Caturday Art: Country Girls

Could Truffles possibly look any cuter in her cowgirl hat? I created this with Pho.to.

Our friend CK at Stunning Keisha recently presented us with the Most Influential Blogger Award, and this version is asking us to share our favorite music. As a child country music was always playing in my home, and to this day, '70s and '80s country, the music I grew up with, is what my Pandora station is constantly tuned to. It was SO hard trying to nail down 5 favorites (what I limited myself to), but I can honestly say that these are 5 of my all-time favorite songs.

The King of country music:

The greatest country song ever written:

A couple songs I love for no particular reason (and yes, it seems that I have a thing for rodeo songs):

My favorite badass "ra ra" America song:

Check out more artsy kitties here. And I would love to hear about YOUR favorite music as well!

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Ahoy! It is Truffles, pillager of cat treats!

Shiver me timbers, fill up my pink treasure chest or I will slay you with cuteness!

Tea Time with Truffles: Blood of an Englishman by M.C. Beaton Review & Giveaway

Hey everybody, it's Truffles! Mommy and I were invited to participate in the Tea, Scones, and Murder Blogger Party, hosted by Minotaur Books and Stash Tea, to celebrate the release of M.C. Beaton's 25th adventure in the Agatha Raisin series, Blood of an Englishman. We received an advance reading copy of the book, a couple boxes of delicious Stash Tea, and a recipe card for M.C.’s favorite teatime scones (purchased at the local bakery, of course!)

As part of this fun event we were asked to "host and post" a tea party, so after reading this delightful mystery I'm just taking a little nap before my guests arrive ;)

Would you care to join us?

"Fee, fie, fo, fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman..."

Even though Agatha Raisin loathes amateur dramatics, her friend Mrs. Bloxby, the vicar’s wife, has persuaded her to support the local pantomime. Stifling a yawn at the production of "Babes in the Woods," Agatha watches the baker playing an ogre strut and threaten on the stage, until a trapdoor opens and the Ogre disappears in an impressive puff of smoke. Only he doesn't re-appear at final curtain.

Surely this isn't the way the scene was rehearsed? When it turns out the popular baker has been murdered, Agatha puts her team of private detectives on the case. They soon discover more feuds and temperamental behavior in amateur theatrics than in a professional stage show—and face more and more danger as the team gets too close to the killer.The Blood of an Englishman is Agatha's 25th adventure, and you'd think she would have learned by now not to keep making the same mistakes. Alas, no—yet Agatha's flaws only make her more endearing.

Tortie Shorties

Book reviews that are short and sweet...just like Truffles!

After reading Blood of an Englishman, the 25th entry in M.C. Beaton's classic cozy series, I realized it had been way too long since since I enjoyed one of Agatha Raisin's madcap adventures. I have the entire series in my book collection, but with so many new mysteries being released each and every month I have fallen hopelessly behind in many of the longer running series. I really need to take the time to catch up, though. These aren't mysteries that you read for intricate plots and deep characters, they are simply pure, unadulterated fun.

In this book Agatha is drawn into the cutthroat world of amateur theater. She is as irreverent, cranky, and saucy as ever, and over the course of a fast-paced 300 pages she falls in love (or her version of love, anyways) and faces death more than once. She's also called upon to solve a number of murders, the last of which is gruesome yet deliciously wicked.

Visiting England, particularly the Cotswolds, is high up on my bucket list. Until the day comes that I can travel there in person, a visit to Agatha Raisin's Cotswolds is always a pure delight.

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Gotcha Day Treats & #WholeBodyHealth Survey

Truffles and I would like to thank our friend Taylor from For Tails Only for the yummy treats that she sent for Truffles' Gotcha Day as part of their Pet Birthday Club. Truffles is a total treat junkie and I'm always on the lookout for healthy, grain free treats for her to enjoy. She inhaled these so fast that I couldn't even capture a treat in the photo, just Truffles washing the blanket clean!

Would you also mind taking a moment to fill out the brief 5 question survey below? I've been chosen to participate in a BlogPaws campaign for Natural Balance's line of Ultra Whole Body Health pet products. The results of the survey are going to be compiled into a really cool infographic that I will be sharing with you in October. Thank you in advance for your time!

Fill out my online form.

DIY Kitten Korner for #Paw2014

My love for Tractor Supply Company almost borders on obsession. Up until a couple years ago my nearest store was a couple hours away, but now that there's a store just 15 minutes down the road from me, Tractor Supply is my first stop whenever I need something for a home or yard project, or animal supplies for either Truffles or the birds and squirrels that I feed because Truffles demands her Bird TV :)

Tractor Supply makes its home in rural communities all across America and is your one stop shop to help you care for your animals. They carry an extensive line of pet food and supplies including premium brand food, treats, flea & tick control, beds, wireless containment, crates, kennels, collars, leads, bowls, grooming supplies, toys and more.

For the 4th year, Tractor Supply is having their annual Pet Appreciation Week (P.A.W.) event from September 17th through September 21st. The store will celebrate our furry friends with five days of savings, plus a special one-day main event in stores Saturday September 20th. Come in with your leashed pet (where allowed) - stores will be hosting local pet rescues, and you can register for your chance to win $200 in pet products from Tractor Supply Co. (given as a gift card), $100 towards your next vet wellness checkup courtesy of Hill's Science Diet, or a doggie bag worth over $35!

In honor of this special event I was challenged to create a project or craft for my local shelter that would have an impact on the health or well-being of the animals in the shelter, their ability to get adopted, the communities' desire to adopt from the shelter, or the shelter staff’s ability to care for the animals, using supplies purchased with a $25 gift card from Tractor Supply.

I've written before about the Red Shed™ covered wagon planter that I purchased at Tractor Supply that sits in my living room holding my cherished collection of Little House on the Prairie books. About a month ago, just prior to my being chosen for this campaign, I went on a short road trip into New York State and stopped into the few Tractor Supply stores that I passed. In one store I was stunned and delighted to find another of those precious planters, and I instantly purchased it with the intention of using this one in my yard one day. Being end of summer it was even on clearance along with many other cute planters, including one shaped as a wheelbarrow and another as a hollowed-out log. I just love cute, unique decor like this, and that's one of the great things about TSC...you just never know what you're going to find when you walk in the door!

Now while I don't consider myself a "make something from scratch" crafter, I do like to find unique ways to repurpose items, so when I learned about this campaign I instantly starting thinking of fun ways that I could repurpose the planter into something that my shelter could use. (After all, what are the chances that I would ever use the planter to grow anything? I have such a black thumb that I once bought a chocolate mint plant on Mother's Day and it was dead by Father's Day!)

So here's what I came up with: of course, it can be used the way it was intended. I had enough money left over to pick up some cat treats and supplies that I am going to donate along with the planter. After it's unloaded it can be put outside in their yard and filled with some of the beautiful fall flowers that we are currently enjoying. People sometimes think of animal shelters as sad places, so why not beautify the outside with something fun and colorful to make it look more inviting?

It could also be used inside the shelter to carry grooming or cleaning supplies. Since it's on wheels and has a handle it can easily be rolled around to dog kennels and other areas that need to be cleaned up.

The last idea I come up with is my favorite, though. My shelter has a large room that allows the cats to come out of their cages and play among themselves. It is also the place where volunteers go to socialize the cats, and the room where potential adopters can visit and watch the cats "in action". So I created a "Kitten Korner".

While at TSC I picked up a four-pack of cat balls with bells inside. Using sisal twine I tied them to the bars of the planter, along with an extra feather from one of Truffles' wand toys. I also added a soft blanket for extra coziness. (Since this project is geared more towards kittens and smaller cats, Truffles was a bit too big to demonstrate, so she enlisted a little outside help.) This is going to look SO adorable sitting in one corner of the cat room. Can you think of anything cuter than a kitten or two inside the planter batting at the toys, then cuddling up into a kitten pile for a nap? It's a total win-win: a project that adds something cute and inviting to the shelter setting, and enriches the lives of the felines waiting for their forever homes.

While I used the wagon planter, this exact same project could easily be reproduced using a simple round planter or metal bucket. The next time I visit TSC I'm going to pick up one of these to make another Kitten Korner <==== Simply stuff cozy blankets inside for a unique cat bed, and add sturdy cording to the top to hang some toys from to create a kitty play center! Gardening season is coming to an end so many of these containers are on sale too!

I hope I've inspired you to think outside the box and create some fun projects of your own to help out your local shelter without breaking the bank. I encourage you to visit Tractor Supply and think of ways to create your own projects. I have a feeling your creative juices will begin to flow as soon as you walk in the door!

Visit Tractor Supply on Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Pinterest.

This post is sponsored by Tractor Supply Company and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Tractor Supply Company, but Mochas, Mysteries and Meows only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tractor Supply Company, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Introducing Our PAWS Sponsor Kitties!!!

We've kept you in suspense for long enough, today we are so very proud to announce that our sponsor kitties from PAWS are...

 Truffle and Cinnamon 

I specifically requested to sponsor Truffle, not just because of her totally pawsome name *s* but also because I blogged about her once before. Can you believe this little beauty has been at PAWS since January 2009! How is that even possible? She is such a beauty! I'm going to allow Truffle to tell you more about herself, and please spread the word that she has been looking for her forever home for far too long. Her adoption application can be found here.

Watch where you're walking because I love to weave in and out of people's legs. I also love to rub my cheek and neck on your shoes. But feel free to bend down and scratch under my chin, behind my ears and rub my head. Leave the rest of my body alone though please. 

I'm a good-looking girl – my tabby stripes look almost golden in the sun! There's nothing more that I would love than a sunny spot to lounge in, space to run around and play and finally to be the center of your attention. Except in the morning - I am most definitely not a morning cat.

I'm often passed over by potential adopters because I'm too independent. I'm just not a cuddly lap cat. I also have a condition called Stomatitis. Feline stomatitis is a common and painful problem in many cats. It is a chronic inflammation and ulceration of the soft tissues in the mouth. I currently don't need my medication and am doing very well. I am on a wet food only diet.

I’m 10 years old and would prefer to be an only cat in a quiet household (no children or dogs please). I'm spayed, current on all my vaccinations, microchipped, and I've tested negative for FIV and FeLV.

So please, walk on down to Paws and ask to meet me. You won't help but fall in love with me - if you don't trip over me first.

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Have you heard about how Joan Rivers included her beloved dogs when she took care of her estate planning? It's a wonderful lesson for us all. It breaks my heart to hear of pets that end up in an animal shelter because their owner has passed away and no directives were left for their care. That is exactly how sweet Cinnamon ended up at PAWS. Can you give her the new forever home that she's looking for? Her adoption application can be found here.

Cinnamon is a great 14 year old lady who loves a good lap. She enjoys eating and lounging.

Cinnamon came to us when her elderly owner passed away. She does fine with children and other cats.

Cinnamon is on a special hypoallergenic diet that can be purchased at a pet food store, but does cost a little extra money. She also has hyperthyroidism which means she requires a pill twice a day which she takes in a treat pocket, so it is no trouble.

Cinnamon also has a thing for towels and we supply her with one to pee on once daily. She never pees anywhere else except the towel and the litterbox. As you can see, Cinnamon has some quirks, but she is worth it!

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I am already completely in love with my sponsor kitties, and would adopt them both myself in a heartbeat if it was at all possible. (Although having a Truffles and a Truffle in one house might get a bit confusing!) Truffle and Cinnamon will be appearing on our blog in the coming weeks, perhaps even for Caturday Art and Sunday Selfies features!

Sunday Selfies: NASCAR Edition

Do ladycats wear baseball caps? This one does! The Chase for the Sprint Cup begins today and we are card-carrying members of #HarvickNation!!!

Today we're joining the Sunday Selfies Blog Hop hosted by The Cat on My Head.