Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

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What is tattoo Tuesday about?

December 17, 2013

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Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day.  Squirrels inhabit every continent on earth, except Australia.  National Geographic says that there are over 200 squirrel species and that:

“Like other rodents, squirrels have four front teeth that never stop growing so they don’t wear down from the constant gnawing. Tree squirrels are the types most commonly recognized, often seen gracefully scampering and leaping from branch to branch. Other species are ground squirrels that live in burrow or tunnel systems, where some hibernate during the winter season.”

Squirrels range in size from the 5″ long African Pygmy Squirrel below (aww!) –

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To the 36″ long Indian Giant Squirrel at the top of the page (eek!)

Here’s a map of where squirrels live (also from National Geographic:

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And here are the tattoos which are surprisingly nice:

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What am I sappy cat blogging?

December 13, 2013

A cat named Intrepid, no doubt.

Bonus Cat – His Grace, His Excellency, The Duke of Ankh; Commander Sir Samuel Vimes

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What is my new banner about?

December 12, 2013

blog the-computer-demands-a-blog

What can I say?

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To what am I listening?

December 12, 2013

Pointed out to me by HMS Defiant.

Happy Holidays to All

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What am I reblogging?

December 12, 2013

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It’s that time of year.  There is lots to do and I feel I am falling behind.  Then I read this on Tresor De Luxe and am reassessing things.

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What is sappy cat blogging about this week?

December 6, 2013

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“The Monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Cats is regarded as a sacred cat haven in Cyprus, as it’s name has been linked to felines for almost 2,000 years.

The original monastery was built in 327 AD, by Kalokeros, the first Byzantine governor of Cyprus, and patronised by Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. At that time, a terrible drought affected the whole of Cypus, and the entire island was overrun with poisonous snakes which made building the monastery a dangerous affair. Many of the inhabitants left their homes and moved off the island, for fear of the snakes, but Saint Helena came up with a solution to the plague – she ordered 1,000 cats to be shipped in from Egypt and Palestine to fight the reptiles.”

The monastery endures and today is run by six nuns and about seventy cats.

ref: Oddity Central

December 6 is also St. Nicholas’ Day

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Read more here.

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Why am I smiling?

December 5, 2013

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This was the temperature . . . this morning at

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On December 5 in Cleveland – I was smiling.

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What am I celebrating today?

December 5, 2013

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Today marks the anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition (January 1920 through December, 1933).  This was accomplished by ratification of the 21st amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

It is difficult for me to believe that an amendment such as the 18th was ever proposed, let alone ratified, in the first place.  It must have been a very different time, or I am just exhibiting my proclivity for leaving the Constitution alone.

Nevertheless, today is National Sacher Torte Day.  So raise a glass (or not) and enjoy this Austrian delicacy, which was developed in 1823 by Austrian pastry chef, Franz Sacher.

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Franz Sacher

Here is a recipe from the Austrian Tourist Board.

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What is tattoo Tuesday about?

December 3, 2013

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Today is Gilbert Stuart’s birthday.  He was born in 1755 in Saunderstown, Rhode Island. In those years before paparzzi, he became one of America’s outstanding portraitists.  Stuart is probably best known for his unfinished portrait of George Washington (above) that has become iconic, appearing on the dollar bill and elsewhere.  It is probably the likeness most of us call to mind when thinking about Washington.  The portrait was never finished, but Stuart did make copies of the portrait, selling them for $100 each (no Kinko’s either). Ref – Wikipedia

Stuart became very successful, recording likenesses of the rich and famous of his day, which can now be found in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Portrait Gallery, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and other public and private collections.

I thought it was interesting that Stuart, “an artist accustomed to easily engaging and enlivening his clients with conversation and jokes, [he] was at a loss with Washington: ‘Anapathy seemed to seize him and a vacuity spread over his countenance, most appalling to paint.’ Yet, despite the struggle to capture the President’s elusive character, Stuart succeeded in executing the image that was then and is now considered to be a definitive and insightful likeness.”

ref: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

It being Tuesday, I have a tattoo to accompany this posting:

washington tattoo

Why do people do this?

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What does my pie say about me?

December 2, 2013

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This is a photo of the traditional coconut cream pie that we all enjoyed on Thanksgiving Day.

Dinner was at the Colonial Inn near Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

I have found (so far) that restaurants in Pennsylvania can be counted on to have coconut cream pie on the menu.  Alas, this is not so closer to home. But I will keep looking.

BUT – Look here on BuzzFeed to find out about your favorite pie is saying about you.