Mom's Lap

James McNeill Whistler, born July 11, 1834, was an American painter based mostly in Europe, in the Modern art, Aestheticism, and Tonalism esthetic styles.

Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1 (1871), popularly known as Whistler's Mother, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, image found online

The iconic image is so renowned, that it is a part of our everyday life now:

"Whistler’s Mother and the Cat" by Sveta Petrova

"Whistler's Goddam Cat" by New Yorker cartoonist Kim Warp, image found online.

"Whistler's Mother" by artist Godfrey Escota, image found online.

Can't decide if she'd rather have had a cat or a baby dragon in her lap.

(Sometimes, a cat IS like a dragon...no?)

Am a fan of Whistler's work, and wish him a Happy Celestial Birthday.

~~~

For Caturday, hope no one minds that I've got a cute pic of Henry...again...that I've artified with Prisma's  Jellyfish filter.

Click on the image above to enjoy a jigsaw puzzle.

Let's Hop!

You've Gotta Be Kitten Me

July 10 is National Kitten Day!

A few items to make you smile on this most impawtant of days!

I'd take 'em all!

😻😻😻😻😻

TGIF, folks!

HB T.Hanks!

 Tom Hanks: actor and activist.

Born July 9, 1956.

Am a fan, and appreciate that he takes on difficult roles.

Haven't seen all of his films, but the ones that I will rewatch again are:

A League of Their Own (1992)
The Road to Perdition (2002)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Sully (2016)

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

I also recommend his collection of typewriter short stories: Uncommon Type, published in 2017.

Right now in theaters in the U.S. and maybe elsewhere, is Toy Story 5, with Tom voicing Sheriff Woody, and comedian Tim Allen (who grew up in Metro Detroit like me*) as Buzz Lightyear.

In honor of Tom Hanks' birthday, here are a few photos and memes for your entertainment:

Chili Bruce wearing a Sheriff Woody hat.

Don't go anywhere with Tom Hanks! 😹

Disclaimer:

 Weird, I know, but I am NOT a fan of the Disney empire, and mention the Toy Story franchise of films, and merchandise only due to Tom Hanks' involvement, and is not intended to sell anything.

Tom Hanks Trivia:

President Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks, is a direct relative.

Tom and Abraham are third cousins, four times removed.

🎩

*Yeah, let's face it, I may technically be an adult, but retirement is allowing me to enjoy life like a young'un again, so 'grown up' isn't a term that I'd use for myself.

😹😹😹

Let's Hop!

Miss Growlypants Gone for 4 Years Now

 We lost our Sweetie on July 8, 2024.

She first appeared in the yard, escorted by feral cat Hobo, in 2009.

We TNR'd her in 2010, and she remained human-shy for years.

When Celestial Paddy O'Malley arrived in 2011, and he became friendly, Sweetie slowly picked up on allowing pets and brushies.

When COVID hit in March, 2020, we trapped Sweetie to bring her inside after over 10 years in our yard.

Amazingly, she took to being a pampered housecat in days; the video of her kicking the catnip toy was filmed soon after she'd come inside.

She still had a pretty good-sized wild streak, but the fourish years we had with her sleeping with her humans, allowing smoochies, and vet visits are happy memories.

Sweetie had developed mammary tumors, and the prognosis was pretty meh whether she had the surgery or not, so we chose to let her just live as comfortably as possible.

Sweetie was a wonderful cat, and we hope that Henry has found the inside life is pretty darn good too, just as she did.

❤️ Purrs to you, Celestial Sweetie! ❤️

Dark Brown

July 7 is World Chocolate Day!

And we were owned by Chocolate, nicknamed Chucky for over 13 years.

As a kitten, and as brand-new cat pawrents, we thought his fur was a deep, dark brown, hence his name.

As he grew, we realized that he was a black cat, with light tabby markings, that one could only see in certain light.

January, 2005

Tabby!

September, 2009

Chuck on the Pink/Blue chair; it didn't have the pink throw blanket yet.

October, 2013

Celestial Chuck had a jabot AND a belly patch of white fur.

We loved our Chuck, and despite his heart and intestinal woes, he left loving and lasting impressions on us.

Eastside Cats will endeavor to always have a gato negro, as Manny and Chili Bruce will attest to, in memory of Chucky Chocolate.

So, celebrate World Chocolate Day with a dark chocolate-colored kitty cat!

❤️ 🐈‍⬛ ❤️ 🐈‍⬛ ❤️

Pucker Up

July 6 is International Kissing Day, or World Kiss Day; an unofficial holiday to simply enjoy the kissing experience!

A few sillies to commemorate the day:

If I can get my lips near a cat, they are gonna get smooched!

I do not, nor will not, apologize.

😽 😽 😽 

Loving Leonard

My dear friend, E. T. in British Columbia, whom I visited last year (and had a blast!), decided that this ginger boy needed to be in her house as soon as possible,

Was Papaya, at CATS: Cat Advocates Teaching and Saving Society. 

Now called Leonard, he was shy for awhile, then began venturing out.

Resident Sweet Pea was fairly sanguine about Leonard, and they get along well.

Equal time share on the sunpuddles!

Leonard was returned to the shelter, and E. T., who has been owned by ginger boys before, knew immediately that he belonged with her and Sweet Pea.

I loved Vancouver Island, and now I must plan a trip get acquainted with Leonard, as Sweet Pea already knows that sleeping in my lap on the lounger is A-OK.

Welcome, Leonard!

❤️❤️❤️

Semiquincentennial

Happy 250th Celebration of Independence Day for The United States of America!

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Chili Bruce rocking the tricorn.

Manny in a George Washington-style wig.

For Caturday, here's Henry artified with Lunapic's Obama Style Poster:

Click on the image to enjoy a jigsaw puzzle.

Let's Hop!

Bite 'em

It's Henry's Former Feral Friday.

Henry's appetite is excellent.

Solid poops too!

Watching birds and squirrels is a favorite pastime.

He's playing with his toys; see below image of his destroyed less-than-a-week-old catnip toy.

Med delivery hasn't been too difficult, even if I want to cry every time for being such a meanie, but he accepts smoochies on his wee little forehead afterward.

❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 

 

Unidentifiable

7/2 is World UFO Day!

July 2, 1947, is the reported date of the undocumented crash of something near Roswell, New Mexico.

I believe...that cats are from outer space, so enjoy a few giggles collected from social media:

Okay, so little green beings really don't have anything to do with Unidentified Flying Objects, or UAPs: unidentified anomalous phenomena, but the goofballs, cartoonists, and meme creators out there like to joke around about it all, and I for one surely thank them for amusing me!

The Truth Is Out There

Let's Hop!

Toad Ya

 Walkin' and Readin' Wednesday!

Eastern Cottontail

Kid's Toy in a sidewalk hole.

New to me ginger kitty!

Haven't seen this grey kitty before either.

Fowler's Toad

Have been out in the neighborhood early in the day, and then later in the evening, and I see new critters often.

***

Recent audiobooks:

American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic

Author: Joseph J. Ellis 

Narrator: John H. Mayer

Published October 30, 2007

Non-fiction work covering 1775 to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, detailing the political and ethical struggles of creating a government unlike any other.  

Who were making decisions: white males, often wealthy ones.

Who was left out: Women, slavery, indigenous peoples.

This book holds up a magnifying glass to the intent behind each person, and whether they stood by their own values as turmoil burgeoned.

Jaga and the Devil Trilogy

Devil's Deal, Book #1 published June 21, 2024

Devil's Doom, Book #2, published March 20, 2025

Devil's Dance, Book #3, published December 21, 2025

Author: Layla Fae

Narrators: Helena Walters and Troy Duran

Synopsis found online: "A completed Slavic-inspired dark fantasy romance trilogy, that follows a fierce mortal woman who defies a possessive devil, leading to a toxic, high-stakes enemies-to-lovers dynamic."

There are trigger warnings, and this series is Adult, with a capital A.

An Artful Dodge

Author:  Karen Odden

Narrator: Anna Burnett

Published June 2, 2026

Goodreads blurb: "Victorian London comes to vivid life in this riveting heist novel about an all-female thieving gang, and one young woman’s heroic plan to escape a life of crime."

Clever, with engaging characters, good mystery, and love the narrator's accents.

📚📚📚

Social Watch

 June 30 is Social Media Day AND Meteor Watch Day.

Where did I get this cool chart?

You've guessed it: from social media!

😹😹😹

Have been a meteor shower watcher since forever.

Have fond memories of laying in the backyard, wrapped in a sleeping bag, looking up!

The Hubby went with me on a few adventures, but he hates mosquitoes...and being cold...and being up late, so I run solo when the heavens put on a show.

😹😹😹

😹😹😹

6/29 to 7/23: Woo Woo

What Is Mercury in Retrograde?

"In astrology, Mercury governs communication, technology, travel, and intellectual processes. When Mercury is in retrograde, it appears to move backward in its orbit when observed from Earth. Of course, it’s not actually reversing; it’s an optical illusion caused by the relative positions of Mercury and Earth in their orbits around the Sun.

Astrologers interpret this phenomenon as a time when Mercury's influence is "reversed," leading to disruptions in the areas it rules: communication, technology, travel, and intellectual processes. Mercury retrograde happens about three to four times a year, lasting approximately three weeks each time."

Learn more here.

And now, for some funnies, with adult language:

Why not blame all the craziness on the planets, right?

😹😹😹

And, to add to the craziness, the Full Strawberry Moon is Monday, June 29, 2026, at 7:57 p.m. EDT.

12:57 a.m. BST (British Summer Time) on June 30, 2026.

Photo taken at Eastside Cats on June 26, 2026.