4/11/19

A Birthday and a Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.

Since Tuesday was such a productive day, I figured I'd celebrate Wednesday with a day of sloth. Still, I managed to get through the grocery store without killing anyone, so that's something. Resisting the urge to kill is exhausting, however...just ask Smitty...and so I ended up taking a nap for most of the afternoon. The only sewing I did yesterday was to stitch up the last of the Dancing Chickens and Flying Pigs block.


There was just a little more to do from there, and so I finished off the center portion of the block. All that remains is to finish the running stitch around the outside. That should be an easy finish for this morning's slow stitching.


But you don't want to hear about that, do you? You're only here to help celebrate Smitty's birthday today! He's 7 years old. And just look at this little squirt.


Who would have thought that seven years later, he'd be the handsome hunka mancat that he is today.


And what better way to celebrate National Pet Day? So here's the scoop on the giveaway. Missouri Star Quilt Company has put together a Cat Eyes layer cake of 42 cat fabrics from Timeless Treasures.
 If you're the lucky winner, you can win all these kitty fabrics for your very own. Here's just a small sampling:


So what do you have to do? Well, listen up, because I'm just about to tell you.

1. Leave a comment...any comment will do. But if you need an idea, then just tell me about a pet you've known and loved. Yours or someone else's...we're not picky.

2. If you're a follower, you can gain a second chance to win by leaving a second comment telling me how you follow.

3. Make sure I have a way to contact you. If you're a no-reply blogger, you'll need to leave an email address. Avoid spammers by leaving it in this format: myemailaddress at myserver dot com. Get it? Tricky, huh?

This giveaway will be open for one week from today. I'll close off comments after midnight on April 17th and announce the big winner sometime during the day on Thursday, April 18th. All residents of Planet Earth are welcome to the party, so all you international folks can join in!

Good luck!

163 comments:

Lee said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! Both my Flame & Raven also turned seven this year/end of last year. Yeppers, those urges to kill can be real ... I went to Walmart yesterday, 'nuf said!...except that I did open my mouth to the lady in the parking lot letting her know the cart return was just 20 feet away - not in the tree 'island' next to my car! I said it nicely :)

Teri Russell said...

Happy Birthday Smitty and many, many more.

Debbie said...

Extra strokes and snuggles for your Birthday, Smitty.

QuiltShopGal said...

Happy Birthday Smitty. What a fun way to celebrate. Beautiful cat fabric collection will certainly make a beautiful quilt. My favorite pet memory: Sweet Cindy, our second pet child (after marriage) was adopted from a shelter as an adult. When I asked why someone would drop off such a lovely well mannered cat at the shelter, they pulled the card and told me she was dropped off "because she stole jewelry". As we don't really have much jewelry and nothing of value, plus we thought it was a silly joke, we adopted her. But every evening she would find a piece of jewelry and most likely bring it to us with a soft mew, mew, mew to let us know. Of course sometimes jewelry just disappeared for a few weeks, until it would be found under something. She is now in kitty heaven and missed dearly.

Cathy said...

Happy Birthday, bro! From your furrends Darla and Alfalfa in Utah (and our mom, too).

Linda M @ Pieceful Kingdom said...

Happy birthday Smitty! We just lost our last of four pets a few weeks ago, so we are petless for the first time in our 30 years of marriage. A new four-legged family member won't be in the cards until some time this summer. It's mighty quiet around here without pets!

Sher S. said...

Happy Birthday Smitty!!! Have purrrrfic day!!! Love when your Mom posts about you. I've been cat grandma for 6 kitties and a dog grandma for 3 dogs.

Cathy said...

Hi Barb! I follow via Feedly. Too many wonderful cat memories to list; I’ve been owned by so many sweet felines over my lifetime. But I know that Boomer is waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge. When he was alive (1995-2013), I used to accidentally (but way too often) call my older son Boomer and call Boomer “Ryan”. As you can imagine, that went over with Ryan like a pregnant pole vaulter...

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

Oh Happy Happy Birthday, Smitty--and yes you have to share a birthday treat or two with Saddie!!! the cat I loved the best of all my cats down through the years was a jet black cat--Bear--as a kitten he would stand on his hind legs and come at you with his front paws up in the air--just like a bear--and he loved people food meat--and even though I always cooked extra for him and put some in his dish--he wouldn't eat it until he had helped me eat what was on my plate--then he would go to his dish and eat what I put in his--still miss that cat!!!!
Luv, di

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

I have been following you for a while now--hopefully I added my name to your followers boxes on the left hand side of your posts--
luv, di

Kim said...

Happy Birthday Smitty!! I have been following by live bookmarks on Mozilla until recently when live bookmarks were dropped in an update - Now this blog is checked on a near daily basis. At the ripe age of 55 I was conned by my daughter (a high school senior) to allow her to accept a gift of a kitten. Now, 4 years later, this cat is MY CAT and my daughter will have a fight on her hands if she tries to take her away. Cats are remarkable and fun pets.
Kim
tnjmom1 @ gmail dot com

Annette Mandel said...

Happy birthday, Handsome. I faithfully check your blog each morning. My Grand Poohbah is a rescue kitty. He had a tough life on the streets. Now he is a liver, not a fighter.

Danette said...

Smitty really is a "pawsome" mancat! Happy Birthday to him! I am following on bloglovin, thank you, peterstankovich at comcast.net

Danette said...

My cat, Zippy, has been gone since 2011 but I loved her dearly. I now have "Lucky" the cat and I love her to pieces, too. Thank you!

Julierose said...

Happy Birthday to smitty--I still miss my Schumee cat...She used to sit on me while I did any kind of hand work--when i knitted she'd watch the needles flying fascinated and only tentatively put a paw on them as if to say, "enough already, you're making me dizzy!!" LOL hugs, Julierose

Julierose said...

I follow you on bloglovin' and have for a while now--I really like your Pigs Flying block--so funny...thanks for the chances hugs, Julierose

Pam said...

Happy Birthday, Smitty! Greetings from my Sydney and Lovey.
Thanks for the giveaway. I Love cat fabric.
Pam

pjsghecko@aol.com

Pam said...

I follow Smitty and Sadie on Facebook, BlogSpot, and email.

Pam Schwarze
pjsghecko@aol.com

Shonnie said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! My sister Lily and I are calicos - I'm the traditional white, orange and black, while she is muted, with cream, tan and gray. Our purrsonalities match our colouring too, with me being much more outgoing than her demure self. We both agree that you're handsome though - the cat's meow! Enjoy a nice mousie to celebrate! Tubbi

Frog Quilter said...

Happy Birthday and man more.

Shonnie said...

Tubbi, Lily and I follow Smitty and Sadie's antics (and yours too, of course) on Feedly, through Googlr Chrome.

Linda Schiffer said...

We have long had cats as pets in our family. I think we've had nine so far, if I haven't forgotten anyone. :)

Yes, I am a follower, via RSS and Leaf.

:) Linda

Lisa Boyer said...

Happy Bird Day, Smitty! We own two wonderful gigantic cats right now, Mike and Monster. I had no idea that they were part Maine Coon when I brought them home from the shelter, and it's been a craaazy three years while these giant whirlwinds slowly emerge from kittenhood. Oh! The food they go through! And oh! The constant trilling, meowing and chattering! And when they get around water, you can expect the entire house to be slippy and slidey. I won't even talk about the litterbox contributions...(think DOG, not cat). But we adore them. I follow you on Feedly and enjoy hearing about your road adventures and seeing your beautiful photography.

Quilting Babcia said...

Happy, happy Burrthday dear Smitty! May your treat and nip bowls be full all day long! So many kitties over the years, but I especially remember my daughter's first cat, named Babe, who was already an adult when we got her when my daughter was still a toddler. She was a great watch-cat, following her little charge everywhere she went, and was always right by her side when she didn't feel well. Babe lived at least another 17 years with us before passing on.

barbara woods bewtjw@gmail.com said...

We have to dogs who are getting old

barbara woods bewtjw@gmail.com said...

follow for a long time

Joyce Carter said...

Happy Birthday Smitty You are such a handsome fellow with gorgeous eyes. We have had several pets during our marriage and the last one we had was A German Shepard that was trained by a policeman as a guard dog. He wasn't able to keep him any longer so he gave "Big Red" to us. He didn't like anyone, but he was very protective of us. When my grandson was born, my husband was afraid that the dog would hurt him because he was so big. But "Big Red" was very gentle with him. My grandson would lay with him, climb on his back and sometimes pull his hair, but the dog just laid there like he was bored with the whole thing. It was a funny site to watch them play. I really miss that dog.
Thank you for your very generous giveaway.

Joyce Carter said...

I follow you with Bloglovin.

Chris K. said...

My own handsome hunka mancat, who is 19, wishes Smitty a happy birthday and many more.

Chris K. said...

I follow you with Feedly.

Jean said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! You're a lucky boy to have Barbara for your mom.
I'm about to start my Folk Art Cats and think that these would be great for that quilt.

Jean Lickun
jlickun@aol.com

Paula said...

I enjoy reading about your adventures, and the cats add to the fun. Thanks for the opportunity to win some fun fabric.

Kathy L said...

What a cat..wish I could introduce him to my cat, Miss Kitty. Wonderful fabric, Miss Kitty would love it if I could win. Happy birthday Smitty!!!!

Kathy L said...

I follow you by Bloglovin.

DeeDee said...

Happy birthday Smitty! We are also owned by cats. We have Doodlebug, Olive, and Henry. Before that it was Murgatroid, Boo, and Molly. I've had pets my whole life and can't imagine life without them.

Connie H said...

My family and I dearly love our cats : Watson, Tickety Boo, and Rusty. They're so entertaining and terrific vermin controllers!

Every morning, I look forward to reading your blog and FB. I got quite a kick out of your Redding CA photo you snapped of Shasta Bally Mtn. As I type this, I see it out my window.


You have the most amazing cat fabric collection that I've ever seen. If I am lucky enough to be the prize recipient, I'll definitely share it with my daughter and granddaughter who are fellow quilters.


Hugs to all and two for the birthday boy!


Connie Howard hamwife66@gmail.com

Barbara said...

Happy Birthday to Smitty. Even though I have a significant cat fabric stash I can't pass up the chance to win more. Years ago my brother had two cats he named Margaret and Cile after our mother and her sister.

DeeDee said...

I've followed you for a few years now on Feedly. I absolutely loved touring the country with you last year. It was so much fun! Living vicariously through you going into all those quilt shops was the best.

Mary said...

A very Happy Birthday, Smitty, you handsome guy!!
My Gizzie was the love of my life: I rescued her from a family of woofies when she was 10-ll years old and they didn't want her any more(some people !). I had her for 12 1/2 years, she was so nervous when I first got her she wouldn't come out of the bathroom for almost a month. She didn't like to sit on my lap,at first but would lay across the back of the couch and put her paw on my shoulder. Sleeping had to be on her own pillow on the bed so she could pat me to let me know that it was time to get up and give her breakfast. She was always at the door to greet me when I came home and loudly let me know that maybe supper would be good at this time. She has been gone now for 4 years and I miss her as much now as the day she passed. Enjoy your kitties, they are precious.

Mary said...

I look every morning for your post on blogspot and enjoy you on Facebook. All the best to you, I fove that you take your fur babies with you travelling.

Kathy E. said...

I’ve always had dogs, but I have many friends who adore their feline friends! My current furry friend is Sophie who has a large place in my heart. She’s a rescue Morris and was just meant to be mine!

Kathy E. said...

I am a Bloglovin follower of yours! Duchick at gmail dot com

Siggy Bee said...

Happy Birthday Smitty from my cute seal point Siamese, Sweetpea!

Unknown said...

Hi Barb! Happy Birthday to Smitty, he is a beauty. My current buddy is Boogie. He literally broke into my house one night while we were playing cards. He tried to sneak in like nobody would know the difference between 3 cats and 4. That was 8 years ago and he is the koolest kat I ever had. Have a great day, enjoy the spring!

Unknown said...

Hi Barb! I follow you on Blogspot. Happy Birthday to Smitty, he is a beauty. My current buddy is Boogie. He literally broke into my house one night while we were playing cards. He tried to sneak in like nobody would know the difference between 3 cats and 4. That was 8 years ago and he is the koolest kat I ever had. Have a great day, enjoy the spring!

Shirley said...

Happy Birthday Smitty!!! Such a cute kitten with big ears. Thanks for the opportunity to enter the giveaway. I follow you on Facebook. (shirparks@gmail.com)

Lee said...

Happy birthday Smitty! I love seeing others cat pics as I am allergic. I do get to have dogs though! I have one rescue doxie right now she is so sweet!
Love the kitty fabrics and i have a quilt planned for my cat loving niece! have a great week!

Lee said...

I follow your blog w/ blog lovn!

Kristin said...

My favorite pet was my kitty Sprite. She was abandoned at the farm and our parents let us keep her! My older sister and I were trying to name her, and that old Sprite commercial came on ("I like the Sprite in you!") And my sister said "We should call her Sprite." And so she was named Sprite. Years later my sister said she was kidding about naming her Sprite. Too late!
Also, we decided that Pepsi would be a good name for a dog...

Kristin said...

I follow you on Instagram.

NancyA said...

🎵Happy birthday, dear Smitty, Happy Birthday to you🎵🐿(I was going to add a cake icon here, but figured you would rather have a squirrel!). Hope you have been enjoying your day.

Baarbara,I follow you on fb, also. Thanks for the fun quilt and feline info you provide.

NancyA said...

Oops, second comment.....I follow on fb.

Quilting gram211 said...

Happy Birthday to Smitty. He definitely is a hunk of handsome man cat. Love it when he writes the blogs. My favorite cat was my daughters. His name was Teddy. My daughter adopted him from our local shelter. He was a tan cat and tested positive for feline leukemia. He wasn’t expected to live for long. He was such a sweetheart and loved everyone, but especially my daughter. She took very good care of him and he lived a good life for 14 years. elaine530atcenturylinkdotnet.

Quilting gram211 said...

I follow you on Bloglovin. Been with you for quite some time. I love your blog and am awe of all you do. You must be someone with a high energy level. I really admire all your embroidery.
elaine530atcenturylinkdotnet

Ann said...

Happy Birthday Smitty. I hope you have many more. My kitties will be 14 years old next month. Merlin is the boy and Taffy Morgana is the girl. They are litter mates and devoted to one another and to me. Barbara, I loved the quilting you did on the rainbow quilt. It turned out very nice and I was so impressed you got it done so quickly.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

How wonderful Smitty has a special day to celebrate his birthday. Wow - 7 years already? Seems he was just a kitten not long ago. My furkids got to celbrate with their annual Vet visit. Bellas' still mad at me, but Moe (not the sharpest pencil) forgot the whole thing as soon as he was out of the car.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I follow via e-mail, feedly, and blogger - wouldn't want to miss a post I guess - LOL!! Great bundle of fabric as well! Lots of skritches for Smitty

Janarama said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! I sure hope you were spoiled rotten today ... well more than you usually are.

Janarama said...

I follow via Blogger, GFC, Fabulous Friends or whatever it's called today.

Lisa England said...

My son's fiancee has a Shih-Poo. He is a cute and friendly little dog, but he is contrary (my son's description). The dog knows what you want him to do, but he just isn't going to do it. I think it's what my son likes best about him! When we visited them recently, I did find it rather amusing.

Lisa England said...

I follow your blog on my blogger dashboard/GFC.

crazy quilter said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! I hope you got extra catnip today!

crazy quilter said...

I follow thru email but actually I. Is it your blog daily to see what you are stitchin up and check on the kitty schnanigins.

GranChris said...

We always have a lot of cats and dogs in this house. So hard when they get older and you lose them. Right now the special one is my son's Cardigan Corgi named Moe. Great dog, personality plus. Jmikebalou (at) aol (dot) com

GranChris said...

I follow on Bloglovin

heartsease54 said...

Happy Birthday Handsome boy! We just lost our Mama kitty last month. Took her to the vet and discovered that her kidneys were full of tumors, so we stayed with her while they helped her cross to the other side. She was a very pretty kitty and looked a lot like Smitty. We still have her son, Mocha, who is mostly Siamese. Mama kitty had been a dumped cat who showed up down our country road and was very friendly. So we fed her - and discovered she was going to have babies. We found homes for all except Mocha and everyone got fixed, we had her for close to 11 years. And we miss her a lot.

Sarah said...

The squirt was sooo cute. Great pic! Happy Birthday you beautiful mancat! Love that layer cake - I hadn’t seen it yet on MSQC. As you know, Zorro is the love of my life. =^..^=

Sarah said...

I follow you on fb and Bloglovin.

cnsews1 said...

Your blog makes my morning. My Ping and Mushu do not have the adventures that Smitty and Sadie do and my sewing machine doesn't have the miles yours does.

cnsews1 said...

I follow via Bloglovin'

Sue said...

What a handsome boy he is! I have a handsome boy as well- his name is Fuzzybutt and he is a Maine Coon- he's one of the sweetest kitties I have ever owned. Happy birthday, Smitty!
sstringfellow at frontier dot com

Bonnie58 said...

Happy Birthday, Smitty!!

Bonnie58 said...

I've been an email follower for a few years. Love your blog!!

e said...

Thanks for the opportunity to win! And I love all my friends animals currently. My friend Emily has two dogs she takes as therapy animals to a children's hospital and Ronald McDonald House. They are so adorable.

e said...

and yes I follow you....via email and bloglovin....and I often read you first on Facebook. Love your quilting, cats and traveling blog entries....

Sue Baker said...

I'm a cat person; but my sister more so. She found a lost kitten in the side ditch near her home. Thus Moses from the bull rushes was named. SueB

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Happy Birthday, Smitty! I sure enjoy reading about you and Sadie on your mom's blog! We had a toy poodle named ET who could open up the sliding screen door to let himself out. He never did learn how to close it, though! ET never met a tennis ball he didn't like and would chase them anywhere. He was a lot of fun!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I follow you by email. Thanks for the giveaway - always enjoy your projects, recipes, travels, and cats!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Happy Birthday Smitty. I'm not a cat owner, but my daughter is a HUGE cat lover.
xx, Carol

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

I'm a follower and love to read about you and Sadie.
xx, Carol

Peggy said...

We have two Shi-Tzu dogs that we love.
Thanks
Peggy
Peggy_verdongibbs@att.net

Peggy said...

I follow you on Bloglovin
Thanks
Peggy
Peggy_verdongibbs@att.net

mangozz said...

Happy Birthday Smitty!

mangozz said...

I follow you by e-mail.

Susan said...

Happy Birthday Smitty. Maybe Sadie will go out and catch you a nice purresent. My last fur baby, Patches, crossed the rainbow bridge last August. He was 18 years old. We are still mourning him.

Susan said...

I follow you all via email. My favorite blog.

Marilyn said...

Your Smitty looks just like my dear Molly who I lost last year. She was over 20 years old.
Happy Birthday to Smitty!

Marilyn said...

I love your Blog as I also LOVE cats, can and quilt. In much younger days, lived in Eugene and Harrisburg. Step Dad's Mom lived in your town.
I started following you from Sea Breeze Snippets.

Laura said...

Happy birthday Smitty. I follow your "mom" by email so I can follow all of your antics.

Laura said...

My last cat was named Houdini because when he first arrived at our house he "disappeared" and no, not under a pile of quilts, or fat quarters! He had crawled into a drawer through the back of a dresser. That cat was a character, keeping me company in my sewing room, often imitating a "stole" by wrapping himself around my neck. Not sure I'll ever stop missing that cat.

bcarlf said...

I have two rescued from the streets doggies, and I miss my Lady D cat so much that it hurts my heart. She had thyroid disease and suffered quite a bit, so I try to remember that she is no longer in pain. She was one of the most beautiful calico cats I have ever seen. Happy Birthday to your cat and thanks for all the lovely photos. I always look forward to seeing what you are doing.

Nancy said...

I am currently without a pet. I lost my Isabella and have not found a kitty to replace her yet. So for now I go over to my daughter’s and at one cuddle the kitties and at the other I play with the new puppy. I had kitties for most of my life the only time we didn’t was when our son was young and we discovered he was super allergic to all fur covered creatures. So for those years we had fish and a cockatiel. Cockatiels live a very long time we had that bird for 28 years. I am sure someday we will get another cat but for now I watch a grandchild that has inherited his fathers allergies so it is tough to make a commitment. Isabella was a Korat and they shed less than most cats but have other health issues because of inbreeding.

Nancy said...

I follow you on bloglovin but to make sure I never miss a post I get an email and follow on Instagram.

Nita said...

How can it be seven years already? Our kitty Spooky is sixteen. She is getting stiff and sore and my heart hurts to think about the coming years and how many she may have left.

Nita said...

Following by email. Goodness I have been getting your blog posts in my email inbox for a loooong time, lol. I remember when you brought Smitty home! Happy birthday, Smitty!

Shirley said...

Happy birthday Smitty, and what a purrretty cat fabrics you’ve got to give away. My four cats would love to put their fur and paws on that, who wouldn’t? I follow you on Feedly and just love your stories about the cats, the foodtalk and the traveling. You inspire me, xoxo.
Shirley J from the Netherlands

Donna said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! I love reading about your adventures. My darling cat, Angel, is 16 years old so she is not that adventurous anymore. You and Sadie are living the life! Enjoy!

Donna said...

I've enjoyed your posts for several years now. I love quilts and cats, so your page is a pleasure for me to read. Keep it up!

Beth said...

Celebrating National Pet Day kept us so busy here, with our 5 dogs and 5 cats, that I missed my chance to wish Smitty a happy birthday! What an oversight. (No, the truth is we had the carpets cleaned and I was hauling furniture to and fro all day and didn't have the energy to turn on the computer, can you imagine?) Best wishes to a boy who has made me laugh many times with his antics--and worried me a time or two, the little daredevil. Keep up the good work, kiddo!

Beth said...

Proud to say I'm a follower, via my wordygirl at earthlink dot net email address. Thanks for this generous giveaway--I just barely resisted this fun layer cake when I saw it at Missouri Star. So many cute prints.

Ioleen said...

Happy Birthday Smitty. You were a cute kitten and now you’re a handsome man cat. Our first cat was Charlie. Our son found her in the crescent not far from home. She didn’t even have her eyes open. We fed her with an eye dropper for three days and kept her bundled up in a shoe box. Not much sleeping was done. Charlie lived to the ripe old age of twenty. She was a special cat, very gentle and beautiful. I still miss her.

Ioleen said...

I follow via email and love reading your posts. I don’t always comment because i usually don’t have anything witty to say.

Karen L. said...

Sure hope Smitty had a great birthday. Just like kids, they seem to go from toddlers (kittens) to adults (cats)! I still have two dogs (don't let you cats read this!!!) and have had lost three plus three cats in the past. We mourn them for a while and then we start telling stories about things they did when we had them. Sweet memories!

Karen L. said...

You betcha I am a follower! I've been around the country with you. Ha!

Snoodles said...

LOL You may have troubles inside the store....I'm always irked by how people park outside the store. Yes, I've been known to leave notes on windshields, too, that explain how coloring outside the lines was cute in kindergarten but parking inside the lines is the right thing to do now that we're grown.....
With that said, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMITTY!!!! How I miss my Moses... Thanks for the chance to win!
Snoodles
quiltnsrepatyahoodotcom

Snoodles said...

A Forever Follower by getting your posts in my inbox!
Quiltnsrepatyahoodotcom

Rita Anne Hope-Haverman said...

HB kitty. Had a beautiful orange cat years ago. Cats give so much comfort.
ritaanneh at g mail dot com. Thank you for this giveaway.

Judy1522 said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! It is hard to believe that he is 7 years old. The picture of him when you first adopted him is adorable I had forgotten how sweet he looked with those ears that appeared to be too big.

Judy1522 said...

I follow your blog through bloglovin.

ckrut said...

I have a cat "Ralphie" that looks a lot like your Smitty. Love the pink nose. I've had many cats over the years and a few dogs. Couldn't possibly pick a favorite.

I looked at the special from Missouri Star and was tempted, but managed to close the page before I succumbed. ckrutjo at g mail dot com.

ckrut said...

And, I follow by e-mail. Thanks for the giveaway. How thoughful!
ckrutjo at g mail dot com

Natureluvr57 said...

I'm a dog person with no dog :( and I don't plan to get another one at my age. The vets didn't think she would live past 2014 but Phoebe was with us until 2018! Miracle dog we all called her but eventually complications from cancer took it's toll. I really miss her. However I have 8 cats that help fill the days. 4 live in the house, 3 live in our heated garage and one won't let us too close but he has a shed to get out of the elements and he was neutered years ago. 2 of the cats in the house loved Phoebe too. They would rub on her as she walked by but she wanted nothing to do with them. She would put her mouth around their neck but never bit them. I would say "Why is Bear's (or Marley's) neck wet? She looked at me like "whatcha talking about Ma?". I believe they missed her a lot when she first left us but now it's all about them. The other two never warmed up to Phoebe but weren't afraid of her. I think if I had some kittens when we got Phoebe he would have loved them and been different. She was over 10 years old when we started taking care of feral cats/kittens that came to the shed and about 12 when we brought the 4 in after a bad thing happened to some kittens. That's why we brought them inside, to protect them and give them a better life. No one wanted to take them in-too old or the young kittens were black-guess there's a thing against both categories. They're all lovable. So I think Phoebe was great with them being introduced to them so late in life. No more wet necks :( but lots of purring still goes on.

Natureluvr57 said...

Hap Hap Happy Birthday Mr. Smitty! Wishing you lots of mice (outside) to chase and catch. I get an email when you post although the bottom says powered by Blogger. Have fun celebrating everyone

Auntiepatch said...

Happy Birthday, you handsome piece of man-cat! Have a purrfect Birthday!

Love ~ Jezebel (Maine Coon cat admirer)

Ppppssss: Are you looking for a new squeeze?

QuiltGranma said...

Aw, young Master Smitty is just so handsome! Reminds me of my Bella. She was a tabby/Siamese mix, with blue eyes. I adopted her daughter Rose as well, from the humane society. Rose had thorns in her paws. She too had blue eyes. She too had beautiful white mix with tabby coloring.

QuiltGranma said...

I read you in my e-mail, well at least I did. Suddenly now my quilt blogs are now in my facebook feed!

suzanprincess said...

I'm a dedicated cat servant who is collecting cat fabrics to make a fully cat-themed quilt for herself, and would love to win this collection--don't have any of the prints you show!

I became a grand-queen and great-grand-queen on the same day, when my "we're not cat people, we're dog people..." son and DiL adopted a pregnant stray. They'd been trying to get her to come in the house, but she always wanted out as soon as they even halfway closed the door. One day she finally stayed, in time to deliver four kittens. I told them I'd adopt two of their choice if they'd keep the rest, but gradually the "dog people" became "cat people" and they kept all five--couldn't bear to give any of them up! That was nine months ago, and the family is very happy together; I get to visit my "grandkids" often. susanprincess at att dot net

suzanprincess said...

I'm a follower of Smitty and Sadie and their people via email, so I never miss a post. susanprincess at att dot net

Mary said...

A belated Happy Birthday to Mr. Handsome Smitty! I'm a follower by email, nybrat29 at gmail dot com, no worries about missing any adventures of Sadie and Smitty.

Stephanie said...

My cousin got a kitten in January that looks just like Smitty when he was a young! I've had a cat named Kitty and a dog named Girly. I miss having a pet around but know that we will soon be retired and travelling. Definitely in the future. Thanks for the great give away, I hope you get a set for hosting?

Stephanie said...

2nd entry -- I follow you on the blog and Instagram and check the page from work every day. I swear it's always the highlight of my workday!

Kathy H said...

Happy birthday Smitty! We have had a few wonderful dogs and cats. Our current kitty is an orange one who purrs all the time. She also likes to help with arranging quilt blocks on the floor. Guess I need a design wall! She is so much fun.

Kathy H said...

I follow you by email. Always fun to see what you are working on and what the kitties are up to.

Jeannine said...

Great giveaway! I love reading about your cats. The latest addition to our cat family is little Finley, a black and white boy I found walking down the road last September.

CA Bobbie said...

I've been owned and loved it by cats for most of my adult life-65 yrs and counting. My fave being a rescue that was so timid but such a love(the only one I've ever had that ate & drank by dipping his paw into and then licking off his paw). I am a follower on email. rjc2camatmsndotcom. I do love your blog. Bobbie C

Jeannine said...

Second entry--I follow your blog on Facebook so I never miss a post!

gpc said...

Wow, a lotta entries in honor of Smitty, he should be pleased! I love Smitty and Sadie, of course, and there have been lots of others. My first pet was the family dog, a cocker spaniel named Taffy. She wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but she was tolerant. Although she DID bark at my little sister when they brought her home from the hospital, which only increased my affection for Taffy. Her star skill was that she would lie in the daffodil bed, under a wasps' nest, and bite them in half when they flew near her. Every evening she was surrounded by dozens of wasp halves. I'm sure she must have been stung from time to time, but that apparently just strengthened her resolve.

gpc said...

Me again. I follow you everywhere. Blogger, Facebook and Instagram.

quiltzyx said...

Happy belated birthday Smitty~! Definitely a big hunk o' man-cat!

You've heard about zzyzx the cat many times, but before zzyzx was Jensen my lab/whoever-jumped-over-the-fence mix dog. Sweet & smart as a whip (why is a whip smart??), she was my best pal for almost 15 years.

quiltzyx said...

Crusty old follower on Blogger, F'book & Instagram.

Renata S said...

Happy Birthday Smitty. i had kitties for 40 years. I loved my hunters. The stories I could tell.

Renata S said...

I follow you via Facebook. Enjoy the mix of topics.

Brown Family said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! You are one handsome mancat!

Brown Family said...

We follow you through Feedly (blog reader), Facebook and Instagram

KaliaContiki said...

I have 2 cats - Kalia and Contiki. Contiki is 3 years older, twice the size and likes to be carried around and hugged. Kalia is very petite, doesn’t like to be held at all and will only consent to be patted if she approaches you. Ironically - their markings are almost identical even though they were rescued from the SPCA 3 years apart! My email is kaliacontiki@ gmail. com

KaliaContiki said...

I follow you on bloglovin. You inspired me to finish my Wind in the Whiskers! And although I promised myself I would never, ever do one of her patterns again...I just bought 3 blocks from 12 months of happy. I’m hoping individual blocks will be less painful than the massive quilt to put together.

Kathy said...

I read your blog daily...My cat is a cuddly sweetie, who wants to be on my lap all the time. I think her birthday is April, but I never celebrate that, as her daily existence is enjoyed so much. Happy birthday, Smitty, and continue your good work of supervising quilting. grndfldmarthaataoldotcom

Beth Strand said...

Happy birthday, Smitty! You remind me of our Milo who has grown to 22 pounds of cute cat! Bethastrand@gmail.com

Beth Strand said...

I follow on blog loving. Bethastrand@gmail.com

Cherie in St Louis said...

I'm a cat person a the cat I loved the most was a grey striped tabby that I named Chessie after the cat on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad that my Grandmother got for me. I could dress Chessie in baby doll clothes, put her in a stroller and generally do what I wanted. She was the best friend an young girl who had lost her mother could have.

Terri in BC said...

Nice to catch up with your blog after being away for a week. I've owned 2 cats in my life, Samantha, a grey Persian and Molly, a beautiful tabby. Both are gone now, and now I have Daisy, a cute woofie, but I do love and miss my kitties.

Terri in BC said...

I follow you by having a link on my blog and on Facebook! My email is terri-fisher at shaw dot ca

Lisa T said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMITTY - You beautiful boy. I read your Mom's blog every day - mostly to keep up with you and Sadie, but also to see what she is working on. I also love cats and quilts. I currently have two blue cats - Odin, a Maine Coon mix, and Thor, a British Shorthair. They are the latest in a long line of beloved cats.
My email is: jesse3602 at yahoo dot com

piecefulwendy said...

Hooray! I'm home now and I can finally comment! Happy Birthday, Smitty! (A little late)!

piecefulwendy said...

I follow you by email and on Instagram.

Char Nash said...

Morning. I have 3 cats and have always had at least one. Now that I have lost my hubby these 3 keep me company.
The oldest is around 10 or more and he has 2 sisters we adopted together that are 3 or 4.
Lots of cat hair here too.

Would love the cat prints!

charsthings@comcast.net char

Marie said...

I don't have a cat anymore but my granddaughter cats come and visit daily.

Marie said...

I follow you daily on my email account.you write like I am right there doing everything you are. Love it

juliehallfeldhaus said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! My favorite dog of the many we had was our German Shepherd Bocephs. Bo for short he was a huge gentle giant of a dog.

juliehallfeldhaus said...

I follow by email. Thanks for the chance to win fabric:)

Auntiepatch said...

I follow you by email and on Instagram.

Lyndsey said...

Happy birthday Smitty. You were a cute kitten and you've grown into a handsome cat.

Lyndsey said...

i follow you via my blogger feed.

Betty said...

Hope you had a very Happy Birthday Smitty! My kitties celebrated their 7th birthday on the 8th. They also love to hunt and bring me presents.

Betty said...

I follow via Blogger and Facebook.

Vivian said...

Happy Birthday Smitty! I have been owned by cats since the age of 12 and that was a very long time ago. Now I am owned by an adorable dog who loves cats and a nervous new cat named Luna. She's new to us, adopted from a rescue after being found homeless on the streets of Ottawa on the coldest day of the winter. We all find your adventures very funny and read about them every day via email and Bloglovin. Thanks for the chance for the giveaway!

Unknown said...

I follow your blog and love it, thank you for that. Happy Birthday Smitty. We have two dogs that can be little terrors, but I love them.I like cats,but we don't have any now since our last one crossed the rainbow bridge.She looked a lot like your Sadie. Lu Rae Smith big_gert2002@yahoo.com. Have a great day.

Vicki said...

My favorite cat (yes, I play favorites) was Sneaker, who was a tiny cat that fit inside a sneaker when we first got her. She was smart enough to open doors and hear our car approaching from a block away. Then she'd come running for the inevitable snacks. She was an outdoor cat, a good hunter who figured out how to survive a -20 degree night. She now lies under the butterfly bush in the garden.

Vicki said...

Following on Facebook now, formerly on Bloglovin.

Edith said...

Hi and happy birthday to Smitty! Our cat, Charcoal, has been with us for 5 years but we don't know how old he is. He had a health scare this year but has been recovering with a new diet. He is much better and happily running around now. I enjoy reading about your quilts, cooking, cats and travels. Enjoy your spring, we are still waiting for ours!

Nancy in IN said...

Poochie was a English bulldog. He was so sweet, but didn't like jello!

Nancy in IN said...

I follow by email. Love the blog. You are so clever.

deebriese said...

Happy Birthday smitty!! I follow by Bloglovin! I have a rescue dog named Kody and had two wonderful cats isis and Kaitlin.