Evening Mist Cattery

04/09/2019

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05/13/2013

Never a dull day at the Herbal Bear!
Absolutely true story. I picked up my bag to go to work. It has my laptop in it so it is a bit heavy. I said to myself - this bag is heavy but proceeded out the door. I got to the street and slipped my hand in to get my bus pass - and felt something furry. Darn it all - I was taking Katy (my Siamese cat) to work! Needless to say I had to climb back up 5 flights to bring her home.

02/02/2013

Your pet cat may not be as cute and cuddly as you might think. According to a new study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, domestic cats kill billions of birds, mice and small animals in the U.S. each year.

01/27/2013

Yes, cats can have asthma -- and it needs to be treated by a veterinarian. Dr. Marty Becker says proper care can help your cat live a healthy life.

01/25/2013

Bruce

01/09/2013

And now you know what your cat is thinking.

Credit: http://bit.ly/13iIlEt

01/09/2013

This is one of our kittens - Jewlz (all grown up) in her x-mas outfit - lol - I am not the only one who subjects their cats to mortal humiliation during the holidays!

01/09/2013

Watching birdies

01/07/2013

Our boy Bruce at his very first cat show!

12/27/2012

You know your cat loves you when he lets you dress him up in a silly elf hat and sits still long enough for you to take a picture!
(Evening Mist's - Thailand)

12/24/2012

History of the Yule Log

The burning of the Christmas Yule Log originated long before Christianity itself. It comes from the pagan ritual known as Yuletide, the festival of fire. A log was burnt on the evening of the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, to usher in the power of the sun. After, nights would grow shorter and the sun stronger with the longer days.

The Celtic Druids had a similar festival, burning their log after dinner. They called this day Fionn's Day. It symbolized the end of a dangerous time between Samhain, or summer's end, and Yule. The Druids often decorated their logs with holly and pinecones. After burning, the ashes were used as medicine to cure plant rust, swollen glands, and animal complaints.

Celtic Britain and Gaelic Europe burned large logs anointed with salt, holly, and evergreens. Its remnants were kept to light the next year's logs. Some kept burning for days or even the whole year after. The ashes were said to be protection against evil and lightning.

Specific types of woods were burned for different purposes:

•Aspen invoked understanding of the grand design.
•Birch signified new beginnings.
•Holly inspired visions and revealed past lives.
•Oak brought healing, strength, and wisdom.
•Pinesignified prosperity and growth.
•Willow invoked the Goddess to achieve desires.

The burning of the Yule Log was adopted into Christianity in the 4th century. Early Christians celebrated the Feast of Lights, the former name of Christmas, by burning a log that symbolized the end of the world's darkness and the return of the prevailing sun that came with the rebirth of Christ. In 1340, Queens College, Oxford introduced song and story-tellings to the festive burning of the log. As a result, it became a traditional part of Christmas in English homes. The festival was established in the New World by Dr. Tibbits, an episcopal rector, in New York in 1888. By 1940, the Christ Church in Cincinnati adopted it.

Today, the real meaning of the Yule Log has been lost. There still exist, however, modern Pagans and Druids who celebrate the Winter Solstice.

Fun Facts

•Yule derives from the Norse word yul or jul.
•The earliest known burning of a Yule-style log dates back to 5000BCE in ancient Egypt. They burned the log in order to honor Horus, their sun god.
•In 68BCE, the Romans adopted Persia's sun god Mithras into their Saturnalia Festival. In order to usher in Mithras' strength, they burnt a Yule-style log for ten nights.
•To Pagans, the burning of the Yule Log, which was often decorated with ribbons, symbolized the rebirth of the Viking god of fertility Frey.

09/12/2012

Does your cat yearn to be outside? ASPCA has some tips for providing your cat with a safe outdoor environment. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/safe-outdoor-environments.aspx

Thanks to the creation and marketing of cat litter since the mid 1940s, more and more cats are staying in—becoming indoors-only pets, that is. As such, cats are generally leading longer, healthier lives. The average indoor cat lives to be ten to twelve years old, and many of us know felines who are...