Tonks Tuesday: Un-sunny Days and Upcycling

Friends, Tonks is a little upset on this Tuesday.

She got all nestled by the window, and then do you know what happened? 

The sun went away and it started raining. How rude, Mother Nature. No snoozing in sun puddles for Tonks today. Oh well, just because it quite quickly became an un-sunny day doesn't mean Tonks won't get in those naps.

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Now, let's get to today's contribution to April's A to Z Challenge.

My theme this year is "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things", and today we've reached the letter U. This is perhaps a strange one, but I decided to make my U stand for upcycling. I don't know if that's actually a weird one or not, but the doodle below sure is. So, my attempt at a quick explanation is that I find joy in reusing certain items rather than tossing them out. I do a lot of upcycling of glass jars, for example. I especially like when this saves me from having to spend money on store-bought containers. For example, I use old mason jars, glass syrup bottles, and baby food jars (my tabby girl Thimble is spoiled and likes baby food as a treat) to store pencils, paintbrushes, paperclips, and that sort of thing. I also turn them into different forms of decorations, like candle or other light holders, or the ones I perhaps strangely turned into fake potions bottles. Honestly, if you need some homemade Halloween decorations, glass syrup bottles make great potion bottles. 

I'll also mention that I have picked up my fair share of really old, tattered books at garage sales to use as craft paper, or to use as the labels for the aforementioned potions bottles. I also once found a cauldron-like planter at a garage sale, cleaned it up, and turned it into a Halloween decoration.

All the above rambling aside, here's my doodle to rather weirdly demonstrate how U stand for upcycling.

We hope your day is a little less weird than that doodle!

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Tip of the Day

Today's spring safety tip is another one we've very recently mentioned, but that we'll repeat again. It is to always be aware and cautious of the potential dangers of various fertilizers, pesticides, and other such chemicals that are often used this time of the year. If you plan to use any such products, do your research and try to avoid using potentially toxic variations. No matter what kind you use, though, to be safe, keep any such products stashed safely away from your furbaby's reach.

But, this tip also goes beyond what you might be using in your own personal environment. For pups or kitties who go outdoors, you should take into consideration that unfamiliar yards, parks, and other such areas may use products that could have toxic effects if walked through, ingested, and so forth. When out and about with your furbaby, or even just yourself, try to avoid areas where you know or think any unsafe chemicals are used. When you arrive back at home after a walk or other excursion, wipe off paws and shoes, so that you can do your best to remove any traces of fertilizers, pesticides, or other chemicals. There is no such thing as being too careful when it comes to the health and safety of our furbabies, so do all that you can to keep your furbaby protected from potentially dangerous chemicals this time of year, and all year round.