well as the others that I'll be sharing with you over the next few days. It sure can be fun to be green.

What's more, Ann created a number of beautiful pieces for me. Most of you surely already know that Ann is the wonderful woman who creates the memorial badges for furbabies who gain their wings, as well as the badges for various events, holidays, and so much more. Knowing that Ann has this tremendous talent, I asked her if she could create some special images using one of my favorite photographs of my angel Rosie and myself.

The original of this photograph of Rosie and myself is one I have shared once before, but I'll share it again now.

Do you see why I wanted some special images created from this photograph? I loved cuddle time with Rosie and this photograph, snapped candidly by my mom, is one of the only bits of evidence I have of this. But, moreover, this original photo here is, well, not all that pretty. Rosie was traveling with my family and me, and in this photo she was sitting on my sister's lap in the car. No offense to my sis, but her torso isn't all that great of a backdrop. So, I asked Ann if she could create some images that would make this photo as special as the memory it portrays.

Ann, indeed, did just that for me.

This is just one of the beautiful images Ann created. I am in love with this one, and you might have noticed that it is the image I now use for my Blogger profile.

Stay tuned over the next few days, as I will continue sharing the magnets I created for Ann, and of course more of the beautiful images she created for my angel Rosie and myself.