Today my beautiful friend STORM told me she was going to Mousehole in Cornwall. This is a very magical place on the English coast near Lands End. Her mommy is looking for a nice get away and if I do say so myself, this is the purrrrfect place. Here is what Stormie wrote about it: {{{My Meowmie has been looking for nice places for a short break sometime, and she has found a place in Cornwall (South West England) called....MOUSEHOLE! This MUST mean that we will be going with her! I can't imagine that she would even consider not taking us to such an idyllic sounding holiday destination! Can you?}}}
Miss Peach here again! Some of you may know the famouse book written about Mowzer and the Storm cat. It is a most enchanting tale and I recommend it very much. The movie is so charming you will watch it over and over. Here is a newspaper review I found. ~~~~~~~THE MOUSEHOLE CAT By Antonia Barber. Illustrated by Nicola Bayley. Unpaged. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Inspired by an old Cornish legend, in "The Mousehole Cat" Antonia Barber concocts an original tale as delectable as any of the culinary specialties so lovingly described in her story.
When a tremendous winter storm personified as a Great Storm-Cat descends on Cornwall, the people of a tiny fishing village called Mousehole ("They say it in the Cornish way, 'Mowzel,' but you may say it as you choose") begin to starve because fishing boats cannot leave the harbor. On the day before Christmas Eve a fisherman named Tom decides to do something about it.
Tom makes his home with a black-and-white Cadillac of a cat named Mowzer. Mowzer has "her own pet, old Tom," well trained. He serves her perfect bowls of cream, keeps the house toasty warm and tickles her in just the right place behind her left ear. Even better, Tom catches fresh fish that he transforms into marvelous meals: a fish stew called morgy-broth; baked hake topped with golden mashed potatoes; cooked kedgeree with smoked ling; grilled fairmaids; fried launces; soused scad with vinegar and onions; and, best of all, star-gazy pie with prime pilchards in pastry.
Mowzer is so devoted to Tom that she accompanies him on his dangerous journey to the fishing grounds, "for he was only a man, she thought, and men were like mice in the paws of the Great Storm-Cat. Besides, she knew that if he did not come back, she would not much care to live in her cottage without him."
And without Mowzer, Tom would have perished. When the Storm-Cat screams in anger and lashes out at the boat, Mowzer senses his underlying loneliness and despair. She comforts him with the voice that has tamed a thousand tomcats, singing "like a siren, joining her call with the cry of the Great Storm-Cat." So it goes throughout the voyage. The Storm-Cat worries his prey; Mowzer soothes the storm with her song. When Tom turns back home toward Mousehole with his catch of fish, his companion inadvertently changes her tune to a purr, saving them both by lulling the Storm-Cat.
Ms. Barber, who writes for both children and adults and who, incidentally, has a cottage in the real Cornish village of Mousehole, writes naturally, without artifice or pretension. She combines alliteration and deft word choices with the grace of an oral storyteller, creating euphonious and precise sentences that are perfect for reading aloud.
And Nicola Bayley's illustrations add immeasurably to the book's success. Ms. Bayley, a well-known British illustrator, infuses them with the blues, the greens and the watery light of Cornwall. She frames each page of text, top and bottom, in long narrow borders, perfectly elongated rectangles filled with seaside images that serve as a visual metaphor for the protective arms of the Mousehole quay. Tom and Mowzer couldn't be more handsome. But Ms. Bayley saves her finest pictorial pyrotechnics for the Storm-Cat himself, who swirls and swoops through the pages in a model of feline grace, agility and passion.
Unlike many contemporary picture books, "The Mousehole Cat" has been designed with generous margins. When the story of Tom and Mowzer is spread across two laps, neither thumbs nor fingers will intrude upon the perfect symmetry of the page.
I've never tasted star-gazy pie. But I would wager that no matter how delicious, it can be no more satisfying than this book. ~~~~~~~
Stormie also awarded me this nice plaque for my sidebar. 
I am deeply honored by this gift from her. She is a brave inspiration to all of us sick kitties. She gives us hope to go on with dignaty (even if Bloggers spell checker is still not working:) I would like to pass the award on to MY Mickey and Gemini & Cheysuli and P B & J and Tybalt the Prince of cats for their inspiring dedication to blogging!
This week I would like to show you the most lovely scrapbook pages made by Pyewackets mommy. I adore how she is looking at that dragonfly in the one above! These are such beautiful pages one and all. Leslie is a vey talented artist and captures the essence of Victorianna in each one. I am such a lucky old cat to be portait so nicely. The page below here was made by my silly Lapdaddy...what do you think of this frootbat?
At least the hair color is the same:)
Dearest friends, you have surrounded the kittens with love on their way to get their wings. Thank you so much for your kind hearts and comforting words. Today I am just going to sit in the sun and count my many blessings. My home, long life, returned health, friends to make tea parties for, mommy and Lapdaddy, the steam cleaner (when I eat my biscuits to fast and guzzle down a pint of water afterward), my Gizzy quilt, my blue fuzzy blanket, my down sleeping vest burrito (as Karl calls it), my food, that I can ignor if I so please, that I get to go to Portland next week. I will post my CAT ART SUNDAY tomorrow for all of you to see until I return on Friday. Gosh I am going to miss you all! 
Today my beautiful friend STORM told me she was going to Mousehole in Cornwall. This is a very magical place on the English coast near Lands End. Her mommy is looking for a nice get away and if I do say so myself, this is the purrrrfect place. Here is what Stormie wrote about it: {{{My Meowmie has been looking for nice places for a short break sometime, and she has found a place in Cornwall (South West England) called....MOUSEHOLE! This MUST mean that we will be going with her! I can't imagine that she would even consider not taking us to such an idyllic sounding holiday destination! Can you?}}}
Yesterday I began to tease you with a photo that was at the center of my "Victorian Puzzle Purse Valentine" that came from my beloved Mickey. I have never seen anything folded quite so clever and I am a Victorian cat! Tonight I made my own with a 9 inch square sheet of reversable paper. A 12 inch sheet works well also and gives a bit bigger purse. Click on the name and it will take you to a step by step tutorial. It looks daunting but it is really simple! Make sure your folds are well measured and folded down crisp. This is the purrrrfect card for writing secret notes to someone special:) To read more about Victorian Valentine rituals click here!
It was good for an old cat to sit in the sunny window.
It gave me time to daydream on my beautiful Gizzy quilt about someone special...
To ponder this wonderful gift of mystery that this cat has sent into my heart...
Tomorrow I will show you more of this. Have your pretty papers ready because I am sure you will want to play along.
I tried to wear my nip ravioli as a hat but it kept falling off!
This weekend I spent lots of time with my sweet Lapdaddy. I snuggled on his chest with my fleecy autumn scrap covering me up so I feel all safe. 
~Little Merlin the Christmas kitty~
We are so happy that the kitty CHURCHILL has made it through his surgery to save his leg! YEAH! Everyone on the Cat Blogosphere has been helping many kitties in need in many different ways. Today I am featuring the beautiful scrapbook pages that my brother Dragonheart has made for me, along with his mommies wonderful offer for all of you below!
This is the earliest flowering shrub in the garden. The curly butter yellow blossoms are fragrant like honey and look like coconut shavings. It is mommies favorite because in the autumn the leaves are a golden yellow. It is a wonderful useful shrub and we use it's tonic for a refreshing astringent in the summer. Does anyone know what it is? First right guess gets a nice card for Saint Patricks Day!
Speaking of cards...here is the card that the mommy made for the BLACK SHEEP CREAMERY. We are able to send them $80 from the auction we had for their benefit! I am so very happy about that. Thank you Tigger the FBI cat and my special friend Normie for helping the little sheep. Tigger is Pyewackets sister and Normie does not have a blog but comes to visit me often. I will show you a picture of him soon. He is a very handsome chap!
I am hiding so mommy can not put me in the envelope and send me along...
Up for a two day auction to benefit CHURCHILL the injured kitty. Please read his story at his blog. A HOPE JEWEL like a mini~me. Also a pair of Laurel Burch stamped CAT FACE ear rings in shades of green. Included is also one of mommies ATC's made with vintage Laurel Burch paper. Laurel died last year and we will miss her wonderful art works. Please consider this offering (Leave your bid inthe comments) to help a hurting kitty and scroll on down for my Valentine photo essay!
This is moms first rubber stamp...see the heart?
Last nights sunset with amazing colors.
A Valentine to Isis unborn kittens.
Beloved furever...
and ever...
My most precious Valentine ever...
A most beautiful Valentine composition from Adan and Michico... 
Lean on me...and I will be your friend...
A Love Story...
Vintage Valentine...
Some kitties are so very special that they wear their hearts on their face. This is Miss Chase, the bravest kitty I know. She is a living Valentine!
