Caturday Art

Tomorrow is the first day of September, in case you weren't aware. This is not only the day that I begin celebrating autumn, but it's also the birthday of my angel Rosie and her angel brother Sammy. Those two facts might help explain the next few days' doodles, starting with this one:

Does anyone else get excited for autumn by the first day of September? Or is that just me? If I'm being honest, I already have some autumn as well as some Halloween decor appearing in my house. Even more will be put out this weekend, and I don't regret it one bit.

The above doodle is of course our contribution to Athena's Caturday Art Blog Hop. Be sure to visit Athena to see all the masterpieces our friends have created!

Happy Caturday, friends!

***

Did you know?
Did you know that the record number of kittens born in one litter was 19? This impressive litter of kittens was born on August 7, 1970, in Oxfordshire, UK. Sadly, 4 of the kittens were stillborn, but 15 of the 19 did survive. Of those 15 kittens, 14 were male and only 1 was female. The mother cat was a 4-year-old Burmese named Tarawood Antigone.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Photo Fails

It's time for some Friday fun! Let's start with the Friendly Fill-Ins, shall we? In case you missed them yesterday, I'll share the fill-ins statements again here. Ellen of 15andeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. My favorite Peanuts character is _________.

2. I knew I was no longer a child when _________.

3. I was shocked when I learned that _________.

4. I always feel frustrated when I try to _________.


I answered these myself, and my answers are below in bold.

1. My favorite Peanuts character is Snoopy.
(If there's a furry character, they're going to be my favorite. I also love Woodstock. Though, perhaps my answer should be World War II. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can refer to our "Did you know?" trivia at the bottom of this post.)

2. I knew I was no longer a child when I felt excitement over getting a new vacuum cleaner.
(Nothing buries your childlike lease on life more than feeling excitement at the prospect of sucking pet hair and dirt off of a rug with high-powered efficiency.)

3. I was shocked when I learned that Eddy will eat her own vomit as if it's a grand feast.
(Eddy is my only vomit-eating furbaby. She will eat the entire pile if you don't get to it in time. It's quite gruesome to witness. To clarify, though, she will only eat her own vomit. She won't touch anyone else's vomit with a ten-foot pole.)

4. I always feel frustrated when I try to eat tuna.
(Can you guess why? Because a certain calico of mine tries to take it straight out of my mouth. Tonks turns her nose up to all kinds of cat foods, but she'll never turn away an offer of tuna. And if I don't offer it to her, she'll straight up steal it from me.)

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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The next bit of Friday fun is none other than the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop, hosted by Melissa and Mudpie of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows.

I can always count on my girl Eddy to offer up some bloopers, no matter how hard I try to get a decent shot of her. I often find myself trying to distract Eddy during photo shoots, sometimes with an open window, sometimes with the one and only type of treat she'll eat, and sometimes with both. More often than not, neither distraction does me any good. This time around, I first ended up getting a blurry shot of the top of Eddy's snacking head.

Then there was a blurry shot of the side of her snacking head.

And then, well, she got a bit distracted elsewhere.

At least this failed attempt at a photo shoot gave us some usual Eddy bloopers to share. We're never wanting for those, it would seem.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day: Flashback Friday

Today's flashback doodle is one I first shared almost exactly a year ago to the day. It was created for a series of doodles in honor of my angels Rosie and Sammy, since this brother and sister duo would be celebrating their birthday on September 1. This flashback doodle is kicking off the memorial birthday series I'm doing for Rosie and Sammy this year. We adopted these two kitties when I was just 4 years old. Sammy, sadly, only lived to 5 years of age due to a heart condition. Rosie, as many of you know, was with me for 21 years. They were both the best of friends to me, and they always kept me company.

***

Did you know?

Did you know that an unseen cat lives next door to Charlie Brown and Snoopy in the Peanuts comics? Peanuts fans might very well know this, but for those who didn't know, it's true. The unseen neighbor cat was largely part of the storyline in the 1970s, but Charlie Brown mentioned "the cat next door" as early as 1958. Snoopy was known to send verbal taunts the cat's way, but the cat often got revenge, such as by destroying Snoopy's doghouse. In the October 20, 1976, comic strip, the cat's name was revealed to be World War II.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Happy Thursday to one and all! We hope you're all ready to read a weird and wacky poem today, because that's what we have for you as part of Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

Our host never fails to help us out with a photo prompt, and this week's prompt is this sweet one here:

I learned to play the piano as a child. I certainly never reached any professional level of playing, but I do love the beauty of the instrument. That being said, somehow the above image ended up in the forest for me. Does that make even a lick of sense?

I mentioned recently how I've been inspired by forest imagery a lot these days. This is in part thanks to the fact that I've been watching the show Black Spot, which is largely set in a massive French forest. Believe it or not, one of the episodes of that show involves a piano that is played in, you guessed it, the forest. With that in mind, I meandered my way through the following poem. It's nowhere near as magical as I'd hoped, but it is what it is, I guess. Surprisingly, this poem is also actually shorter than most of the ones I scribble up. Don't worry, though, because I still babble plenty throughout it.

Fur and Elise in the Forest

Music could oft be heard playing in the forest.

It was the sound of a piano and at times a chorus.

Sarah could not help but feel nothing short of curious,

Even though the forest's sounds made other townsfolk quite furious.

Sarah thought the tunes were nothing short of beautiful.

She quite enjoyed that every night the forest became a place so musical.

It was on one warm night that Sarah made the decision.

She would find the source of the forest's melodic rhythm.

Sarah waited for the moon to rise,

And for the music to play beneath the starlit skies.

Without fail, a melody soon began drifting from the forest.

Sarah headed out for an evening that would be far from boring.

The keys of a mystery piano guided Sarah's way.

The notes called to her through the forest's vast array.

She tiptoed through the trees this way and that,

Until she suddenly caught sight of—what was that?—a cat!

The cat looked something like a tiny tiger,

And it rested upon a grand piano that was currently singing B minor.

Finally, Sarah had found the source of the forest's concert!

The pianist was a brunette young lady with a purple bow, shirt, and skirt.

The piano being played was as black and sleek as onyx,

But the pianist's seat was even more stunning, to be honest.

She sat on none other than a giant toadstool,

Its surface gleaming in the starlight like a red jewel.

It suddenly became evident to Sarah that the woman was playing a duet.

After all, her tiny tiger of a cat was playing a note or two, you bet!

The piece the woman and her cat performed required great skill and craft,

Their fingers and paws flying across the keys lighting fast.

The lady at the piano stopped when she suddenly saw her audience.

She said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I hope we're not being obnoxious."

Sarah said, "No, not at all! I find it amusing.

In fact, I came seeking the one who filled the forest with music.

I don't believe I've ever seen you in town.

I would certainly remember seeing your tiger cat around."

"We don't leave the forest much, or at all," the pianist said.

She smiled, shrugged, and shook her head.

The cat meowed its agreement and stomped some piano keys.

The resulting tune was low and loud yet made Sarah feel at peace.

"I'm Sarah, and I'm really quite fond of the music you play.

What are your names, if that's something you'd like to say?"

The cat chirruped and the woman patted its head.

"He's Fur and I'm Elise," was what the woman said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Fur and Elise," Sarah said with a smile.

"Would you mind if I listened to you play for a while?"

"Of course not!" Elise said with a clap of her hands.

"You have your pick of seats, unless you'd like to stand."

Sarah sat cozily amongst the forest's trees,

Which swayed to the music with the help of the breeze.

On that fine night Sarah enjoyed a concert in the forest,

Beginning with a rendition of the Für Elise, of course.

***

Now, we wouldn't let a Thursday go by without Thimble and her Thankfuls.

Obviously, Thimble is grateful for that adorable nose and those adorable eyes on her adorable face. I'm equally as glad for all of this girl's adorableness. The only problem with it is that I can't tell this adorable girl no to save my life.

As always, we're also beyond thankful for this wonderful community and the friends we've made here!

***

We wouldn't wrap up this post without sharing the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. My favorite Peanuts character is _________.

2. I knew I was no longer a child when _________.

3. I was shocked when I learned that _________.

4. I always feel frustrated when I try to _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Did you know?

Did you know that tigers are the largest cat species in the world? A male Siberian tiger can weigh up to approximately 650 lbs. The smallest subspecies of tiger is believed to be the Sumatran, with males weighing approximately 300 lbs. In terms of carnivores in general, tigers are the third largest in the world, being beat out only by polar bears and brown bears.

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

We're sure most or all of you already know that today is Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, initiated by Deborah Barnes of Zee & Zoey in 2015.

On days like today, I do my best to not dwell on the sadness of having lost furry, feathered, and other friends who have gained their angel wings. Rather, I try to focus on the wonderful memories all of my angels have gifted me throughout the years. I am lucky to have shared my entire life with furry friends, feathered friends, and even friends of the aquatic sort. Needless to say, the memories are many.

Today, I remember my dear angel Rosie, who was my beautiful calico companion for 21 years.

I most certainly also remember Rosie's angel brother, that being the handsome and sweet tuxedo Sammy. I remember my angelic childhood pups, Banjo and Shellie, who would play with me and entertain me for hours on end. I remember my childhood feathered friends, Pippin, Robin, and Sweetpea. And of course I also remember my aquatic angels, such as Lieutenant Legs and Oscar.

Though I sometimes cannot help but feel sadness that some of my dearest friends have made the journey to the Rainbow Bridge, I will forever be grateful for the unconditional love and memories they gifted me. I will forever remember them. I will forever love them.

We are thinking of all of you who are remembering your sweet angels today and every day. Purrs, woofs, and prayers to you all.

***

Did you know?

Did you know that the concept of the Rainbow Bridge not only stems back to poems from the 1980s and 1990s, but also way back to Norse mythology? In Norse mythology, there is a flaming rainbow bridge called Bifrӧst. It is said in the myths that the Bifrӧst rainbow bridge spanned from Midgard (Earth) to Asgard (the land of the gods). This is somewhat similar to the concept of the Rainbow Bridge pet owners know these days, so perhaps the poetry and other stories surrounding it were in part inspired by Norse mythology.

Sort of Toesies Tuesday

First of all, Evan and I thank you all for the purrs and prayers yesterday! As we mentioned yesterday, Evan went to the vet for an area on his left side that he licked to near baldness. My wish was that there was a simple and manageable reason for this, and my wish pretty much came true.

That there boy of mine was diagnosed with licking and hair loss that's of a psychogenic source. In other words, Evan has possibly decided to lick that particular spot on his side when bored or anxious. The strange thing is that, in general, Evan is my calmest cat. He's the one cat in the house who will happily spend hours curled up on the couch next to me or napping on my bed. He's usually a pretty chill fella, but apparently he's become a tad bit neurotic nonetheless.

The vet prescribed amitriptyline, a drug that can help treat anxiety in cats. I'll be giving him the transdermal version in his ear, and we're going to try that for a month to see if Evan stops licking his left side bald. After that month, depending on whether or not the amitriptyline has helped, we'll decide how to continue.

On a side note, a conversation I had with the vet today made me realize something I've never really clarified here. As most you have probably noticed, I often refer to Evan as hind limb paralyzed here on our blog. He is that, but also not exactly. In his hind legs, Evan technically has what's called paresis, or partial paralysis, rather than full paralysis.

Evan most definitely cannot walk on his back legs and instead drags them behind him when he walks, and he also cannot pull them up to scratch his ears or anything of that sort. That being said, although it is minimal and delayed, Evan actually does have some minor feeling and minor neurological responses in his back legs. If his back toes are pinched for a few seconds, he will ultimately make a sort of twitchy attempt to pull his leg away, or he will sometimes spread his toes. Because Evan does have even this minor feeling and these minor neurological reactions in his hind legs, his condition is technically paresis, or partial paralysis, rather than full paralysis of the hind legs. I do most often refer to him as hind limb paralyzed when speaking of him, though, because that just makes things quick and easy and requires less explanation. But, I thought I'd throw this out there since somehow I don't think I've ever fully explained that.

Happy Tuesday to all!

***

Doodle of the Day: Flashback Tuesday

I've been sharing forest doodles for the past couple of days. That's why I decided that for today's flashback doodle I'd share yet another forest doodle, but of course this time one from the past. The one I chose was scribbled up in June of 2018, and was actually created to illustrate a poem I wrote for Angel Sammy's weekly Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge. The poem was titled "Finnigan in the Forest".

***

Did you know?

Did you know that a French cat named Felicette was the first cat in space? On October 18, 1963, the French sent Felicette into space, and she is said to have been in space for 13 minutes. Electrodes were implanted on her skull, which sent neurological signals back to earth. Most of the data retrieved from this feline space trip was of good quality, and Felicette survived the flight. As another fun fact, Felicette was a tuxedo cat and the media of her time began calling her Felix after the cartoon Felix the Cat, who we mentioned in yesterday's fun fact. Given that Felicette was a female, though, Felix became Felicette.

Mancat Monday

Evan refused to look at the camera for today's Mancat Monday photos. Why? Because he just found out he's going to the vet today.

I mentioned in this past Friday's post that Evan has recently started licking at a very specific spot on his left side, to the point where the fur is now very short in an area roughly the size of a golf ball. He is on flea prevention and there are no signs of fleas, there is no sign of a hot spot or other sores in the area, he doesn't mind when I touch it, and he's acting like his normal self. I don't want to risk that Evan is licking at his side for a hidden internal reason, or that it relates to any issues relating to his hind limb paralysis. So, my boy is going to the vet today.

Evan is not happy with me about this. Sorry, Evan, but a momma's gotta do what a momma's gotta do. Though I hope it's all just a harmless nothing, if you have any purrs and prayers to spare, Evan I would greatly appreciate it!

Happy Monday!

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Doodle of the Day

Oh look, it's yet another forest doodle today.

***

Did you know?

Did you know that the first animated cartoon cat was Felix the Cat? This black cartoon cat originated in 1919, during the silent film era. It's actually said that Felix the Cat wasn't only the first animated cartoon cat, but also the first animated character in general to gain significant popularity. Felix the Cat was even the first character balloon to appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Unfortunately, the balloon flew into telephone wires and caught fire, thereby meeting an early demise.

An Earless Sunday Selfie

Evan recruited this here human to help him snap a selfie for today. Unfortunately, though, this here human did a disservice to the poor orange boy's ears. Talk about rude.

Rest assured, Evan does have ears, and they're adorable. You'll just have to take our word for it, thanks to this novice photographer of a human. Of course, Evan's earless selfie was snapped for the Sunday Selfies Blog Hop, hosted by the Kitties Blue over at The Cat on My Head.

Happy Sunday, friends!

***

Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is yet another one inspired by spooky forest vibes. Just because, I guess.

***

Did you know?

Did you know that the little folds of skin on the outer base of a cat's ear are called Henry's pockets? Scientifically speaking, these folds are cutaneous marginal pouches, but that's just a mouthful. Neither scientists nor veterinarians truly know an exact purpose for these folds of skin. That being said, some people believe the Henry's pockets might help cats better hear high-pitched sounds.

Caturday Art

I don't know if this is really a spooky doodle or not, but I was in a spooky sort of mood when I scribbled it up. I was actually watching a show in the suspense and horror genre when I was working on this doodle, and the aforementioned show is largely set in a spooky yet enchanting forest. There are also some creepy crows in this show. That all might explain why my doodle includes some spooky trees, and a crow. Don't worry, though, because of course I also included a kitty in the doodle.

If you're curious what show I'm referring to above, it's a French show that has been released on Netflix in English. It's called Black Spot in English, but its French title is Zone Blanche. I admittedly enjoy the suspense and horror elements it has to offer.

Of course, the above doodle is our contribution to Athena's Caturday Art Blog Hop!

Happy Caturday, friends!

***

Did you know?

Did you know that the Norwegian Forest cat is often believed to be the breed most capable of climbing down a tree headfirst? Norwegian Forest cats stem from Scandinavia, where their ancestors traversed rough and rocky terrain. Scaling this sort of terrain required significant musculature and perhaps even especially strong and thick claws. Nowadays, Norwegian Forest cats often still retain these strong muscles and claws, which is why this breed tends to be deemed the most likely domestic cat to successfully climb down a tree headfirst.

As further explanation, cats' claws curve downward in a way that makes climbing up a tree relatively easy for them. This is because the curved claws can hook into the tree as the cat scales it. This same curvature of the claws, though, can make climbing down a tree headfirst difficult if not impossible for a cat. The curvature of the claws would instead make it easier for a cat to climb down a tree backwards, as that would allow the claws to hook into the tree. When it comes to Norwegian Forest cats, though, they're somewhat known for successfully traveling down trees headfirst. This is quite possibly due to their ancestrally inherited hefty musculature and strong, thick claws, which could allow them to better grip a tree even when going down it headfirst.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Hello and happy Friday! Shall we fill in some fill-ins? We are all about the Friendly Fill-Ins on Fridays. In case you missed the fill-in statements yesterday, we'll share them again here. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I am a stickler for _________.

2. By the end of August, I plan to _________.

3. _________ is my favorite thing about myself.

4. These days, my biggest priority is _________.


I tried my hand at these fill-ins, and my answers are below in bold.

1. I am a stickler for making desserts from scratch.
(I don't know why, but over the past decade or so I have become completely opposed to baking anything using a box mix. I have accumulated a huge collection of recipes for making cookies, brownies, cakes, muffins, pies, and other sugary goodness from scratch. I have nothing against others making things using box mixes, but doing so myself makes me feel like I'm cheating. Don't get me wrong, though, because I am no professional baker and my homemade concoctions are full of faults.)

2. By the end of August, I plan to have oodles of autumn doodles planned out.
(I'm already in the mood for autumn and Halloween, but I've sort of been holding myself back. Barely. Once September hits, though, I consider anything autumn and Halloween fair game, and I'll be prepared. My sketchbook will look like autumn threw up in it, and that makes me so happy.)

3. My love for animals is my favorite thing about myself.
(I never understand how there are people out there who do not feel a fondness for and connection to animals. I obviously have no respect for anyone who is cruel to animals, but I also admittedly have a lack of understanding for those who simply have no interest in animals. To each his or her own, but how do you not want furry friends? I am so glad I was blessed with a love for animals.)

4. These days, my biggest priority is getting all of my furbabies to their necessary vet visits.
(Astrid and Tonks both recently had their annual exams, and Thimble just had her annual exam as well as a dental. My feisty girl Eddy is still overdue for her annual exam, and I'm heavily focusing on finding a way to get her to the vet without a vicious fight. And though Evan isn't due for his annual until December, he just recently started licking his left side and as a result has a patch of short fur there. There is nothing I can see on Evan's side where he keeps licking it, it doesn't bother him when I touch the area, and he's acting totally normal all around, so I'm confused and he'll be going in to have that strangeness looked at soon. Every summer, I feel like all of my extra attention becomes dedicated to the furbabies' vet visits, and they are not happy with me about 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.

***

For your Eddy fix today, this little lady cat was all about the closeup shots. I'm always curious to see what the camera decides to focus on when I snap a photo. After all, as a complete photography novice, I seem to have no control over this. For the first photo below, the camera actually almost focused on the entirety of Eddy's adorable profile.

For the second photo, it looks like the camera was primarily into Eddy's tabby stripe on the side of her head, as well as her eyeball.

And for the third photo below, the camera pretty much only cared about the inner corner of Eddy's eye.

So there you have it. That is indeed the side of Eddy's head in all shades of random focus. We hope you enjoyed!

Eddy and all of us here wish you a happy Friday!

***

Doodle of the Day: Flashback Friday

Today's flashback doodle is from March of 2018, and it was yet another of my doodles inspired by books and cats. I remember getting the idea for this one after I saw a similar image on Pinterest. Of course, the image I originally saw didn't involve a cat, so I fixed that issue in my doodle.

I remember taking an undue amount of time figuring out how to make those books look stacked in a stairway fashion. Though the thought of drawing books in that configuration again makes me cringe, I'm feeling an inkling to recreate this doodle. I wonder if I'll be brave enough to do that.

***

Did you know?

Did you know that there are a variety of specific and sometimes strange words to denote a person's love for a particular animal? For example, we've mentioned in the past how ailurophile is another word for a cat lover. A dog lover can be described with the word canophile, or cynophile. A person who loves birds could be called an ornithophile, or an aviphile. When it comes to someone who loves horses, they can be called a hippophile. Do you like snakes? If so, you're an ophiophile. There are a great many terms that can be used to describe those who love animals, even if they're not always all that easy to pronounce.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

We're ready for another Thursday of rhyming. Are you? After all, it's time for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

As always, our host shared a photo prompt to help guide our poetic endeavors. This week's prompt is this magical image here:

I really enjoy images like this. That's probably the fantasy fanatic inside me. That being said, this image gave me all sorts of different fantastical vibes, but then my poem veered way off the path I originally intended for it to take. It's another weird and wacky one. It's also needlessly long, and the title sounds like that of a cheesy Hallmark movie. I'll just leave all the weirdness below as it is, though, and let you all judge it as harshly as you'd like.

Magic in the Maples

Maplewood Forest was filled with none other than maples.
Of course, magic was another one of its staples.
That was indeed the norm there, all the magical things,
Right down to the fairies and their fairy rings.
There were of course also witches and their cats,
And a gnome or two who popped up here and there for a chat.

The only catch was that this forest and its magic was invisible to mortals.
Well, that is, at least sort of.
Most humans simply couldn't see the magic,
Which really was something downright tragic.
But every once in a while a human stumbled upon Maplewood Forest,
And that's exactly what happened to young Nellie Norris.

Nellie was simply walking home from school one day,
Taking her usual path beneath the blue sky's bright sun rays.
The next time Nellie looked up, though,
She did not know where she was, no.

All around Nellie stood maple tree after maple tree.
They were beautiful, yes, but they were not usually there to see.
Nellie had simply been following her usual boring path home,
And then somehow into a mysterious forest she had roamed.

She could not deny the magical magnificence of this forest,
But there was a worrisome mother at home expecting Nellie Norris.
It was a bit alarming that Nellie now could not find her way out.
She could not unsee or escape the maples that were strewn all about.

She had heard stories of magic in mysterious maples,

And now she hoped they were graceful without being fatal.

Nellie had to admit that she was in need of help.
She felt so lost she thought she might let out a yelp.
She walked a few yards further,
Hoping beyond hope she wouldn't find anyone keen on murder.

Nellie caught sight of a quaint little cottage,
Surrounded by a fence that was just a tad bit rotted.
She passed through the white pickets of the fence,
Which led to a home that she was certain must belong to a witch.

Truly, Nellie could not help but assume a witch lived in the little house.
If she wasn't correct, then she was a mouse.

After all, the wreath on the door was none other than a pointed hat,
And on the fence outside sat a blue-eyed black cat.
That's all not to mention the cauldron sitting over a fire in the yard,
And it certainly wasn't a simple pot of lard.

A green liquid bubbled in the pewter confines,
Giving off the aroma of chocolate and plums and brine

In truth, Nellie tried the neighboring home first,
Since it looked just a tad bit less cursed.
It was a giant toadstool with a door,
Surrounded by smaller toadstools galore.
No one answered when Nellie knocked on that door, though,
So she simply had to resort to asking a witch to help her return home.

It took a great deal of courage for Nellie to finally knock knock knock.
She wasn't sure whether to feel fear or relief when she heard the door unlock.
A woman with blonde hair and a blue dress stood across from Nellie,
Holding in her hands a sandwich lathered with peanut butter and jelly.

Nellie decided she should probably just cut to the chase,
So she asked her question with a smile on her face.
"Can you please help me find my way home?
I sort of just appeared in this forest in a manner quite unknown."

The blonde witch took a bite of her sandwich as she looked Nellie up and down.
"Yes, you certainly don't seem to belong here," she said with a smile and then a frown.
"The only problem is that I can't really leave home right now.
I have a potion brewing, and if I leave it unattended my house will turn into a cow."

With another bite of her sandwich, the witch added,
"But don't go feeling upset and rattled.
Good ol' Roger can help you, Nellie Norris.
He knows all the ways out of Maplewood Forest."

Nellie was going to ask the witch how she knew her name,
But she figured any answer would just be one in the same.
So Nellie instead asked, "Who's Roger?"
"Oh," the witch said, "he's that cat over yonder.
Don't worry, he doesn't usually scratch,
And he bites even less than that."

Nellie thanked the witch and turned on her heels.
The black cat still sat on the fence and watched her with eyes of steel.
"You're Roger?" Nellie asked.
"Obviously," was how the cat answered that.
"You can help me get back home?"
"Yes. I don't know why you'd want to leave, though."

Roger the cat jumped from the fence and pawed at its slats.
Nellie had more than a few questions about this cat.
After the cat slapped at the fence with a rhythmic tune,
He said, "I expect I'll be seeing you again soon."

The fence swung open of its own accord.
Nellie wasn't sure if she was meant to wait or move forward.
Roger the cat answered her unspoken question with a sigh.
Then he said, "I thought you wanted to leave. Goodbye."

Roger pushed Nellie's legs forward with none other than his head.
With that, she was quickly and thoroughly through the opening of the fence.
She turned around to ask Roger what that was all about,
But there was no Roger, no fence, and no witch's house.

Nellie stood upon the usual path she took home.
Amongst maples she no longer did roam.
She had returned to one world from another,
And she did so just in time for supper.

Are you curious about Nellie Norris?
Do you think she ever again found herself in Maplewood Forest?
We'll give you a spoiler, if you'd like.
She did indeed return, and far more than twice.

***

And now it's of course time for Thimble and her Thankfuls.

This little lady cat wanted to share yet another photo from the same photo shoot we've been sharing for the past couple of days. With this photo, Thimble wanted to show how thankful she is for her pup Astrid. At the same time, she's also thankful she is that she almost always wins the window seat when she and Astrid vie for it.

Thimble is sorry that her human couldn't manage better lighting and other photography skills for this photo. But, this is what Thimble wanted to share for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop, even though this here human made it less than an ideal shot.

And, of course, we're also thankful for all of you!

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Last but not least, we have the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I am a stickler for _________.

2. By the end of August, I plan to _________.

3. _________ is my favorite thing about myself.

4. These days, my biggest priority is _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Did you know?

Did you know that studies have led scientists to conclude that, historically speaking, cats have proven to be better hunters than dogs? The studies in question looked at 2000 ancient fossils, and it was these fossils that led to the conclusion that species in the feline family have historically been better hunters and have had better survival skills than species in the dog family. How, exactly, did the fossils lead to this conclusion? In studying these fossils, researchers found that there used to be at least a couple dozen species of wild canines, whereas today there are more like 10 canine species existing in the wild. Cats were a significant reason for this decline in canine species. Researchers have gone as far as to conclude that species in the feline family led to the extinction of 40 different canine species throughout history. Members of the canine family, on the other hand, are believe to have not led to the extinction of any feline species. Historically, feline species competed for food sources with canine species, and it would seem that the feline species often won the prey in the end.

Woof Woof Wednesday with a Kitty on the Side

Yesterday we shared some photos of Thimble and pup Astrid posing their toesies together. I briefly mentioned that while the photos looked like a cuddle fest, it was actually the result of the two girls battling for the favorite window seat in the house. Can you guess who usually wins this battle?

Do you see who won? Do you see her back there?

Yep. Though pup Astrid outweighs Thimble by over 60 lbs, Thimble wins the window seat probably 9 times out of 10. Don't let these girls fool you, though. There are enough windows in this house for all the furbabies to nap in, they just like to fight over this one because what's life without sibling rivalry?

Happy Wednesday to all!

P.S. In case you're not sure what sort of a furniture configuration you're seeing in the above photos, it's all simply proof that my house is decorated around the furbabies. There's a couch, which is what Astrid is lying on. Thimble is on a pillow that is on top of a small table, and that table has a white foam buffer on it, because Astrid is known to slide tables into walls. Can you believe that Astrid was once so eager to get in the window seat that she literally punched a hole in the wall getting up there? So, we use foam and other protectors when and where we can, for the safe of both the furbabies and the house itself.

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Doodle of the Day

I'm trying not to turn my inner Halloween eagerness into blatant Halloween doodles just yet, but a lot of good I'm doing with that. Today's doodle was inspired by none other than a Halloween decoration I recently saw at a Michaels craft store. This decoration involves a fake typewriter with a skeleton hand posed on top of it, as if typing a frightful tale. I pretty just drew my rendition of the decoration, but of course added a kitty and a pup to the mix for good measure.

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Did you know?

Did you know that dogs are long distance runners while cats are sprinters? This most especially refers to the way dogs and cats catch their prey. Especially when considering dogs and cats in the wild, they catch prey in relatively different manners. Dogs are primarily landbound and are more disposed to running long distances to chase and catch prey. When it comes to cats, on the other hand, they can more easily climb and jump, and they therefore often hide and catch prey by surprise. When cats need to run after prey, they are more so sprinters than long distance runners, unlike dogs. Both dogs and cats are considered predatory species, but when you think about it, their predatory ways are not necessarily the same.

Toesies Tuesday

Two certain furbabies around here teamed up for today's Toesies Tuesday shots.

I'm going to pretend Thimble and Astrid really were cuddling in these photos, and that they weren't just shoving and fighting each other for the window seat.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day: Flashback Tuesday

For today's flashback doodle, I honestly was simply curious to see what I was scribbling up this time last year. It would seem last August I was doodling cats and books. What a shocker.

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Did you know?

Did you know that polydactyly is more common in cats than it is in dogs? In other words, it's not terribly hard to find cats with more toes than is considered normal. That being said, though it's less common, it is also possible for dogs to have extra toes, and there are even certain dog breeds that more often display this feature. Dogs are like cats in that, in a typical case, they have five toes, including a dewclaw, on each of the front paws, as well as four toes on each back paw. Dogs with an abnormal amount of toes might have dewclaws or other extra toes on the rear paws, or even double dewclaws on the front or back paws. Polydactyl cats still remain more common in general, though, and people like Ernest Hemingway can even be thanked for promoting a keen interest in these types of felines.

Mancat Monday

On a bright and shiny day, one of Evan's favorite places to be is in the sun puddle that shines through the front door.

Evan will park himself in that ray of light for as long as he possibly can. Sometimes I have to tell him that he needs to take a break from that lovely sunshine. After all, I don't want my ginger boy to burn!

Can you guess what happens when I tell Evan he needs to take a break from sunbathing?

He argues. Are you surprised? Yeah, me neither.

Wishing you all a sunny Monday!

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Doodle of the Day

Anybody up for another spooky read? Yes? No? Maybe so?

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Did you know?

Did you know that Edgar Allan Poe had a beloved cat named Catterina? We're thinking some of you do know this, especially since a certain famous tortie named Mudpie has mentioned Catterina before on her and her human's blog, Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows. Some have said that Poe's Catterina was a black cat, but it is now commonly believed she was a tortoiseshell cat. Either way, Catterina is believed to have played a significant role in the lives of both Poe and his wife, Virginia. It is said that Catterina often kept Poe company when he wrote, and that she kept Virginia company during her battle with tuberculosis.