Happy Easter!

If you celebrate the holiday, we hope you have a very happy and blessed Easter! If you do not celebrate it, have a wonderful Sunday! Either way, we do hope you enjoyed Toby's Easter selfies.

***

I mentioned on Thursday how my poems for the Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge will be part of my Sunday posts during the month of April. This is mostly because I'm participating in the April A to Z Challenge, and that challenge has a weekly hiatus on Sundays. So, to make things a bit less busy on Thursdays, our poems will be shared on Sundays instead.

Our poetic host Angel Sammy always shares a photo prompt to help guide us. The prompt for this week's poem was this daunting image here:

During the month of April, I'm giving myself one extra little challenge for my poems. Since I'm scribbling up 26 doodles for the A to Z Challenge, I'm not going to draw my usual new illustrations for my poems. Instead, I'm going to try to find past doodles to in some way match the photo prompt provided by our host. Then I'm going to write a poem at least sort of related to both the prompt and whatever flashback doodle I found to go with it. The past drawing I decided to use for this week's prompt and poem is this one from all the way back in 2019:

Using both our poetic host's prompt and that flashback doodle, I meandered my way through this silly little rhyme here:

To Each Her Own

Margo's friends sought grand adventure.
Near, there, far, and everywhere they would venture.
As for Margo, she preferred a more peaceful life.
Calm and simple days with her cat Ed are what made her feel most alive.

Watching her friends set off on a new journey never upset Margo.
It was her who chose to turn down trips to Mount Everest and even Key Largo.
This time around, Margo's friends were headed on a trip across cliffs and waterfalls.
In truth, that did not sound fun to Margo—not one bit, not at all.

As her friends prepared their hiking gear and kayaks,
"Are you sure you don't want to come along, Margo?" they did ask.
"I'm absolutely positive," Margo said.
"Ed will keep me company," she added with a smile and nod of her head.

"You're going to miss a great many adventures on waters galore."
That was what Margo's friends told her, and so much more.
"I can enjoy my very own adventures here at home," Margo said.
"I quite enjoy a peaceful trip across the lake," she added with another nod of her head.

After a few more attempts to convince Margo to join them,
Her friends finally admitted defeat and began to head out by 8:00 am.
"Don't worry about me," Margo said to her frowning friend Joan.
Margo added, "I just don't enjoy what you enjoy. To each her own."

After sending her friends off on their way,
"Would you like to go on our own little adventure, Ed?" to her cat Margo did say.
To the local lake not far away the two did walk.
Everything about the lake was serene and calm.
"This is much more my speed," Margo had to admit.
The girl and her cat stepped into a boat and set off with excitement and spirit.

On the lake, Margo and Ed floated and enjoyed the peace and quiet.
Those like Margo's friends found adventures to distant lands to be a riot,
While those like Margo enjoyed things far more simple and silent.
It does not matter how you prefer to spend your time away or at home.
In truth, to each his or her own.

***

Tip of the Day

Today's tip is an Easter-inspired one, and it is to always think twice before ever giving anyone an animal as a gift. This could include giving a bunny to a child for Easter, as well as giving a puppy as a Christmas gift, or a kitty as a birthday gift. Caring for any animal will of course take time, effort, knowledge, and preparation. What's more, some animals, such as rabbits, have special dietary or other needs. This is why taking on an animal as a pet should be done with forethought and preparation by the pet's new owner. Giving a child a rabbit for Easter, therefore, could lead to a rabbit ending up in a situation with lack of proper care, and an overwhelmed child or parents. The same goes for giving any animal as a gift, especially if the recipient has not made the proper preparations or does not have the resources to care for a pet. So, never forget that giving an animal a proper home with proper care is something that should always be discussed, researched, and for which the owner should sufficiently be prepared. We have no doubt that all of you reading this already know this.

The above being said, it's worth noting that if a responsible pet owner expresses a desire to receive a pet as a gift, that is a bit of a different story. Someone whom you know well, who is already a proven kind and caring pet owner, and who wants another animal, is someone who could more reasonably receive an animal as a gift. We bet there are plenty of wonderful pet owners out there who have received a best friend in this manner. The important thing is to think such a decision through wisely, and to consider whether an animal will for certain receive the proper care it needs and deserves from a potential recipient.