(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Peppermint Thoughts

What has you so deep in thought, Astrid?

Mmmm. 

(For the record, although this pup refuses to eat plenty of perfectly good 

foods, like banana and apple and potato and turkey flavored dog food, 

she loves mint. She's a four-legged mystery.)

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Always be aware of potential exceptions to the rules of toxicity for your furbaby. Mint, for example, is largely nontoxic to our pups and kitties, although with some exceptions. A type of mint plant known as English pennyroyal can in fact be toxic to dogs and cats, and even to people. If ingested, especially in large quantities, it can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, and can even potentially result in liver damage or failure. This is why it is important to be aware of the types of plants that are growing in your yard and in other locations that your furbaby frequents. Because it is often harmless, mint is used in some dog and cat treats, and is therefore called for in some recipes for homemade treats. And the scent of mint can also attract some furbabies, and for some cats can have a similar effect as catnip. For all such reasons, please always be cognizant of the types of plants, including any mint, to which your furbaby might be exposed.

Angels we have heard on high.

Today's post is a simple one.

Today, we simply ask that everyone join us in remembering all of the angels who have gained their wings. There have been many, and hearts are aching, but please never forget the beautiful memories with which they left us.

***

Our Tip of the Day:

In times of loss, although it may seem difficult, please always try to remember the good times. Your angels would not want you to remember them with sadness. Rather, keep their memory alive, forever hold dear the beautiful memories you share with them. Remember the good times, share your stories, write them down, post them, hang photos on the wall, or do whatever helps you to keep alive those fond memories. It is in such memories and in us that our angels live on forever.

Mancat Monday: Where's that white stuff?

Just as his sister Thimble was doing the other day, Evan has been thinking lately.

And, like Thimble, it's that fluffy, cold white stuff that Evan's been pondering.

When Evan sits by his front door these days, it's much colder than it used to be. Even in the sun, it's cold. That's why Evan's been wondering.

If it's going to insist on being cold out there, then why not at least give him some of that white stuff to ogle and chase as it falls from the sky?

Well, Evan got his wish yesterday!

 

Did any of our furiends out there get snow?

A happy Monday to all!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

As winter starts to really set in, don't forget to provide your furbabies a couple of extra cozy and snug places to snooze. Even indoors, our furbabies can feel the chill of winter. Cats especially might appreciate somewhere special and warm to sleep, as they descended from ancestors more accustomed to warm climates. And, of course, older and arthritic or ailing furbabies especially benefit from warm places to stay comfy. Safe and monitored thermal blankets are great, but always be careful of fire hazard. Even just extra piles of blankies or some of your clothes can suffice, as your furbabies can burrow down into them. And don't forget the fun and warm coziness that blankie forts can provide!

Sunny Selfies and Santa Paws

Thimble decided that she hasn't snapped enough model shots lately, so she asked to be the star of our post for today's Sunday Selfie blog hop, hosted by our Kitties Blue pals over at The Cat on My Head.

It's not like I can say no to Thimble, so of course I let her snap away with those selfies.

Hmm. There's something just a tad bit glaring and blinding about that one. And, my goodness, what is that pumpkin decoration doing back there on the door? It's Christmastime, for goodness sake! Thimble says this certainly calls for a redo.

There, how's that? Thimble hopes that's up close and personal enough for you.

Of course, Thimble also asked that today's art be largely inspired by her. Given that this human is still in a bit of an ornament-making phase, I hoped this would meet Thimble's standards.

This tabby of a Santa Paws sure looks excited, just about as excited as the kitties around here. You see, today we're in the process of making the final touches to our Secret Paws package, so that it can head out on its way to its new home tomorrow. And for the kitties around here, wrapping gifts ranks right up there with harassing the Christmas tree, so we're having lots of fun!

A happy and festive Sunday to all of our furiends!


EDIT: It is with a heavy heart that we learned that one of the Kitties Blue, dear Fiona, gained her angel wings. Please do visit Fiona's mom and dad and brofurs and sisfurs over at the Sunday Selfie blog hop, and offer them your condolences and fond memories of beautiful Fiona. Fly high, sweet Fiona.

***

Our Tip of the Day:
This tip may be a bit different than our usual one, but we just wanted to remind everybuddy to be sure to get all of their Christmas packages and cards to the post office before the last-minute holiday craziness ensues! The postal system can become a bit chaotic this time of year, with people exchanging well wishes and gifts all over the world. So, in order to make sure that your furry furiends and two-legged friends receive all their cards and gifts on time, be sure to mail them out as soon as possible. If you're participating in this year's Secret Paws gift exchange, or even if you're not, our furiends over at Sweet Purrfections organized a page with important shipping information, which gives great advice on when to ship out the goods in order for delivery by Christmas.

Ornamentation

I love Christmas and all the magic that comes with the season. And, of course, so do all of the kitties in the family.

As many of you know, my active girl Eddy loves to climb in the Christmas tree, adjust the branches, remove ornaments, make herself at home, all that jazz. My boy Evan loves the tree as well, but, being hind limb paralyzed, he tends to keep his shenanigans at the level of the lower branches. Thimble might bat at this or that ornament, chew on a branch here and there, or maybe do a little pole dance at the base of the tree, but otherwise she prefers to sit back and watch the madness the others create.

And of course let's not forget housemate Toby. You all remember him, right?

Well, this boy finds great joy in chewing holes in the pretty red ribbons of felt that this human loves to put on the tree. That, and he drags off any and all members of the festive teddy bear club that camps out by the tree. Toby takes these poor stuffed bears to the depths of his kitty dungeon (aka, beneath the table), and let's just suffice it to say that nothing good can come of that.

Oh, and for the record, pup Astrid hasn't the foggiest idea why the kitties find that artificial bundle of bristles so entertaining. Surfing on rugs and snoozing on couches are far superior options, if you ask her.

Anyway, that all simply comprises the festivities that occur at my house. Because then there are my parents, who have 7 cats (last time I showed these cuties off here on the blog, there were only 6 of them, which means I have another rescue story to share with you soon!). And what does 7 cats mean? Apparently it means the tree goes horizontal on day one, and thereby awards itself a cozy spot with a seat belt in the corner of the room. Yep, my parents have more than a couple feline tree scalers, and so their Christmas tree is now bungeed in place. It all makes for quite a sight. 

Speaking of which, it was as I sat eating supper at my parents' house the other night, watching their adorable clan of kitties massacre the tree strapped to the wall, that I felt a wave of inspiration wash over me. Perhaps that's why, not long after, this happened:

Honestly, who needs ornaments when you have purrfectly cute cats to hang from the tree? And this here kitty ornamentation is our contribution to Athena's always fun Caturday Art blog hop. Be sure to head right on over there for more art, plenty of which is sure to be fun and festive!

Warm wishes to all!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Although they certainly are festive, please avoid keeping mistletoe and holly at your house. Both can cause your furbaby gastrointestinal disturbances if ingested, among other and potentially severe consequences. Also avoid lilies, as while some are non-toxic, others are highly dangerous to your furbaby. Be sure to inspect any plants or flower arrangements that guests might bring over for the holidays, and when decorating, consider opting for artificial plants to help your home feeling festive, yet to also keep it safe. And how about a final bonus tip today? Although often considered among the most dangerous, poinsettias are in fact not terribly so. Of course it's not ideal to allow your furbaby to feast on them, as they can cause irritation, poinsettia ingestion is rarely life-threatening, and it's certainly not nearly as dangerous as that of the plants listed above.

Fun Friday!

We just love Fridays around here. And today is an especially fun one. That being said, we'll get right to it.

First up, we have the fantastic Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by our pals over at 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

This week's fill-ins are a precursor to Christmas, which makes us very happy. Here they are:

1. I have a hard time finding a gift for _________.
2. I have no problem finding a gift for _________.
3. One of the best gifts I ever gave was _________.
4. One of the best gifts I ever received was _________.

I had to put my thinking cap on for a while, and ended up with these:

1. I have a hard time finding a gift for my dad.
(My dad is a pretty handy guy, and he loves taking it upon himself to personalize things like his truck and his fish aquariums in very unique and creative ways. That being said, his Christmas wish list often consists of tools and all sorts of parts and pieces that I honestly never wholly understand. I'll think I know what I'm looking for, and then I get to the store or online and find dozens upon dozens of options and don't know which is the one he might actually need. It makes it hard not to be like, "Hey, Dad, you know how a while back you mentioned wanting those air deflectors for your truck? So, can you tell me which store carries those, and maybe in which aisle, and how about on which shelf? While we're at it, do you by any chance have the exact part number for those things? Because, you know, I'm just curious like that." Honestly, what even are air deflectors for a truck?)

2. I have no problem finding a gift for my mom.
(My mom is one of those low-maintenance, humble, easy to please sort of gals. She loves cats, and cats, and anything to do with sewing, crafting, and cats, and cooking, and simple and easy things like soaps and lotions, and pretty much anything you get her. Whew.)

3. One of the best gifts I ever gave was a big box full of food and toys for the animals at the local shelter.
(I did this last Christmas. I got a big box and bought enough dog and cat food, treats, and toys to fill it. Knowing how much even a simple can of yummy goodness or a treat or a new toy can brighten a pup or kitty's day, I wanted to provide plenty of those for those animals still awaiting their forever homes. I try to do something along these lines for the shelter animals each year.)

4. One of the best gifts I ever received was my first digital camera.
(I wanted to go for something far less materialistic for this fill-in, but I just kept coming back to this answer. There is a reason, though. I received my first digital camera from my parents for Christmas back when I was a teenager. That was the first camera that really got me taking pictures on a regular basis, and which really sparked my hobby of stalking my furbabies in order to acquire as much photographic evidence of their cuteness as possible. I used that first digital camera for over a decade, and it was pictures from that very camera that got me started on this whole blogging journey. Who ever thought I'd be thinking a camera for leading me to meeting all of you pawesome blogging buddies!)


Now, speaking of Christmas, all I can say now is here's Eddy's picture of the week:

It's blurry, I know, but this is Eddy we're talking about. And a cat frolicking in a Christmas tree isn't exactly the most stationary object around. So, that's what Eddy's been up to.

Okay, what's up next? There's a kitty in this blogosphere who hasn't been feeling well, and that kitty is Sammy. We're sending our well wishes and warm thoughts to Sammy, and we're also participating in the Come Fly with Me blog hop today in his honor.

Sammy is known for his Tuesday Teasers, when he posts a picture from somewhere around the world, trying to see who can guess the location, and who gets stumped. In honor of that, and of course in honor of Sammy, the Come Fly with Me hop was organized for all of Sammy's furiends to help take him all over the world.

Sammy, the furbabies here wanted us to give you a tour of Shawnee National Forest, in our home state of Illinois. Pup Astrid asked to be your official tour guide.

Now, seeing that we've arrived at Shawnee National Forest, we're going to take you to its Garden of the Gods, Sammy. To get there, we'll just squeeze through here...

Then we'll just climb a few stony steps...

And then we'll have ourselves a nice little view...

See that rock there at the right, Sammy? In its entirety, it looks like a camel hiding behind some trees. See?

Well, we sure hope you enjoyed Shawnee National Forest just as much as we did, Sammy. We sure enjoyed your company! And, of course, we're sending lots and lots of purrs and prayers your way!

(Edit: We just learned that Sammy will be making his way to the Rainbow Bridge today. May you fly high, Sammy.)


Now, on to today's art. Can you believe that, once in a blue moon, I have the audacity to draw something that doesn't have four legs and fur? I know. The horror! But, nevertheless, here are some festive little fellows I drew for this weekend's art fair:

These Santas are meant to be ornaments, but I've learned they make pretty good bookmarks, too (sorry, Santa). The last two are feeling pretty patriotic, in large part because tomorrow's art fair is benefiting our local VFW. I figured, why not have Santa himself honor our veterans? So, there you have it.

Ho ho ho! Have a fun and festive Friday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

If you ever plan on going on a hiking trip with your furbaby, which would likely be limited to your pup, don't forget to make all proper considerations and plans. First and foremost, please be aware that hiking can be a strenuous and at times exhausting endeavor, so if your pup has never before been, or if he or she has any medical conditions, please take these into heavy consideration. Also keep in mind your dog's behavior around people and other dogs, as well as around wildlife, and of course be aware of the weather and other environmental factors that could affect how successful a hike with your pup might be. Once you've decided that your pup is a fit candidate for a hike, ensure that you have any and all gear required. A sturdy collar and leash are a must, as well as other basics needed on even typical walks, such as plastic bags and water. Don't forget food and treats, bowls for both the water and food, and of course a first aid kit for your pup. Past that, be sure to consider where you will be hiking and pack additional gear accordingly. You might need booties for your pup's feet if the terrain is rough, or a comb in the case of burrs. Activities such as hiking can make for a fun bonding experience with your pup, but first please always be sure that it is a fitting option for which you and your dog are prepared!

Thimble Thursday: Watching and Waiting

Thimble has been thinking a lot lately.

If all this cold has finally entered the air, she's been wondering, then where's all that white stuff that she so loved watching fall last year?

Just keep watching and waiting, Thimble, and it will eventually show up.

This human can't lie. Although I'm not a fan of feeling cold or shivering down to my very bones, I do love the beauty of snow. Perhaps that's why I'm watching and waiting with Thimble, and perhaps that's also why this happened:

I know. What's wrong with me? I just really like snow. I'm sorry.

Happy Thursday, everybuddy!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

This seems like a good time to give a repeat tip from last winter. Once snow and ice start making their way to you, if you use ice melt salt to combat it, please do consider seeking out a pet-friendly kind. Even pet-friendly salts, though, may not be 100% so, as essentially all salts can lead to skin irritation and/or gastrointestinal upset in your furbaby. For this reason, perhaps consider an alternative, such as materials that allow for better traction on ice, which can include oyster shells. Even then, though, always be cautious with tender kitty paws, and with the paws of those pups who go on walks and might be exposed to salt and such used on neighbors' driveways and sidewalks, which may be of a kind that is not pet-friendly. Also be sure to wipe off those paws when they come back in from outside, especially if they've been in contact with materials such as salt. And of course don't forget your own shoes, as you can easily introduce such debris into the home on your own feet. Regularly sweeping and mopping, especially near the door, can also help reduce lingering salt debris, so that it doesn't end up on your furbaby's skin, or licked off of paws and thereby in your furbaby's intestinal tract. It is of course important to prevent injury with ice-combating methods, but don't forget to consider the safety of your furbaby!