“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost
Showing posts with label kitty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitty. Show all posts

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Black Cat Awareness Day Oct 27, 2012

Time again to remember our feline friends, of the black variety. In this country, black cats have had a rough time of it. They have long been on the receiving end of negative stereotypes which has resulted in hundreds if not thousands of needless deaths. The familiar image of a black cat with an arched back and raised fur with its tail upright is frequently used for Halloween or to signify some sort of bad luck.

Throughout history, black cats have been viewed as mysterious and even supernatural. They have been associated with witchcraft and misfortune. These ideas have been fueled by writers and film makers and have helped to reinforce this horrible stereotype against black cats. Unfortunately this has led to misconceptions about black cats that has set them up for harm and abuse.

Now I have to say that I love to see black cats, especially at Halloween! I do think they are mysterious and maybe even supernatural, but not in a bad way! I love black cats! Below is my first black cat, he found me and we were together for over 18 years! He was a super cool cat and he was amazing and lovable. I wish we could start to adopt a more loving view of black cats in this country.

Cocoa in the garden  (1991-2009)

I read that in Australia and Britain and other parts of the world where black is a protective color, black cats are considered lucky. In Ancient Egypt, cats were sacred and a home that kept a black cat was even more blessed. The ancient Celts believed that black cats were reincarnated beings who could foretell the future. Cats have always been associated with motherhood, protection, love and fertility. In Scotland, it was believed that if a black cat crossed your path that good fortune would come your way.  Maybe my Scottish heritage has something to do with my love of black cats!


"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly
               measured by how they regard cats."
                                                               Anonymous




Beautiful!
Black cat



Magical!

Black Cat And Mockorange


Curious!


Black Cat

Awwwww! Cute!

Black Cat Brooch

Lovely!


Black cat in red feathers





This is one unhappy cat!


black cat wearing hat with ears




Black cats are frequently passed over for adoption 
and are euthanized more than any other type of cat. 
Please consider a black cat when adopting.

My adopted kitten .... Guy Noir, curious, playful and happy!

Source: Black Cat Folklore

Friday, October 12, 2012

A Beautiful Fall Morning...


Our weather has turned quite cold already, but the sun somehow always makes me feel a bit warmer on these blustery days.  The steady breeze made it look as though it was raining leaves.




Guy was enjoying some fresh air and sun while keeping an eye on our other cat Dot.








I love looking at the leaves and their various shapes and colors. I'm always amazed at how beautiful something that may seem so ordinary, is so beautiful. Guy enjoyed playing with them and even brought one in the house to keep as a souvenir.  It lasted about ten minutes before he had it shredded and scattered all over the floor.







Guy Noir

Guy Noir turned six months old this month.  He is a very nice looking boy and he has the most beautiful long tail.  He is very sweet and loves to play and get into all sorts of mischief.


Red Oak




The sugar maples turn this glorious yellow-gold color. I just had to get a few pictures looking up at the bright blue sky.  I don't believe there was a cloud anywhere in sight!






Our little lake is pretty quiet now.  The resident egrets and herons left several weeks ago and the ducks left last week after several nights of freezing temperatures. Now we will only see a few stragglers passing through headed on down to warmer states like Arkansas and Louisiana.

White Birch

Guy was quite amazed at the leaves that were raining down on him.  I have to remind myself that this is all new to him and the first time he has experienced autumn and a changing season. He spied our small crab apple tree and decided today was a good day to try climbing it.  He was very proud of himself and after climbing back down, climbed it again!
Happy Birthday little Guy Noir!






Saturday, July 14, 2012

Little Guy is Growing Like a Weed...

Our little Guy Noir is growing so fast. At this age he is growing in length and he is quite a string bean! His tail is extremely long too. I read that this is normal for this stage in growth. We love his name Guy Noir, but we have also come up with a few nick-names too, such as Whirly Gig, Brat Cat, Devil Cat and several others.




Taken with a flash..... look at those long hairs sticking out!

Overall though he is very cute and loves to torment the adult girl cats. So far Aunt Dot and Granny Gin have held up alright under Guy's onslaught of terror! They are not afraid to correct his bad manners and he is starting to catch on that they do not like being jumped on and bit!


Dot in a moment of relaxation.




Wondering what is on the other side of the door.






Sorry for the blurry pictures! He won't stay still and I have an old camera!




He only remembers his sweet momma and brothers and sisters, who apparently had no problem going along with the rough housing. My girls will not be apart of that. They will play along most of the time, but when he gets too rough they let him have it! It only takes a hiss and a swift smack down with one paw to set him straight!





Guy inside his playpen.


The playpen is located on the screened porch where he can get fresh air and watch the birds and squirrels.


Here is his view, there is a goldfinch at the feeder in this photo.



The playpen has come in very handy. At first Guy was in there several times a day so the girls could get used to him. Now I mainly use it if I need to keep him safe and not underfoot when I am working in the kitchen cooking or when bringing in groceries from the garage. He thinks there is something fascinating out on the garage and tries to dash out there.  He is settling in quite well now and enjoys playing with his toys and chasing the girls.  He also loves to look out the windows on the porch and watch the birds.  We are all having a ball with this little bundle of energy!





Saturday, June 2, 2012

Hey Little Kitty...

We are welcoming a new baby kitten into our home! As you may be aware June is Adopt a Cat Month. I haven't had a kitten for many years and decided this would be the perfect time to adopt.  We found a cute little guy who needed a home, so I will be busy with him for a few weeks until he gets settled in. I found out our home is really not kitten proof, so while I am at it, a little house cleaning and organization is also taking place. The image below is a great example of what NOT to do if you have a kitten - or cat for that matter. String, thread, needles, pins.... aaaak! Keep these items far, far away from the little ones.




I will still try to stop by your blogs to visit, but I may not post anything for a couple of weeks. It just depends on how things go. Of course the first thing I will be posting are pictures of our kitten!

In the mean time, here is a very cute and fun song called "Hey, Little Kitty" by the Peekers!

Enjoy! ~ Diane ~




Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Some Cute Vintage Finds

This past week just flew by! I took a couple of days to tend to my flower gardens and a couple more days to go to some estate sales. Today I would like to share my wonderful vintage finds with you.




This cute kitty planter is from the 1950's.  It is unmarked, but some research has led me to think this is a Shawnee Pottery piece. I have not been able to verify that for sure, so I need to do a bit more digging. She is so cute with her long beautiful eyelashes! I may be falling in love with this little sweetie!




I found this extra large watercolor paint set, by Page of London. The theme is Alice in Wonderland and features a detailed lithograph of the famous tea party. This tin has most of the paint blocks still intact and the tin itself is in remarkable condition.

A quick search found that a few years ago one sold at a Christie's auction for around $500.  However some have sold recently for much less.  My husband has several more of these tins with different themes, but he will not let me sell them (even though they have just been sitting in a box in our basement for years)!


I love the magical creatures!




Pose for the camera and say peanuts!





Look at these cute little elephant salt and pepper shakers from Hull/Leeds Pottery. They are just so cute, one has yellow ears and the other has blue ears! They are from the 1940's.



This poor little lass has lost her mate! She is supposed to be singing, while he accompanies her on the accordion. Right now I think she is saying "Boohoo! I'm all alone!" She is one half of a set of the Shawnee Pottery Company Swiss Children Salt and Pepper shakers. I did find her mate for sale in another online shop. Maybe the two will be reunited! She is also from the 1950's.



Here is another Shawnee Pottery piece, a small planter of a rabbit peeking around a tree stump. I have to say I think this rabbit looks a little deranged, but that's just my opinion! I am sure someone would love the little guy!

Our outdoor sales and markets are just getting started so can't wait to get out there and look for more. Now if I could just focus on getting them all listed in my shop I would be doing great!

Oooh, I think the sun is coming out! Off to take some pictures of my garden!   ~~ Diane






Monday, December 12, 2011

The Bells of Christmas...




The significance of bells at Christmas.



Have you ever wondered why there are so many bells at Christmas time? Bell ringing arose from ancient roots.  Ringing bells can be traced back to some pagan winter festivals.  Bells and other noisemakers were thought to scare away evil spirits in the dark, long, winter nights.  Bells were often used as a warning of some impending threat or to gather people together. 







Some lovely Silver Bells















Bells adorn many cards both vintage and modern.










People began to have so much fun ringing bells they were incorporated into many other events.  They began ringing them to announce the coming of an activity, event or special occasion. They ring for good times and bad.  Bells ring out announcements  for weddings, births and deaths.  The bells became a standard method of communication and are almost always found in churches.










Church bells began to be used during Christmas to announce the arrival of the season and to proclaim the birth of Christ. The cheerful tones of bells blended well  with the music and sounds of the holiday season.  We still enjoy bells today and they play an important and traditional role during the holidays. Here are a few bells from my collection and a few I found on Pinterest. Enjoy!









Don't you all love the sound of jingle bells at Christmas? I know I do!













For Louise, in Memory of Mr. White.

Bells were often used as a warning and here is one for you. If you have pets, please read the post here about antifreeze poisoning. It is most prevalent at this time of year. This is a sad post, but there are links to vital information for pet lovers.








This looks like such a cozy spot. I would love to walk right into this picture and 
settle in next to the fireplace!



I hope you enjoyed visiting today and learned a little about the meaning of bells in our lives. Remember in the movie "A Wonderful Life", the little girls says something like, "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets their wings." Well at Christmas time there must be many angels getting their wings! I think we can always use a few more angels. What do you think?

~ Joyful Greetings ~ Diane