Somber Sunday

With so much suffering in Japan from the earthquake, I am going to just have a short post today. We are very worried about the people and animals there who have survived the initial earthquake and tsunami, because so many have no food or water or electricity. It is a very bad situation. If purrs and prayers can help, let us crank them up to top speed.

Photo Hunt - Machine

Well, of course the most common machine our humans make us encounter is the Metal Monster Machine when they take us in a carrier to the VET. Last summer, my humans got a new machine, which is a really nice and fancy blue Honda CR-V. This picture was taken shortly before they went to get the new one, trading in the gold one on the right for it. The red one on the left is an OLD Honda Civic that is still proving to be very reliable and good for driving all around local streets. Please note that the dark streak here was just some water that condensed from the air conditioner, not oil!

I don't like cars when they are moving. 'Nuf said.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for my deck. Although this picture is from last year, it shows two other things I am thankful for about the deck: first, Dad put a lot of work into staining the deck last fall and it has really helped the deck to "weather" the winter and snow better. I am also thankful that they have stopped making me wear that harness when I go out: I have only been out for some short times on the deck so far this year, because the weather is mostly pretty cold, but when dad comes out there with me, he makes me wear my collar and tag because of the new town rules.

Oh!!! Sudden update! While Mom was transcribing this for me, Dad let me go out on the deck in the RAIN! I didn't stay long, but he took a quick picture of it.

I am thankful I have a warm dry house to live in! It is supposed to rain really a lot today and tomorrow. But see how nicely the water sits on the surface of the wood? That is because of Dad's great stain job.

Wordless Wednesday

Tagged Tuesday

I have been wearing my collar and 007 tag a bit lately - Mom tries to force Dad to put it on me if we go on the deck. The weather is still pretty cold, but we have been out there a little bit. I don't seem to mind either th collar or the tag or the little bell on it. By comparison I just HATE my two harnesses and go all boneless when they put a harness on me.

I have some very sad news about a sweet kitty who had to go to the Rainbow Bridge. He is Maurice, one of the Three Ginger Cats (his fursiblings are Pixie and Elmo) and they live in Wales. Their Mom is the very talented artist and book Illustrator and Author, Jackie Morris. Her blog is one of the most beautiful cat blogs ever. You can click on his picture on my sidebar to go to their blog.

Bird Excitement and Early Manly Monday

My Dad is somewhat of a birdwatcher, and he enjoys seeing the birds that come to our feeders, and in our yard. He has one bird feeeder with mixed seeds in it, and one with peanuts especially for the woodpeckers. And he also puts suet cakes out for the birds.

Some of you may remember about the hawk that was here close to the house about a month ago. We believe the hawk is still in the area, and has found a potential mate: there are two hawks practicing soaring together who my parents see quite often. We wonder where they may end up nesting.

But the excitement on Thursday happened when my dad and I were out on the deck for a little while, and he heard the sound of a woodpecker pecking at a knotty area in a very big oak tree at the back of our yard. Now, kitties, this was no ordinary red headed, or downy, or even hairy, woodpecker. No sirrreee. This was a Pileated Woodpecker (pronounced like Pie). These guys are over 16 inches tall! Here he is pecking away at the knot (you can see where he has pecked away the bark):

And here he is from the side, closer up. These are the best pictures Dad could get with the camera zoom because the tree is far back.
But even more amazing is that there was a female in the front yard too, and they were calling to each other over the house with a loud "wuck" note like a bugle. She also came to the back and they hopscotched their way north through the trees between the houses.

Mom missed it all because she was at work. So this was a special MANly discovery that I helped my Dad with by wanting to be on the deck.

Happy Sunday!!

Photo Hunt - Self Portrait

Today's Photo Hunt theme is a challenging one - the themes, after all, are not specially designed with cat bloggers in mind. As you know, kitties, the idea of taking a self portrait without any opposable thumbs is pretty challenging. So instead I got Mom to play around a bit with a picture of me using some settings on her computer, and to come up with this old-looking Portrait of mySELF. It was fun, she says.

Few Words Wednesday

Audrey, my cousin - doesn't she look purrty on that blue couch?

Tummy Tuesday

Kitties, I do have to apologize about my decreased posting and commenting. I really do not know what the Mom's problem is. I am wondering about retroactively downgrading her purrformance review. Anyway, we are alive and well here, rejoicing that March has finally arrived today! I will be glad when the humans can get some new photos of me outside on the deck rather than depending on these boring sleeping shots taken inside. I have been practicing wearing my collar and tag a bit inside: the collar has a bell, so now the folks and I have to get used to the jingling sound whenever I go anywhere or shake my head.