In Memorium.......

Elvira

2007- 2017

A mommy dog you were

Teaching kids to walk by holding onto your fur.

You raised a batch of puppies with patience and with love

You may now rest, the coos you hear are doves.

May your food bowl always be full

May you run and play and cavort.
Elvira we miss you.

But you will always be in our heart.

Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

In Memorium.......

Fantum

1999-2017

Fantum, what a loving Kitty you were.

Letting all the children pet your silky fur.

Your meow was broken but it was no matter.

You loved all the wee ones, whose feet went pitter patter.

You'd lay in Mommy's flowers till they were squished flat.

Then you'd snuggle Mommy and lay upon her lap.

May your fields be filled with Catnip

Your food bowls overflow with food

May you always have a warm lap

Fantum we miss you.

Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

In Memorium .......

Goliath

2004-2015

An itty bitty kitty you were,
A cute, cuddly bundle of fur.

Then you grew and grew,
And before we knew..

You were big and mean and lacking in charm
But you still loved a snuggle and laying on Daddy's arm!

May your fields be filled with Catnip 
Your food bowls overflow with food.
May you always have a warm lap
Goliath, We miss you.

Purz and Catnip Dreams ....... Gomez

A Healthy Dose of Macabre

The art of William Basso

Life After Death

Found this at Merlin's Magickal Mistress. Had to share.

In Memoriam...

The cold November wind buffeted the truck as the couple drove toward their mountain get-away.  All they had been concerned with since buying the property was where to build the cabin, no thoughts had been given to where they were going to place the cemetery.  That task would have to be accomplished this trip. With extremely heavy hearts.

The woman had fretted over burying him there - at their week-end get-away place - she was afraid he'd be lonely.  He had never been a real chummy Feline but he did like the occasional lap when it was cold.  And winter was coming on. 

But the woman's concerns would soon be laid to rest.  As they turned the corner to drive down their road, there was a Stag standing there looking at them.  And in the split second it took the woman to realize that this was a sign from Cerunnos (the Celtic God of the Woods - the God of Life, Animals, Wealth, and the Underworld), the Stag bounded off into the Woods.

The couple parked at the end of the driveway, fearful the snow and slush might cause problems later.  As they began the walk down the drive, another sign awaited their discovery.  A sign letting the woman know that their much loved Kitty would not be alone. Bobcat tracks could clearly be seen in the snow.  The woman knew for certain then that they had made the right decision.  He would have someone to 'pal around with'.   Someone to keep him company. 

May your days be filled with Sun Puddles, Endless Tuna and Saucers of Milk.

Purz and Catnip Dreams...........

Valentino ~ The Great White Hunter

Above and Beyond

The National Veteran's Art Museum in Chicago has an unusual art exhibit. 

When visitors first enter the museum, they will hear a sound similar to wind chimes. This sound is created by more than 58,000 Dog Tags which have been suspended from fine lines, 1 inch apart, from the ceiling of the two-story atrium.

These Dog Tags represent the men and women who died in the Vietnam War. This 10 ft x 40 ft sculpture was designed by Ned Broderick and Richard Stein.
Click Here!

A Halloween Love Story

Happy Hallowe'en!

Calcified Critters

The photography of Nick Brandt

Click Here to read about Lake Natron that cause calcification !

Deadly Spring Snows

This was the scene we woke up to on May 1, 2013.

Another Spring storm had blanketed the area with snow. That makes at least one storm a week since the first of April. And each storm has given us any where from 6" - 24" of snow. Now I'm not complaining....living in the arid West gives a person a whole new appreciation of any moisture. No matter the form it comes in.

But these Spring storms, though beautiful and usually short lived, can be deadly. A report coming from Grand County in Colorado (a county located in the central mountains west of Denver) recently told of the deaths of an estimated 100-200 birds. The heavy Spring snows covered the birds food sources and the birds starved to death.

And more recently, an avalanche occurred in the Colorado High Country killing five men - the state's deadliest avalanche in more than 50 years. These backcountry snowboarders were all experienced and were equipped with avalanche safety equipment (Avalung breathing device and avalanche airbags). But the avalanche which this group triggered happened so quickly, the group had no time to react. There was one survivor - he wasn't buried as deeply as his companions and his lower left arm was free which enabled him to clear the snow away from his face so that he could breath. He was buried over 4 hrs before help arrived.

image source

In the above picture a cornice of snow is about to fall. Cracks in the snow are visible in area (1). Area (3) fell, leaving area (2) as the new edge.

This recent deadly avalanche was a slab avalanche, which occurs when a thick layer of hard snow breaks loose from a weak, deep layer of snowpack underneath. Most frequently, this will occur when snow has been deposited or redeposited by wind.

These Spring Storms have come not only with snow but with high winds. On a recent trip to the High Country. Hubby & I observed deadly overhangs or cornices on almost every mountain peak - the snow being deposited there by the winds. These overhangs are just waiting for the right trigger to set them on a course down the mountain.

Always be aware when trekking in the mountains. Mother Nature is nothing to be trifled with.

Grandma Goth & Flossy McGrew's

There's a most unique thrift store in Denver. It's called Flossy McGrew's. 
(Remember! Click on a photo to enlarge it!)

And the Proprietress of this wonderful establishment is fondly called Grandma Goth.

Photo courtesy of Westword

When Grandma Goth, aka Suelynn Gustafson, took over the family antique business, she expanded the inventory to include more items that tend towards the Dark and Macabre. Sounds like fun, Huh? 

And Flossy McGrew's is THE PLACE to go if you are in need of a costume!

Here's a short video of the store.

To read more about Suelynn Gustafson and her shop, Flossy McGrew's, Click Here!

Coffins and Other Chill Inducing Images

Some images from past Frozen Dead Guy Events ~ the Coffin Races, Polar Plunge and other "Chilling" Pics!

Source of Images