Bless the Beasts Monday!

Mosaic Cats Addict!

Hot off the press! My newest creation. (And no, "press" is not a euphemism for my rear end. I was not sitting on that Jack Russell Terrier frame. It was sitting under me!)

Manic Mosaic Monday!

Happy Manic Monday, Kitties!
I am flooded with inspiration. The Mosaic Lady Muse is a harsh Mistress!
I do not know which of my top ten projects to begin with this week!

Perhaps some yoga stretches will clear my fuzzy mind.
Upward-Facing Cat.

Followed by a moment of silent, centering contemplation.

I think I will start with my donation frame for Brother Wolf Animal Rescue's silent auction at their NewYear's Eve Furball!
I had so much fun a few years ago when I created this one for a Charlie's Angels Animal Rescue silent auction. (Of course Little Bitsy's Mom placed the winning bid!)

It would be nice if Mosaic Lady would favor me with her company, Kitties. 

Even though I am the brains and creativity behind this operation, I am not the thumbs.

Like the Phoenix, We Rise From the Grout Dust (errr... or something.)

Bonjour Kitties!

Have three summers really passed since I was last here? That is a lot of naps! And too few Greenies.

Like many of you, much change has come to Mosaic CatLand. Some loss and letting go. Of Mosaic Dog last December 22 --

-- Mosaic Lady's back molar on January 4, and Mosaic Lady's job yesterday!

In empathic solidarity, I am losing my furs. More honestly, pulling them out. "Psycho(genic) Alopecia", Mosaic Lady calls it. She mumbles something about my second and third chat-ras being congested from emotional suppression and creative repression. She is (still) a freak.

Therefore, part of my new therapy protocol will find me pouring my time and energy back into my job as Mosaic Studio Supervisor.

The theory is that if I am keeping my paws, mouth, and mind busy with inspiring creative projects I won't self-mutilate. Ha.

For those who would be wondering or caring for reasons I can not fathom, yes, Sadie ("The World's Most Peaceful, Loving, Perfect, and LOW MAINTENANCE Cat") still lives here too. 

Much to my chat-grin.

Dearly Departed Willie, aka Mr. Big Boy

Willie at age 3 or 4, circa 1995.

My 18 1/2 year old Willie was helped along to Kitty Heaven yesterday morning. He'd been slowing way down all year and stopped eating his baby food meats two days ago. He was struggling to drink water and to walk. I should've taken him in Wednesday but wanted to give the other furs and myself time to adjust to his imminent absence as he was the elder of this tribe, here before all the remaining. My wonderful vet assured me I was doing the right thing as his kidneys, and many of his other organs, were shutting down and his body was pretty much "eating itself", which explained the near-daily bouts of pre-dawn bilious vomiting.

I got Willie March 31, 1992, while living in Monterey, CA. My current collection of cats began the previous November when I took Gracie in over Thanksgiving, an adult female Tabby who looked remarkably like Sadie. Gracie had been feeding with a group of ferals behind Ralph's market at the Carmel Crossroads and the women that were feeding the colony knew she was not feral but probably dumped. I thought Gracie needed company while I worked all day. Gracie was not overly fond of Willie. At all. But he was the remaining kitten of a litter up for adoption and when I went to see him he was splayed out on a couch with legs and the wingspan of a basketball player. And he had fleas the size of quarters on him. There was no debating. I had come with a carrier and was taking him regardless of what he looked like. I've really only chosen one pet. The rest have all come to me as strays or rescues that were the only remaining option.

Willie on 6/16/10, North Carolina, sunrise on the screened porch.

Longest Tail Ever.


I "fostered" tiny Bianca for Maria Hearst who was Italy-bound in October of 1992. Maria had found Bianca in a grocery store parking lot in Paso Robles, CA, and brought her to a Carmel-by-the-Sea inn where I was working. The resemblance was spooky, and of course the "foster" has continued for 18 years.

Bookends I

Bookends II

Willie and Bianca moved from Monterey to New Mexico with me (along with Gracie and a new stray, Merlin, who showed up in my front yard two months before the move!). We found Milo in NM, and then 9 months later we moved to Pagosa Springs, CO, where we lived for a decade. There we picked up Walter, Leah and Sadie! Good Lord. Clearly my pet accumulation phase was in full swing. I had six cats and one crazy Blue Heeler puppy in the house by January of 1999.

From the California coast to the mountains of Western North Carolina. One of my most treasured paintings that was actually not of me and Willie, but of course, it really was.

Going toward the Light.


Last morning coffee on the geriatric couch.

Hospice watch, 6/17.


One of the last shots of the Geriatric Bookends. I love this one.

Willie was so docile I knew I did not need a carrier. After shoving Walter into a carrier the morning he died so suddenly and regretting it ever since, I was not about to stress Willie, or myself, in that way. There is nothing worse than the trip home from the vet's with an empty carrier.

It was a very peaceful and quiet death and while we are sad, having time to gracefully ease into the goodbyes is truly a blessing. I put the blanket on which he was euthanized in the middle of the living room floor as the vet had suggested with Walter to give the others a knowing of what has happened. None of the remaining furs seem confused or unduly stressed, although Bianca is back to her 3am howling (and 3:45am, and 6am) which she had stopped for a while as she and Willie moved out onto the screened porch couch when it turned warm enough.

I took a ton of photos, of course, and decided to shoot two short videos as well. It occurred to me that now it's just us girls at home - Bianca, Annie, Sadie, Leah and me. As much as I'd love to add a boy kitty or two, I think I'm entering a new phase of my life in which "less is more" when it comes to pet collecting. (And you know, of course, this ensures that a stray boy kitten will come howling through my yard any minute now and I will be forced to "foster" him for the next 18 years.)

Sunday, March 21, 2010

LOLWUT????

WTF????

PTDB!!!

TL; DW!!!

LITTLE BITSY CAN REALLY WIN WEEK 12! PLEASE VOTE DAILY! PLLLLLLEEEEAAASE!

Little Bitsy has her own youtube video now! The woman holding her is Sylvia, her new Mom. The other lady is Evelyn Bridges, the woman who fed me for months when I was an outside stray young mother. She finally trapped me and had me spayed and brought me to ML's house for "fostering". We all know how that turned out. She rescued Bitsy too and is going to start her own non-profit rescue group here in Western NC. She needs green papers!


Remember what I looked like in August of 2007 when Evelyn brought me to Casa de Mosaic?

Check me out now. Big, Black and Beeeey-ooooo-tifull!



Bitsy was in THIRD PLACE last week! Out of 60,000 dogs!! The second place dog has only 240 more votes than she does this morning! If we can just get 200 more people to vote for Little Bitsy every day through Saturday, she can totally take this thing!

Please watch the video and GO RIGHT HERE TO VOTE NOW AND EVERY DAY.

Thank you so much. So many other homeless furs will be helped if Bitsy can win this week and move on to the semi-finals!