ANOTHER GHOST OF A CAT - GENTLEMAN X 👀🐾🐾🐾🐾🖤

ANOTHER GHOST OF A CAT - GENTLEMAN X 👀🐾🐾🐾🐾🖤

He felt someone's eyes on his face. He looked up, across the room, on the top of the picture shelf; the portrait of a gentleman cat in a smoking jacket, wearing an Ascot around his neck, looked back at him. Immediately, Florence didn't waste time and headed straight for the cat. Another painting for his collection he wanted: that's what an art collector does and doesn't worry about where it will hang. When a cat dressed in human clothing, especially when wearing an ascot, becomes available, you don't let it escape you, very rare indeed! It's what you call Anthropomorphism, animals wearing people's clothes, and in Victorian times, it was very much in fashion. Florence grabbed the painting and checked the artist's mark: as he'd suspected, a Neuville, a Mitsou Neuville.

The gentleman cat had no name, for now. There was something mysterious and captivating about the tabby cat with the pronounced M on its forehead, and the more Florence looked at him, the more he couldn't look away. It's his eyes he thought.They want to speak to me. 







Another little share from the book - FLORENCE BLUME👀🖤 




*ALL OUR VISITORS BRING HAPPINESS

SOME BY COMING AND OTHERS BY GOING *




"Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see." 




A mother/daughter Ghostly Adventure, writing together for the first time about their favorite subject, the supernatural.

♥️ Annabelle & M ♥️ FLORENCE BLUME -MERRICKVILLE

© 2023

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK - FLORENCE BLUME - 👀🖤

Florence didn't have a wife keeping count of his ever-growing collection of old things. However, it did come at a cost. He had successfully filled his house to the rafters, in the attic, in the basement, in the garage, and in the small cottage at the back of the property. 

The other day, Florence found an old book at the thrift store someone had painted inside of. 

One of the paintings was of a woman sitting with a cat on her lap: I wonder who she was, Florence uttered out loud, no one there to hear him.




Excerpt from the book - FLORENCE BLUME👀🖤 




*ALL OUR VISITORS BRING HAPPINESS

SOME BY COMING AND OTHERS BY GOING *




"Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see." - Happy April 1st 

And A Happy Caturday🐾🐾🐾🐾


A mother/daughter Ghostly Adventure, writing together for the first time about their favorite subject, the supernatural.

♥️ Annabelle & M ♥️ © 2023

A GHOST OF A CAT🐾🐾🐾🐾

A GHOST OF A CAT

Maggie and Bats' mom, Shy, came for her dinner and then left. 
How's that for gratitude?

She was never a mom; she hated her job and chose to abandon her three kittens in our backyard. After all, she was just a cat! A cat who was overwhelmed by the enormity of parenthood to three kittens.
Maggie was left to take care of her little brother, Bat. A sister and now his mother; she protected him and did a good job. 
After all, she was just a cat - with a heart! 
Good thing Maggie turned out right. Bat certainly, would not have faired well outdoors.
I wish we had done more to keep Shy and tame her: maybe she would have cared more for her babies. She is only a memory now and a screen saver.
Early mornings always remind me my cat Maggie has never forgotten. She will come and sit on my lap, snuggle, and purr, and the minute I open my computer and the screensaver comes on, she perks up and stares. She remembers.


“Mother is a verb as well as a noun. We all, male and female, have the capacity to mother others.
And we can each, always, mother ourselves.” 
― Orna Ross

FLORENCE BLUME

FLORENCE BLUME - A GHOST STORY

Before he died, Florence Blume was a solitary man who enjoyed living alone with his cats in his beautiful home in the woods. At the entrance to his house, he hung an old Irish proverb, 'Beware of people who dislike cats. It seemed to keep unwanted visitors and fake friends away. 

The isle of green was an easy place to fall in love with flowers. Florence knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. 

He was a professor at the nearby college and taught Botany. 

All his free time was spent tending the gardens surrounding his home, always in the company of his two cats, Maggie and Bat. 

Florence had a favorite flower, The Lily of the Valley, and his favorite season was Spring. One night, after dinner, while listening to his classical music and reading poetry, he came across a poem by Tchaikovsky, 'Lilies of the Valley '- He had discovered a kindred spirit who loved the same season and flower as he. The two souls had the same thought, after death, darkness, or light? Florence knew the joys of the earth; before and after his death.  




LILIES OF THE VALLEY -TCHAIKOVSKY


"I wait for spring. And now the enchantress appears,

The wood has cast off its shroud

And prepares for us shade,

And the rivers start to flow, and the grove is filled with sound,

And at last, the long-looked-for day is here!

Quick to the woods!—I race along the familiar path.

Can my dreams have come true, my longings be fulfilled?—

There he is! Bending to the earth, with trembling hand

I pluck the wondrous gift of the enchantress Spring.

O lily of the valley, why do you so please the eye?

Other flowers there are more sumptuous and grand,

With brighter colours and livelier patterns,

Yet they have not your mysterious fascination.

Where lies the secret of your charms? What do you prophesy to the soul?

With what do you attract me, with what gladden my heart?

Is it that you revive the ghost of former pleasures,

Or is it future bliss that you promise us?" excerpt from Lilies of The Valley was written by Tchaikovsky in December 1878 while he was in Florence.

Return To Happiness

Return To Happiness

 The scent of the lily was sweet, the old ghost's favorite spring flower. Small pure, white bells sprung up in May, and each spring, he anxiously awaited their arrival. There was a special place he had found. A country road passed by the back lot of a house, in the ditch across from the yard, and a patch of lilies grew amongst poison ivy. He had dug some up for his yard and planted two stone pots with moss in one spring, and he always picked large bouquets filling the house with their beautiful heavy scent. The beauty of the afterlife, flowers were always in season, and this Christmas couldn't be without fresh lilies. A long time ago, he had read a book titled "The Meaning of Flowers" and found the lily of the valley's meaning quite beautiful - Return to Happiness. 

"Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see." 

As I mentioned before, these paintings are almost complete. If I feel something I've missed in the process, I will return to it and add in hopefully, removing nothing else from the illustration. Editing not only the writing but the illustrations as well. Some may never make it into the book.

 A mother/daughter Ghostly Adventure, writing together for the first time about their favorite subject, the supernatural. 

♥️ Annabelle & M ♥️

AN AFTERLIFE TO LOVE

An Afterlife To Love

What's not to love? A quiet wild where your home is a little cottage secluded in the wood no one knows exists. Alone, with your cats and your books.

In life on earth, I was never one for being a social butterfly. I found it such a chore and so exhausting being in company. I preferred retiring home with my cats; they were my favored companions. Don't get me wrong, I do like, some people. I like some ghosts: they never really change when they die. But living quietly with the sound of my cat's purr on my lap, a good book to read, my 8th cup of coffee, and the birds singing in the garden makes an afterlife to love.

"Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see."

As I mentioned before, these paintings are almost complete. If I feel something I've missed in the process, I will return to it and add in hopefully, removing nothing else from the illustration. Editing not only the writing but the illustrations as well. Some may never make it into the book.

A mother/daughter Ghostly Adventure, writing together for the first time about their favorite subject, the supernatural.

♥️ Annabelle & M ♥️ 

© 2023

“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word to paper.”E.B.WHITE - WRITING A GHOST STORY

WRITING A GHOST STORY 👀

I am a romantic for ghost stories. 

Spooky, mysterious, and entertaining spooks on tv always trap me for an hour or two in telling their scary tales. I believe many people believe in ghosts. I never was one to keep a bucket list, although I do have a few things on a list I would like to achieve before that time; writing a ghost story is one. I wish I could write, and I wish I could paint, I wish I could play the piano. Unfortunately, I do none of those things well. My writing is atrocious. If not for Grammarly and my daughter, I would be lost. Still, I have the desire to write a spooky story. A couple of quotes by E.B. White, one of my favorite authors, inspire me to keep writing. “I admire anybody who has the guts to write anything at all.” And ... “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word to paper.” ― E.B. White. So true. M, my daughter, is my ghostwriter. We are collaborating on this ghostly tale. I recently watched Eugene Levy's, 'The Reluctant Traveler. He met up with a gondolier in Venice and talked about working with their kids. Mr.Levy mentioned how much he had enjoyed working with his son Daniel for seven years. So now, mother and daughter are working together on a ghost book. Today is my birthday; I turn 66. I was born on March 10th, 1957, a wonderful year. And the year I die, well, hopefully, be just as wonderful. No matter how difficult, I want to reach my goal; write the ghost book with my daughter. In the end, I leave behind an artistic legacy for my children. When one has a will, there is always a way. ♥️ Annabelle & M ♥️ © 2023 @batandmaggie

MAGGIE

BAT

STORMY, STORMY, STORMY WEATHER

A perfect stormy night for a good sleep, the old ghost thought. 

It poured and rained, such a sweet sleep filled with dreams of his earthly life and memories. Stormy, stormy, stormy weather was his favorite weather.

And then, the sounds of the thundering storm were interrupted by the breaking of glass. Ghost got out of bed and went downstairs to investigate who had disturbed his sleep: a baby owl; perched on the broken window pane. Maggie and Bat were wondering why he was there.







The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;

It rains, and the wind is never weary;

The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,

But at every gust the dead leaves fall,

And the day is dark and dreary.




My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;

It rains, and the wind is never weary;

My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,

But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,

And the days are dark and dreary.




Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;

Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;

Thy fate is the common fate of all,

Into each life some rain must fall,

Some days must be dark and dreary.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A mother/daughter Ghostly Adventure, writing together for the first time about their favorite subject, the supernatural. ♥️ Annabelle & M ♥️ © 2023 @batandmaggie (Daughter's instagram account)

MOONSTRUCK ON CAT ISLAND AND HAPPY CATURDAY 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐈‍⬛

I HAVE LOVED AND ADMIRED SIDNEY POITIER ALL MY LIFE. THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM ON FILM WAS "TO, SIR WITH LOVE" AND FROM THAT IST PERFORMANCE I KNEW HIS KIND SOUL. I COULD FEEL IT RADIATE THROUGH THE TELEVISION SCREEN.

SIDNEY POITIER WAS BORN ON AN ISLAND TUCKED FAR AWAY IN THE BLUE WATERS OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA. CAT ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS WAS HIS HOME. WHAT A MAGICAL PLACE IT MUST HAVE BEEN. IT WAS HERE ON THE TINY ISLAND HE WAS TAUGHT BY HIS PARENTS THE VALUES AND MORALS TO KEEP CLOSE TO HIS HEART ON HIS LIFE'S JOURNEY.

"IN THE KIND OF PLACE I GREW UP, RECALLS POITIER, "WHAT'S COMING AT YOU IS THE SOUND OF THE SEA AND THE SMELL OF THE WIND AND MOMMA'S VOICE AND THE VOICE OF YOUR DAD AND THE CRAZINESS OF YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ... AND THAT'S IT"

I READ "THE MEASURE OF A MAN" BY SIDNEY POITIER, HIS SPIRITUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY, AND FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM ALL OVER AGAIN. 

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK!♥️

THEN, JUST RECENTLY, I WATCHED OPRAH WINFREY'S DOCUMENTARY ON HIM, "SIDNEY". NATURALLY, I WAS LEFT THINKING OF HIM AND CAT ISLAND AND INSPIRED. 

BAT WEIGHING .8 OF A POUND THE NIGHT WE BROUGHT HIM INSIDE 

BAT ONE OF MY FAV PHOTOS OF HIM TAKEN BY MY DAUGHTER EMMA

BAT THIS MORNING LOL 

I PAINTED BAT, OUR BLACK CAT RESCUE WEIGHED A MERE .8 OF A POUND WHEN HE CAME TO US AND HAD LITTLE CHANCE OF SURVIVING, BUT HE WAS DETERMINED TO LIVE. HE WILL BE 6 YEARS OLD THIS OCTOBER 27TH. I DECIDED TO PAINT HIM IN MY REVIVED PAINTING OF "GHOSTS IN THE MOONLIGHT". WHAT BETTER PLACE FOR A CAT TO LIVE THAN ON CAT ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS.

MIXED MEDIA OIL PAINTING ON WOOD 

MOONSTRUCK ON CAT ISLAND 2022 ANNABELLE ...I  FORGOT TO SIGN IT, LOL

THANK YOU SIR♥️

  HAPPY CATURDAY FROM CAT ISLAND 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐈‍⬛

INSTAGRAM POST WITH SOUNDTRACK FROM PRACTICAL MAGIC  - ALAN SILVESTRI

I'M SO TIRED

I'm so tired! I haven't slept a wink. I think a little catnap might help give me back a little peace of mind : )☺️♥️❤️🐾🐾❤️♥️🐱

I'm so tired

I haven't slept a wink

I'm so tired

My mind is on the blink

I wonder, should I get up and fix myself a drink?

No, no, no

I'm so tired

I don't know what to do

I'm so tired

My mind is set on you

I wonder should I call you

But I know what you would do

You'd say I'm putting you on

But it's no joke

It's doing me harm

You know I can't sleep

I can't stop my brain

You know it's three weeks

I'm going insane

You know I'd give you everything I've got for a little peace of mind

- BEATLES - I'M SO TIRED

I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire - Happy Caturday and a Happy St. Valentine's Day

I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire 

Maggie got a little hungry waiting for her dinner and chewed the flowers Bat gave her. For The Happy Caturday Theme For February 12th - Paws 
Happy Caturday and A Happy Valentine's Day Weekend to all 
I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire ~ 

Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians

I don't want to set the world on fire
I just want to start a flame in your heart
In my heart I have but one desire
And that one is you
No other will do
I've lost all ambition for worldly acclaim
I just want to be the one you love
And with your admission that you feel the same
I'll have reached the goal I'm dreaming of
Believe me
I don't want to set the world on fire
I just want to start a flame in your heart

PHOTOS BY M

A COUNTRY ESCAPE ♥️

A COUNTRY ESCAPE

Happy am I when I slip into bed-
I dream of a pastoral place,
A country escape,
And find heaven on earth

There’s a cottage @ Rideau Ferry, it’s name - “Heaven on Earth” and I think it is😇

This lovely mixed media painting is a treasure I found on one of my shopping trips, unfortunately, the artist didn’t sign their name to the artwork.

BLUE MONDAY 💙

NEW ORDER BLUE MONDAY

Lost in space somewhere between Earth and The Milky Way.

Somewhere between the Past and the Future. 

The Present is New Order Blue Monday.

"And still, I find it so hard To say what I need to say But,
I'm quite sure that you'll tell me Just how I should feel today."

' Haunted ' by artist Stacy Guerra Rodriguez

This house is haunted!


'Haunted'


by artist Stacy Guerra Rodriguez

A haunting portrait to hunt my home - perfectly spooky! An original I recently purchased by artist Stacy Guerra Rodriguez of Coffee With Frida Inspired by Old Hollywood classic actress Loretta Young. Thanks so much, Stacy. Very happy, she now haunts my house.

Babylonica

 

In The Quiet Garden, they sat silently in the solitude they found under the weeping willow tree, Babylonica.

Oil on wood painting of a little ghost and his cat for Ghostober Day #17 Art Challenge on Instagram 

 - "Garden"

Happy Caturday - "Unorthodox " Behaviour 🐾♥️🐾

The theme for Happy Caturday - "Unorthodox " Behaviour 🐾♥️🐾

Creme de Meow tastes so much better in vintage crystal. Bat and Maggie adore drinking out of these glasses. When the glasses come out, they know they are getting their special drink, Creme de Meow ( milk).

Photo by M

"MAPLE SPIRIT " -The bLUE aRTIST, A Moon, and Cloud Study, and Then Inspiration Strikes!

"MAPLE SPIRIT " 

The Blue Artist - I'm afraid I haven't grasped hold of color mixing skills, or, for that matter, painting clouds, water, trees or the flowers, the birds and the bees, cats and dogs, just about everything there is to paint, but that's ok, part of the journey is learning the art. 
A few weeks ago, I went for a country drive along the Rideau River to look for pussy willows. I make it a habit to take a particular route home passing through Burritts Rapids, a tiny hamlet I love. Right before I turned onto county road 2, I noticed a few of the maple trees at Christ Church had buckets placed on them to collect maple syrup. Not wanting my coffee to get any colder since I had already left it earlier while picking the pussy willows I found, I opted to skip taking their photo. It was only yesterday I told my husband and daughter of the maple trees at the church.
Stan chuckled at the thought of collecting maple syrup from maple trees surrounding the church. He asked me, " Is that the same church with the cemetery at the back where we went for a walk last year"? 
"Well, he had the name already picked out, and my daughter, the picture in her mind; I just had to paint it. 
"Maple Spirit"; sort of sounds like a brand of maple syrup. Don't you think? And so, the moon and cloud study I was working on got a landscape below. Love how inspiration strikes.