Thankful Thimble Thursday

Hello and happy Thursday! Today, we're going to start with Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble is of course here to share her weekly gratitude. Can you tell what she's thankful for? 

Sunshine! After days of rain, we're finally getting some sunshine. And you know what? It's going to be 80°F this weekend. I'm not sure I'm quite ready for that, but I don't have much of a choice now, do I? Either way, the kitties and pup are loving the sun puddles!

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Now, how about those fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing  came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. A book or movie I recently read or saw that I recommend is _________.

2. I prefer to shop _________.

3. I have a lot of trust in _________.

4. I have very little trust in _________.

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The end of this week is going to be extra crazy at my workplace. I've already been staying late most days this week, and I anticipate the same for today and tomorrow. That said, today on our blog we're supposed to sharing the letter O for the A to Z Challenge. We're already behind, and since I haven't been getting home with much time or energy left for art, I'm going to let myself share related flashback doodles today and tomorrow. The letters O and P are actually the first initials of the two main human characters of my stories for which I'm scribbling up doodles for the A to Z Challenge. I already have quite a few bits of concept art for these characters, and so today and tomorrow I'll share a couple of those flashback doodles. Then, this weekend, I'll share these two characters' new A to Z doodles. Thankfully, my weekend should be calm, and so I'll get to spend some time catching back up on this alphabetical challenge. 

All that rambling aside, here's a flashback for the letter O. I guess for the fun of it I'll wait to divulge this young lady's name until her new doodle is shared on Saturday. Any guesses? Suffice it to say, though, she has lots of furry friends.

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P.S. I haven't forgotten about Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge. I think I've simply resigned myself to the fact that, this year, I'm struggling to juggle even the April A to Z Challenge, and so I'll return to sharing weekly poems with Sammy's challenge in May. I also certainly plan to be far more ahead of the game by next year, especially for this extra busy month of April.

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Tip of the Day

In case you forgot, April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. And, in case you forgot, we're doing a short series of tips on this topic. Today, we have a simple tip on how you can help prevent cruelty and neglect of animals. And that is, simply, to adopt your furbabies from shelters or rescues. Though there are indeed reputable and responsible breeders out there, there are also, unfortunately, a vast number of backyard breeders and puppy and kitty mills where animals are inhumanely treated as nothing but tools for the sake of human profit. By purchasing from such breeders or from pet shops, you are supporting the cruel treatment of the animals used by these breeders. So, please always consider adopting from shelters and rescues!

Also, as we're certain you already know, please also have your kitties and pups spayed or neutered. In addition, if you are able to do, consider assisting with trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs, which help reduce overpopulation both in the wild and in the shelter system. Strays, ferals, and even intact house pets can contribute to a large number of kittens and puppies being born in the wild. Sadly, these outdoor animals can make accessible and easy targets for cruel treatment from humans who wish them harm. We have all heard the terrible stories of animal cruelty inflicted on innocent creatures living outdoors. So, for more reasons than one, please also spay and neuter your pets, and consider assisting in TNR programs.