Black Cats Tell All 2018 Calendar, Best Cat Poem & Horst The Hero From Germany
Hello dear ones, it’s your friendly feline host, Clyde, for an arts-filled post with books, calendars and poetry oh my! Did your favorite kitten win?
First, I’m thrilled to announce our black and white 2018 Black Cats Tell All is on sale. Snap one up while you can. Free shipping is included but only if you buy before Nov. 24. We’re doing a really limited edition this year. They’re collectible with frame-worthy pics of a more artsy nature. I will personally be supervising the packing and shipping so don’t be surprised if you get an extra gift from me.
If black and white is not your thing, hang on for the full-color calendar which will be available for sale this week ONLY via our shop and ready to ship the end of November and arrive in plenty of time for holiday gift giving.
Halloween is over but superstitions continue and not just about black cats but all cats. We were featured in Catster 7 Ways Black Cats Bring Good Luck Around The World
I’d like to share the spotlight with one of my fellow book contributors. We have a long history of cats reviewing books at Cat Wisdom 101. When Layla began receiving review copies of book in 2011, she thought it would be fun to photograph a cat with the book. We’ve done it ever since. The trend mushroomed and everyone does it now.
It’s fitting in a full circle moment to have a cat reviewing our book Black Cats Tell All. Meet Horst, a jolly house panther from Germany. He’s large and in charge of his home and garden that he shares with a charming ginger boy named Sammy. You can see his latest escapades in photos and videos on Instagram @Horst_The_Hero
It’s no accident that poets have adored cats for thousands of years. They understand our sensitive nature and we return the favor by being a creative muse. When we’re very fortunate, a poet writes a poem about a cat that’s as magical as we are. Layla had bookmarked the poem waiting for the right time. I contributed my best “relaxing in the garden” pose. I’m not a garden cat like Odin and photo magic was required. However, dearest ones, we suggest all cat lovers and garden lovers read the rest of the poem.
Cats are all about scent and it’s a reminder how important natural smells are to cats and their environmental enrichment. We savor what we love, while we can because we don’t know if we’ll get a second chance. The poem is an ode to the beauty of impermanence, memory, and loss. It’s timely because Layla’s mother was cremated the other day. It remains to be seen where the ashes will go. Domino, who is the only cat who remembers mom visiting our garden thinks a garden in moonlight would be perfect.
The Garden By Moonlight
A black cat among roses,
Phlox, lilac-misted under a first-quarter moon,
The sweet smells of heliotrope and night-scented stock.
The garden is very still,
It is dazed with moonlight,
Contented with perfume,
Dreaming the opium dreams of its folded poppies.
Firefly lights open and vanish
High as the tip buds of the golden glow
Low as the sweet alyssum flowers at my feet.
Moon-shimmer on leaves and trellises,
Moon-spikes shafting through the snowball bush.
Only the little faces of the ladies’ delight are alert and staring,
Only the cat, padding between the roses,
Shakes a branch and breaks the chequered pattern
As water is broken by the falling of a leaf.
Then you come,
And you are quiet like the garden,
And white like the alyssum flowers,
And beautiful as the silent sparks of the fireflies.
Ah, Beloved, do you see those orange lilies?
They knew my mother,
But who belonging to me will they know
When I am gone.
Amy Lowell
Amy Lawrence Lowell was an American poet of the imagist school from Brookline, Massachusetts. She posthumously won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1926.
In hyper-local news i.e. our house, it’s officially the end of window whiffie season. Our autumn was unseasonably warm and the leaves didn’t turn color as bright this year or fall until the big storm last week. My sisfur Nou Nou has three favorite windows and one of them is on the third floor. Believe or not I am not a window watcher or whiffie kind of cat.
This window is close to my bed where I can keep an eye on her. I’m master of my domain and decide who is allowed up here. Odin pops in every evening at 4 AM, as regular as Swiss train. Nou Nou lost interest since the storm window is up but she’ll be back to the warm cozy spot by the brick chimney. Domino is not welcome but sometimes sticks his head for two seconds and runs away.
I prefer the human company of my mom, Layla and been giving her extra loving for being there. I had another diabetic hypoglycemic episode and need sugar syrup immediately. It’s confusing and scary but that’s life with a diabetic cat. NOVEMBER is Pet Diabetes Month. Find out if your cat might be at risk in our post
Otherwise, I’m doing well and eating like a wolverine on demand and may I say LOUDLY on demand. Since I’m going deaf I like to exercise my vocal chords so I can be heard anywhere in the house and it’s a big house. Apparently, Layla says I’m in cognitive decline. Kitty Alzheimers. Say, what? I feel fine. I hardly need to sleep and in order to prevent Layla from dying from no sleep, we’re trying a small dose of Melatonin. It seems to be helping and I’m sure Layla with be writing more about cognitive decline in specials needs cats.
Until we meet again, I leave you with a few more words from Lowell.
Purrrrrrrrrs,
Clyde and friends
“Life is a stream on which we strew petal by petal the flower of our heart.”
27 Comments
Sweet Purrfections
We think black cats are beautiful!
Clyde, feline editor
Nothing black or white about it 🙂
Memories of Eric and Flynn
I am sorry you had a diabetes incident but glad the sugar syrup quickly helped. I t is good that you are eating well. That makes such a difference. We had so much trouble trying to persuade Flynn to eat during his last year.
Layla Morgan Wilde
So far it’s worked every time. I remember that well about Flynn and dread that time ahead with Clyde.
Skeeter & Izzy
we love the poetry and the beautiful pics of all of the lovelies. We send our Purrs and prayers for strength and courage and healing to you all.
Luvs
Skeeter nad Izzy and the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo & the angels >^..^^..^<~
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks and we send lots of purrrrrrrrs to you and the gang xo
The Swiss Cats
Horst is a beautiful black panfur. We’re sorry to hear about your diabetes, but we’re glad to hear you’re eating, Clyde. Purrs and hugs to your mom
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thank you merci mes amies
meowmeowmans
Clyde, we’re sorry to hear about your diabetic incident, but are glad to hear you’re eating well. What can we say, except for we love you, and think of you lots! Hugs to you and Layla.
Clyde, feline editor
Thanks and purrrrs to you dear friends. I’ve bounced back and in very good spirits xox
Marv's Mom
Horst is handsome. Yes, we know about cognitive decline and deafness in elderly cats, Layla, we send you much live and strength.
But you know…Marv walks around yelling at the top of his lungs and hes only a year old! Maybe its a teen thing too!
Love Barb
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thank you and I’m very curious about Marv. Merlin was the same way at the age and continued for 20 years lol
Ellen Pilch
I am sorry you had a complication from diabetes. I am adding you to my prayer list. XO
Clyde, feline editor
Thanks, Ellen xoxo P.S books are being packed up tomorrow with an extra something from me.
Kathryn
Incredible poem by Amy Lowell. Love the Lowell family, their poetry, and connection to the city of Lowell, MA. A really great poem. Love Horst. Love all black cats (Mao in ATL thanks you!) and ginger boy Cheddar thanks you, too, for honoring black cats (and ginger boys).
Layla Morgan Wilde
Kathryn, I didn’t know about the connection to Lowell Mass. Thank you!
Kathryn
I simply love the Lowell family. Amy and Robert were especially well known.
Teddy and Mom
Horst is a cool guy! Lucky he gets to hang out with a ginger named Sammy – I wish I had been able to hang out with MY Sammy but alas it was not meant to be – we were ships passing in the night. We think the vision of Layla’s Mom’s ashes being scattered in a garden in moonlight is just beautiful….maybe along with some scattered rose petals too. It’s a comfortable image. We’re glad you’re doing well with Layla’s help Clyde and we send ALL of you hugs……….Sammy was good at the hug ending to his emails and I’m carrying on with the tradition!
Hugs, Teddy
Layla Morgan Wilde
Ginger boys make delightful furriends and you’re doing a good job following in Sammy’s footsteps.
Summer
Awesome to see the calendar coming out! Clyde, Binga also has some pretty crazy old-ladycat episodes of meowing, so we totally get you on that!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks, and I’d like to know how you’re handling the vocalization.
The Island Cats
Horst is quite the handsome guy. We miss having the windows opened, too. Looking out them when they are closed just isn’t the same. We miss the outside smells.
ellen
Horst is a handsome boy befitting all black cats. I wonder if he meows with an accent? I bet he does & it is charming.
Clyde, I am glad youre doing alright, try to let Layla get some sleep. I too have a kitty in dementia status that drives me batty. The time change has thrown him off and he insist he needs to eat at 3am now. Actually he will forget he just ate and wonder why he is so full after the second time.
Winter is approaching…. mulberries here are the last to lose their leaves, and this morning it looked like the mulberry trees shook like a dog and shed the leaves all at once. There was a film of ice in the outside water bowl leaves frozen in.
Tamago
Lovely poem! Of course poets adores kitties…they are beautiful art 🙂
Eastside Cats
I dislike that summer (window whiffies) time is over! I want to walk barefoot, not wear a coat or sweater for every little thing, and not worry ’bout The ‘O’ Cats outside. No one can tell me differently, those who espouse that Autumn is great…bah!
easyweimaraner
Horst sure looks like a hero… and while reading that he lives with a ginger boy named sammy I pondered if something like reincarnation (or re-incatnation) maybe really exists?
Clyde
Hmmm, that’s interesting. He does look like younger Sammy!