Happy Thanksgiving

I remember sitting aroound the table at Grandpa's as he prepared our feast. Grandma was a little crazy and didn't cook so we grew up thinking all men could cook like Grandpa. Wrong! My Dad made Tortino's Pizza, Cheese Toast and Hamburgers but ask him to try making Sloppy Joes- no way. Mom on the other hand could cook a perfectly balanced and tasty meal that always included a "nice" salad. To this day, I find myself telling my husband, I made him a " nice" salad. Both daughters are great cooks but the best Italian Gravy maker is Trace. Yum. His Italian family always had turkey, ham, meatballs and lasagne for Thanksgiving. Mama Mia!

Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

That is how cooking went in our family. How about yours?

Trilling Tankene

Our kitchen smelled like heaven -what with the blueberry pancakes and the scrambled eggs and bacon a' frying in the pan. Real Maple syrup drizzled over this wonderous concoction. I'd already indulged in my favorite- Friskies- when what do you know? Papa started singing along with the radio. "Cloudy" by Simon and Garfunkle. I trilled along and kept tune. No I really trilled to this tune. MaaMaa picked me up and gave me a big scrumptious hug that made me purr. This pancake mix was Blueberry Krusteaz from the great northwest and she said it was very yummy.Have you a favorite sing along song?

Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

Hug your Cat Day May 24th

Tankene has to let all you cat people know how important it is to " Hug your Cat" on May 24th. I plan to hug MaaMaa, Popa, Sinatra ( if she'll let me) and Chubs.If you have time hug your other people too. Check out your local cat rescue groups and rescue a friend. 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

Sisters

MaaMaa is blessed to have two terrific sisters; one of her sisters has Brain Cancer and is laying in a three person room, in the middle bed, in pain. Today she told MaaMaa, "Just go" after a three minute visit.
This is a sister with a kind heart and beautiful soul. She is the "good" sister who never got in trouble while MaaMaa was out being a rascal. This sister who dressed just like MaaMaa's twin because they were only 17 months apart.Who has a younger brother, Pat and sister Cindy.Great nieces and nephews. A fine sister who lived across the street for thirty-five years and spent almost every Sat. night at MaaMaa's drinking wine, laughing and gossiping. A sister with two beautiful grownup children, a devoted daughter-in-law and two wonderful little boy grandchildren.Her parents are 84 and 80 and still alive. She also has a Labradoodle named Daisy and many good friends. Now in her 58th year, she is suffering so much she is pushing away the ones who love her.
Oh dear, what can I do? says MaaMaa. When someone you love is so ill what do you do?
MaaMaa comes home, pours a glass of wine and sits on her chair. I come over and say," MaaMaa-" and she picks me up and hugs me. She tells Papa, " I think my sister has had enough suffering" Papa has his own troubles but understands and says let us pray.
" Please Dear Lord, end her suffering and have all her angels surround her with love. Be in the arms of Jesus. His love will envelop her like a warm blanket and all her pain will be gone. Please pray a little extra tonight and think of my sweet sister, Kit. 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?

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..

MaaMaa's Dream Vacation

Hi Furfriends, have you ever wished to travel to an exotic country but lacked the resources? Last weekend MaaMaa & Popa imagined themseves in Italy for their 30th wedding anniversary. There were maps of Italy, Italian food, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra for music  and lots of candles.They called it their "'evening in the Piazza Ala Cinzano " Where would you go on an imaginary vacation? Purrs, Tankene Ice Mist

Oct. 13 storm

I can't say I have ever heard a storm come roaring in so loud. There were the strangest whining winds, gusty and fierce. Rain pounded on the roof. Cracking branches falling to the earth. I felt quite concerned all day until MaaMaa finally came home from work. Our power was off and Papa made a wonderfully warm fire to keep us all content. There was over 11 inches of rain in 12 hours here in the mountains. My furfriends, Mr. Chub and Princess Nancy Sinatra seemed quite unfazed by the early Autumn storm.They slept through most of the excitement waking only when MaaMaa burst through the door, splashing all of us with raindrops flying off her coat every which way.. Papa took me out to feel the raindrops on my face and I jumped out of his arms and fell back into the warmth of our Sparklewood home. Purrs, Tankene

Sunday Tricks

Whiteness means getting wet in a bath at least once a month. Sunday was the big day. Here's how they tricked me into the bath. First Papa took a warm bath and MaaMaa and I came in for what we call a cat chat.I said hello to my Papa and he said, "Hello Tankene " very kindly. Papa lifted me into the tub and held me firmly while MaaMaa squished the soap (organic of course) all over my fur, stirring up a frothy mess. Buckets of warm water cascaded down my body as they tried to get rid of all that soap. My paws and lynx tips are pure white and you can see my pink pads and pink ears. Now I am a glistening,sparkly snow lion ready to play with my furfriends, Mr. Chub and the Princess, Nancy Sinatra. First, I must chase my tail for awhile! Purrs, Tankene

Our Weekend

I hate to say it but the boy, Blake, is getting better. Used to-- he'd come over for a visit and I'd hide under the bed. He'd chase me and go " Ahhh"-- laughing as I escaped his advances. Now he's five and he gathered all my peacock feathers and teased me into jumping up high. Oh the lad is something. MaaMaa played with him all day and forgot that I am the number one kitten around here. After Blake left, Maamaa and Papa told me that I was such a "Good Boy " and gave me lots of treats. Purrs, Tankene

Tails of Tankene

Tankene Ice Mist is my name and playing is my game. Born to "Shalu" and "Aimee" on June 24th, 2008. My first name was Vishnu: a powerful Hindu God. I was loved and cuddled as a baby and had lots of furfriends.My life so far is full of fanciful imaginings and tales of wonder.
Let me tell you a bit about me. I weigh 13 lbs., have the softest, snowy white coat, sparkling gold eyes,pink,lynx tip ears, and handsome white britches.I have been told I have the soul of an angel by MaaMaa. Everyone comments on my fluffy white tail. The Tails of Tankene are my personal musings about my life as a Norwegian Forest Cat.I was destined for a career in show business but my MaaMaa found my picture and decided I must live with her and Papa so I decided I will write about my adventures living at Sparklewood instead.
I arrived on Oct. 17th after a long ride with my first Mom, Melissa. I sat on her lap quietly purring most of the way. I was a purrbaby, only 4 months old. MaaMaa was so excited when we pulled into the driveway and after saying "hello" I almost jumped right into Maamas's arms. I felt like I knew her instantly. Mr. Chub, the ginger cat, was at the door to greet me but the Princess Sinatra refused to even say "meow". She was wearing a handsome tuxedo coat but just hissed and haughtily ran off to other corners of Sparklewood.

Yes, Sparklewood is the name of my home and there's a certain twinkling magic when you live in an old mountain cabin underneath the ancient redwoods. There are spiders to hunt, raccoons, squirrels, bluejays,hawks, a skunk and two outside cats, Diamond and Black Jack, aka "The Gamblers" to watch. Let's just say my life is joyful at Sparklewood.

So here's my first cat tail. I did a little time traveling before I moved to Sparklewood. One morning, I was gazing at the sea and sunning myself. The other kittens were somewhere else so I imagined myself out side. I always wanted to know what lay beyond the great window and see the world. I am not saying how but the next thing I knew I was some miles away, prancing up an unfamiliar street, alone. Funny but I wasn't scared at all.In the distance was a friendly looking human saying, " Here, kitty kitty," and because I was famished, I jumped at the opportunity to get some free food. Meanwhile, my first Mom and Dad were frantically calling for me, searching the house and neighboring gardens. They even put up posters with my picture all over town. After all, I was a show kitten worth lots of money and quite valuable. I settled down for the night with the friendly human, curling up on the bedspread and sleeping quite soundly. The next day there were signs for a missing kitten everywhere and the human saw one. My first family was called and the humans wondered how I traveled over two furiously congested, LA freeways without a scratch. Nobody could figure out how I ended up in a strange neighborhood many miles away from my home. I think it was my incredible imagination that allowed me to travel through time and space without moving a paw.What do you think ? Purrs, Tankene