This, that, and the other...

After what felt like a busy day I return home. It is almost dark but also quite evident that the longer days are on their way. I grab my old camera while they (Ollie and August) wait for me, and we go out for our walk. Deep in thoughts over this (the day), that (news of Haiti), and the other (what else do I have to do), it suddenly occurs to me that I am low on pictures. I point my camera in the dark toward the cat boys who are roaming in their make shift jungle, and I see:

The boys meowed that their recent fame pleased them much; however, they now can only go out in cognito, which means that I have to shop for camouflage clothing.

Much later in the evening Ollie helped me to get the mail

and this really tired him, so in the tradition of mailmen ( I think), our mailcat stretched out for a while.

At some point, we discussed the situation in Haiti and we prayed for our brothers and sisters who were experiencing difficulties, and we meditated on this passage:

"As preordained by the Fountain-head of Creation, the temple of the world hath been fashioned after the image and likeness of the human body. In fact each mirroreth forth the image of the other, wert thou but to observe with discerning eyes. By this is meant that even as the human body in this world, which is outwardly composed of different limbs and organs, is in reality a closely integrated, coherent entity, similarly the structure of the physical world is like unto a single being whose limbs and members are inseparably linked together.
Were one to observe with an eye that discovereth the realities of all things, it would become clear that the greatest relationship that bindeth the world of being together lieth in the range of created things themselves, and that co-operation, mutual aid and reciprocity are essential characteristics in the unified body of the world of being, inasmuch as all created things are closely related together and each is influenced by the other or deriveth benefit therefrom, either directly or indirectly."

Remember Haiti in your hearts!

Ciao!

THANK YOU...

This is a first for young Augustus and Ollie (and kitty mommie), to become recipients of the 'Kreative Blogger Award'. As I woke them up from their afternoon nap to give them the news, they started blowing little cat kisses to lovely Anne Harwell of Annechovie. Thank you Anne so very much!

A freshly awakened Augustus poses for his blog photo...so lovely he is!

A slowly waking Ollie is giving me the look...

Still trying to wake up...

Alright, now he is up and posing for his blog photo.


The awardee(s) is(are) supposed to share 7 things about themselves and nominate 7 more; so here we go, seven things among the three of us because only one of us can type.

1. This is such a grand secret, I may live to regret it for the rest of my living days. I covered their ears for this. I played the accordion for 10 years or more. It always reminds me of Johnny Cash's song, The Boy Named Sue.
2. Ollie is very jealous and receives therapy to control his emotional outbursts.
3. I am covering Ollie's ears for this one- I love pets of all sorts with the exception of the creepy crawly and cold skinned slimy ones. This means I love dogs and cats and horses.
4. Augustus is very accepting but he foofs a lot, and likes to have his belly rubbed when no one is around!
5. I am a scientist, so I think that makes me geeky, and I try hard not to be but side by side with normal people...I think I am!
6. I once caught a shark while deep sea fishing.
7. I do love french fries and the best I have had was in Holland, really.

Now my selection of lovely bloggers, and there are so many, please go to:
NancyMcKay
wherehasthewindtakenyou
up and down town
French Word-A-Day
La Belette Rouge
The Life and Times of the Plume
Bneato

Thank you everyone for your visits and we three look forward to reading about you!

Ciao!

Enchanting lunch date...

Early in the morning, still dark- camera only captures Augustus' behind as he runs away from my view.

A little later, Ollie chooses the balcony for his dawn meditations.

Noon time, kitty mommie passes by the turtle pond

and this orange tree.

Special lunch date with a most special blogger friend, my very first blog date, 2 hours of chatting. She has a big heart, gorgeous hair, beautiful laughter, and to-die-for red patent leather shoes.

Ollie told me that she was his girlfriend!?!

Augustus gave me the 'don't believe a word he says' look.


Sticking to our practice of reading we reflected upon the theme of spiritual relationships, you know I was telling them how our spirits converse through various media even if our physical bodies have not encountered. So we read this:

THE SPIRIT IN THE BODY

The wisdom of the appearance of the spirit in the body is this: the human spirit is a Divine Trust, and it must traverse all conditions; for its passage and movement through the conditions of existence will be the means of its acquiring perfections. So, when a man travels and passes through different regions and numerous countries with system and method, it is certainly a means of his acquiring perfection; for he will see places, scenes, and countries, from which he will discover the conditions and states of other nations. He will thus become acquainted with the geography of countries, and their wonders and arts; he will familiarize himself with the habits, customs, and usages of peoples; he will see the civilization and progress of the epoch; he will become aware of the policy of governments, and the power and capacity of each country. It is the same when the human spirit passes through the conditions of existence: it will become the possessor of each degree and station. Even in the condition of the body it will surely acquire perfections.
Besides this, it is necessary that the signs of the perfection of the spirit should be apparent in this world, so that the world of creation may bring forth endless results, and this body may receive life and manifest the divine bounties. So, for example, the rays of the sun must shine upon the earth, and the solar heat develop the earthly beings; if the rays and heat of the sun did not shine upon the earth, the earth would be uninhabited, without meaning, and its development would be retarded.
In the same way, if the perfections of the spirit did not appear in this world, this world would be unenlightened and absolutely brutal. By the appearance of the spirit in the physical form, this world is enlightened. As the spirit of man is the cause of the life of the body, so the world is in the condition of the body, and man is in the condition of the spirit. If there were no man, the perfections of the spirit would not appear, and the light of the mind would not be resplendent in this world. This world would be like a body without a soul.

Kitties did not know what to make of this so they just blew kisses out to everyone! We wish everyone a lovely Wednesday, love and friendship, and enchanting lunch dates!

Ciao!

Energies sapped...

The christmas paper whites are all finally in bloom.

All visiting relatives are gone but Ollie who remains suspicious runs around checking just to make sure that none is hiding behind a bush.

Augustus carries out the search from a high vista!

'Los parientes have departed', they meowed to each other. They can now rest.

I knew their energies were sapped but I had to take advantage of the moment and read to them so they would stay in form. So they assumed the standard kitty reading position, meaning that they turned their backs to me and to each other,

and we read this short paragraph:

"...In the spiritual world, the divine bestowals are infinite, for in that realm there is neither separation nor disintegration which characterize the world of material existence. Spiritual existence is absolute immortality, completeness and unchangeable being. Therefore we must thank God that He has created for us both material blessings and spiritual bestowals......

Thereafter the boys were really exhausted and went to their respective rooms to nap. Augustus put himself to sleep by sinking into his sheepskin
and Ollie decided to watch the Patriots/Ravens game to relax.
Wishing all a wonderful week but don't work too hard or your energies will be sapped!

Muchas cat kisses and ciao!

Los gatos y yo discuten sobre un tema muy importante

however, being cerca de la fin de semana we thought to save it for later. Well, that's about all the Espanol that I know, and as I told the boys about this talk that I went to last Wednesday night, and that other one that I had to attend another night Augustus ran to the book case and pulled out this selection for me to read!!!
Hmmm, I thought, the little cat boy is telling me something or is he just trying to distract me so he can run off?

Either way I did read...

"...there is a sign (from God) in every phenomenon: the sign of the intellect is contemplation and the sign of contemplation is silence, because it is impossible for a man to do two things at one time—he cannot both speak and meditate.
It is an axiomatic fact that while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In that state of mind you put certain questions to your spirit and the spirit answers: the light breaks forth and the reality is revealed...
The spirit of man is itself informed and strengthened during meditation; through it affairs of which man knew nothing are unfolded before his view...
Nevertheless some thoughts are useless to man; they are like waves moving in the sea without result. But if the faculty of meditation is bathed in the inner light and characterized with divine attributes, the results will be confirmed."(Paris Talks)

Early this morning Ollie and I did our routine walk, mommie cat actually overslept and did not get out until 6:15 a.m., ayeee!

We passed by these freshly planted flowers and Ollie asked me to take a picture for YOU!


Muchos kitty kisses to all and warming rays of sun...

Ciao!

L'Art Divin de Vivre

Ollie is off to work, no hesitation in his gait,

and Augustus is already seated at his desk! He does customer service on certain days.

While those two were ready, set, go, their mommie cat had only dipped her toes into 2010. I was a warrior last night, in my dreams; holding a baton I was fighting off coyotes fearlessly. During daytime I had to use squirrel mail because my Mac was refusing to get into 2010. I found myself undevoted to giving my days to work and nights to extra-curricular activities, and that feeling suddenly parted...

The cat boys and I got into a huddle and read this:

Voyons maintenant vos questions : "Pourquoi prier ?" "Qu'y a-t-il de sage à cela, puisque Dieu a tout arrangé dans le meilleur ordre possible ? Puisqu'Il a tout ordonné d'une façon judicieuse, et, avec la plus grande perfection, a mis chaque chose à la place qui lui convient le mieux ? A quoi bon, dès lors, prier, implorer, exposer ses besoins et demander assistance? ".

Sache, en vérité, qu'il convient au faible, de demander l'aide du Fort, et qu'à celui qui cherche l'infinie bonté, il appartient de supplier le Glorieux, le Généreux.

Lorsque l'on implore son Seigneur, que l'on se tourne vers Lui, que l'on recherche les grâces de Son Océan, cette supplication est déjà, par elle-même, une lumière pour le coeur, une illumination pour les yeux, une source vivifiante pour l'âme et une exaltation pour l'être tout entier.

L'art divin de vivre-==> Verset: 13.2-==> Verset: 13.3

or in English:

Another correspondent asked: “Why pray? What is the wisdom thereof, for God has established everything and executes all affairs after the best order—therefore, what is the wisdom in beseeching and supplicating and in stating one’s wants and seeking help?”

"Know thou, verily it is becoming in a weak one to supplicate to the Strong One, and it behooveth a seeker of bounty to beseech the Glorious Bountiful One. When one supplicates to his Lord, turns to Him and seeks bounty from His Ocean, this supplication brings light to his heart, illumination to his sight, life to his soul and exaltation to his being.

So here it is, 2010, may it be blessed with remembrances of the divine kind. The cat boys meow adieu and blow little kisses with their paws!

Ciao!

We were abducted by Extra Terrestrials...

I checked the last blog entry, December 20th 2009, and thought, today is January 3rd, 2010. Were we abducted by some extraterrestrials and are now returned to earth? It sure felt that way to us. This morning I walked the walk that had not been tread for a long while it seems and liked the view.

Later I noticed that a slanky cat boy named Augustus was draped over the chair, exhausted from the holidays, ....

and this little dude who appears perky and full of trouble

became suddenly very sleepy.

What differed this year compared with others was that we did not have time to make resolutions. It seems as if I would need a week just to organize time already spent. We already find ourselved ready to leap ahead while feeling immensely grateful for moments spent together with family and friends.
Cat boys asked me to meow their best wishes to their friends, blog readers, other kitties and lions here and everywhere. May little angels sit on every drop of rain, snowflake, or ray of sun, and guard and guide all, all year long.

Smooches from kitties and Ciao!