Happy Fourth of July, Americans!

Hello My Lovely Readers,

Today is a special day in America. And as you may remember, as a cat with anxiety, it is not a good day for me. Stray Cat Writes: Stress and Anxiety are my middle names - Stivali. 

My family is from Italy and is very proud of becoming American citizens and having the ability to live here. Because today is so filled with celebrations, I wondered about what that is all about, being an Italian kitten, I don't know history as much as I should, that is why I always share these articles, because maybe you are like me, and want to learn more. 

History of the Fourth of July - Brief History & Early Celebrations - HISTORY

We wish you a blessed and safe holiday weekend. May your hearts be filled with gratitude.

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

Sleepy Kitties

It is hot outside but cool inside. All we want to do is nap.

We are so happy to nap. 

I am sure you would agree, that we are pretty cute sleepy. 

Pasqua likes to nap on his back, mamma often wakes him up when her camera takes a snap. 

Grigio prefers to sleep on the deck, doesn't trust us enough to come inside just yet.

We hope your week was filled with joy and peace.

And that your week ahead will offer you plenty of sleep.

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

If you want happiness for an hour take a nap. If you want happiness for a day go fishing. If you want happiness for a year inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime help someone else. - Author Unknown.

The Merry Month of May

Welcome May!

May is the month we celebrate our cousin, Tyler, as he was born on the 2nd of the month - and we like celebrating birthdays all month long. 🎈

May 02 is also National Brothers & Sisters Day. 

I don't know if Pasqua got the memo, but I think this means he is supposed to be nice to me all day and not chase me. I will let you know how I make out. 😸

May also means flowers are blooming. In our Stray Cat Garden, we are happy to see this is true. 

Our little friend, Grigio, is enjoying the spring weather almost as much as the flowers. 

He still won't let mamma touch him, and greets her with hisses daily. At least he still visits multiple times a day, and we know he is well-fed. 

We sure hope that your first week of May is indeed merry. 

Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali. 🐾 

You are as welcome as the flowers in May. - Charles Macklin.
 

Be a Positive Part of the CommUNITY!

Happy Sunday, Readers, 

We cats are very protective of our mamma, and now there is a study we want to share with all of you that we think is interesting: 

Cats don't avoid strangers who behave badly towards their owners, unlike dogs 

The outcome of the study really surprised us. Cats are always considered standoffish. However, I would like to believe we would protect our mamma from a mean stranger. 

And this got us thinking, what are we doing on the daily to protect our neighbors? Protect the community we live in? There is so much going on in the world, and a lot of it is ugly. 

It seems to us being neighborly is a thing of the past, and I would like us to reenergize that sense of community. You can join us by doing something anonymously for a neighbor in need, or by volunteering and joining a local organization. Community groups are a great way to connect with neighbors and they empower us to make a difference in our world.

Here are some ideas, if you want to do something nice for a neighbor this spring:

• Give them a call and check in. 
• Bring over a baked good or a home cooked meal.
• Offer to run an errand for them.
• Bring them flowers, or plant some for them.
• Next time you are heading to the store, ask them if they need anything.
• Take in their garbage pails. 
• Shop at local businesses (supporting local is supporting your neighbor, and you can always pick up something for your neighbor there!). 

Pasqua demonstrates community outreach! 😸

Have fun doing something nice for your neighbor and please share what nice things your neighbors have done for you.

If you missed mamma's premiere of her read aloud children's book, check it out here: SuperCat Kismet

Have a blessed week!

Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali. 🐾

The purpose of life is to listen - to yourself, to your neighbor, to your world and to God and, when the time comes, to respond in as helpful a way as you can find. - Fred Rogers.

Spring blooms life!

Happy Easter, Dear Readers! 

Spring shows us how plants and trees which have been dormant for winter come back to life. The animal world outside welcomes births of new life. The symbolism of new life and rebirth during the season makes the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus glorious.

Today, we celebrate Easter; it is “Pascha” in Greek, and "Pasqua" in Italian. You may notice the similarity of those words as they translate to the Jewish festival of Passover. You may have also noticed that my brother's name is the Italian word. 🐱 His name was inspired by a Tori Amos song lyric. 𝅘𝅥𝅲

Here he is, our little Easter Bunny: 

And it'll never get old to share these Easter photos of my older brother, Stray Cat: 

Whether you celebrate Easter or just celebrate spring, we hope your Sunday and your entire week is wonderful. 

Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali.🐾

April is the kindest month. April gets you out of your head and out working in the garden. - Marty Rubin.

World Poetry Day

I bet you did not know that I like poems. I like when mamma reads them or sings them to me.

Poetry expresses feelings in rhythm something the books she often reads us does not. She also uses a different pitch, a distinctive style in her voice when she recites them. 

This is why I was excited to share with all of you that today is World Poetry Day. 

Maybe you will take time today to write a poem, or to revisit one you read some time ago and liked.

Today I enjoy the many pillows in my house.

It has been a very long time since I have caught a mouse. 

My brother Pasqua doesn't seem to mind.

As long as there are sun puddles to find. 

Have a blessed Sunday, Readers.

-Stivali. 🐾

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words. - Robert Frost.

Wishing you a pot of gold, and as much joy your heart can hold.

Happy St Patrick's Week to all of you! 

As you may have read here before, when Italian-American males are named Pasqua or Pasquale, their nickname very commonly is Pat. So we like to think our little Pasqua is truly blessed as we can celebrate him along with St Patrick this week. ☘

Isn't he just the cutest? 

I am pretty cute too, I mean - look how I wait patiently for mamma to come down stairs: 

As you go through your week, we hope you reflect upon this Irish blessing: 

Always remember to forget

The things that made you sad.

But never forget to remember

The things that made you glad.

Purr & Paw, 
-Stivali. 🐾

The inspiration of March!

Spring officially begins this month - we have to wait until the 28th! Daylight savings begins a little earlier - on the 14th. The weather in March can be surprising, does ma need a coat or not? Very confusing.

As the season changes from winter to spring, it is the perfect time to think about all the things that inspire us. Reflect on all the challenges we faced this past year, and everything we overcame. How did we do it? What inspires you? 

There is a lot to celebrate in March, and if you cannot think of anything - here is a list of days you can use to create more inspiration and fun: March Holidays 2021.

Pasqua patiently waits for the snow to melt so he can truly welcome spring. 

Expect great things, 

-Stivali.🐾

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. - Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.

Pasqua's Birthday Week!

Hello Readers, 

The week that just passed was filled with much sadness for all Americans. We do not take it lightly, instead, we focus on the good we know exists in humans. Every crisis has a silver lining. One deep thinker, Michelle Dean, said, "Crisis forces commonality of purpose on one another." 

Commonality of purpose. Such a great thought. A strong sense of purpose has a powerful positive effect on our lives. When we have a sense of purpose, we know exactly what we are doing, "on purpose", making life less complicated and less stressful. When you are "on purpose" there is less space for negativity to take over our lives.

You may remember last year, we celebrated Pasqua turning one with this post: Pasqua is one!

This year on his birthday, we are once again reminded of the bountiful joys we receive from our family and friends. We are blessed to have so much love from everyone around us. 

We are thankful for all of the things we have in life, no matter how insignificant they may seem to be. Our mamma teaches us to have an attitude of gratitude and to be optimistic. So we are always hopeful  good things will happen in our future. She says both gratitude and optimism are advantages we have that improve our outlook on life, and it is why we are such happy cats. This is our "on purpose". 

We realize humans have lots of stress, which causes havoc on health, so an attitude of gratitude and an optimistic outlook helps all of us, feline or human, to be more resilient in times of crisis or calm. 

Be "on purpose" with your attitude, and may peace be with you, always.

-Stivali. 🐾

Happiness will never elude you if you begin each day appreciating the countless priceless gifts that life has blessed you with. - Author Unknown.

Hello August!

Did you know that lower-case august is an adjective, defined as respected and impressive?

I did not know this. Mamma just taught us, its origin is either from French auguste or Latin augustus meaning sacred or respected. Fascinating! 

For the most part, August is one of our favourite months because we celebrate Mamma all month long (it is her birthday month). However, we are a little somber today as it is the anniversary of Kismet's passing in 2009. The gloomy weather outside doesn't help, either.  

We must remember, it is a beautiful day, no matter the weather. So we honour Kismet, and we celebrate his life. What a blessing he was to Mamma, truly a blessing to be grateful for.

King Kismet

If we can offer one piece of advice today, it is to "never put off until tomorrow the hug you can give today."🐱

Me - watching Pasqua watching Grigio.

Pasqua watching Grigio's every move.

Purr & Paw,🐾

-Stivali.

“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.” - Sylvia Plath.

Our Stories Matter

Happy Sunday, Readers,

Last week, I shared Pixie's story in honour of her passing. 😿 Which got me thinking about our individual stories - and how they matter.

Like Pixie, I had a rough start, too - the runt of a litter born in the parking lot of a shopping mall and abandoned by my cat-mother.

Me as a kitten.

When you share your story, what do you start with? Do you start with your rough beginning, or do you begin your story with a memory of courageous perseverance in the face of adversity? We all have a story to share and maybe we all can inspire others with our resilience.

You may remember how Pasqua came in to our life. We don't know much about his back story, or why he was dropped off at the cat sanctuary that October. We do know that they named him Chip because he was found during their Halloween Chip or Treat event.

Pasqua as a kitten.

Maybe if I allowed Pasqua to write today's blog he would start out at Thanksgiving 2018, and his first night in his new home here with us. How he knew it was supposed to be temporary and it was just a foster situation, so he squeezed his way into our hearts so that he would never leave.

We all have our own experience and impression of the world. If we stick with starting our story at the bad times, our focus of the bad times grows. The bad times are important, but even more important is how we rise above them, that's what makes us who we are at the core.

We don't have to start our story with the bad times. Instead, we could start at the good times, start with the blessings. Maybe, if we focus on the good, we will see the good grow.

Give people a space to be heard, listen to their story.

Share your story.

It matters.

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

🧡Sharing your story is heart work. It's not easy work, but it might be the most important thing you’ll ever do. - Jennifer Williamson.🧡

Cover Girl

Happy March, Dear Readers!

We are very excited that we were selected to be part of a Girls' Scout Calendar. Behold March:

A Girl Scout was creating a calendar and sought photos of cats. The proceeds from the sale of the calendar would benefit a TNR program. Mamma submitted multiple photos of Pasqua and I, and to our pure delight, we were both selected to be part of the calendar.

How cool is that? And for a wonderful cause! 

I make a beautiful cover girl, don't you agree? 

We had a wonderful week here - very cold outside, which makes us overly concerned about our sweet Grigio. He refuses to allow us to approach him, and he won't come inside our warm home. Happily, he uses a heated pad on our deck - and just stares at us: 

He is a very silly cat, and we hope one day he will realize the happy home inside. There are lots of things to play with, and lots of places to hide, too. Maybe one day. We remain hopeful. 

May your March be filled with sunshine and happiness.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

In March the soft rains continued, and each storm waited courteously until its predecessor sunk beneath the ground. - John Steinbeck.

February went by in a flash!

Was this the fastest month ever for you, Dear Readers?

We can't believe it is the last week of February already!

I am happy to report that we are doing well. We play together, we wrestle, and we nap a lot, too. 

Things are going well. Although, little Grigio is insisting on staying outside despite our efforts to get him inside.

We are mesmerized by the outdoors, but we kitties prefer staying in where it is warm. Mamma being inside is a good excuse for us not to leave. 

May the rest of your February be fabulous - and the upcoming March magical.

C'mon, Spring, we are waiting for you! 😺

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior. – Hippolyte Adolphe Taine.

Ciao 2019!

Happy Sunday, Readers! Did y'all have a wonderful holiday week? We hope so.

What are some of the traditions you and your family have? There are traditions in every family, in every culture, and for every season.We eat fish on Christmas Eve and a big pasta dinner on Christmas Day. Filled with loads of laughter, and lots of dessert choices. Mamma really likes spending the days with us and our family.

This week, we will ring in the new year, and by us, they drop a huge geodesic sphere covered in crystals, and a lot of people crowd around to see it in person, while nearly everyone else watches it on television. That sounds strange, I rather paw at the ball and play. But the one in the city is too big for us kitties. Hehee

If you want to read about winter traditions in other areas of the world this article may suit you: winter-traditions-from-around-the-world

I am the cutest present under the tree!

Grigio visited us every day! 

Pasqua Bunny looking super cute.

 

Have a safe and happy new year celebration,
-Stivali. 🐾

Life's not about expecting, hoping and wishing, it's about doing, being and becoming. - Mike Dooley.

Happy Thanksgiving Week

Hello Readers,

It is a very rainy day here - and we send out hopes that you are all doing well. Bundled up and warm, wherever you are.

What are you all doing for Thanksgiving? We are looking forward to eating a special turkey dinner together. 😸

Here's a little history for you: President George Washington proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving Day in 1789. Abraham Lincoln declared that the last Thursday in November should be celebrated as Thanksgiving, and it become a recognized holiday in the United States in 1863. It was moved to the fourth Thursday of November, and became an official federal holiday in 1941 by President Franklin Roosevelt.

But it actually started a lot earlier than that, when the pilgrims settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. This first feast was organized by the Governor, William Bradford, who invited the Wampanoag Indians. Two years later, they began calling the feast "Thanksgiving", after a long drought ended.

Did you know? Ben Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird instead of the bald eagle. Imagine that! 

Me in all of my sunroom glory.

Grigio visited twice daily this week.

Grigio greeting me at the door.

November 21st, we began fostering this lil fuzzball. This photo was taken November 23, 2018.

One year later, November 23, 2019 - our fuzzball certainly has grown!

We are grateful for all of our many blessings: each other, Grigio, food in our bellies, warm blankets to cuddle in. 

Purr & Paw, 🐾

-Stivali. 

Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other. -Randolph Frederick Pausch.

Holiday Shopping Begins~

Hello Everyone,
While ma was on the internet, she saw this ad, and thought it was the perfect first gift to get us, and get it for us quickly so she can take our Christmas Card photo with us in them!

Unfortunately, when she went to purchase these hats on Chewy.com - they were temporarily sold out. Thank goodness for answered prayers. I had a hunch she was gonna put me in the "naughty" one and Pasqua Scheggiare in the "nice" one! 

Do you agree that a photo of us wearing these silly hats would make an adorable Christmas Card this year?

We are looking forward to a very special season together. Our Christmas Wish this year is that Grigio, the grey stray cat we've been feeding since June, would come inside. He has yet to let mamma approach him, and scurries away any time she tries. Even on a recent night this week when it was pouring rain, he just chose to stay outside in it. It breaks our hearts!

The temperatures sure are dropping, and while we snuggle inside, we pray that Grigio will join us soon. In the mean time, mamma is shopping for a much better outdoor cat house for him. Wish us luck!

Did you spend your weekend shopping for the holidays? We spent ours napping. 

Warm cuddles to all of you. Enjoy your week!

Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali. 🐾

Don't wait until the fourth Thursday in November to sit with family and friends to give thanks. Make every day a day of Thanksgiving! - Charmaine J. Forde.

What's going on, November?

Our days have become shorter now, as we recently fell back by one hour, exiting Daylight Saving Time where we live. 

November was the ninth month of the year in the original Roman calendar, and its name came from the Latin word "novem" meaning nine. When the Romans added January and February, it became the eleventh month. Some days in November will be borderline warm and other days it will be very cold. It's the month that leads us to the end of the year, and reminds us to maintain an attitude of gratitude.

The colours of leaves are changing and those leaves are falling off of the trees. Mamma is breaking out sweaters we forgot how much we love to cuddle on.

November could be thought of as a somber month as it reminds us winter is coming. Historically, farmers would store up their harvest, getting their food and their home ready in order to survive the winter.

Fun Facts: 
November in Italian is novembre.

The first mechanically ventilated underwater tunnel in the world, the Holland Tunnel, opened to traffic on November 13, 1927.

Today's Anniversary: Parker Brothers introduced the Monopoly game on November 5, 1935.

Bell Telephone Company introduced the push button phone on November 18, 1963.

November means ma doesn't put the heat up enough and Pasqua insists on getting close!

November means Grigio still won't come inside, but at least he is using a heated blanket!

What is your favorite thing about November? What fun facts about this month do you know?

Stay warm! 

-Stivali. 🐾

Eleven Days to Halloween!

Happy Sunday, Readers,

We are eleven days from Halloween, and Pasqua and I are hopeful no one rings the door bell. That scares us more than a Halloween ghost! 👻

We see lots of jack-o-lanterns when we look outside. People carve them and place candles in them. They look so pretty.

Fall is a beautiful time of year.

Grigio does not agree, and yet does not come inside to get warm.

I wonder if you have any ideas of what to do if you can't use a knife? Like, Pasqua and I appreciate the beauty of the carved pumpkins but cannot hold a knife. 😸

Maybe you want to avoid the messy carving with all of those slippery seeds, and wet pumpkin innards, too. Here are some alternative ideas mamma had for us, but please do tell us your own alternatives to add to this list:

• Use yarn! We like playing with yarn a lot. It is easy to decorate a pumpkin using colorful yarn or even ribbon. Use the stalk as the base to wrap it from top to bottom. So pretty!
• Melt crayons and decorate the pumpkin with the liquid ink. This takes paw painting to a whole new level!
• Do you want to turn your pumpkin into a cat? Use felt to cut out the shapes needed to disguise your pumpkin into the purrfect feline. 
• Use decorative tape. A lot of hardware stores and craft shops have wide decorative tape to secure packaged gifts. What fun it is to not have to worry about glue or any pumpkin messiness when we can just wrap the pumpkin in fun tape!
• Paint. Use acrylic paint to decorate your pumpkin into whatever you want it to be. Need inspiration? Check out these cool ideas at Parents.com.

Have fun with your pumpkins, and do let us know how they turn out. 👻

Purr & Paw, 🐾
-Stivali.

When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, "‘tis near Halloween". - author unknown.