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While I could only muster enough energy to watch movies and hibernate in my most comfy pajamas while under my warmest blanket this winter, The Kitties passed every cold snowy day doing things like this. They are twisted. Happy Spring, everyone!
During those long nights in the sewer, Tyrone wished for a better home for himself and his siblings. I can tell you now because it came true.
i need to pick one xD or two :P
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Surprise! New Johnny Kitties!
I held on to this one for quite a while, debating whether to wait for Fantastic Beasts 3 to be here, but let's release it in celebration of Johnny's birthday instead. Happy birthday, Johnny!
See my full post, celebrating Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald on my blog, here:
melissaconnolly.blogspot.com/2020/06/johnny-kitties-celeb....
I haven't been able to stop thinking about fabric since the mention of this week's Illustration Friday word. I waited a few days for something else to pop into my head, but Kate Moss has taken over.
Last summer, I traveled to New York to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit, Savage Beauty (blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/), at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (I remembered seeing some of his fashion shows on TV when I was younger. His show was always considered a major event during London Fashion Week.) I figured the exhibit would be interesting....I didn't imagine that the line to get in would wind through all other exhibits leading up to it. But, it was worth the trip and the wait: I never expected to be so moved by seeing a bunch of clothing. And, apparently, it's still all in my head.
That's how my "Kate Moss (Mother) Kitty" showed up this week. (In her day, The Mother Kitty was the fairest of them all.) One of my favorite parts of the Savage Beauty exhibit was peering through a waist-high slot of a black wooden installation and discovering a hologram of Kate Moss floating in billowing fabric. Rather than strips of cloth, her dress looked like frothy clouds, trickling waterfalls, or fluid watercolors.... Here's our salute to however he created that fantastic work of art.
Check out my blog post to see video of the Kate Moss hologram, which served as the finale of Alexander McQueen's 2006 Fall/Winter collection: melissaconnolly.blogspot.com/2012/02/fluid.html
Enjoy!
"Blessed are they who go around in circles, for they shall be called wheels."
Ode to Old Fuzzy Face
There once was a magic cat.
He came into our lives, and that was that.
His leg was crooked. His eyes were crossed.
It was clear that he was lost.
We took him home, where he went round.
"I was lost," he said. "But now I'm found.
Just like the song, shall I sing it to you?
Or, can I just go in circles? I make u-turns too."
We voted for the latter, for which he was most fond
After bounding out of the woods or rolling by the pond.
He'd start every day with a whiff of fresh air
Then circle the house to make sure it's all there.
He'd always offer Dad a paw
To draft a project or work with the saw.
With Mom, he'd be first to cut the cards.
And help her with gardening in the yard.
He'd come circling, whirling all over the map
Purring and kneading right into my lap.
Scratching his head never got old.
Stop and he'd look, wondering why I'm on hold.
Curled up like a powder puff, napping so sweet.
This furball kept me planted for hours in my seat.
This cool cat was one of the best.
But, now, he has been laid to rest.
"It's okay," I thought. "I can still find him on TV
As The Celtics point guard for all to see."
Making circles and u-turns with the ball
Sometimes, the other players don't see him at all.
That's right: He can also beam himself, over here or over there.
Don't be sad: Like Jedi Master Obi-Wan, he is everywhere.
Simon is our magic cat.
Always will be, that is that.
Playing with the Rokinon/Samyang 85mm f1.4 MF lens
If I can catch the focus properly, wide open this lens is something to behold.
This is Lily's reaction to knocks on the door and visitors and neighbors and rain and storms and unusual noises and the light fixture in the hallway and...
i need to pick one xD or two :P
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When I rub Lily's belly while she's lounging on the couch, she typically twists and stretches out her front half in pure yogic fashion. Her back feet, however, always curl in crooked opposite directions, twisting like retracting tree roots.
When I tell her that Simon can lounge completely flat on any surface, with his legs stretched straight in opposite directions--flying Superman style--making him the longest Kitty of all, she says, "So?"
Welcome, Spring!
I can't remember the last time I felt so sick of Winter. Since we've had two days in a row of Spring weather, I hope it's here to stay. To celebrate, I stuffed my heavy coats in the closet and made a new blog banner. Let me know what you think of it... The Kitties have been working the garden ever since the last bit of snow melted; I'm impressed!
Enjoy the warmth!
You can see my blog banner here: melissaconnolly.blogspot.com.
As you know, The Kitties are brimming with various talents--dancing, singing, circling, staring.... But they all share a universal one for uplifting spirits instantaneously. This always occurs to me when I'm greeted at the door by my friend Lily. This is a true story of our typical routine.
This week's illustration was inspired by one of my favorite Warner Brothers cartoons. It's perfect for welcoming Spring. Watch it here and feel free to sing along. I always do.
But who's to say that this drawing isn't an accurate depiction of Gordon's birthday too? (He will neither confirm nor deny it. Typical.)
When Gordon was a beginner, he struggled to climb into my lap. But he quickly got the hang of it.
For more Melissa's Kitties, visit my blog: melissaconnolly.blogspot.com
Follow these simple rules to save lives. You know it's serious when the kitties are willing to get their paws wet! Be careful out there...
Hi everyone,
I can't believe it's 2022, can you? So goes pandemic life, where all sense of time is approximate and abstract. I hope this message finds you happy, healthy, safe, and surrounded by family and friends.
As I've been promising, this will be a transformative year for Melissa's Kitties blog – with a new name, look, and platform, but the same old wonderful Kitties. The Kitties have been nagging me for years about getting this refreshing makeover! They itch to get out, see more of the world, and make new friends – and the pandemic only amplified their determination.
Considering my lack of discipline here, I need your help as we move along this path – from deciding on a logo, colors, and designs to drawing ideas, potential products, and more. If you haven't already, please follow me on Instagram, too – @themotherkitty – where I plan to also share any latest developments. Stay tuned for all my questions, and thank you in advance for your advice and encouragement!
In the meantime, the Kitties and I wish you a happy, exciting new year!
After I drew this illustration (with The Mother Kitty's and Gordon's helpful pitch), I found out that January 2 is actually Mew Year's Day for cats. I'm not making this up! Upon learning this, two questions came to mind:
1. Is there really a holiday for anything and everything?
2. Shouldn't we celebrate cats every day?
The answer to both questions is yes.
Mew Year's Day – created by Tom and Ruth Roy of wellcat.com – can serve as a reminder to appreciate our fantastic feline friends. Here are some things you can do to celebrate:
- To help less fortunate kitties, consider giving to an animal charity, like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Humane Society of the United States, or your local animal shelter.
- If you don't share your home with a cat yet, you can pick one up at that local animal shelter. Don't worry, you will know which one wants to live with you when you meet. (It's no pressure since the cat always decides.)
- If you already have cats, give each a special holiday treat. They are waiting....
- Above all, give your cats grateful hugs today and every day because they deserve it.
Here's to continued curiosity and vivid imaginations. May 2022 bring us all creative, joyful days and fulfilling, fun adventures with family, friends, and the Kitties.
Love, Melissa
The Mother Kitty passed away last Tuesday after a long, fruitful, fascinating life. Kitty came to us from Akron, Ohio, after deciding that college life at the University of Akron was not for her.
At our house, she instead spent her days outside becoming an expert gardener with Mom, lounging in the sun, climbing her favorite tree, or wandering throughout her boundless territory. Sometimes, she stayed indoors, playing with string, watching movies with me or napping on my lap, collecting business cards, paperclips, hair barretts, or anything else she might find on her hunting expeditions throughout the house, and kneading her claws and shedding on anything that required her special touch.
Some of her favorite passtimes were bossing Simon or anyone else around (cat or human), challenging anyone to staring contests (She remains the World Champion.), and rearranging things on my dresser. She was a bonafide food critic, partial to tuna, corn, and Doritos. (Everyone remembers those evenings when she laughed in our faces and walked off whenever we tried to fool her with a meal that wasn't quite worthy of her.) During her 20 years with the Connolly Family, she bore six kittens, including her world-famous son, Gordon.
Our beloved, irreplaceable Kitty will be sorely missed. She and Gordon sparked the start of my drawings years ago, and she'll continue to be in them here because (1) there is no kitty like The Mother Kitty, and, (2) if I stop, she'll find a way to yell at me for it.
This cat drawing is homework of my little nice, I liked it a lot, that´s why I uploaded the picture :)
Thank you, Chadwick Boseman for setting an example to follow, providing words of wisdom, and making some really good movies. You were and always will be an inspiration to so many of us.
"We will work to be an example of how we as brothers and sisters on this earth should treat each other. Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis, the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe."
- King T'Challa, Black Panther
"Purpose is an essential element of you. It is the reason that you’re on the planet at this particular time in history. Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill. Whatever you choose for a career path remember the struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose....I don’t know what your future is, but if you’re willing to take the harder way, the more complicated one, the one with more failures at first than successes, the one that has ultimately proven to have more meaning, more victory, more glory—then you will not regret it. This is your time."
- Chadwick Boseman
I had to think about this week's Illustration Friday topic for a few days. At the moment, I'm busy working on the Johnny Kitties' tribute to Cry-Baby, which is full of burning moments. Instead of focusing on Johnny Depp, however, I went to my other love, Sting.
Working as an English teacher in Newcastle, Sting wrote a song called "I Burn for You" while his students took an exam. A few years later, he decided to move to London to follow his dream of becoming a full-time musician. You know how that turned out.
"I Burn for You" ended up on the 1982 soundtrack of Brimstone & Treacle, a disturbing movie in which Sting stars. But I knew the song first from Sting's excellent 1986 documentary, Bring on the Night, which chronicles his first world tour as a solo artist. Supporting his first solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, Sting was backed by a varied group of consummate jazz musicians, including saxophonist Branford Marsalis, pianist Kenny Kirkland, bassist Darryl Jones, and drummer Omar Hakim, among others. That band was the best.
Check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKsr-g2acnc (Feel free to turn it up and bow down to Omar.)
Granted, I didn't fall in love with Sting until 1987 when I bought my sister his latest effort, ...Nothing Like the Sun and then listened to it more than she did. But imagine me rummaging backwards in Sting's career and finding a performance like this. My hopeless devotion was inevitable!
I listened to the Bring on the Night soundtrack quite often in those days. (Sting aside, it's one of the best concert albums ever!) Consequently, The Kitties became Sting fans too--whether they wanted to or not.
Honestly, I think their admiration is true. Back then, when The Mother Kitty was just known as The Kitty, she was very popular in our neighborhood. One time, I came home and found her in my room listening to this song full blast and eyeing one of her many boyfriends. How romantic!
Visit Melissa's Kitties' blog: melissaconnolly.blogspot.com.
One of the highlights during my California vacation last month was visiting Miur Woods. When I returned to D.C., everyone I told about it said something to the effect of, "Well, those are just the baby Redwoods." To me, these Redwoods were plenty impressive!
When I got back home, I started working on this drawing for Illustration Friday. (Finally completed, I've only missed the deadline by a month and a half.)
You'll notice 10 Kitties in this picture. Yes, this illustration took me so long that another Kitty joined our family in the meantime! Last month, this kitten muscled his way into our lives and up all the trees in our backyard. Since his love for trees could not be denied, I had to include him here. Kitty #10 will be introduced properly soon!
To see images from Miur Woods and a photo of Kitty #10, visit my original blog post here: melissaconnolly.blogspot.com/2013/10/lush.html.
The only time The Mother Kitty let herself be caught looking anything less than ladylike was the day she arrived at our house in the late '80s. (Back then, she was just The Kitty.) After years of living on the streets in Akron, she was in dire need of a bath (though she might not admit that). We didn't realize until afterward that we had a pure white extra-special cat living with us. You'd think her exotic eyes would have given us our first clue.
When I was younger, I spent lots of time in the corner of our living room that had the radio and music equipment. When I was really small, I peered into the speakers and saw the lights for the singers and band that I was hearing through Dad's giant headphones. I'm a little disappointed that when I look in there now, all I see are the shiny metal pieces that make up the insides of speakers.
Here, Comet is rummaging through all my favorite records and borrowed Dad's big blue headphones. It's one of the best ways to make time fly.
It's Kitty Yoga time!
Stand with feet parallel, hip-width apart. Hinge from the hip with a flat back and line up fingers and toes.
Chin to shin, hang like a rag doll. Sway side to side and hold on to opposite elbows, if that feels good. For a shoulder opener, interlace fingers behind your back, making a fist with your paws, and reach toward the front of the room.
Uttanasana: Forward Fold.
Before they were the inseparable pair we all know them to be now, it was not love at first sight for quiet Comet and opinionated Ashes. But Comet warmed up to his new housemate eventually. (There was never any doubt since Ashes is irresistible.)
I almost skipped this week's Illustration Friday topic because I wasn't sure why any of The Kitties would need any wool. But, then, the word reminded me of one of my favorite Pepe Le Pew cartoons, in which a little dog was in need of a more luxurious fur coat. (Yes, this is how my mind works.) She just wanted to fit in, as Simon does so well here. You can see the cartoon on my blog, if you like: melissaconnolly.blogspot.com/2013/02/wool.html
Our new kitty, Emily joins Walter and Tyrone. Learn more about her on my blog here: melissaconnolly.blogspot.com/2020/01/welcome-emily.html.
For last week's Illustration Friday word, "sight," all I could think about was Stevie Wonder. Maybe it's because he came up during a conversation at work, and then I saw him perform during the Billboard Music Awards. It got me thinking that, while he may not be able to see physically, his beautiful spirit seems to see things much clearer than some people....
I couldn't get this memory out of my head: When I was a kid, one of my absolute favorite songs was "Ebony and Ivory," a duet by two of my absolute favorite people, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Imagine how ridiculously excited I was when they performed it in 2010 during a concert for President Obama at the White House, which was televised on PBS. (You can see the performance on my blog post: melissaconnolly.blogspot.com/2012/05/sight.html.)
It was just as exciting as the time I came home to find The Mother Kitty and Simon playing the song in our living room on Dad's piano. Of all The Kitties, Simon does the best Stevie Wonder impression.