slow food and other stuff...

Yesterday afternoon doodle cats and I gathered under this tree, which appeared to be a good place to sit in a circle and telepathize with each other!

August was checking out the sounds from all angles...




while Ollie was simply observing and wondering!

After we had a good and long silent discussion, the boys understood that I had to go to a meeting of the SlowFood, which was being held in the Pasadena Le Cordon Bleu, just blocks away. As I walked over to the meeting I made sure to pass by my all time favorite store, Jacob Maarse Florists

and took a couple of iphone snapshots for fun


and then I walked by Oliver's Interiors, on the same beautiful Green street in Pasadena, named after the famous architects Greene and Greene.

and took snapshots of some of the things that pleased my eyes.



The meeting was interesting, the guest speaker was gathering support to start a coop in Pasadena. I was happy to have been able to attend and even happier when the meeting ended so I could return to my doodles.

Upon my return, seated in the courtyard, we discussed food...


Now let us speak of material healing. The science of medicine is still in a condition of infancy; it has not reached maturity. But when it has reached this point, cures will be performed by things which are not repulsive to the smell and taste of man -- that is to say, by aliments, fruits and vegetables which are agreeable to the taste and have an agreeable smell. ...

...the principal causes of disease are physical, for the human body is composed of numerous elements, but in the measure of an especial equilibrium. As long as this equilibrium is maintained, man is preserved from disease; but if this essential balance, which is the pivot of the constitution, is disturbed, the constitution is disordered, and disease will supervene...

...Now the readjustment of these constituents of the human body is obtained by two means -- either by medicines or by aliments; and when the constitution has recovered its equilibrium, disease is banished. All the elements that are combined in man exist also in vegetables; therefore, if one of the constituents which compose the body of man diminishes, and he partakes of foods in which there is much of that diminished constituent, then the equilibrium will be established, and a cure will be obtained. So long as the aim is the readjustment of the constituents of the body, it can be effected either by medicine or by food.

The majority of the diseases which overtake man also overtake the animal, but the animal is not cured by drugs. In the mountains, as in the wilderness, the animal's physician is the power of taste and smell. The sick animal smells the plants that grow in the wilderness; he eats those that are sweet and fragrant to his smell and taste, and is cured. The cause of his healing is this. ...It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature.(SomeAnsweredQuestions)

The cat boys found the read most enjoyable and educational. They then reminded me that this weekend was going to be a long one so we made best wishes for a happy long weekend and the doodle cats made double the usual pawfuls of kisses and blew them in the air!

Ciao!

Exploring together at times

and individually at others,

Ollie

and Augustus

always get together for consultation, to compare notes!

A highly advanced form of communication/cordial interaction/problem solving marking a new era in development of civilization, consultation leaves them quite exhausted...

However, they firmly believe in the process!

...Central to the task of reconceptualizing the system of human relationships is the process of consultation. “In all things it is necessary to consult...” “The maturity of the gift of understanding is made manifest through consultation.”
The standard of truth seeking this process demands is far beyond the patterns of negotiation and compromise that tend to characterize the present-day discussion of human affairs. It cannot be achieved—indeed, its attainment is severely handicapped—by the culture of protest that is another widely prevailing feature of contemporary society. Debate, propaganda, the adversarial method, the entire apparatus of partisanship that have long been such familiar features of collective action are all fundamentally harmful to its purpose: that is, arriving at a consensus about the truth of a given situation and the wisest choice of action among the options open at any given moment.
... a consultative process in which the individual participants strive to transcend their respective points of view, in order to function as members of a body with its own interests and goals. In such an atmosphere, characterized by both candor and courtesy, ideas belong not to the individual to whom they occur during the discussion but to the group as a whole, to take up, discard, or revise as seems to best serve the goal pursued. Consultation succeeds to the extent that all participants support the decisions arrived at, regardless of the individual opinions with which they entered the discussion. Under such circumstances an earlier decision can be readily reconsidered if experience exposes any shortcomings.
Viewed in such a light, consultation is the operating expression of justice in human affairs. So vital is it to the success of collective endeavor that it must constitute a basic feature of a viable strategy of social and economic development. Indeed, the participation of the people on whose commitment and efforts the success of such a strategy depends becomes effective only as consultation is made the organizing principle of every project. “No man can attain his true station except through his justice. No power can exist except through unity. No welfare and no well-being can be attained except through consultation.” (Prosperity of Humankind)

Ollie has asked me to purchase him this Ninja hat! We will most certainly consult about it!


Pawfuls of kitty kisses, purrs and love themes all sent your way...

Ciao!

We meditated together...

Augustus

and Ollie,

one with eyes closed

and the other with open, sleepy eyes!

Naturally, the one with closed eyes got fell asleep

but not until we had read...

...Waft, then, unto me, ...O my Beloved, from the right hand of Thy mercy and Thy loving-kindness, the holy breaths of Thy favors, that they may draw me away from myself and from the world unto the courts of Thy nearness and Thy presence. ...

According to laws of physic, energy flows from a high point to a low point; however for this energy to flow one needs a conduit . Prayer and meditations are that conduit! This I learned from Augustus and Ollie!!!

Wishing all special favors this soft Saturday afternoon + the usual purrs and kisses from the cat boys!

Ciao!

I sometimes call them Spice Kats...

for very obvious reasons-these doodles have added a lot of spice to our lives. However I named them spice cats when my neighbor told me that she sprinkles pepper and other spices on her patio to prevent animals from coming in. It turns out that our doodles are fond of those spices and keep rolling around in them. At any rate, here are our spices:
Augustus, aka 'stretch', and

Ollie, aka 'MrPuffyPants'


Everyday is a new game! This morning I was slow getting up so Ollie jumped right into my face with the expression 'are you dead?' !!! Actually I was!

As I woke up and when they returned from their morning walk we read:

Thine eye is My trust, suffer not the dust of vain desires to becloud its luster. Thine ear is a sign of My bounty, let not the tumult of unseemly motives turn it away from My Word that encompasseth all creation. Thine heart is My treasury, allow not the treacherous hand of self to rob thee of the pearls which I have treasured therein. Thine hand is a symbol of My loving-kindness, hinder it not from holding fast unto My guarded and hidden Tablets…. Unasked, I have showered upon thee My grace. Unpetitioned, I have fulfilled thy wish. In spite of thy undeserving, I have singled thee out for My richest, My incalculable favors…. (Gleanings)

The week is almost over and kitty boys are preparing for the usual rascalnous...they are also sending their friends, mostly pretty chicas, pawfuls of love!

Hasta pronto! Ciao!

When they heard "Laduree" they came running...

well, actually August was licking his lips,

and Ollie was running!

These doodles are all too familiar with the finer things, they love receiving little treats all the way from L'Hexagone!

As you see here our lovely friend Violetta is presenting me with a box of Laduree macarons. Her mom who is visiting from Congo purchased these at Laduree during her stop in Paris. I was so stunned, I could not believe that someone had read the mental blob above my head that always says..."I wish I had some macarons from Laduree" ! I have been eating every single crumb!


We got together later for dinner after she finished work, we ate, told tales and played with kitties.

Kitty boys were so excited to have guests from overseas- they kept meowing in French, and just to show off a bit more they ran into their library and selected this poem from Hafez for our evening reading:

THE margin of a stream, the willow's shade,
A mind inclined to song, a mistress sweet,
A Cup-bearer whose cheek outshines the rose,
A friend upon whose heart thy heart is laid:
Oh Happy-starred! let not thine hours fleet
Unvalued; may each minute as it goes
Lay tribute of enjoyment at thy feet,
That thou may'st live and know thy life is sweet.
Let every one upon whose heart desire
For a fair face lies like a burden sore,
That all his hopes may reach their goal unchecked,
Throw branches of wild rue upon his fire.
My soul is like a bride, with a rich store
Of maiden thoughts and jewelled fancies decked,
And in Time's gallery I yet may meet
Some picture meant for me, some image sweet.
Give thanks for nights spent in good company,
And take the gifts a tranquil mind may bring;
No heart is dark when the kind moon doth shine,
And grass-grown river-banks are fair to see.
The Saki's radiant eyes, God favouring,
Are like a wine-cup brimming o'er with wine,
And him my drunken sense goes out to greet,
For e'en the pain he leaves behind is sweet.
Hafiz, thy life has sped untouched by care,
With me towards the tavern turn thy feet!
The fairest robbers thou'lt encounter there,
And they will teach thee what to learn is sweet.

Indeed we gave thanks for a night spent in good company! Wishing all macarons de Laduree or other yummy treats! Kitty boys meowed in French and blew pawfuls of kisses in the air!

A bientot!

A new garden and truly TGIF...

What a week, what a week...all I can say is whew! A final instrument breakdown discovered Thursday afternoon determined the course that was to be taken- no more do I do this first or that...I knew what I had to do. I suppose some disasters come to aid us!

So I share with you a garden update. The plants are now clustered in a new yet only temporary pattern. The rustic cart is gone because it was not doing anything for the catboys. They said, "Get rid of it, mommie!", and so I did.

Here's my lovely Aloe...

and the jade plant,
the ever-refusing to bloom amaryllis (despite our blossom dance), an agave cactus (?) in the back, a christmas cactus to the left, and some other succulent (left front).
The Lazy HouseWife green bean seeds that I received from dear Michaela grew too big and so I trimmed them,
and the two sage seeds that she sent me are now standing slender and straight in this pot.
After gardening we all went to the courtyard and I told the kitty boys many tales of woe and intrigue

which had Augustus perhaps puzzled

but Ollie was not listening and was only watching Augustus very carefully!

A distraction, perhaps a human, bird, squirrel or dog stole my audience!
Well, there it is...it is time to enjoy the weekend, no matter what or how! Hope yours is a splendid one!

We listened to our favorite Eric Harper....

Pawfuls of kisses blown in the air just for you!

Ciao!

Discourses of Spiritual Significance!

Yesterday we went out into the courtyard to shoot the breeze Augustus and Ollie told me that they wanted their discourses to have spiritual significance! I was really not sure what topics would be of spiritual import to a pair of lovely kitties but I decided not to ask for fear of appearing to be stupid.


I praised their high-mindedness and read to them a passage on the spiritual effects of good music:

"Music is one of the important arts. It has a great effect upon the human spirit. Musical melodies are a certain something which prove to be accidental upon etheric vibrations, for voice is nothing but the expression of vibrations, which, reaching the tympanum, affect the nerves of hearing. Musical melodies are, therefore, those peculiar effects produced by, or from, vibration. However, they have the keenest effect upon the spirit.

In sooth, although music is a material affair, yet its tremendous effect is spiritual, and its greatest attachment is to the realm of the spirit. If a person desires to deliver a discourse, it will prove more effectual after musical melodies. The ancient Greeks, as well as Persian philosophers, were in the habit of delivering their discourses in the following manner: first, playing a few musical melodies, and when their audience attained a certain receptivity thereby they would leave their instruments at once and begin their discourse. Among the most renowned musicians of Persia was one named Barbod, who, whenever a great question had been pleaded for at the court of the King, and the Ministry had failed to persuade the King, they would at once refer the matter to Barbod, whereupon he would go with his instrument to the court and play the most appropriate and touching music, the end being at once attained, because the King was immediately affected by the touching musical melodies, certain feelings of generosity would swell up in his heart, and he would give way. You may try this: if you have a great desire and wish to attain your end, try to do so on a large audience after a great solo has been rendered, but it must be on an audience on which music is effective, for there are some people who are like stones, and music cannot affect stones.

"It was for this reason that His Holiness David sang the psalms in the Holy of Holies at Jerusalem with sweet melodies. ... In short, musical melodies form an important role in the associations, or outward and inward characteristics, or qualities of man, for it is the inspirer or motive power of both the material and spiritual susceptibilities..." Promulgation of Universal Peace

Ollie reacted to the reading this way, by reflecting on his back

while Augustus reacted this other way...by reflecting seated in his potted tree!


The boys listen to music everyday and just told me that they plan to sing their orders to me from now on!

Musical meows and kitty kisses to all on this gorgeous Thursday!

Ciao!

After a very satisfying afternoon siesta

Augustus and Ollie came to me and spoke of their mutual dream! Have you guys ever had a mutual dream? Kitty daddy and I sometimes do, it is quite fun!

Anyhow, special cat boys that they are, they mutually dreamt of this. Augustus thinks he ought to be wearing a necklace now that he is approaching 3 years of age (in July) while Ollie thinks that the color better matches his Scottish/Swedish temperament (we think he has some Scot and Swede in him since he likes plaid bow ties, haggis, herring and reindeer). Should they win, I will wrestle them both for this gorgeous foliage necklace, which reminds me of lovely Michaela and the beautiful heartland that she paints before our eyes.

We are crossing our paws and our fingers...

Ciao!