Cat Lady No. 328...Don't Crowd Me

Cat Lady Lara and tuxedo cat Tindra both experience enochlophobia, which is the fear of crowds.

That's why Lara has been quite content to pass up all of the mall madness and do her shopping this weekend from the comfort of her armchair. Tindra has been delighted to help out from the vantage point of a very uncrowded lap in a blissful one-cat household.

If you should become disoriented, frightened, or overwhelmed in a crowd, Tindra has a tried-and-true solution: go to your nearest empty box and sit in it awhile. Serenity and inner peace will prevail.

Enjoy!

Give the gift of original art without breaking the bank! This ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop:
Cat Lover No. 76 Original Art

Cat Lady No. 327...Fa La La La La

Cat Lady Monica and Tabby Turbo just finished decking all of their halls with boughs of holly and would like to share some tips with you, provided by Oregon State University:

Did you know that storing holly in the same area with ripening fruit can result in defoliation, due to the ethylene gas given off by the fruit?

Cut your boughs of holly when temperatures are above freezing and when wind and strong sunlight will not cause excessive drying. Holly should be moved into cool, moist storage as soon as possible after cutting.

When using treated holly in the home, give it the same care you would give a flower arrangement, i.e., supply water to the cut stems, keep out of drafts and other places that promote dryness, and keep in a cool room if possible.

For more information, read the whole article: Preserving Cut Holly

Enjoy!

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Cat Lady No. 326.. Leftovers Revisited

Cat Lady Juliette and feline friend Babette have an embroidered pillow that says "Waste Not, Want Not" and so they were happy to learn about the Love Food Hate Waste website yesterday from their neighbor Cat Lady Dania.

Another website, Wasted Food, reports that "a new study by a team of National Institute of Health researchers has some fascinating findings. After analyzing USDA and FAO data, the team of researchers found that US per capita food waste has increased by 50 percent since 1974. More interesting, they found that we now waste 40 percent of our available food supply."

Yikes!! If you are as shocked as Juliette and Babette are about food waste, including its impact on the environment, here are 5 easy steps as suggested by author Jonathan Bloom:

1. Plan your meals before you grocery shop.

2. Make a detailed shopping list and stick to it!

3. Serve reasonable sized portions.

4. Save your leftovers.

5. Eat those leftovers!

To help you out, here is another fantastic website to help you use up what you already have! Just tell it what you have in your cupboard and fridge, and it will tell you what to cook, complete with recipes: Cooking By Numbers

Enjoy!

Cat Lady No. 325...Leftovers No More

In the wake of today's Thanksgiving food extravaganza, Cat Lady Dania no longer fears the daunting task of using up countless containers of bits and morsels, commonly referred to as leftovers.

She has discovered a wonderful website from the UK called "Love Food Hate Waste", providing handy tips, advice and recipes for leftovers to help everyone waste less food.

The website points out that 8.3 million tonnes (a tonne is about 22o5 lbs) of food is thrown away by households in the UK every year. In 2008 the New York Times pointed out that "Americans waste an astounding amount of food — an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption, according to a government study — and it happens at the supermarket, in restaurants and cafeterias and in your very own kitchen. It works out to about a pound of food every day for every American."

Check here for wonderful ideas and recipes for using up your leftovers, plus lots of great ideas about reducing food waste: Love Food Hate Waste Recipes

Enjoy!

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Cat Lady No. 324...Thanksgiving Eve Poetry Reading

Cat Lady Megan thought that for tonight's poetry reading it would be appropriate to recite "Bustopher Jones: the Cat About Town", one of T.S. Eliot's fabulous felines in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats:

An exerpt:
It can be no surprise that under our eyes
He has grown unmistakably round.
He's a twenty-five pounder, or I am a bounder,
And he's putting on weight every day:
But he's so well preserved because he's observed
All his life a routine, so he'll say.
Or, to put it in rhyme: "I shall last out my time"
Is the word of this stoutest of Cats.
It must and it shall be Spring in Pall Mall
While Bustopher Jones wears white spats!

Pumpkin doesn't like to think of himself as a cat about town, as he would prefer to find a patch of sunshine in the front window and nap rather than gad about, but he does like the idea of a pair of spats...make that TWO pair!

Thanks for visiting!


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Cat Lady No. 323...Book Buddy

Library-cat-in-training Professor Purrlots is enjoying today's lesson from School Librarian Patricia. Today she is reading the story about a real-life cat named Dewey Readmore Books who was dropped into the book return of the Spencer Public Library in Iowa one fateful night.

Dewey took his new job as the library cat quite seriously and spent 19 years running the place. His "Basic Rules For Cats Who Have a Library to Run" is a must-read for any aspiring library cat.

The library cat's golden rule, according to Dewey, is: "Never forget, nor let humans forget, that you own the joint!

To find out more about Dewey and his illustrious career, visit this wesite: Dewey Readmore Books

Enjoy!

Cat Lady No. 322...Carol Time

'Tis the season that Cat Lady Cynthia has been waiting for all year: the caroling season. It's the only time of the year that a gal with somewhat modest singing skills can sing loudly and with great enthusiasm in public places without raising too many eyebrows.

She's brushing up on the lyrics of all of her favorites with the help of her purrsonal neck warmer, Clyde Catman, and this great website, which includes lyrics to dozens of her favorite carols, plus a little history about each song:
Christmas Carols

Enjoy!





Give the gift of original art without breaking the bank! These ACEO watercolor illustrations have just been listed for sale in my Etsy Shop

Cat Lady No. 321...And The Winner Is...

Cat Lady Cameron and tabby Timothy love statistics and are pleased as punch to share these with you: Out of 41 entries in the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November, one name was chosen at random, and the winner is: Cat Lady Jana of Colorado Catnip Toys!

Among her crazy cat lady qualifications: "I have 5 cats, all were orphans. They all help me make catnip toys and kitty quilts I sell on Etsy. At any one given time I will have one cat on my shoulders, one cat laying on the ironing board, one cat sleeping by the sewing machine and sometimes one cat in my lap. Let me tell you, it is not easy sewing with all my helpers. But I would feel lost without them. We all sleep in the same bed. Sometimes that bed gets pretty crowded. I love each of them differently. I have Mr. Tigger, Yakkie, Pokey, Scooter and the baby Zippy. I am a cat person from the word go. They are my kids. I am definitely a CCL!"

Here are some more statistics: In our very scientific poll, the question was posed: How many cats does it take to make you a CRAZY Cat Lady?

The answer "10 or more dearest darlings" was the top choice with 30 percent of the votes. Surprisingly, the second most popular answer was "one cute kitty" with 23 percent of the votes. Thank you to everyone who participated in both the poll and in the giveaway!!




Give the gift of original art without breaking the bank! This ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop:
Library Cat No. 23 ACEO Art

Cat Lady No. 320...Music To My Ears

Illustration Friday
(theme:"music")

Cat Lady Veronica is sporting the ultimate caroling accessory for the upcoming season! The latest in fashionable neckwear, it is guaranteed to keep neck and shoulders toasty warm while purring to the music. This particular neck-warmer goes by the name of Mo and will be happy to double as a lap-warmer for post-caroling cocoa consumption.

Thanks for visiting!


Two more creations by Etsy crafter ElleJays featuring one of my quilt blocks!

You'll find this pocket applique and mini quilt wall hanging listed for sale in her Etsy shop along with many more great cat lover gift items!

The individual fabric squares are for sale in my Susan Faye Etsy Shop

Cat Lady No. 319...Poetry To My Ears

Calico cat Trinny apparently has an ear for poetry, because every time Cat Lady Naomi recites a poem, Trinny stops and listens attentively, whether it be an elegant haiku or a silly limerick.

Writing or reciting cat poetry may be a sign that you are a Crazy Cat Lady. Presented here is a lovely example that was included in the comments of the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November, submitted by Cat Lady Loryia. It's about little Tom Petty, who started out as a wee orphan, plus a few of his furry friends:

Ode To My Cats

When I gave Tommy his bottles, little did I know
His 1 a.m. feedings he'd never outgrow.
He still gets me up for a soft pac o'fish,
and please oh please his favorite china dish!
Little did I know that now there'd be three,
Three dishes, three brushes, three potties for ME!
And then there's the ferals who come for a meal,
then hang around for my heart to steal.
So outside I go, come rain, wind or snow,
to make sure the hotels are heated 'just so'.
My life is filled with kitty cat fur,
and I live to hear the kitty cats purr.

Enjoy!

Cat Lady No. 318...Crazy Cat Lady Cafe

Cat Lady Komeko is not allowed to have pets in her apartment, so in order to qualify as a crazy cat lady, she often stops by Calico, a cat cafe in Tokyo. There are 20-some resident cats plus a fantastic array of cat toys and perches at the cafe, and patrons can sip tea while interacting with the fabulous felines.

Can't make it to Tokyo? You can visit with the cats in a virtual sort of way by going to the Calico Cat Cafe website, where you can enjoy videos of some of the purring, mewing charmers!

Enjoy!


Have you entered the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November?

The giveaway ends at 7 p.m. PST on November 22 when one name will be drawn at random from all those who have left a comment at that post. Winner will receive their choice of one of these jumbo Cat Lady tote bags from my Cafepress online shop.

Cat Lady No. 317...In Training

Cat Lady Joni is a crazy-cat-lady-in-training-- she just adopted her very first cat, Precious, and is already both enchanted and enslaved by her new furry friend.

Joni has been carefully studying the comments in the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November, and was particularly interested in Cat Lady Karen's CCL qualifications:

[editor's note: Karen forgot to mention a rather important one--she is author of The Cat's Meow, which is Catster.com's official cats and kittens blog]
-I lie about how many cats I have and never include Garage Cat in the tally.
-I'm crazy.
-I'm rarely more than an arm's length from a purring ball of fur.
-I do not go to animal shelters because I would come home with another half dozen cats.
-I don't go on vacation because my Siamese suffers from severe separation anxiety.
-All of my cats (except the aforementioned Garage Cat) have their own blogs.
-I dress up my cats in cute outfits and photograph them.
-No kids. And I was a spinster for 46 years.
-I have conversations with my cats.

Joni is looking forward to shopping for an all-new winter wardrobe for Precious and helping her pick out a name for her new blog. Joni is not so crazy about the spinster idea, but if that's what it takes to find someone called "Mr. Tasty Face", it might be worth the wait...

Thanks for visiting!

Give the gift of original art without breaking the bank! This ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop:
Cat in a Box Miniature Watercolor

Cat Lady No. 316... Qualifications

Cat Lady Sara knows that there is a fine line between being a Cat Lady and being a CRAZY Cat Lady, and although she only has just one cat, Callie, she may still qualify for the special designation of CRAZY.

Based on the comments so far in the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November, you may be a Crazy Cat Lady or Lad if:

-You volunteer at an animal rescue or shelter organization
-Your cat has his or her own blog
-You are a foster parent to one or more kittens living in your bathroom
-You enjoy writing humorous poetry about your furry friends
-You refer to your darlings as "furkids"
-Your cat goes on vacations with you

But the most important qualification of all?
- You are CRAZY about cats!!

Thanks for visiting!

Have you entered the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November? The giveaway ends at 7 p.m. PST on November 22 when one name will be drawn at random from all those who have left a comment at that post. Winner will receive their choice of one of these jumbo Cat Lady tote bags from my Cafepress online shop.

Cat Lady 314 and Cat Lad 315...Nine is Divine

What could possibly be better than getting a kitten for your birthday?

Hmmm. Maybe being happily married for over 50 years? Perhaps living in an enchanting 100-year-old farmhouse in a rural area near Toronto? Possibly maintaining your own personal garden paradise in the countryside? Or how about sharing that beautiful home with eight indoor felines, several barn kitties, and a beloved dog, Natasha?

Cat Lady Gail and Feline Fella Frank seem to have found the perfect recipe for contentment. Adding new kitten Elisse to the happy mix as a birthday gift on Gail's birthday today is just a little icing on the cake.

The indoor kitties agree that nine is divine! They include two Norwegian Forest Cats - Oliver and Lelani, one Birman - Buttercup, and six RagaMuffin Cats - Lexus, Mercedes, Lissette, Rhianna,and Annoush.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAIL
and
BEST WISHES FOR MANY YEARS TO COME!

Cat Lady No. 313...A November Giveaway

Cat Lady Clarice and assistant Bojangles would like to announce the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November.

To enter, vote in the Very Scientific Poll "How Many Cats Does It Take to Make You a CRAZY Cat Lady?" in the right-hand column, then leave a comment at the end of this post stating your qualifications as a CCL.

Giveaway ends at 7 p.m. PST on November 22 when one name will be drawn at random. Winner will receive their choice of one of these jumbo Cat Lady tote bags from my Cafepress online shop.

Note: Please make sure you include contact information in case you are the lucky winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address, or contact me directly at my e-mail with your info...

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, you may send your entry by e-mail by clicking "view my complete profile" at the end of "About Me" where you will find an e-mail link...

Thanks for participating!

Cat Lady No. 312...Art History Lesson

Cat Lady Constance loves her work as an art history professor and also has a weakness for orange ginger cats, like her friends Rusty and Paprika.

So it is no surprise that one of her very favorite paintings is "Woman With Cat" by impressionist painter Lilla Cabot Perry (1848-1933).

To take a peek at this beautiful painting, and to learn more about the artist, visit The Pet Museum website and enjoy the article Orange Cat, Left Shoulder.

Thanks for visiting!




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Cat Ladies No. 310 and 311...World Kindness Day

If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. ~Bob Hope

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up. ~Jesse Jackson

Cat Lady Krystal and Cat Lady Darcy are participating in World Kindness Day today by sending out Kindness E-cards courtesy of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

The Foundation has no religious or organizational affiliations and encourages the practice of kindness in all sectors of society.

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is the United States delegate to the World Kindness Movement, an organization that includes various nations. People in these countries promote kindness within their countries’ borders and are creating a global network of kindness and compassion.

Kitties Cleo and Bathsheba will be practicing kindness today with a generous dose of nuzzling and a profusion of purring. But then they do that EVERY day of the year!!

Thanks for visiting!

Give the gift of original art without breaking the bank! These original ACEO watercolor illustrations have just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...!

Cat Lady No. 309...Kitty Kindness

Cat Lady Laurie knows about the health benefits of kindness first-hand. Each week she and Miss Mildred visit the convalescent hospital nearby where the residents enjoy petting and visiting with such a soft and purring cat.

According to www.Care2.com, numerous scientific studies show that acts of kindness result in significant health benefits, both physical and mental. "Helping can enhance our feelings of joyfulness, emotional resilience, and vigor, and can reduce the unhealthy sense of isolation".

Tomorrow is World Kindness Day--an excellent opportunity to engage in kitty kindness!!

Enjoy!


Another creation by Etsy crafter ElleJays featuring one of my quilt blocks! You'll find this mini quilt wall hanging just listed for sale in her Etsy shop

The individual fabric squares are for sale in my Susan Faye Etsy Shop

Cat Lady No.308...Gobble Green Idea No. 4

Cat Lady Belinda and her Siamese sidekick Dora will be entertaining 11 guests on Thanksgiving, and have resolved to make the day as earth-friendly as possible by: Reducing--buying products with the least amount of packaging and choosing biodegradable paper packaging over plastic; Re-using--no paper plates or other throw-aways; and Recycling and Composting everything possible at the end of the day.

For decorations, Belinda plans to make these gorgeous candlelight luminaries as featured on TreeHuggingFamily.com. They are made from recycled tin cans, and Belinda will send one home with each guest.

In the mean time, Dora is hoping to recycle this box into her very own private napping spot, which she will certainly need after helping out with the turkey on Turkey Day!

Enjoy!

Cat Lady No. 307...Happy Birthday Scorpios!

It's birthday time for Bixby Boy. He was born under the sign of Scorpio, which makes him a bit of a Lone Ranger of a feline. Cat Lady Lorinda doesn't mind his independent streak because underneath all of that fur and aloofness is a heart of gold, not to mention a real party animal!

To find out more about Scorpio cats, visit CatScopes at Catster.com.

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Ladies 305 and 306...Gobble Green Idea No. 3

Cat Lady Delia and Cat Lady Tehani aren't quite ready to become full-time vegetarians, but several months ago the two friends started a Meatless Monday Supper Club. Knowing that eating less meat is healthier for their families and for the planet, once a week they get together to share recipes and enjoy a meatless meal.

Even Kittens Inky and Keoki get in on the act and enjoy a vegetarian meal each Monday, although the jury is still out on whether cats should have an entirely vegetarian diet or not...

Meatless Monday has been such a success that Delia and Tehani are now planning a Vegetarian Thanksgiving!

The Veggie Table.com has some great menu ideas and recipes for a Non-Turkey Turkey Day....and VegCooking.com has some suggestions for Faux Turkey, if you aren't quite ready to give-up the turkey tradition....

Enjoy!

Cat Lady No. 304...Gobble Green Idea No. 2

Cat Lady Jonquil and her Persian beauty Downy have decided to make their Thanksgiving meal a little more earth-friendly this year by eating organic.

Although there has been a recent debate about the nutrient value of organic versus non-organic, Jonquil buys organic to avoid ingesting antibiotics, pesticides and other toxins.

According to the Organic Trade Association, there are also many benefits to the planet: organic agriculture can improve soil fertility, prevent chemical fertilizers from polluting waterways and accommodate higher species diversity.

Check out the Eat Well Guide Online to locate local, sustainable, and organic food near you...

This original ACEO watercolor illustration is No. 11 in my series called "Let It Snow" and has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...add it to your collection by visiting Let It Snow No. 11 ACEO Art

Cat Ladies 302 and 303...Gobble Green Idea No. 1

Cat Lady Rebecca and her sister-in-law Roxie have decided to make their Thanksgiving meal a little more earth-friendly by becoming "Locavores" (also known as "Localvores").That means eating foods grown locally and in season.

When you eat locally-grown foods, it means that the food has fewer food miles, meaning the carbon emissions associated with local foods are smaller. An added benefit is that the food is fresher and picked at peak ripeness, meaning more nutrition value for you and your family!

For Thanksgiving menu ideas, visit the 100 Mile Diet website, where you will find links to localvore recipes.

Feline friends Pippi and Chipotle have their own ideas about eating local and have high hopes of catching something right outside their back doors....Doesn't get any fresher than that!




These original ACEO watercolor illustrations have just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...give the gift of original art by visiting
Let it Snow No. 10 ACEO Art
Raindrops and Kittens No. 4 ACEO Art