Stormy Weather

It is very windy and rainy today. I have a cozy set-up in the garage for just such occasions. I have a bed that is made up of four folded comforters (two large and two small) and a soft pad. Usually this bed is on top of the roof of the car (I call it my "car-bed"), but if the lady has to drive somewhere, she puts the bed on top of the dryer. I also get a little extra food on rainy days, to help make up for the fact that I don't have too much to do.

My garage is very much like the inside of the house...it has drywall and insulation. I also have a "Booda" litter box in there.

Here are two ornaments. The first is a set of five minature "Keepsake" ornaments which are cast metal with enamel paint. The lady put a dime next to them so you can see how small they are. These were given to her by her brother in 2004.

The second ornament is a Swarovski Crystal gingerbread man. It has a lot of facets and really sparkles, but the lady couldn't quite capture that in the photographs. This was also a gift from her brother, but she can't remember the date.

The Elusiveness of Me

I did a great job of avoiding the camera today.

Today's ornaments: The clear glass one was given to the lady by her brother in the 80's (she thinks; she now wishes she had written the dates on the boxes). The photo doesn't do it justice. It is very fragile and thin glass that looks like one of those bubbles kids blow from the little hand-held plastic ring and soap.

The second ornament is one given to the lady by her friend Julie. That funny looking cat is wearing high heels. The ornament was designed by Patience Brewster who is known for her whimsical designs.

Me, This Morning

Here are a couple of photos of me from this morning. In the first one, I am patrolling the perimeter of my territory. In the second, I am on the last remaining wooden bench from a very old patio set. It is most excellent for doing claw work.

Today there are photos of two ornaments. The first one is of a glass deer that the lady's brother gave her in the early 90's. There are two matching deer made of frosted glass with clear glass antlers. They are very delicate and lovely.

The second ornament is a of a cat in a gift box. The lady's friend Julie got it for her when she and her husband went on a trip to San Francisco in 2002. It is seven inches tall, with sparkles on the "snow" in the box and on the polka dots on the box.

No Way, No How

I'm not cooperating with any picture taking today. After trying about six shots out on the balcony, the lady resorted to taking my photo through the screen door. As you can see, I refuse to look at the camera. Don't ask me why I'm being difficult today. I will never reveal the complex workings of my impenetrable psyche.

The lady is decorating her Christmas tree. Over the next few weeks, she is going to share some photos of of her favorite ornaments.

Starting in 1977, her younger brother started giving her a Christmas ornament every year. Here is the one from 1977:

Happy Thanksgiving!

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues. --Cicero

Wordless Wednesday

Early Thanks

Although it is still a couple of days away from Thanksgiving, I was giving some thought to things I'm thankful about. The first thing that came to mind was food (the lady and I are very much alike in that area!).

I get about a tablespoon of Fancy Feast Classic wet food (various flavors...salmon is my favorite, followed by chicken) every afternoon between four and five o'clock.

Then, I have kibble (a mix of very good food) that I can eat when I feel like it. I like to leave a few kibbles in the bowl for "emergencies."

Clarification: I only get 3/4 cup of kibble, not an unlimited supply!

This yellow bowl is my favorite because it doesn't scrunch my whiskers.

Okay, That's Enough Rain For Now

It has been raining since late Friday night. I don't mind a little rain, but I prefer it stop after one day. Then maybe a break of a few days. Then it can come back. It puts a damper on my snooping activities.

Here are a couple photos of me taking a drink from the half-barrel pond during a break in the rain.

And, our view of the hillside across from our house. A few trees have changed color. This is the best we could do with our cheapo camera.

Catnip Madness

I've been giving some thought to catnip. I'm not interested in it at all. The lady has a big old bag of super deluxe organic stuff which she sprinkled around and I showed no interest. She made a catnip toy and gave it to me. Not interested. So, when Sparky Spitfire passed along the "Bring on the Nip" award to me (thanks, Sparky), I started wondering, "why all the fuss about this herb, and why don't I like it?"

I found some interesting information.

"A cat liking catnip is an inherited trait, which is why some cats love it and some don’t. The response is due to an autosomal gene. When cats love this herb, they will roll in it, lick it, eat it and go crazy for a couple of minutes. The thing cats go wild about in catnip is a substance called nepetalactone, which causes a chemical reaction in the feline brain." [more info]

Then, I started wondering, "Do lions and tigers like catnip?"
Check out this website which has a great video of the big cats reacting to catnip. My favorite is the panther (of course!), followed by the two bobcats!

Since I don't have a photo of me rejecting catnip, here is one of me rubbing my scent on the wood at the bottom of the steps.

Wordless Wednesday: I Left the Lady a Gift

Foiled Again.

Once again, I was able to thwart the lady in her attempt to get really good photos of me. Today she had to settle for the following:

Daily dirt bath.

Walking away from daily dirt bath.

The lady had to settle for the stone rabbit. She can only admire me from a distance.

The only "face shot" she got. The lady is in the chicken coop and I'm whining because she is taking a picture of:

Nigel the rooster.

More Butters and Taco

I have a some more photos of the two cats that live up the hill at the landlords' house. If you recall, they are feral cats that were adopted a few years back and have become more trusting of humans.

Taco spends a lot of time on the roof because she and Butters don't get along. She jumps down at meal times and gets fed inside the house. When the lady is pet-sitting, she uses those meal times to brush Taco. At first, Taco sort of of looked up, wondering what the heck was going on, and then she started purring. Butters also likes to be brushed. No photos of the brushing yet...the lady will work on that.

Caught Napping

The lady finally got a photo of me in the wicker chair. I was napping and she came out on the balcony carrying something to take down to the garage. I was a little suspicious that she lingered near the door, but I was too comfortable in my sunspot to move. So, she got the photo.

Also, I would like to mention my interview with Callie over at Troublin' Times. Thanks, Callie for including me in your "hot mancat" series of interviews.

Dirtbath City

People frequently ask me about my luxurious fur coat. "Mr. Black," they say, "tell us about your luxurious fur coat." Well, I'm sure my balanced diet is part of it. The lady also brushes me a couple times a week, which I like very much.

The real secret to my sleek, shiny, velvety fur is my daily dirt bath. I have a spot near the driveway that is an unpaved area, ostensibly for "visitor" parking (SNORT!). I've fashioned a little indentation there where I roll around and cover myself with dust. Now, this might seem counter-intuitive: rolling in dirt in order to have a lovely, clean coat. But, it helps absorb any excess oil, and I think it helps smother any little critter that may have decided to hitch a ride.

Those white spots are where my nips are (I have six, I think). I'm not sure why I have nips.

Geez. No privacy whatsoever.

I especially like to roll in the dirt right after the lady has brushed me. It seems to annoy her a bit. That's why I do it.

I Want Peace (and I always get what I want)

Día de los Muertos

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world on November 2 of each year (sometimes on both November 1 and 2), in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2). People get together to pray for and remember friends and family who have died.

José Guadalupe Posada created a famous print of a figure he called La Calavera de la Catrina ("skull of the rich woman") as a parody of a Mexican upper-class female. Its message is that not even the wealthy can escape death. This image of a skeleton dressed in expensive clothes and fancy hats has become associated with the Day of the Dead, and Catrina figures often are a prominent part of modern Day of the Dead observances.

This Catrina chick makes a good scratching post.

My contribution to the day.

Photo credit for Catrina sculpture (sans Mr. Black)