Thank you.

In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday in memory of those who passed away while serving in the United States Military.

Today we remember and thank all the men and women who died while serving to protect our freedom and honor of our nation. It is a reminder to us, that each day we should express gratitude towards those who gave their life to give us the freedom to live and enjoy our life.

Traditionally, towns host parades, people decorate graves and visit memorials, you may also notice people wearing a red poppy. 

The poppy is symbolic of  the bright red blooms on broken ground, which inspired Lieutenant Colonel McCrae to write the poem, In Flanders Fields, in which he wrote of the fallen soldiers buried under poppies. His poem was first published in 1915, and would subsequently be used at memorial ceremonies.

Many blessings to all of you, and today, we leave you with John McCrae's poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

God Bless America! 

What will you do to celebrate this Memorial Day?

Good Day, Readers, tomorrow is a federal holiday in the United States, one where we honor and mourn the military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May.

Here are some ideas to help you celebrate this year: 

5 Kid Friendly Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day

Virtual Celebrations for 2020

Memorial Day Recipes

And for those wanting to learn more about the history of Memorial Day, check out this article: History of Memorial Day 

Whatever you do tomorrow, we hope it is a day filled with gratitude, reflection, and love.

Update on Grigio: We have decided to set up have-a-heart traps since we were unsuccessful in securing a rescue group and our local animal control will not assist with a feral, unless rabid. ☹ As you can see from the photos below, the last time he visited us, his eye did not appear to be getting worse, but it is still not good.

Sadly, he has not visited us yet this weekend. We pray he is okay. 

We anxiously await his return. 

Stay safe, Everyone, and enjoy your week ahead.

Purr & Paw, 
-Stivali. 🐾

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them. – John F. Kennedy.

Closing out our first May with Pasqua Scheggiare!

We are in disbelief that the month of May is coming to a close this week! 

We had a very relaxing weekend, and are getting along splendidly. I am very patient with all of little Pasqua's antics.  Mamma is quite amused with all of his silly behavior, but sometimes his kitty love bites can be a little much for both of us. Mamma does a very good job of distracting him with toys to bite instead of her hands, but on occasion, he will bite her ankle as she walks by, or try to bite my neck when I am near him. Hmmm... It was as if the Catster writers heard our concerns, because this week, they featured an article on this very topic. If you have kitties that bite, you may want to read this article to consider the different causes of this behavior: Why Do Cats Bite?

While you are on their site, don't forget to vote for Pasqua - only three days left to vote (you can vote every 24 hours!) in the Purrrific Photo Contest. Thank you. 

All the running around and playing together can be quite exhausting. I think I have lost some weight, don't we both look slim, trim, and magnificent? 😻

We were happy Mamma had a day off  from work yesterday, but when she explained why, it made us sad. The last Monday in May is a day of observance for those who died in active military service. On this day we are to reflect, remember, honor, and pray for these souls and their families.  For their bravery and sacrifice should never be forgotten.

Please take a moment of silence in gratitude for our fallen heroes, as it is so important for us as Americans to take time to remember the sacrifices that bought us our freedom. 

Hug your family and friends tightly!

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali.

“Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It's a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this [Arlington] cemetery and others." - President Ronald Reagan.