Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Happy Thursday! Wait, it's Thursday? That means it's time for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

Each week, our host shares a photo prompt to guide us on our poetic journey. This week's prompt is this adorable one here:

I didn't have much of a plan going into this poem. All I knew was that I wanted to include some squirrels, cats, and a winter setting. The result of all that was this silly rhyme:

The New Neighbors

Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel were quite happy with their home.
Inside an oak tree, it was a peaceful, cozy, and humble abode.
It was their favorite place to be,
Their little home inside that tree.

The Squirrels had a little one they were raising in their home.
And the trouble began when, one day, they put their little one down to doze.
On that day, Baby Squirrel was immediately awoken from his nap.
It happened when, outside, there was a sound much like a laugh.

When the laughter and giggling and downright noise continued,
Mr. Squirrel peeked outside to see what he might find and what he could do.
What he discovered was a furry and whiskered and laughing thing.
In the snow it was giggling and swirling and dancing.

"Um, excuse me?" Mr. Squirrel said.
The furry and laughing thing turned its head.
Then it shouted, "Oh, hello! It's nice to meet you!"
It wore a hat over pointed ears, and mittens and a scarf of blue.
It was building a snow creature that looked just like it, too.

The loud and laughing thing smiled and waved.
It seemed like nothing but joy was on its furry orange face.
"My name is Tabby," it said.
It added, "My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cat, are at our house just up ahead.
We just moved in to our new homestead."

Mr. Squirrel tried not to grimace too visibly.
Instead, he asked, "Will you always be out here playing and laughing?"
"How could I not?" still laughing Tabby replied.
The furry fellow added, "It's just so fun playing here outside!"
When Tabby the new neighbor showed no signs of stopping his games,
Mr. Squirrel ducked back into his tree of a home, calling Mrs. Squirrel's name.

Mr. Squirrel explained to Mrs. Squirrel the new neighbor situation,
After which she looked outside for herself to see Tabby's laughing demonstration.
Mrs. Squirrel sighed and said, "At least the new neighbor called Tabby is happy.
Though, it would be nice if he wasn't out there so loudly playing and laughing."

That's when Mr. and Mrs. Cat appeared, saying, "Hello, neighbors! We have gifts of food."
In truth, food always helped to improve Mr. Squirrel's mood.
Mrs. Cat said, "I apologize if our son Tabby is loud.
He's a bit rambunctious, though of him we are proud."

The Cat family handed over their gifts of food, one being a walnut cake.
Taking a bite, Mr. Squirrel thought he'd never tasted anything that delicious as of late.
He ate it while watching Tabby still laughing and playing in the snow,
And now he really didn't mind the really quite loud show.

The Squirrels and Cats became great friends after that.
The Squirrels were often happily visited by Mr. and Mrs. Cat.
Sometimes their gatherings, and Tabby's laughing playtime, ran quite late.
Mr. Squirrel no longer minded, especially when Mr. and Mrs. Cat brought that walnut cake.

This is usually where I share the illustration I like to doodle up for my poem. The illustration for this poem is close to being finished, but I just didn't quite get the last touches put on it. After a couple weeks of craziness in both my personal and work life, I'll soon finally get back to regularly sharing new drawings. The illustration for today's poem will be shared either tomorrow or this weekend, and after that other new drawings will finally be ready to share as well. Today's doodle will be another flashback at the end of this post.

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It's not just about rhyming today, but also giving thanks. This is easy thanks to Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble is always here on Thursdays to give thanks, and today is no different. What is is tabby girl thankful for today?

Thimble is grateful for her adorable nose! And her gorgeous eyes! And her stunning whiskers! What's more, Thimble and all of us here are beyond grateful for friends like all of you.

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Last but not least, how about we share the fill-ins statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? Ellen of 15andmeowing crafted up the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. _________ is a mystery I would love to know the answer to.

2. _________ is the farthest I have ever been from home.

3. I've lost count of how many times _________.

4. _________ reminds me of _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

The mixture of cold air outside and dry heat inside during the winter months can lead to skin that is dry, itchy, and flaky. For this reason, it could very well be a good idea to keep a humidifier going in your house, to help keep the air and your furbaby's fur and coat as moist and comfortable as possible. Do be sure to keep in mind your kitty or pup's activity level and favorite areas to play or run when placing the humidifier, though, in order to avoid spills and other risks that might come with a humidifier. In a strategic, safe, and secure place, though, a humidifier can help keep the air moist and a cat or dog free of the discomfort of dry skin and coat.

It's also worth it to note that another way to reduce your furbaby's dryness and itchiness in the winter is to minimize or eliminate baths, as well as to dry them off when they come indoors and are wet with snow or rain. Brushing them regularly can also stimulate the natural oils of their skin, which can further help keep their fur and skin from drying out. If you do notice your kitty or pup's skin and coat is dry and itchy during the winter, and especially if you cannot get an easy handle on it, you can certainly discuss the issue and further solutions with your veterinarian.