Vicki the cats' mother

@catsmother

Covid-aware cat parent. Former teacher, now working in Mental Health support. Mask wearer and ventilation fanatic. Long Covid since 2023. Motorbikes and MotoGP, skiing, baking, DIY, gardening and kitties of course. Love all kitties!

1.272 Folgt1.817 Follower3.423 Posts

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Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jul 14

#beefriendly Happy to see that my drought-tolerant planting is appreciated by the bees.

A bumble bee resting on a spiky blue-green plant with mini teasels, in the background there are pink-flowered salvias and grasses which are thriving in the heatwave.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jun 10

Studland, Dorset coast. Taken today at low time, around lunchtime.

Fluffy white clouds scudding across a blue sky, distant coastline on the horizon, flat sea with a few tiny waves on the shore in the foreground. Sandy beach strewn with seaweed, pebbles, and probably hidden shells.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jun 7

Garden update: I've been fixing granite setts, digging our the weedy mossy grass, replanting and moving gravel for what seems like months. Finally got the centre circle done. I am pretty happy with the results - see ALT text for more detail.

Gravel garden, encircled by granite setts, a granite water feature in the centre which resembles a walnut whip. The nearly circular raised bed is covered with Scottish pebbles and planted with drought-tolerant grasses, salvia, verbena. It used to be grass but was a devil to mow and was always full of dandelions and moss. This improvement is to address climate change and be low-maintenance.

Another view of the newly replanted gravel garden. The planting is intended to be drought-tolerant using decorative grasses, salvia, verbena, perovskia, and thistle-like cirsium, teasle-like eryngium. Designed to be bee and insect-friendly as well as low-maintenance. Once established, these plants should need little attention.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Apr 13

I am imagining the huge unguarded guillotine blade attached to a wooden base which was used in school to slice perfect pieces of card and paper in the Art department.

Old school paper cutting guillotine, a large blade with a handle, attached to the side of a wooden base by a hinged joint. The blade is completely exposed, no safety guard, giving rise to the thought that this must be the single most dangerous item to have in a classroom with lots of inquisitive children and curious fingers...

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Mar 18

Here is my favourite portrait of her!

Portrait of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles. Patron Saint of Cats and Gardeners. She stands in a garden of flowers, against a blue sky and blossoming trees, she is wearing black nun's habit and head covering and white whimple, and she is cradling a tabby cat. A white cat and a black and white cat sit either side of her, gazing up with reverence. Saint Gertrude appears serene and kind, her halo completes the picture.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Mar 17

I'm now following you because this post spoke to me about my latest project!

Patchwork quilting squares arranged in a spectrum of colours, from reds, corals, floral whites, yellows, lemon and lime green, leaf green, turquoise, teals, navy blues, lavender, lilacs.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Mar 1

Jasper is helping me do some quilting this afternoon... Or rather he is attention seeking and demanding that I stop work immediately. Gorgeous boy!

Brown tabby cat lies resplendent on a craft table, surrounded by quilting materials, measuring rulers and a rotary cutter. He looks happy and confident that no work can be done whilst he is present.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jan 31

Honorary cat?

Flow chart explaining the options available to a cartoon cat which is considering whether to knock something off the table. All routes of the flow chart lead to ensuring said object falls to the floor.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jan 12

I used to be owned by an oriental kitty. Such a beautiful boy, so silly and energetic. Sadly he was hit by a car right in front of our home. Broke my heart to lose one so young.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jan 8

Hey there @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social Look what's just been delivered! Can't wait to immerse myself in some wondrous fiction to counter these grey grim January evenings.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jan 4

Morning Mushen and Beans! Brisk and bright out here this morning. I am waiting for a delivery so I have to be up and dressed. Luckily JJ and Eska have fur coats on but they're not impressed with the weather. Hope your son passes his test tomorrow. Eska is preparing herself for Sunday.

Snowshoe cat washes her tail. Brown Siamese cat with blue eyes, white face and paws reclines on a white bedspread, her brown tail artfully curled towards her mouth. She is gorgeous, and she knows it.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Dec 31

As we look back and reflect on our failures and achievements, the missed or taken opportunities, we know we can't change what's done, but we can resolve to build towards a future with kindness and compassion, patience and determination. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

The view down Gold Hill in Dorset: bright winter sunshine, clouds scudding high in the blue and yellow sky, an old narrow mossy cobbled street with a row of little cottages on the left hand side, gradually disappearing from sight as the road bends to the right. The location for a classic 1970s TV advert for Hovis bread, perhaps set in the Victorian period, where a young delivery boy pushed his bicycle up the steep gradient to do the bread deliveries before gleefully freewheeling down the hill, dangling his legs off the pedals.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Dec 20

Good morning Mushen and Beans! I'm updating my grocery delivery list as I don't want to go into town to shop- it'll be absolutely Christmas crackers out there. Here's JJ who's definitely relaxing this #Caturday Have a lovely weekend!

A brown tabby cat lies on a blue duvet cover, looking down the camera like a supermodel, with huge green eyes. He may appear to be just a moggie but he knows he is utterly beautiful.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Dec 16

It's our current tabby boy JJ. He romps around the house leaping on and off the furniture and thundering up and down the stairs.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Nov 15

Morning Mushen and Beans, happy #Caturday to you! After all that rain, got to get the shed/g-house downpipes connected to water butts and the main drain. Ground to level, plastic mesh and gravel to lay, so I'm having coffee in bed. Hope you both have a relaxing and restful weekend!

Brown tabby cat lies asleep on top of a wardrobe.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Nov 8

#Caturday Jasper (J.J.) snoring gently, waiting for the opportunity to cause trouble...

Big stripy brown tabby cat, stretched out asleep, lying on a grey and blue triangle-pattetened quilt.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Oct 31

Finally, the greenhouse is finished! Lots to do now with the surrounding gravelled area, tidying up the fencing, planting the raised beds, and there's more sealant to apply to the roof panels... But for now, just for now, I am satisfied. It will do.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Oct 18

Work in progress: the weather is going to be poor tomorrow so I decided not to put the windows in- the silicone might not be fully cured before the forecast showers. I've moved a load of concrete rubbish so I've now got a clear pathway around the front and sides.

Greenhouse in green painted timber, on a gravel base, ready for windows to be fitted in the sides and roof.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Oct 8

Here's Eska: cat in a box classic photo.

Snowshoe Siamese cat with brown ears, azure blue eyes and snow white chest, sitting tidily in a cardboard box.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Sep 29

Adorable! Here's my tabby boy J.J. chilling out.

Brown striped tabby cat curled up in a basket on a cat tree, his tail wafts over the edge because he's not actually asleep, just resting his eyes...

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Sep 28

Happy birthday to my late mum. My parents loved the Italian lakes and mountains. Was this Lake Garda or Como?

Picture from the 1950s of a yung woman with dark wavy hair, sitting on a boat sailing on an italian lake, wears a blue and white spotted dress and white cardigan, smiling.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Sep 17

Eska thinks that everything is better when you're sitting in a cardboard box. I am inclined to agree with her.

Snowshoe Siamese cat with white nose, white chest, brown ears and deep blue eyes, sitting in a cardboard box full of brown paper.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Sep 16

You're welcome, Westcountrybird. Here's JJ aka Jasper, on my handmade quilt.

A brown tabby cat with pale green eyes lies neatly on a striped multicoloured quilt. he appears as inscrutable as the Sphynx.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Aug 23

#Caturday Got up early to feed the cats and found JJ has disappeared. We've got a (supposedly) cat-proof garden to keep our kitties safe inside but somehow the little so-and-so has escaped. Hoping he'll return soon, none the worse for his adventure. Worried sick right now.

Brown tabby cat with green eyes, lying on a bedspread. He looks proud and relaxed.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Aug 22

Sounds like a "sealioning" frenzy!

You have been caught "sealioning", a type of internet trolling which consists of:
-Bad faith requests for evidence, which is then ignored
-Disruptive changes of topic when a line of attack is fruitless
-Persistent questions on subjects whose resolutions have been widely published (time-wasting requests to educate the troll)
Deliberate reasoning errors such as: baseless claims, irrelevance, sweeping generalisations (one example equals true for all); anecdotal evidence offered as "proof"; invalid appeals to biased or unqualified authorities; invalid appeals to the crowd ("everyone knows")
-Feigning offence when none is warranted
Your goal is not to broaden views, but to derail a discussion, exhaust your opponent, or provoke your target into behaviour which will lead to their account being suspended.
You have failed.
Yours respectfully,
A rational and well-informed citizen

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Aug 8

Hello George! We're in south-west England. Here is Jasper (a.k.a. JJ) enjoying International Cat Day.

Brown striped tabby cat with green eyes lies contentedly on a multicoloured striped quilt.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jul 18

Morning David! Stay cool!

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jul 6

Morning Mushen and Beans! I am hoping and waiting for rain because we really really need it. Do have a lovely day and relax if and when you can! Eska supervising my quilting activities from the windowsill...

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jun 20

For those who are mystified by your reference:

Cartoon characters called Crystal TIpps and Alistair. A girl with voluminous purple hair, wearing a yellow and blue diagonal striped mini dress and black strappy shoes stands in front of a large brown dog which looks vacantly to the left.

Vicki the cats' mother@catsmother· Jun 14

Good morning Mushen and Beans and happy #Caturday to you! Eska has just arrived and she's loafing (like me) whilst we decide what to do today. A bit of gardening and some quilting, and watching the Le Mans 24 hour race? Sounds good.