Poor Dan

I feel so bad for the person that lost their beautiful cat.  But my faith has been restored in humanity.  Look!  Someone went to the trouble of creating a poster just to find the loving home of this cutie.  So sweet. I am positive that if the cat is acting unfriendly and wild it is because the poor thing is scared.  Dan, you're the man!

I found this on Pinterest.  Where else.  I can't vouch for where it came from originally, but I found it at this link  It is just a hoot.  I wonder what happened after Dan posted this on his local electrical pole?

1)  Some poor sap with bad eyesight called Dan to claim her long lost tan, black and gray tabby.  She was shocked a year later when she picked up her new glasses. It finally explained why the cat had a hairless tail.

2)  Or maybe someone thought it was a new and rare breed of cat.  Unfortunately, all hell broke loose when she tried to mate her new pride and joy with a Maine Coon.

3)  Another theory is that Dan's wife called him and pretended to be an interested party.  She showed up with a disguise and a cat carrier.  The mysterious tabby was never seen in their neighborhood again.  Gulp. 

4)  Dan might not have gotten any calls.  And just decided to keep his new fe-male.  He might just be a sucker for good looks. 

5)  Obviously what really happened was Dan was inundated with calls.  But every call was from a scam artist.   They knew they had a sucker on the line.  Poor Dan.  

Visit Random 5 Friday for more randomness.

Surreal Snow

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I took this rather surreal photo before stepping in the door after a winter photo safari.  My photographic journey took me out onto my steps and onto the frigid sidewalk.  Snap, snap.  The end! 

 Of course I was being watched the whole time.  I actually was thinking about the life of my spoiled brats compared with all the animals out there as the snow swirled and the winds howled last night.  How do wild animals survive the winter?  Meanwhile, mine were curled up in luxury. 

Here are 5 random snow quotes for Random 5 Friday 

1)  “The snow began to fall again, drifting against the windows, politely begging entrance and then falling with
disappointment to the ground” 
― Jamie McGuire, Beautiful Disaster

2)  “A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.” 
― Carl Reiner

3)  “The snow was too light to stay, the ground too warm to keep it. And the strange spring snow fell only in that golden moment of dawn, the turning of the page between night and day.” 
― Shannon Hale, Palace of Stone

4)  “Whenever she turned her steep focus to me, I felt the warmth that flowers must feel when they bloom through the snow, under the first concentrated rays of the sun.” 
― Janet Fitch, White Oleander

5)  “Snow flurries began to fall and they swirled around people's legs like house cats. It was magical, this snow globe world.” 
― Sarah Addison Allen, The Sugar Queen

Here's mine...

  "Old man winter can go %$#@ himself!"

Destiny

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I made a grand romantic gesture this Valentine's Day.  I was so inspired by an illustration I spied on Pinterest that I created my own version.  The original had a hand, a bird and the proverb as an attachment.  I normally would never draw something so similar, but the illustration was a romantic gift. I drew a chickadee because it is my husband's favorite bird.  I used my own hand and then in my version changed the thread into the words.  Literally. And now I'm sharing it with you because I'm sure we all have felt the pull of a predestined attachment. 

"An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, despite the time, the place and despite the circumstances.  The thread can be tightened or tangled, but can never be broken." 

I love that saying.

This Valentine's illustration is the first entry for www.illustrationfriday.com that was created after the theme twisted was posted.  I couldn't resist hooking up since my tangled thread of words is indeed twisted. 

P.S.  For more romance and a Valentine's recipe check out my last post.  Or click here!

Sweets for the Sweetie

5 random things I love about my husband for Random 5 Friday

1)  He gives more massages than he gets.

2)  He loves Downton Abbey!

3)  He warms up the car on cold days.

4)  He unloads the dishwasher.

5)  He lets me have the bigger slice of cake!

Happy Valentine's Day!  

Make this easy Vanilla Raspberry Lemon Curd Cake for your sweetie.  Yum!

The cake:

1 cup softened butter  (this is what makes it good!)
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour  (I premix the dry ingredients)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar  (I use 1/2 splenda)
4 eggs
1-2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups whole milk

Beat the butter and sugar in an electric blender until fluffy.  Add the vanilla and eggs and mix.  Then alternately add the premixed flours, salt and soda with the milk.  Beat until combined.

Bake in two 9 inch round cake pans.  Be sure to oil and flour the pans so the cake won't stick.  Spread the batter between the pans and bake at 350 for around 30 minutes.  Just until set.

Cool 5-10 minutes on wire racks and then run a knife along the pan edges and invert to release the cake.

When the cakes are cooled spread a layer of purchased lemon curd and a good quality raspberry jam (I use homemade) on the bottom layer.  Add the second layer.

Frost with an easy ganache.  In a small sauce pan heat 1/2 cup half and half just until it simmers.  Then remove from the heat and add 1 1/4 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips.  (I use 1/2 semi and 1/2 bittersweet)  Pour over the cake. 

 Now for the important part.  Add a red sugar heart before it sets.  I cut a template out of paper.

Don't forget the love!  Everything tastes better with love.  

Downton Tabby

Downton Tabby

Downton Tabby

What did you get for Christmas?  Well, one of my gifts really made me laugh.  Downton Tabby!  From my friend Nina! She is so funny. The book always makes me smile when I look at it. I have it on a shelf with other books above my computer.  It has a place of honor among the two books I've illustrated and the books that my friends have illustrated.

I was wondering what to post for Random 5 Friday and inspiration clawed!  Downton Tabby has some catty quotes.  But since the real thing is being aired right now I picked some Abbey quotes from this season.  And I had a little help while I was setting up this post. (See above) So I photographed my lap tabby. I use the word help loosely.

Here are some new quotes from the cast.  But hands down Violet has had the best zingers over the years.   

1)  Violet
"I wonder your halo doesn't grow heavy.  It must be like wearing a tiara around the clock."

2)  Carson
"The business of life is the acquisition of memories.  In the end that's all there is."

3)  Isobel
"Are you thinking of getting married Dr. Clarkson?  Because if you are, you're a better man than I am.  Gunga Din."

4)  Lord Gillingham
"It's not complicated.  I've made a long journey to ask a short question.  Will you marry me?"

5)  Mary
"Sometimes I don't know who I'm mourning for-- Matthew or the person I used to be before I was with him."

Stay tuned for more!