AIR CASTLES AND A BLACK CAT ~ MARCH 1ST/2020 🍀😺

Happy March 1st / 2020

When I am tired of toil and strife
And wearied of pursuing care,
I turn aside from real life
And build a castle in the air. 

 ~ 
Heritage Minutes: Lucy Maud Montgomery

Taking a break from the news today.

 Happy March 1st 🍀

HOME ALONE ... I SEE YOU 🙀

Emma set up a camera to watch what the cats do while we are away and when she called him he came to see where she was...no one there
Spooky🙀

"Draw me like one of your french girls"

The eyes.😹

Emma comes up with such gorgeous and funny photos of her cats. Love the tag line she used for this photoshoot from the Titanic movie where Rose tells Jack,

 "Draw me like one of your french girls. "

Purrfect!

You can see more of her cat pictures on her  Instagram account~

Three Cats, A Dog, and A Camera

Our Lucky Charm 🤒🤧😷 Our Black Cat Can Charm All ill Away

Our Lucky Charm 🤒🤧😷

Here is an old Welsh Verse about Black Cats I think is cute

"A black cat, I’ve heard it said,
Can charm all ill away,
And keep the house wherein she dwells
From fever’s deadly sway."

Photo by M

Photo by M

I'm The Bad Guy 0202 2020

"I'm The Bad Guy "
So, Bat thinks he's Lee Van Cleef 😂
photo by M 

My Precious by M

" My Precious" Photograph by M

~ Bat is such an obliging cat when it comes to having his picture taken. Love the pic, M ♥️

🐈🐈🐈 🐕 📷Take a look at her Instagram Three Cats, A Dog, and a Camera

We Found Halloween🎃

On our way home from soccer, last night
we found Halloween🎃
It was a dark and rainy Halloween this year but someone did some magic 🧙‍♀️🧹and gave us Halloween🎃👻🦇🕷🕸 

And I just have to share this🦇 Purrfect Spooky Halloween Photo of Bat taken by M. 🧙‍♀️
https://www.instagram.com/murtagh13/

Bat Bat Boo ~ Happy Caturday ! 🐈 🧡🎃🦇🧹

BaT, Bat Boo! The spooky cute, little fella that just doesn't miss a chance at keeping my company when I paint. Do you see the cat candle ring on the taper? My daughter gave it to me and I usually wear jewelry for a few days and then eventually it gets used to decorate the house. I think I like it better on the candle than on my finger. p.s. No cat was harmed to take this photo!😉 HAPPY CATURDAY !!!

Happiness is A Bat...Pipistrello🦇🐈

Happiness is A Bat...Pipistrello


I read a poem by D.H. Lawrence 'BAT', who unfortunately didn't like bats. I shared the same sentiments until my daughter got me to appreciate them on our bonfire nights. Although, I must admit I still do get a bit anxious when they fly a touch too low.

"Bats, and an uneasy creeping in one's scalp
As the bats swoop overhead!
Flying madly."


Lawrence also states in his poem that in China the Bat is a symbol of Happiness.Bat after all is a cat we must not forget but sometimes we do! I suppose half cat and half bat counts for all the happiness he's brought us 🦇🐈

Along came a bug on October 27th who almost didn't make it. The little bug though looked very much like a tiny bat and so he got the name Bat. Of course, we all have since gone batty ^..^


Couldn't wake up Bat but this other little witch-bird should be sleeping by now.

Love Bats, Cats, and Halloween 🦇🎃🧹🐈


The Bat by: Arthur Guiterman (1871-1943)


Airy-mouse, hairy mouse,
Keen-eared contrary mouse,
Come from your cavern--a star's in the sky!
Fluttering, flittering,
Eerily chittering,
Swoop on your quarry, the dusk-haunting fly.

Airy-mouse, wary mouse,
Witch-bird or fairy-mouse,
Soft through the shadow the dawn-glimmer steals;
Night's your carousing-time,
Day brings your drowsing-time;
Hence to your hollow and hang by your heels!

NINE LIVES 😽😽😽😽😽😽😽😽😽 DONE 🧹

I believe this time it's done! I took a poll and asked people if they preferred the black and white version of 'Nine Lives' or the color. So I decided to add more color to the original; something I tend to shy away from.

I find each new painting I work on is a learning lesson and although the vision of what I perceived of the landscape to do not always materializes most often I'm happy with the end results. Of course, in the end, there is always that option to have one in black and white if I wish. 

'Nine Lives' with more color

 I  changed the vines and light on the tree. I think it's more effective in reflecting light. I also added color to the bird trees to the right of the tree and the moon has a small crescent moon inside its time tunnel. I also did more detail work on the moonflowers adding gold leaf to their center and star. Basically, I added color where it was needed. I like this one much better than the original.

'Nine Lives' ~ Original

If you are interested in my artwork or my daughter M's artwork and photography...

Three Cats, a Dog, and a Camera

I have just reopened my Fine Art America Shop and will be adding more artwork soon.

Thumbelina Bat ~ How Bat 🦇 Got His Name

When we brought Bat home with us from The Ottawa Humane Society, the staff had covered him with a pink crochet blanket, only his face was showing. He looked like a tiny bat. Photograph by my daughter M

BAT'S BAD DREAM 👻

Bat loves to watch me paint and when the painting was complete he just had to take a closer look. I think there is something in the eerie landscape that reminds him of his bad dream.

A Ghostly Pumpkin Brioche of Roast Beef for Supper 🎃

M baked us some Pumpkin Bread 🎃

No, it's not Brioche but maybe I can convince her to bake Brioche Buns next time.

HAUNTED FOOD? This never happened before when M baked Pumpkin Bread.🎃 Paranormal activity? I think the yeast is haunted 👀😂

I think these 🎃Pumpkin Bread buns are simply scrumptious with leftover roast beef!

Oh, and Bat thought so too.

 🎃  A Purrrrrrfect Ghostly Pumpkin Brioche of Roast Beef!🎃 

⚡️🌈 ZIGGY STARDUST THE CAT ⚡️🌈

Sunlight filtering through the glass of the front door painted Bat's eye. Not exactly Ziggy's lightning bolt but close enough. ⚡️🌈 Photo by M

Bat & Cat Jack O' Lanterns

The inside of our house was decorated for Halloween this year and the only outdoor decorations we placed was a floating green Witch Hat with a pussy willow broom and a pumpkin patch  consisting of Cinderella and Fairytale pumpkins. M had midterms on Halloween Night and I was on a dinner date with Spooks so the pumpkin craving was postpone for later in the week. M came up with the two designs, drew them and we then each craved one. 

Bat and Cat Jack O' Lanterns.

Always fun craving pumpkins for Halloween and these two are spooky cute, right? 🎃 🎃