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?

Son Shine

A cat without catnip is like a day without sunshine. MaaMaa says Easter is the time to see the Son Shine and thank Jesus for the blessing of eternal life. Have a joyous Easter from all of us at Sparklewood. Purrs, Tankene

Uncle Chubbs

Perhaps I haven't mentioned my Uncle Chubbs as much as I should. He's a stocky, Ginger Tabby with a short tail and loves me almost as much as MaaMaa. After the power went off Sunday at 1:30 a.m. Sparklewood got cold. I found MaaMaa and Uncle Chub and we all curled up together with the oink blakey ( pink blanket) and kept ourselves rather toasty. Uncle Chubbs licked my ears and gave me love. Don't you think that is a very fine kind of uncle? Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

Sweet Peas

At twilight of St. Patrick Day's Eve-- the trees hold roosting birds, nesting squirrels and the raccoons climb down the redwoods in search of tidbits, skunks eat at the cat dish. The moon is a bright sliver of light above your head. Pull out your old lamp, slip on your gardening gloves, quietly open the door and go out in the arriving night's air. Plant Sweet Pea seeds in the soft, cool earth. If you truly believe as we do, you will see the flowers enhanced by the power of this Irish Saint, St. Patrick. Long about May you will be the recipient of magic as you gaze at abundant blooms and your senses inhale heavenly perfume.
Aye' the blessings of being a good Christian Cat-Living me young life at a place such as Sparklewood and following the ancient ways of Ole' Wood and Wee Woman ( MaaMaa).
Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is almost here.

Happy Chinese New Year:the year of the rabbit

Remember the rabbit we found in the rain all cold and scared? Trace talked to Rita the owner and asked her how " Baby" was doing since the big escape. Rita said the rabbit is doing great- fat and sassy. So a happy ending to the story of Baby. If you live near Santa Cruz County, Auntie Heather of Rabbit Haven rescues rabbits and has adoption parties. Super loving woman who has devoted her life to saving rabbits. Do you have any rabbit stories to share? Purrs, Tankene

Childhood Magic

Have you a memory from childhood that seems magical even now?I still remember the small trap door at the top of the stairs of Aunt Millie and Uncle Lloyde's house. The door swung open much like a window.All the cousins would line up. One brave soul would peak in, see darkness and monsters and dare the next one in line. We would run down the steep stairs as fast as our chubby, toddler legs would carry us nearly sailing down on our behinds, laughing the laugh of relief that the goblins hadn't decide to gobble us up this time.
I had the opportunity of showing this to my own children and it still looked scary some 30 years later! Such is the stuff of memory.
Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

Date Delight part 2

Hopefully by now you have the date mixture ready. Let it cool and begin making the crust. Get out a Pyrex glass dish , grease it with margarine, and set aside. Measure 2 cups oatmeal,2 cups flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup butter. Mix together. Chop 1/2 cup walnuts and almonds very fine and mix in the batter. Separate 1/2 dough and smoosh into bottom of the glass pan. Pour the Date Delight all over and than add the remaining batter on top. Temperature of 350 for 25 minutes. Check it and make sure it's browned. We sincerely hope you delight in our Date Delight. Purrs, Tankene and Maa Maa

Sneaky Sinatra

  Sneaky Sinatra (and I don't mean Frank) but the princess - Nancy Sinatra has decided that she no longer likes using the litter box. Poor MaaMaa scrubbed Sinatra's cat box, put in fresh litter and rub-a- dubbed the floor that Sinatra used as her new "spot." Help! Tankene

                        I had a bath and am a very clean white Lion.

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

Tankene climbs a Redwood

Did I tell you I pushed open the screen and was climbing up the Redwood after a Raccoon when Papa found me? I almost got to go time traveling. I wonder what the Racoons would have thought about a white cat?

Clowder of Cats

Hey Purrfriends, How many of you have heard of a " Clowder of Cats; Poems and Photographs" by Joan Digby. I just laughed when I heard this title. I have heard of a Murder of Crows but never a Clowder of Cats. Kind of sounds like a chowder of cats - (Cat-friends forgive me!) Purrs, Tankene

Crunchy Squirt

A crazy pix.

Crunchy Squirt, the baby skunk, ate so much food last night that there was nothing left for his brother or sister. I think we should rename this hungry critter. Sparklewood's attractions continue with more Raccoons and a funny scratching sound in the ceiling.Any ideas for a good name for our ravenous skunk? Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

Baby Skunks

The two baby skunks appeared earlier in the evening; hungry as piglets. They were gobbling up the Friskies like it was candy. Her are two pictures that look alot like my Skunk-kits. Purrs, Tankene

Black and White but not red all over

 Sparklewood; Aug. 12, 2010
   Two  teensy, tiny, black and white Skunk- kits, tails as fancy as a peacock's plumage, gulping  Friskies. Squinting through the door crack, I saw one enormous, floofy tail and two black and white Skunk- kits squabbling, their silky heads moving side by side and that big tail arched over their backs. The skunk-kits kept jockeying for position much like siblings do.
MaaMaa said "Tankene there are two Skunk- kits in the cat dish and their tails are bigger than yours."
 Furfriends, Would you take umbrage from her comment?
 I  have been madly chasing my tail ever since. Hmmph, Tankene

MaaMaa's Slumber Party

Hey Furfriends MaaMaa, Mr. Chub, Nancy Sinatra and me had a Slumber party. Do you cats like Slumber Parties as much as we do? Purrs, Tankene

Monday Meows

I was hissing and running from window to window and who jumps up to the screen but our neighbor's big tom cat, Keiko. He seems to think that Sparklewood is his new home. Poor MaaMaa  comes home to three outside cats meowing for food even before she opens the door and is greeted by me, Chub, and Princess Sinatra meowing for food. Papa says she gets more of a welcoming committee than the Queen herself. What happens at your house when you come home? Purrs, Tankene

Furday Fights

Chubby and Tankene rolled and hissed until MaaMaa's carpet was covered with white hair. Who do you think who won? Purrs, Tankene

Bark and Hide Motel has unexpected guest

Guess who?

Hi i Furfriends.

 I just  received an urgent message from the Bark and Hide Hotel that Miz'  Skunk was visiting again. She has little ones tucked away in the nest but must still be  out for some night life. I hear that that doggone Raccoon was staying at Buggy House not far away- so look out tonight you may hear another ruckus at Sparklewood.

 We are  sending in my Ninja to set things right.

 Purrs, Tankene