I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope you get to share your day with the people and pets you love. May it be filled with laughter and joy. From Tammy, Pumpkin and Me xoxoxoxo!
The above photo is of Pumpkin and Tammy after their little catnip treat.
I had many hopes for improving my life at the beginning of this year and I am so happy how much has gone right for me. I have a great new job that provides me with new challenges and new people to get to know — so far everyone has been very nice. And of course there are lots of chocolates and cookies in the office at this time of year — fortunately I’m not worried about my weight. I have new friends to chat and have fun with. And Santa gave me money to buy the things I wanted. He decided that it would be better for me to decide which specifications I wanted for my computer because he wasn’t sure. That’s cool Santa. Santa has changed a lot since my childhood. We need to accept him as he is, because he needs to go through his personal growth process just like the rest of us. He is going with the flow and embracing the celebrity culture of our times, making videos such as this:
I was so excited this morning when I checked my e-mail and found a letter from Santa Claus! He is very busy in his workshop at the North Pole managing the elves and helpers who are making toys, games and other fun things for kids from all over the planet. He did not mention if he makes computers or cell phones….is that too technically advanced for his workshop? Has Santa not upgraded yet? Maybe he needs help from some of the tech folks out there. We want our computers to look pretty so I think we should get the folks at Apple to get together with the little folks up North and collaborate to make highly desirable, good quality gifts.
Some of you folks are writing witty letters because Santa said he gets a good belly laugh from some of the notes he receives. I think Santa has also become very health conscious because he said the he picked some beautiful candy cane-striped tomatoes and green beans that taste like sugar cookies from his lovely garden. I think I am going to write another letter to Santa requesting clippings or seeds from these yummy plants. I want candy-striped tomatoes too because it would be so pretty to snack on!
Good ol’Santa asked me to write again next year and sends his love.
I love you too Santa ♥ ♥ ♥
It’s been a rainy day today, rather cold and gloomy. A perfect day for staying in and reading… and not catching up on things. I particularly enjoyed reading one comic strip where the cat was saying to the dog “I wouldn’t go out there today it’s raining mice and dogs.”
Naturally, in my world it is always reigning cats.
This is also true:
And then there is this picture of Sara in Florida. I was wondering about the t-shirt that says “DRY IS NOT AN OPTION” on the back. Very brave!
To call something The cat’s whiskers means that something as superlatively good, first rate, or attractive. A cat always looks first rate, so to call your cat The Cat’s Whiskers is redundant. But when she is sitting there on the porch with her whiskers bristling ….well that always makes me wonder just what is on the cat’s mind.
Cat whiskers are a wonderful example of nature’s exquisite design. Cats usually have 24 whiskers, twelve (2 rows of 6) on each side of her face. They are 2 or three times thicker than ordinary hairs and are rooted very deep in the cat’s face and are attached to a very dense cluster of nerve endings. The whiskers are extremely sensitive to air movement and can easily pick up a slight breeze or an object’s presence from a distance. This is especially useful for cats in a low light situation because they can detect the presence of a mouse who’s movements cause the the air to move ever so slightly, and thus be able to catch their dinner. They say that a cat is so sensitive to air currents that he will know how to navigate a dark room by detecting the air currents flowing around furniture. Neat! I would grow whiskers if I could because I don’t like to turn on the lights at night.
A cat’s whiskers indicate a cat’s mood. A happy or relaxed cat has his whiskers pushed forward. When a cat is feeling defensive the whiskers are pulled back. The bottom two rows of whiskers on a cat can move independently of the top two rows so they can be very expressive.
The most important use of a cat’s whiskers is to help the cat evaulate the size of an opening and judge if he will be able to fit through the opening before attempting to squeeze through and getting stuck if the opening is too small. Since a cat’s whiskers are about as wide as his body and because they are so sensitive to pressure they can be used as a ruler. Cats put their heads in the opening first and if his whiskers brush too closely to the walls around it he will decide whether to proceed or not. Kitties are able to squeeze through very tight holes…we always used to marvel how the late Leone used to be able to get into the house through a very small mailbox …he would lift the door with his paw, stick his head in and slide down the opening.
Whiskers are more than a pretty accessory to a cat’s furry face, they are an important and useful feature for cats. They are used for navigation, measuring openings, and indicating mood. So please, do not cut or trim whiskers it will interfere with their sensing. But do rub your kitties cheeks — they love it!
Here are a few of my favourite cat sayings. There are many more but let’s start with a few:
In Ireland, if something is funny they say: “It would make a cat laugh.”
Bell the Cat: To undertake to do something dangerous.
Cat Around: To seek aimlessly for amusement.
Let the Cat out of the Bag: To tell a secret.
Play Cat and Mouse with: To play with, tease, or keep in suspense in an unkind way.
Put the Cat among the Pigeons: To pit enemies against each other. Set the stage for an inevitable fight.
The Cat’s Pyjamas (or Whiskers): Something considered outstanding.
Which way (or how) the Cat jumps: What direction events are taking.
A Cat in gloves catches no Mice: Not getting what you want by being careful and polite.
Cat’s Miaow: Top of the range.
Like herding Cats: Futile.
She’s a cool Cat: She is unflappable.
Sitting in a Cat bird seat: A person is in a favoured position or being in an advantageous position.
Fat Cat: A person high up in the business world with a lot of money.
Do it in a Cat’s Paw: Do something in a way that no one knows it is you doing it.
Look what the Cat dragged in: A humorously derogatory comment on someone’s arrival.
Curiosity killed the Cat: Warning about being curious.
A Cat has nine lives: Cats can survive things that are severe enough to kill them.
Nervous as a Cat in a room full of rocking chairs: Nervous.
Like a Cat on a hot tin roof: Agitated.
Cat cut your tongue: Speechless.
When the Cat’s away, the Mice will play: Without supervision, people misbehave.
Look like the Cat who swallowed the Canary: To look proud of oneself.
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Some of my readers may have encountered comments on my blog written by Miriam and wondered who she is. Miriam is my sister and she creates heritage lighting fixtures. She loves her work — she finds it very satisfying, challenging, and a great opportunity to express her creativity.
Today, Miriam sent me a photograph of a wonderful light fixture that she has just created with Walter. I thought it was just grande and I wanted to share their creations with you.
Miriam and Walter create historically-inspired lanterns for exterior or interior settings. Many of their creations shine on in churches, museums, heritage building and pubs around the world. Their lanterns can be found in many homes and cottages, including mine (house that is).
Have a look at this six foot light fixture that looks like it could come from a castle:
You can see more of these delightful creations on the Lightcrafters website.
Keep up the good work Miriam!
How well I remember bringing Pumpkin home for the first time. It was a cool October day in 1996. I was visiting my sister and her family when they told me they were going to feed a stray cat and her litter of kittens. Being a cat lover I went along to have a look at the cuties. It was love at first sight. Each kitten was adorably cute but the runt of the litter just looked so helpless and little. She would be pushed away by her larger siblings and not be able to drink her mother’s milk. Life would be a very big struggle for such a tiny kitty who didn’t have a good home for warmth and shelter. How she pulled my heart strings in all the right ways. I petted her and she took to me right away. I picked her up and she snuggled against my chest trying to get as close as possible to my warmth. She was so small that she fit in a single hand. I stroked her head and she looked up at my eyes with appreciation. Those darling glowing eyes. She did not want to go back down to the ground and I did not want to leave her. We were a match made in heaven. We went home in a cab basking in each other’s warmth. She was very happy to just snuggle up to me. Not a worry in her head.
Here is a photo taken around December. I guess she would have been around 3 or 4 months old.
Make your own design by dragging the boxes.
This is what I created … who is surprised really…lol.
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