Sparklewood's Birds

An amazing amount of birds bless us.

Raven landed on roof -black wings swooshing

Bold Towhie hopped one legged- concrete searching.

Soaring Hawk lit up blue sky- red tail flashing.

Caww Caww God -Sparkles praying.

Tankene hears Blue Jays Squawking.

Trill trill trill -Tankene's singing.

Any bird blessings to share? Purrs, Sparkles and Tankene

Bedtime for Bonzo

Here's a story about MaaMaa putting my " brother" Blake to bed when we have a "sleepover."

Blake is a 7 year old power house of energy. When he visits MaaMaa and Papa they have fun from morning until evening. So when it's time for bed MaaMaa does the following:
Blake takes a long bath and brushes his teeth.
He picks out 4-5 favorite, scrunchy stuffed animals.
A cold glass of milk and a chocolate cookie -yum!
What movie to watch? Star Wars-the latest favorite.
MaaMaa & Papa kiss him goodnight.
Everyone hopes he falls asleep. We are tired.
Mr. Chub and me jump on the bed and snuggle in. We love our Blake and guard him from nightmares . Blake is a blessing from God.
Love, Tankene
Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

Tankene takes another bath

Here I am as clean and white as ever but last week:

We had an invasion of fleas when the weather got hot. MaaMaa gave me two baths if you can imagine that.

Cattily,Tankene

PS. Why in the world would any self respecting feline want to take a bath with all that soapy water falling into your eyes?

Blake and Barbecues

Did you barbecue this weekend? Blake visited and my family barbecued Turkey hotdogs. Blake hardly chased me at all. I must say when MaaMaa took him to school this morning, I sighed with relief. Little boys are full of the "dickens. " Now I rest in sunny Sparklewood. Purrs, Tankene

Prostate Cancer

I was thinking as I walked back from a meeting down the hill. Two coworkers asked me how my husband was doing ? His Prostate Cancer has spread into his bones and is causing him terrible pain.They both said how sad they felt for me. I felt myself fill up with tears and got up to walk back to my office. I realized I am sad too. I am so weary of his pain and suffering. How does one man take so much? This end stage Cancer is a powerful enemy. Wild winds whirled redwood leaves all around me. I struggled up a deer path and a beautiful deer gazed back at me. I made soft sweet talk and she silently slipped away deep into the shadows. I continued trudging up this very steep Oak-lined path and a ray of sunshine lit up a squirrel perched on a log enjoying Spring. I realize that I haved nothing to feel sad about today. Surrounded by God's creatures, I am just a tiny sparkle of light among bigger, brighter stars . I have no fear or worry when I realize God has a plan for each and every one of us. We are loved.

Laughing Water Drips

Have you ever bent down close to the ground to see something on the floor? Mama is a trickster and does this all the time so that she makes " eye contact" with me. I purr and give her a nose bump and sometimes if her hair is wet from just washing, she'll shake her hair all around me. I am mystified  by her hair and try and catch a piece but it's too wet. Small drops of water land on the floor and I try to lick them up and then Mama just laughs and laughs. What make you laugh? Purrs. Tankene

Sister's Wedding

Hi my dear Furfriends I have been helping Mama plan my sister's wedding. I will get back with a story all about Mama very soon. Doesn't my sister look beautiful?

Tankene's Pink Pumpkin

 

Tankene's Pink Pumpkin or Tales of Tommy Toasty  

      Ole' Wood had settled in for the night, his feet warmed by the crackling fire.Tankene draped his snowy, white coat over wee wife's legs and Mr. Chub's gingery, soft fur covered  wee wife's chest. Everyone was tuckered out and soon snoring songs sang in Tankene's ears.
      Tracy Pasty was nice and snug as paste jars often are settled in for the night. Suddenly there was a loud boom, bang ; thunder followed by lightning.Sounds exploded as light flashed in the darkened room. A  kitchen window crashed open and rain rushed through the curtains and flooded the floor. Poor Tommy Toasty popped right out of the toaster and landed  with a splash in the puddle. Soon- sobbing, sad Tommy Toasty drowned out Ole' Wood and wee wife's snoring.
      Tankene was thinking about his pretty pink pumpkin and Halloween when something very strange happened. Tracy Pasty, a handsome jar of paste, pulled out his trusty paste stick, pasted a pasty trail and quickly slid down the desk leg,  pasting his way towards the kitchen.
     Tommy Toasty, once a crisp, smart piece of toast, quite well known for his tasty toastiness, was wetter than a weasel stuck in a water pipe. His crispiness was shifting shape. Rain continued to pour through the broken window, swirling the curtains and blasting open the kitchen door.
       Tommy let out a tearful pleal, "Help me, help me, help me! Tommy Toasty was sinking fast. Tankene watched Tracy Pasty pick up his pace pasting  a path to the kitchen. Would he  make it to the kitchen in time?
       Tracy Pasty pasted his way through the doorway to the growing puddle and expertly extended his paste stick for Tommy Toasty. Pulling with all his mighty pastiness, he lifted Tommy Toasty out of the water. Tracy Pasty once again used his paste stick and pasted Tommy Toasty all back together.The paste dried out the water and Tommy Toasty was saved!
     The last thing Tankene saw with his golden eyes was Tommy Toasty jumping back into the toaster and Tracy Pasty pasting his way back to his desk. Soon the snoring of Ole' Wood and wee wife was all Tankene heard and he closed his eyes and fell asleep dreaming about Halloween and his pink pumpkin.. Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist
                                 copyright- Trace and Terry Haugen Oct. 22, 2010

White Trout

 A nightime story told to Blake on Sept. 21, 2010 by Nona.

      Not long ago lived ol' Wood and his wee wife in a place called Sparklewood.Ol' Wood felt low down likening his troubles to the darkness of the bog. An ancient fairy voice whispered to wee wife and she gathered her white shawl, gnarled walking stick and her spirit cat, Tankene. Off they traveled, twilight coming on, searching for the cure for ol' Wood. Little did they know but ten fairies were gathered together at the round mound for a celebration. Ten fiddlers and singers were tuning and humming and strumming. Wee wife was on the trail to the river when she stumbled on a flat rock and heard the buzzing, much like a happy bee, of the fairie's music.  So sweet the sounds and soon wee wife felt sleepy."Aaha  my dear Tankene, let me rest a spell " and she fell into a deep slumber, slumping on top of the rock. Ten fairies jumped out of the round mound, angry that wee wife was sleeping on their chimney rock and there would be no fire to warm the hearth if she stayed asleep long.
      Tankene  gazed at the Full Moon and saw the reflection of a White Trout in the river below. "There is the cure for ol' Wood." purred Tankene.
       The ten fairies gathered on the bank and looking below saw the White Trout swimming just beneath the water.
       "We must catch White Trout to cure 'ol' Wood " meowed Tankene.
        Wouldn't you know but at that very moment, Tankene's pink nose smushed into a spinning spider's web and some of the silky threads covered his face
      "Let's make a fishing pole and catch the White Trout " exclaimed the ten Fairies. So the tenth and fairest fairy  pulled out her trusty spinning wheel, spun a fine line from the spider's gossamer threads and strung it on the fiddle's bow.
         Tankene's golden eyes reflected the White Trout and Full Moon. Sparkles lit up the water below as White trout swam slowly by the bank. Tankene softly scraped the damp earth with his feathery, pink paws and the tiniest of earthworms came up for a peek.
       "Would you be willing to help us? wondered Tankene.
       "Indeed as long as the White Trout doesn't really swallow me," retorted the worm." Indeed!" said he all the while slowly uncurling and slithering into the hand of the tenth fairy.
      Strong fairy magic cast the pole with the worm as bait and the White Trout took a bite.Well as you were wishing, the tenth fairy caught the White Trout's reflection. Numbers  nine, eight, seven, six,and  five gently placed it on a golden platter. Fairy four, three and two wrapped it up with dew and the first fairy placed it in a  knapsack full of grassy down. Right quick they were all tramping back up the trail to the wee wife. Snoring soundly was she, dreaming wee wife dreams of Sparklewood.
       Ten fairies and Tankene make quite a ruckus and she awoke with a  loud snort."Ahha' my fine, fey friends, you have brought me the blessings of the White Trout and now I can save me ol' Wood. I thank thee for your fairy gift! "
 and as the old ones like to say ol' Wood was cured..

Cherry Blossoms, Bird Calls and God

       Cherry blossoms fall silently like snowflakes then swirl when the breeze kicks up. I sit in warm sun and and smell bee honey. Rhododendrons spring open with pink and purple treasures. Distant birds sing haunting tunes, praising  Nature's pearls. Just reach up and grasp the sky! You may actually feel a wee  puff of  heaven. God's love drifts  down on all of creation today. Blessings, Love and Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

Bunny Ears and Cotton tails

I was looking outside this morning and I saw the biggest Raven. Squawking boldly, the birds blackness was shiny like a Knight's silvery armor. In the distance, were Bunny ears, cottonly tails hurrying into the blackberries; a tunnel of thorns protecting the soft furriness and keeping bunnies safe. Coyote slunk to the side of the road and  disappeared like a whisp of wood smoke. Did he truly exist? Five deer browsed on the succulent greens of Springtime munching to fill their bellies for the upcoming fawns. Blessings, Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist.

Special Blog Award

Thank you to my dear friend  Sunshine at  http://terragarden..blogspot.com/ for giving me a  Beautiful Blogger  Award.

       I have selected 7 deserving bloggers  to pass on this lovely award.

    samandy007.blogspot.com 

   adventureswithpemberley.blogspot.com

   housepanthers.blogspot.com

   countrywingsinphoenix.blogspot.com     wethreegingercats.blogspot.com,

   catwithagarden.blogspot.com 

   tobersadventures.blogspot.com Each award winner post the Beautiful Blogger Award on your blog, select 7 deserving bloggers and list them on your blog, and share 7 things about yourself.

  7 things about Tankene Ice Mist:   1. I am  descended from Viking cats,  2. Nickname: "Weggie", 3. Double-coated to stay warm during Norwegian winters, 4. Intelligent, playful and very loyal friend, 5. Pure white with a tiny lightening mark on the top of my head - MaaMaa says that is is why I sometimes time travel, 6. Norwegian mythology refers to two Norwegian Forest Cats that pulled Freya's sled; one pure white and one black, 7. Daddy's name is Mainelines  Shalu of Sangha who won Supreme Grand in his show career-- and My Mama's name is Sweeson's Amaryllis of Sangha.

ePurrs, Tankene Ice Mist

New Year's Feather Jump

Happy New Year to all my furfriends. MaaMaa was on a long,Winter's vacation and stayed home and played with me every day. My favorite new game is " Feather Jump" with a Raven feather. ( pix by Daniel Cardiff) Here's how we play. MaaMaa places the feather on the edge of the towel cupboard, just barely seeable from my angle four feet down on the floor. She says "jump" and I jump up and knock the feather down. We must have played this game at least ten times a morning. My special feather is a large, black Raven's feather MaaMaa found while hiking. Did you know that the Raven is one of the smartest of birds? What games did you play over the holidays? Purrs, Tankene