This much naughtiness must be illegal...

The moment cat boys discovered that mommie cat was going away for a few days I saw them whisper little nothings to each other. Judging from my last trip where the two cat boys and their daddy romped around freely without picking up after themselves, I think the doodles are preparing for similar naughtiness!

Gussy was so excited he did not know whether he should go this way or that...

while Ollie ran into his reading bush, he was confused and elated at the same time!

I looked around and noticed that an onlooking cat appeared willing to read with me...

and so we read this beautiful paragraph:

"O Ye People that Have Minds to Know and Ears to Hear! The first call of the Beloved is this: O mystic nightingale! Abide not but in the rose-garden of the spirit. O messenger of the Solomon of Love! Seek thou no shelter except in the Sheba of the well-beloved and O immortal phoenix! Dwell not save on the mount of faithfulness. Therein is thy habitation, if on the wings of thy soul thou soarest to the realm of the infinite and seekest to attain thy goal." From Attraction to Beauty-A Discourse on Social Action

Wishing all a lovely week and this time all three cats sent air-mail kisses in unison!

Ciao!

Attraction to Beauty...

When I told the cat boys about this course I was planning to audit, naturally I got their attention; that's because they are really interested in my education!

Gussy asked me to read a passage to him as I was flipping through the materials, and sat down in a comfy location.

Ollie, whom we call "Boomba" today, decided that he would listen in a standing position. This way he can run away if things got boring.

So we read a paragraph from a chapter called "Attraction to Beauty":

" One of the basic forces that strengthens an individual's sense of purpose, and which lends it proper direction, is attraction to beauty. Beauty and perfection act as standards, as guiding lights by which one is able to judge one's own behavior. On one level this attraction manifests itself in love for the majesty and diversity of nature; the impulse to express beauty through the visual arts, music, and crafts; and the pleasure of beholding the fruits of these creative endeavors. It also stirs within the human heart emotions in response to the beauty of an idea, the elegance of a scientific theory, and the perfection of character in one's fellow human beings. On another level, attraction to beauty underlies search for order and meaning in the universe and in social relations. On an even more fundamental level, this attraction is directed towards the Beauty of the Creator."(A Discourse on Social Action-FUNDEAC)

Upon reading this, Gussy took me to the back yard to show me

his collection of beautiful pine cones...

and Boomba simply sat pretty, which is enough for us!


Cat boys filled their paws with kitty kisses and blew them in the air with their heartfelt best wishes for everyone!

Ciao!

That's what brothers do....

Augustus and Ollie read and meditated on the following while seated front to back:

"I asked a good man concerning the qualities of the brethren of
purity. He replied: 'The least of them is that they prefer to please
their friends rather than themselves; and philosophers have said
that a brother who is fettered by affairs relating to himself is
neither a brother nor a relative." The Gulistan of Saadi

and

"O SON OF MAN!
Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth not; wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall never be extinguished; why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide then in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory." Hidden Words...

They send everyone kisses and nuzzles and best wishes for a lovely midweek day!

Ciao!

Hoopoo?

We were out early this morning, doing the usual walk,

first on one side of the complex, little Augustus on the wall already,
and baby Ollie doing his yoga stretch,

and then onto the street for a stroll where we were drawn toward loud screechy noises...

We saw several hawks, one of which was giving the "I want you glance" to the cat boys!
No worries, I was there to defend the boys as they stared back at the hawk.

After some staring and examining the situation we returned back to the condo courtyard. I asked the catboys if they recognized the bird.

August said that it was a hoopoo! "A hoopoe?", I asked.

Ollie was clueless but crossed his paws and went along with Gussie, "Hoopoo", he said.
I realized that Gussie had been reading mystic literature. You know, in Attar's Conference of the Birds, a hoopoe leads 30 birds in the journey to spiritual enlightenment. Each bird of course finds an excuse for not being able to complete the journey.

"Magnificent!", I thought to myself. The cat boys are always in the learning mode!
I took advantage of this opportunity and read to them a short passage about spiritual journeys, this time from The Seven Valleys, which is a favorite of Augustus!

"And further: The stages that mark the wayfarer’s journey from the abode of dust to the heavenly homeland are said to be seven. Some have called these Seven Valleys, and others, Seven Cities. And they say that until the wayfarer taketh leave of self, and traverseth these stages, he shall never reach to the ocean of nearness and union, nor drink of the peerless wine. The first is
The Valley of Search
The steed of this Valley is patience; without patience the wayfarer on this journey will reach nowhere and attain no goal. Nor should he ever be downhearted; if he strive for a hundred thousand years and yet fail to behold the beauty of the Friend, he should not falter. ...And if, by the help of God, he findeth on this journey a trace of the traceless Friend, and inhaleth the fragrance of the long-lost Joseph from the heavenly messenger, he shall straightway step into
The Valley of Love
and be dissolved in the fire of love. In this city the heaven of ecstasy is upraised and the world-illuming sun of yearning shineth, and the fire of love is ablaze; and when the fire of love is ablaze, it burneth to ashes the harvest of reason."

Back to the condo, I had to get ready for work.

Looking at my little dudes groom

and/or gradually drift into sleep

it occurred to me that I liked the feline approach of grooming after going out. It make sense to groom after going out because our hair gets messed up. Anyhow, I will have to think about this later.

Gussy and Ollie filled their paws with kisses and asked me to send them to you, wishes for a lovely day!

Ciao!

Summer in the City

is hot and humid...

Cat boys realize that it is not a good time to wear fur! But what can they do?


Better to go indoors...
to cool the belly!

Maybe the patio is cool....

and maybe not so cool!



Exhausted with heat kitty boys hummed this tune!


Stay cool and grab those kitty kisses that the hot and tired boys sent your way! Have a lovely weekend!

Ciao!

Afternoon rompings...

When we get out into the courtyard, early in the summer evening hours, Ollie first wanders around,
finds the right spot to roll in the dirt,
relax,
look,
and finally he finds a lovely distraction!

Nearby under this tree with very big leaves
resting in the shade of a potted Rafus palm, Gussie watches his naughty brother,
and smiles!

These boys of ours!!!

"...the body is like a horse which carries the personality and spirit, and as such should be well cared for so it can do its work! You should certainly safeguard your nerves, and force yourself to take time, and not only for prayer and meditation, but for real rest and relaxation...." (letter Shoghi Effendi)

Cat boys wish you rest and relaxation and send you pawfuls of nutritive kisses!

Ciao!