Comments are off

 

Dearest Furrends

Mes has had to disable comments on my purrsonal blog!

Mes will turn them on if mes needs to speaks from here, but Marvelous does not mind mes using his blog...so Mes does not think that will happens furry often.

The biggest problem is the interweb has a flaw which has enshrined the ability for total anonymity. 

Yous can makes comments anonymously. 

Gos to a webpage anonymously. 

and

With a little effort, send email anonymously. 

For years, being anonymous on the interweb outweighed its drawbacks. 

Peoples felt more free to express themselves!

Tthis is ok if they was dissidents or hiding a personal secret. 

This was celebrated in the famous 1993 New Yorker cartoon, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.”

Now the problem is nobody can tell if you’re a troll. 

Or a hacker. 

Or a bot. 

Or a Cat publishing a story that came out of imagination.

There are many articles about the benefits and the drawbacks to Anonymity but mes just does not need all the grief that ANONYMOUS gives mes!

Knows that mes Nellie Bellie LOVES yous to bits!

 

If yous wants to comments about this...please goes to Marv's Blog (there is a link on the sidebar to gets there)

Summer Vacation? Mommy wants to know...whose...

First off, Ninja arrived (with Alex) at suppertime on Wednesday...I was starting to feel unwell, I had caught the bug that my stepmother had...
Later that evening, Kozmo, Jo Jo and Cinnamon (along with Daddy) arrived too! My quiet sanctuary had turned into a loud, hairy zoo!

Because I have not been well, I've not taken any photos until today (Sunday). Here is one this morning of Jo Jo and Kozmo watching bird TV from the new mini "catio".

 Although 2 Spoiled Cats (Sammy and Teddy) celebrate everything bacon on Caturday...we had bacon today! Jo Jo joined Daddy and I at the table...can you see her willing that bacon to jump off the plate inoto her mouth.....

A piece finally did!

Kozmo was still in the catio...he wanted someone to play with.

Ninja obliged. This started round elebenty billion and 2 of cat wars and zoomies.....

Ninja says is totally the winner in the majority of the bouts!!!

And last but not least.....

Cinnie!!!!

Come on baby! Give me a big slobbery KISS!!!!!

Still coughing and barking like a dog...

Love 

Barb

Marvelous, Mes and Mommy learns patience

Mes was enjoying my retirement and cavorting with Eric, Flynn, GJ, Boomer, Nerissa, Ellie, Sammy, Minko, Fiona and many other rainbow cats when mes gotted a message....
Nellie Bellie...Oh Nellie Bellie, I need you Nellie.....
It was my Mommy! Mommy never calls mes!!! Even when mes was there below! Mes excused myself and went to sees her. She was in her office at work! Mes has never been there before...It smelled funny...no animals!

Mes here Mommy! mes purred.
 Mommy picked mes up  and cuddled mes. Mes let her...but yous should knows mes does not likes it furry much.

Nellie, Mommy said, I am worried about Marvelous. He was supposed to start his long trip from Iran to Canada yesterday and be here today, but the person who is bringing him is staying in Iran for another 2 weeks and won't be bringing him until August 14th! I can't go and see him like you can, can you please go and see how he is doing and let him know that I am missing him.

Mommy, mes said, yous NOT even meeted him yet! How can yous be missing somebody yous not meeted? 

I already have him in my heart Nellie darling, just like you and you know how much I miss you!

Well, mes knows Mommy misses mes lots and lots, I visits her in her dreams all the time and there has been NO cats in the house to helps her.

Mes flashed out and popped into Marvelous' room.


Meow! said Marvelous. I am so very happy to see you Queen Penelope! I get awful lonely in this barren little room. I am also very sad.

Oh! Marvelous! mes said as mes touched his nose with mine and then rubbed up against him, Mes sorry mes has not come by every day. Mes will until yous gets to Mommy! 

Queen Penelope, That would be very kindly of you! I would appreciate it so very much! He gave me a tentative smile.
Wes lay down on his scrappy little blanket and mes licked his ears and eyes. Are yous feeling better dear heart? How is your asthma? 

Marvelous sighed a big sigh, Mes, er I feel fine Queen Penelope, but my heart is sore that I will not be seeing my new Mother today. I was so happy to know that I was going to have my own home and my own Mother and.....(sob)...now I feel that it may NEVER happen! It has been forever waiting to go.

Oh Marv! mes purred, 2 weeks is only 14 days! And Today is the first one of those days! When today is over, it will bes 13 and when that day is over, it will only bes 12! and before yous knows it,  yous will be loaded into a PTU and....

Excuse me Queen Penelope! PTU! What is this PTU? Is it scary? Is is big? Is it small? 

Marvelous, mes said sternly, Yous interrupted mes! Yous should NOT interrupt when mes is talking! 
But mes knows yous is excited...A PTU is a personal transportation unit. It is a little box with bars that peoples puts yous in to goes places. They is small and it feels like yous is in your own purrsonal cave. It is like this room that yous lives in only small. Yous can't stand up in it.

Oh, Marvelous said weakly. It is like what they brought me here in and what they put me in to go and visit the Doctor.

Yes! Mes said, just like that! 

Will you come in the PTU with me on my trip? Will your friends that stop by to visit me come on my trip too? I am quite scared.

Marv darling, Angel Sammy who comes and sees yous almost every day and Flynn and Eric and me will be with yous. Do not worry little friend. Yous is already loved by more people than you can imagine. Just wait, when yous start to blogs! Yous will has hundreds and hundreds of peoples and cats and dogs yous will bes furrends with!

Thank you Queen Penelope. You always make me feel better.  You know exactly what to say to make my fears disappear! I am not afraid any more. Can you go and tell out Mother that I am doing well, even though I am disappointed I am not going to be with her tonight and that my journey to her will begin in 12 days...that is right, it is only 12 days until I start!

Yes darling boy. Only 12 days and tomorrow, it will be 11 until you start your journey and 13 until you get to Mommy! Marvelous, in the words of this human mes has meeted over the bridge, whose name is Rumi, 

Oh! You are so right Queen Penelope! Rumi has such wise words. I shall meditate on them. Will you come back today?

Of course! Mes knows that Sammy is on his way right now, but mes must goes and sees our Mommy and lets her know that yous is marvelous and yous is patient! And that yous foresees that when yous gets to her, all the waiting will have been worth it!
Now mes must goes and tells Mommy that yous is patient and KNOWS that yous will bes there soon! Bye Bye!

Wes touched noses and mes flashed back to Mommy.
When mes told her, she was a little less sad. Mes told her to meditate on Rumi too! She needs to learn PATIENCE!

Mommy
Nellie 
Marvelous

Retiring

Mes and my bestest Grrl Furrend Admiral Hestorb was laying on a cloud talking. Mes has finded Mommy a new cat and he will finally bes arriving from Iran next week.
Mes thought purrhaps he should takes over my blog, but what if mes wants to post once in a while and Admiral said, "Why don't you gets your Mommy to make him a brand new blog, like I did with my Mommy when I found her Katie Isabella. That way, if you have something to say, you can post it on YOUR blog!"
Admiral is just the bestest!

Painting by Joy Campbell

So that is what mes did!
Marvelous is Marvelous is NOW open! Mes will try to gets Mommy to posts some updates, but right now she is furry busy at work (they has a new software release coming up) and LOADS of company will be visiting over the next couple of weeks. Ninja arrives the same day as Marvelous for 2 weeks and Jo Jo, Kosmo and the hairy slobbery sister is arriving 2 or 3 days later to stay for a month while Daddy goes on vacation!
Mes promises to bugs Mommy to post a few things though.

If you want to see more art by Joy, please click this link

Reunited

Dear Furrends,

Mes is pawticipating in Athena's Artsy Caturday Blog Hop!
Please click her badge to sees all the other pawticipants!!!

 My entry is a picture of mes at the Rainbow Bridge!
  

Mes is enjoying life OTB.

Now mes loves reading your blogs and visiting my many furrends in their dreams, but lately

too many furrends has arrived recently!

The KING Punapippuri!

Ellie at Friends FurEver

Minko at Mezzer's Mews & Freckle's Woofs
  

Mes is happy they is here and wes all healthy and young, but mes sad for their pawrents and siblings.
Yous can click on their badges to goes to their sites.

Now mes wants to shares what mes made Mommy's do!
You guys all knows that 2 of my bestest Man Cat furrends FOREVER, has been Eric and Flynn! 

As a matter of fact, mes and Mommy readed their blog for a long time before mes figured that mes could blog too. Over the years wes had MANY (virtual) Visits and Mouse Hunts and Snuggles 

and wes been doing that here OTB!

Mommy wanted to paints a picture of Flynn last summer when she started painting the portraits on my paintings page but mes said wes should wait. 

And we did. 

When mes came over the bridge Flynn came a short while after and mes started to bugs Mommy to paints a dual portrait!
Well she finally did!

Their Mommy and Daddy gotted the picture today!

And they has posted about it for Artsy Caturday!

Some peoples and cats and dogs has been asking about Marv!
Mommy does not have him at home --- yet!

Its is summer and he has to wait for somebody to bring him from Iran to Vancouver. 

When he arrives, mes will lets yous knows!!!

Now PLEASE excuse mes...Eric and Flynn and GJ and Sammy and Mes is going out DANCING!!!

 

 

 

Happy Canada Day!

Today is Canada's 150th Birthday!

Marvelous is still waiting for his looooong flight from Iran to Vancouver, so mes conscripted gots NINJA to bes the STAR today!

 

 

AND Last but not least, mes going to leaves yous with these wonderful images of our home and native land!

 

 

PS. From the 2017 comedy: Your Special Canada, starring Jonathan Torrens, airing Canada Day, July 1

Angels

DEAREST FURRENDS!!!! 

First, mes has a GIFT for yous!

 

Now --- Mes has some wonderful,  awesome, incredible, prodigious, stunning, and amazing news!!!!

Mes has fined the purrfect furrend for my Mommy!!!!!

It has tooked mes a long time as mes searched the WHOLE World to find the mostest specialest cat! 

Me finded MARVELOUS:

 And this is what wes knows about him:

Hi, my name is Marv (short for Marvelous). I am a very sweet 1 year old, male tabby. I know you are wondering why I am on this website with all the dogs. You see, my rescuer in Iran works tirelessly to save, rehabilitate, and heal all the poor dogs who have been maimed, abused and abandoned in Iran. If it were not for her and others like her, all these dogs who found kind adoptive families in Canada would have perished in horrible ways. She is so compassionate that when she came upon me at death's door suffering from respiratory problems, she rescued me as well. After some time at the vet I have recovered but might be prone to asthma. My rescuer has only one request in return for all she does for the dogs. She wants me to find a home in Canada too as she hasn't been able to find a home for me in Iran. So I am currently being boarded where I have a very small and barren space to live. I am a very friendly, kind and gentle boy who hopes a compassionate Canadian will have a little space left for an Iranian cat. I know there are many cats in Canada looking for homes as well but this is the special wish of my rescuer who has done so much for so many homeless dogs. I hope you will include me in your family. I am neutered and up to date on my vaccinations. My adoption fee is $100 which includes my neuter and vaccination costs as well as my flight to Canada.

Mes put him right in front of Mommy when she was looking to see where she should goes and looks for a new furrend this weekend!

Mommy sended a email (which mes dictated)--And in the middle of the night--Mommy gotted back the answer that Mommy is Marv's rescue angel!!!

Now mes has been visting Marv in Iran (of course mes checked him out before mes putted him in front of Mommy) and he is a little scared. And hes not too sure about the whole flying thing. But he is sure looking forward to getting his very own human! Mes told Marvelous he would have to put up with:

• Having the house to himself for 9 hours a day (usually 4-5 days a week), BUT there is loads of sun puddles, excellent bird TV, human and cat beds and a comfy chair.
• The best pet food, treats, toys and playtime.
• Cuddling, pets, and brushing -- but only when (and if) he wants it. 
• EXCELLENT healthcare (Dr. Chandra is best. Even mes liked him and mes usually bited vets). 
• Animal and human visitors a few times a month (Sestra who owns Robert and Leona; Marv's new siblings-Kozmo, Jo Jo and Cinnamon; Ninja who owns our human brother and sometimes the 2 woofies who owns our human nephew). 
• And he would have to  his picture taken loads, as he would be the star of his own blog and he could talks about the causes near and dear to his heart (Mes sure that would be Loved at Last Dog Rescue who saved him).

Mes does not knows when Marv will be arriving, but when mes does, yous my furrends will bes the first to knows! (after Mommy of course).

AND unlike mes...who enjoyed being the Cat From Hell...Marv is a REAL LIFE ANGEL!

Mes wonders if hes will likes the angel shirt mes gotted at Christmas time? 

In the meantime, knows that mes has been keeping my eye on all of yous guys and has been visiting yous in your dreams 

(Your humans can tells--as your feets twitch because mes LOVES to Dance!)

 

Selfies on Tuesday

Hi guys! Kozmo here!

Mommy was on holidays for a week and she came and saw us on her way to Calgary for our human cousin Charles wedding. 

She stayed with our human brother Alex and Ninja for a few days before she came back to our paradise.

 

when she got back, she stayed at our house for 3 days!

 Me and Jo Jo have been catching all the Moles Voles and Mice that we can! And we have been doing a wonderful job!

look at the smile on Jo Jo's face! She is ahead in the body count!

Cinnamon was really happy too! 

She would not let Mommy out of her sight. She followed her EVERYWHERE!

She even tried to to get into the bathtub when Mommy was having a soak...how do I know? I was following Mommy everywhere too! 

Yeah...I AM a little miffed that Mommy had to go home.

Me and Jo Jo and Cinnamon are glad to see all you guys again!

I hope its not too long until the next time!

 

A |Gift from Nellie

Yesterday I bought myself an angel cat as my Nellie Memorial

 

This morning, Nellie sent me a gift.

Pickled Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar

Today I made pickled asparagus. 

I have been wanting to try something different. I love asparagus with balsamic vinegar and I thought I would try to make pickled asparagus using some balsamic vinegar. 

I used my regular recipe but I substituted 1/3rd of the regular vinegar with White Balsamic vinegar.

Alas, finding the right height canning jars has been difficult. I had to use the regular 500ml wide mouth jars. 

Lemon and Dill

 

Fresh Dill

Trimmed Asparagus

And here there are, packed into the jars along with the spices -- celery seed, all spice and mustard seed.

And here are the other 2 jars in the pot 

and after 10 minutes processing!

I won't be able to try the pickles for a week, but after tasting the brine, I believe these are going to be wonderful!

Tomorrow I am going to make regular asparagus pickles with what I have left. I have some regular quart sealers and will make them longer (for Cesars!!!)

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 6 pounds asparagus, trimmed to fit your pint jars
• 4.5 cups vinegar (1.5 cup white balsamic and 3 cups white)
• 4.5 cups water
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or pickling salt)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Put in each jar:
• 1/8 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp mustard seed
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 all spice berries
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 slice lemon
• fresh dill
• 7 500 ml (8 oz0 wide mouth jars (if you use the taller, 12 ounce jelly jars, you don’t have to cut your asparagus quite as short and you’ll probably fill 4-5 jars).

Instructions

1. Sterilize your jars.
2. Put the lemon slice, spices and dill in the bottom and pack the trimmed asparagus into the jars (it’s up to you to determine whether you want to go tips up or down). Tuck a garlic clove down into the asparagus spears.
3. Bring the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a boil. Pour into jars on top of asparagus, leaving at least 1/4 inch of head space.
4. Put lids and rings on the jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (you can skip this step if you plan on just putting your pickles in the fridge).