Showing posts with label Black Cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black Cats. Show all posts

Friday, April 27, 2012

Working On ~~~

Sorry to be so late. I had an issue with a barn cat today. His name is Scaredy and for good reason ~ he's an absolute TWAWT!

So named because he's a barn cat that refuses to let anyone near him, although he is one to come round my patio door, begging. As you know my door(s) are open to all comers, within reason. Well, the usual barn cats came in this morning and as I quickly found out so did Scaredy. He came in (for the first time ever and probably the last) without me knowing it. It poured buckets of rain half the day so I closed the glass patio door. Lord God! All hell broke loose when Scaredy realized he couldn't get out!!!

He must have slammed into the patio door four times and the front window at least twice while running ramshackle through the house. Stupid cat smashed his nose up pretty good in the process. That other black cat did the same but Merrill was able to check him out and he wasn't hurt to the point where he would not recover; I'm sure the same will be said of Scaredy. Anyway, he managed to crawl under the fridge and I had to drag that out and get him free... Then he got himself trapped behind the big brown chair next to the patio door so I could finally shoo him outside. Haven't seen him since! Still have two greys and the black one in though, barn cats all and all as scared, at first as he is. They quickly learned the benefits. 

Today is our 10th Anniversary ~~~

Dumb cat!

Catspaw

Monday, February 13, 2012

Capricious Antiquated Knowledge....


Ant Head
You friendly neighborhood Ant
http://www.spectrumpestmanagement.com/ants.html
Ants - They are thought to indicate when lousy weather is on the way because they become very distraught. So the obvious question here being, how can you tell when ants are upset? And the notion that stepping on ants, whether one or many is unclear, will bring down the rain; are we talking Noah's Flood or just a spring shower? So many of these old wives tales are ill-defined. Apparently when ants construct a nest near the door of your humble abode its an unmistakable sign of financial safety for your future. A good thing when you have to start repairs to the foundation and get the ants out of your house. 
 
Night feeding bats
Bat swarming for a night of feeding (on bugs)
Bats – These flying, searching stomachs indicate a long life and felicity, considered a good omen in China and Poland. Quote: 'If a bat lands on your head, you should hope (What??) the Cricket sees rain coming because (OK, lets try this again) the bat won't get off until it hears thunder'. End Quote (?????) It was worth the laugh anyway.

Bees
Busy Bee Hive
Bees - If a bee buzzes its way into your home it's a sure sign that a visitor is soon to be at your door. Ya, the Bee! If a bee shoots into any house its either a sign of great good luck or it foreshadows the approach of a unfamiliar person and the luck will remain in the home only if the bee is given free rein to stay for as long as it decides or navigates out by its own choice. Anybody allergic to bees out there?

Seagull in flight
Seagull in flight
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/

Birds - Ireland... a superstition exists that states if a bird poops on your car, you guessed it, its good luck. Unless of course you have to pay to clean it off or scrub it yourself. A bird with excellent aerial skills and better aim 'drops' its load on your head, again its considered good luck. How is this good luck again?? I should have told that to the lady who was interviewing me for a position at a veterans shelter years ago. That seagull was dead on! 

Ok so you knew this was coming... 

Monster brown cat
He or She may not be black but its sure scary!  Enlarged for full appreciation.
Cat - Norse legends are rich sources of stories about the gods of old that were created by primitive peoples, this one tells of the chariot of Freya the witch - note that in other tails she is a goddess -  
Freya with cat chariot
Freya: Shapeshifter, Mistress of Cats, Queen of Valkyries
well this ancient conveyance was pulled by two black cats that could shape-shift into black horses, how convenient is that! They were extremely fleet of paw and for certain demoniacal. 
Freya as Witch
Freya as a witch
So after serving Freya for seven long years the cats were rewarded with becoming witches but were still disguised as black cats. After seven years of service you'd think Freya could do better. 
This may have been what led to the medieval belief that black cats were always to be considered the familiars of witches and after seven years (still as cats for 14 years?) became witches themselves. Confusing, are they referring to the said witch or the cat who is the witch? Its very commonly believed if a black cat should cross your path that its bad luck, well it may be worse than you think for Satan is taking notice of you. 

 
Bast, Egypt
Bast
Now a few ancient beliefs from Egypt, tails tell that cats were divine to the goddess, Isis. Bast or Pasht was the female offspring of the goddess and as such she was portrayed with the aspect of a cat. Head or facial features of a cat with the body of a human. High born Egyptian or low, accidental or intentional (highly unlikely), those who ended the life of a cat faced their own demise and likely not a pleasant one. 
Egyptian Mau Kittens
Egyptian Mau Kittens

Archaeologists have found extensive cat cemeteries in Egypt where shipments of centuries old embalmed cats were taken back to England and put on exhibit in museums. 

Muffified Cat head
Mummified Cat

Cat Mummies
Egyptian Cat Mummies










The natives of this land also regarded it as a given that black cats who crossed one's path conveyed good luck.
In East Anglia, England, people would continue the practice of mummifying cats and placing them inside the walls of their homes as a means to deter evil spirits.

Tux Cat with glowing eyes
Mostly Black Kitty - love those eyes
Its also thought that if a black cat heads towards you it will bring you good fortune; given its nature, if it turns and walks or runs away, it takes with it all good luck leaving you with no luck.

Cats have always been welcomed aboard ships as good luck. They are viewed as unfailing weather prognosticators; should a cat sneeze rain is coming; as a kitty sits with back to the fire, this is indicative of a storm. Question, what if you don't have a fireplace? 
That must be why I watch the weather network. 
grey cat stretching
Sunshine is commmming!!!!
Honing his or her claws on furniture means a alteration in the atmospheric conditions, commonly for the better. I don' know, with 4 cats that may explain my shredded furniture but not always the lack of sunshine!

You be the judge.


Catspaw