Our cat’s surprising reaction to a book about cats!

We found this book in a Little Free Library, and were surprised by Starfire’s reaction when she encountered it. We guessed that at some point in its past, the book had been exposed to catnip.

Happy birthday, Starfire!

Our beautiful Starfire is 11 years old! She was born April 6, 2009. We’ve always considered her such a wonderful blessing, so vital to our morale — and so much more so during the time that we’ve had to shelter in place because of COVID-19. Whether “cat-bombing” my video recordings for “virtual” library story-time, or just simply stretching out on an available lap: Starfire brings so much joy and delight into an uncertain time.

Sewing helper Starfire

Starfire has been “helping” me sew.

Knitted fingerless gloves, in green

Fingerless gloves are great for those (many) occasions when I want to keep my hands and wrists warm, but need to preserve full dexterity. For these hand/wrist warmers (“modeled” by my sweet cat Starfire), I made use of a project in Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2004). I sized them for myself, but used the basic ribbed-knit of the men's version of Hoverson’s pattern. The yarn is dark green acrylic, worsted weight. The gloves are knitted on size 3 Knitter’s Pride Dreamz Symphonie Wood double-pointed needles.

Walking Starfire at Woodland library

As a paralibrarian, I appreciate the uniqueness of a historic Carnegie library, still used for that purpose today -- even if the circumstance behind our visit to Woodland Public Library was to remove ourselves from proximity to fires in Sonoma, Napa and Lake counties.

With Starfire on her harness, the two of us explored the Woodland library exterior before continuing our journey with Jonathan. This writing finds us safely installed at a hotel in Sacramento.

Here’s a description of the Woodland library from its Facebook page:

“Woodland Public Library is the oldest working Carnegie library in California. Built in 1905, the Mission Revival building continues to be an ideal place to pursue interests, learn, attend programs, and socialize, as well as borrow reading, viewing, and listening materials.”

Starfire’s carrier, her special safe space

What a valiant little traveler our sweet cat Starfire has been during recent events. Jonathan and I, with Starfire, had to quickly evacuate during an initial outbreak of fire on Sunday evening, Oct. 8. After that, we moved around while we looked for a safe place to settle — and while being put in a carrier is not Starfire’s favorite thing, she came to accept it as her special safe place during on-the-road uncertainties.

Starfire has shared our home for six years

Six years ago, our precious cat Starfire joined our household. Every day since then, she has been a perpetual delight.

Jonathan brought Starfire home on July 15, 2011. Here she is, peering out from beneath a dresser during her first night at home with us.

Starfire’s name evokes her color, which is nearly all black. She has white “stars” on her chest and belly. On her right hind foot, Starfire has a broken or deformed toe and she limps on hard ground or during cold weather. Her personality is full of zeal for exploration and play.

Starfire joined us shortly after the death of our 13-year-old cat Elizabeth. Starfire had been fending for herself after her former caregiver suffered a severe stroke.

Her arrival in our home was a case of us needing her as badly as she needed us. The place felt lonely without the presence of a cat and Starfire was in need of a caregiver.

Once over the stress of an unfamiliar environment, Starfire brought so much life and energy to our home; she continues to bless us daily.

Planter slipcovers from fabric

Black-cloth planters provide utilitarian and practical housing for a small garden of peppers and kale, but aesthetically, they’re rather “industrial.” Fortunately, we found brightly-patterned canvas fabric at Sew Creative in downtown Ashland, Oregon. At the beginning of June, I used this wonderfully colorful fabric to fashion planter slipcovers.

Starfire on my bodyCushion™

I recently brought home a bodyCushion™, an orthpedic positioning pad, from Body Support Systems where I work part-time. Tonight it came as no surprise to find Starfire on my bodyCushion™. (To tell the truth, as the towel placement attests, I expected this development.) Starfire is a connoisseur of soft places to sleep, and the contoured orthopedic pad — while designed to support the human body and help human muscles to relax — also seemed perfectly molded to luxuriously cradle my cat.

Self-striping ‘Fair Isle’ socks

For my latest socks, I cast 56 stitches of Zwerger Garn Opal “Flower Power” onto my size 1 Knitter’s Pride Dreamz Symphonie Wood double-pointed needles. I love the yarn’s bright variety, the yellows, greens and reds, especially the Fair-Isle mimicry. I left my knitting on the bed, and a short while later found Starfire next to it, almost as if posing for a photograph. I was only too happy to oblige.

Cross-posted to Ravelry

Starfire ‘helps’ assemble sewing pattern

Of course, Starfire was going to sit on print-outs of my Etsy sewing pattern download. On this Caturday morning, my sweet sewing helper is essential to pattern assembly.

Read Across America Day: Time to bring out my hat

Sewing helper Starfire and friend

Time once again to bring out my “Cat in the Hat” hat for Read Across America Day, which is being observed on Monday, March 2 to commemorate the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss. I made this hat out of felt, and the appliqued cat is from a repurposed potholder. The lovely model is Miss Starfire.

The “Dr. Seuss Wall” (actually a length of paper from a newspaper end-roll) is up again in Bellview library too, and I’m hoping that staff, students, parents and visitors will share their favorite Dr. Seuss quotes.

Crocheted cat ears hat with fabric liner and ties

I spent “Caturday” adding a fabric liner and ties to my fabulous cat ears hat, originally crocheted from Kelley Freeman’s pattern on RamenNeedles.com.

And as there often is with my favorite projects, there’s a story attached.

Knitting socks with Dreamz Symphonie Wood

Until this Christmas, my sock-knitting pursuits involved “Boye” Size 3 double-pointed knitting needles that I found packaged in a tube with an original printed price of 45 cents. This morning I worked the socks onto my Christmas gift from Jonathan, Knitter’s Pride Dreamz Symphonie Wood needles.

‘Cat Champions’ by Rob Laidlaw

My beautiful cat Starfire examines
Rob Laidlaw’s book Cat Champions

My assignment this week for my online children’s literature class was to examine an informational picturebook against evaluation criteria in The Joy of Children’s Literature by Denise Johnson.
For the assignment, I couldn’t resist returning to a recent favorite.

Cat Champions, Caring For Our Feline Friends by Rob Laidlaw (2013) addresses issues related to the care of abandoned or feral cats. It places special emphasis upon young “cat champions” who care for these cats.

‘Kitten’s First Full Moon’ by Kevin Henkes

My cat Starfire with Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

For my course in children’s literature this week, we were to read and respond to a Caldecott Medal winner or Honor Book. The award is given annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

My selection was the 2005 medal winner, Kitten’s First Full Moon, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollinsPublishers). And a photo of Starfire wasn’t specifically part of the assignment, but I couldn’t resist propping the book in front of her and including her in a photo of the book that I was required to post with my response for the class.

Friday cat blogging: Starfire and new hat

Starfire loves being my sewing helper, even when her “help” takes the form of a nap. Here she is with my newest hat creation, cut from a repurposed skirt.

Black Cat Appreciation Day for Starfire

Aug. 17 marks the annual arrival of Black Cat Appreciation Day. And truly, my sweet Starfire is deserving of celebration on this and every day.

Hand-knit socks: First pair complete

The only thing more incredible than my first knitted sock is my first pair of knitted socks, which join several existing pairs that were hand-made with crochet. Here’s my knitting helper Starfire with my knitted and crocheted socks. Another sock is now underway on the double-pointed knitting needles.

Cross-posted to Ravelry

‘Cat in the Hat’ hat has cat on it

Sewing helper Starfire and friend

Now, more than ever, the world needs this hat.