O Christmas Tree

As promised in my previous post ..... (warned you I wasn't done yet) here is another Christmas song for you to hum all through the day.  Since we know it's gonna get stuck in your mind by the end of this post.....

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!

How are thy branches so tasty?

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

No matter, thy leaves are so tasty!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Much pleasure doth thou bring me!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Much catnip should Santa Claws bring me!

For every year the Christmas tree,

Brings to cats joy and glee

when the ornies fall and peeps they scream.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

Much pleasure doth thou bring me!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Thy twinklers shine out brightly!

Each bough doth hold its tiny light,

That makes each cat toy to sparkle bright.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Your twinklers and ornaments are .....
hissstory!

Note: A special thank mew to Matilda for her unwavering cooperation in these pictures.  

Events depicted did actually occur and were not staged, but definitely encouraged. 

Christmas. Really?

I have to say it....she's not much into Christmas.  Nothing really new.  But purrhaps a bit less this year.  Seems every year the stores bring out the Christmas decor earlier and earlier.  This year they bumped up the Black Friday events even sooner. While it's been commercialized for some time, we both feel it's getting much worse.  This year store employees are told to come in and work before their turkey has had a chance to digest.  Add to that the ugly reality of how they whip up the shopping frenzy so much that people trample, injure and plain old put on their meanie-butt faces for the event.  Really?

Me thinks this is not promoting a proper Christmas spirit.  Further I think it seems for too many the spirit of giving is taken too far when the peeps think that in order to have a worthy Christmas, one must have the best of what is available on the market for their wee little ones.  And if the quantities are limited well by gosh, let's go kick some tail.  We will get THAT gift that will outshine anything rich Grandma Myrtle could buy.  And each year has to outdo the last. Really?

So what's a cat to do when most of the Christmas decorations are up and though she worked many, many hours on pulling it together, she is still dragging her tail around the house without too much Christmas enthusiasm???  Heck the tree is up and I haven't heard the first Christmas song being sung!

I tell you what's a cat is to do???

The cat becomes purrsuasive and subliminal....

and you post the lyrics to songs on my blog so she can't miss them!  I mean she is always checking up on me here, seeing if I'm being good or up to no good.  Can you imagine?!  S'okay, I"ve invented a new use for blogging AND this will work to my advantage!   

Yep, is this a plan or what?!  I tell you sometimes I amaze myself with my intelligence and purrspective! 

So without further warning here we go......

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas; 

Soon the bells will start,

And the thing that will make them ring

 is the carol that you sing

Right within your heart.

What'd ya think?!?  Potential purrhaps?  

Now try and get that song out of your head MOL 

Well at least until  next time when we sing you a different song! 

You didn't really think we'd stop there did you?!?

Reality bites.

Have you noticed lately that there is a huge difference between what we are told and the real facts?!  No?Purrhaps you need to pay a bit more attention.  Yes, really!  You'd be surprised what you will find. I decided to pay more attention.  You know check into reality.  And you wouldn't believe what has really been going on. Take for instance the following:

She goes to Ohio in September for the Country Living Fair.  To sell.  Or so I was told.  Really?

Reality: She went to the Country Living Fair as a vendor AND visited a friend and her two cats AND a shelter with SEVENTY plus other cats.  Rumor has it that the friend brought steamed chicken to feed them. Really?!  While I was at home pining for her.

Allie of Pet Guards Shelter.  This is NOT the Romeo.

She goes to Atlanta in October for the Country Living Fair.  To sell.  Again, this is what I was told. Yep, sure was.

Reality: She went to the Country Living Fair as a vendor AND stayed at a hotel that had two feral cats.  Not her fault I know. BUT she went to McDonald's every night and bought them both a hamburger. Hold the pickles and mustard.  Seriously? While I was at home with NO hamburger despite the fact McDonald's is only a bit over two miles away.

And just last week, she went to Rowann's Christmas Open House at Antiques in Old Town.  To visit with Rowann and to be inspired.  (Her very favorite place to go).

Reality: She went to Antiques in Old Town to visit with Rowann.  And be inspired.  And to visit with Mr. Wiskers! AND to bring him a bag of kitty crack Tempatations Cat Snacks AND a catnip mouse!  While I slept alone until midnight because that's what time she finally drug herself in. WITHOUT my evening cat snacks and NO catnip mouse. Well none that I could find at least.

Mr. Wiskers at Antiques in Old Town

Reality.

Bites.

And now?  

She is decorating for Christmas.  Seriously?!?  

What about my Thanksgiving turkey drumstick????

I think I am checking back out of reality and going to my happy place. 

Anyone got any cat snacks? How about a drumstick?

when it rains...

things grow here....I know, normally rain does make things grow but....

I'm meowing about strange things......

as in all over the place....

of every size, shape and color....

and some appear to be not of this world....

I know you think purrhaps, 'why is Romeo concerned with the growth of mushrooms in the yard'....

ah, well it's not the mushrooms....it's what it means.....

rain.....lots of rain....

at a most inconvenient time....

preparing for the Country Living Fair in Stone Mountain, Georgia...

because she is one of those weirdos people who has to set up a trail run.

Tents, furniture and roughs out the displays and where they will be.

So rain?

Not so good during this preparation time.

Because one might find that their canopy collapsed during the night when "showers" became thunderstorms...

And then there are the pieces that got wet after she had cleaned them.....and the rain came down so hard that dirt and mud splashed up on them....so much for cleaning them....

(don't tell her this picture is here, she'd cut off my whiskers)

...or painting....because with the humidity things were not drying as they should....

and then it rained again.....

so the paint can had to come out...again....

and then it rained some more....

which meant more.....

and then.....

we finally gave up and put it all up, scratched the trail run.

Which now means....that without planning.....

...she probably has more loaded to take then will fit in the space....

I think I counted 21 totes of smalls,

and like a bazillion things here in the back with just barely enough room left for a cat....

(can you find the Romeo?)

And then there is the bed of the truck....

and the cab is full too!

(yes, those tree branches are IN the truck, don't ask why but they are going)

So I am meowing and asking....

purrlease stop by and see if there isn't something you need,

because you know this stuff is NEVER going to all fit back in there!

As an incentive, bring me a love Romeo note and I'll make sure she gives you a 15% discount on any one item!  Doesn't matter the price - it all goes! And hopefully some of it with mew!

P.S. I'm sending Dad one day to check up on her (quality control, customer service, etc) and hopefully take some pictures....be sure and watch for them next week.  Don't worry setup may start tomorrow but I won't send Dad into that mess because I'm just that kind of nice, also known as self preservation since he's feeding me while she's gone.

>^,,^<

Purrs to all!

Country Living Fair - Ohio

Well she's back home after her adventure in Columbus, Ohio.  Good thing too as I would hate to have gotten to the point of admitting I missed her.  It was close, but no, I survived and only slightly missed her.

Maybe.

{a few of the tattered cat pillows}

{Ephemera from Jenni Bowlin's space.}

So I sorta maybe missed her.

{Not sure who this was....she was running by to get back to her space as the gates had opened and it was a stampede....really? I think this story is embellished just a bit.....}

Just a little bit.

{Primitive Beginnings....she thinks this was the name....}

Oh all right.  I missed her.  There I said it.  

{Katy of Primitive Beginnings}

I did miss her as Dad severely limits my adventures and snacks. Something to do with maintaining his life expectancy  I told him to ignore whatever instructions she left. She really is harmless. But he wouldn't listen.

{KD Vintage - her  wonderfully nice neighbor.}

{Kim's Brocante, her other wonderfully nice and helpful neighbor}

All I do know is that she did not bring me back any special Ohio catnip.  Seriously?!

{Jenni Bowlin}

Instead she brought back some pictures of the fair.  

{Stash - certainly a favorite}

And even then she only took a few pictures.  

Told me that she couldn't get any until Sunday, shortly before they opened.  

{Urban Farmhouse WAS packed full, but this is the last day so......}

Pictures from the last day of the fair.  Sunday.

{Above 3 - Summerthyme Chic Boutique}

Pictures. From. THE, LAST. DAY?!?!

(Jenni Bowlin and her significant other!}

{cute dolls made by a neighbor in back.}

{the tattered cat's space...}

Sure hope you enjoy these pictures. Purrsonally, I think she better raise the bar for the Atlanta show - more photos and premium catnip!

 Meanwhile? I'm going to go out and get my own catnip.  Hmpfh. Pictures! For a cat??? Really?!?

Purrty Time in RomeoLand!

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited I think my whiskers may curl!

It's that time of year again when I send her off to hustle up some cat-snack money!  And while she is away.....yep, you guessed it - I PARTY!  Call in the dancing cats, open up the cans of kipper, tuna and salmon!!!!

I checked the trailer to ensure it was loaded fully and properly.  It also provided confirmation that it was really going to happen.  I mean one can never be too sure.  Imagine the embarrassment if I scheduled the dancing cat girls and had the invites sent out to all my furred buddies and she didn't go?!?!  Now that would be enough to wilt the whiskers so much that I would probably trip over them.  Thank goodness that is not the case.  It's a go!  And I'm so happy I had to roll in the dirt - I could hardly contain myself!

Soon, very soon she will be in Ohio at the Country Living Fair and I will be following in the pawsteps of Morris, Tom the Barcardi cat, Fuzzy, Bill The Cat, and those infamous cats with thumbs!  Meeeeeoooooowwwww..... oops, I think a whisker just fell off from the excitement.  Ah well it'll grow back.  Right? It will won't it?!

If you are planning on going to the show, be sure and stop by to let me know you were there!  And you might do me a favor and check to make sure she is doing her job properly, okay? I mean c'mon now this is pretty important, cat snacks don't just fall out of the sky.  So we must make sure she does the job properly.  If not....well I might be forced to re-train her.  You just let me know.  It'll be just between us - she doesn't need to know my sources ;)

And for the record....I really will miss her while she's gone!  But sometimes even a Romeo has to have some fun!  Being the protective one that she is, I would never be allowed to indulge in such gastronomical delights.  However, this will be a different story since Dad is being left in charge.  You see he is hoping that in allowing me to eat all these delicacies he will spoil me, thinking that I might decide to love him more than her.

 She isn't even going to try and dissuade him from allowing the food party and festivities.

Why?

Who do you think is going to be changing the litterboxes while she's gone?  Yep. Dad will! MOL

What inspires

Me?  Well a can of tuna fish or even watching the piranha in the small pond out front; a bird in the bird feeder, or a warm sunbeam or a bowl of milk.  It doesn't take much to inspire me.  I'm just that kind of cat - well rounded and easily inspired (with the right motivators of course).

What inspires her?  

Better have a seat in a very comfortable chair.  This could take a few minutes.

Her inspiration?

It's everywhere in nature...

...and in the studio...

...and in the office.

Vignettes here and there. 

In my office and studio, which she believes to be her office and studio.
No matter really.  It means she cleans them ;)

Inspiration tucked into corners and shelves.  

On top of cabinets and the cabinets themselves.

So while function is important, everything in the office and studio must also inspire. 

She has spent years gathering and changing out as well as adding furniture and small doses of inspiration.  Playing to get it just right. 

 It's one of those things that takes on a life of it's own - knowing a direction, not because it's in style or something everyone else has.  Gathering and just knowing that "this" is what inspires and what should be a part of the studio or office. A part of her inspiration.

Everything comfortable.  Everything with history and a story.  A gathering of items that culminate to a point in time during which there is not one piece of furniture that can be bested, and every detail scrutinized to be sure it's still "right".

So although she's at that point where not much has changed since the last time you glimpsed the studio or office, small details have moved around and perhaps been added to.  Maybe something subtle that began like a whisker tickle while vacuuming or dusting.

After all, for her, what surrounds her in the studio or office or nature inspires, and thus breeds more inspiration and creativity.  

Kind of like rabbits I suppose.

Or fleas.

Well maybe not like that - that's not such a good thing.  But yes, maybe like rabbits.

And what else inspires?

Bloggers who create.  Yes, that's right - YOU and you and you!  Everyone who has even one small ounce of creativity inspires her.  And yes, of course, those cats who own those same creative people -  well they inspire me.  To be a better, more creatively motivated cat....albeit still ferocious ;)  And right now there are a bazillion of you out there who have recently posted about your studios and attending Karen's party - Where Bloggers Create!  


So what are you doing here?!?  Head on over, I'll be there just as soon as I grab my top hat and a can of tuna for the road...... But before you go, tell me purrlease - what inspires you?