Little Elephants

Two sad words: orphan elephants. But there's something we can all do. First, become informed. Second, take action. Third, stay updated. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust runs the world's most successful elephant orphanage in Kenya's Nairobi National Park. Though the reason for the orphanage's existence is utterly depressing, it is an inspiring story nonetheless.

If you're child wrangling, National Geographic Kids' site has a nice African elephant section. And for good measure, here's an easy way to make elephant ear cookies.

ciao-meow/GGCM

(photograph by Michael Nichols via National Geographic. Read his notes on which elephant photograph means the most to him & why.)

Happy New Year

Here's to a fresh start, a happy & healthy new year for all. Cheers, peeps! (photograph by Sharon Montrose. Check out her wonderful new book)

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! Sharon Montrose's darling Baby Bunny No. 1 from The Animal Print Shop. GG's editor is partial to writing important lists on a baby deer pad from Sharon's Etsy shop. Our pad & pen in hand, thinking about resolutions. Have a great weekend. (Go Pittsburgh Penguins!)

ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

Pasqualina & Pinta - Italian Goat Goodness

Do you know adorable Pasqualina & Pinta? Do you know what 'capra' & 'capretta' mean? No & no? Well, you should & you can find out on Goat Berries. This is Michelle Fabio's fairly new venture. Goat-y goodness, cute kids, & general merriment. It's a lot of fun to visit both Goat Berries & Michelle's deservedly widely-read & beloved Bleeding Espresso. (She's a fellow Pennsylvanian--even if we no longer live there, we're still Pennsylvanians. Yep.)

There's more to the menagerie than goats, though. Check in on pups Luna & Stella; Giordano, a handsome ginger tabby (GG swoons--an Italian gatto); & two double-yolk producing hens & a rooster. (In the time it's taken to type this entry, there are probably more resident animals.) Michelle & her husband P. are two busy people with their ever-expanding realm in Badolato, Calabria. GG's editor is trying to think up some sort of financial scheme to take herself & GG to southern Italy in autumn 2011. We would love to see this empire up close & personal.

Don't forget to check out Michelle's Bleeding Espresso recipe archives. Always an inspiration when you just can't think of what you want. It's a go-to for GG's editor.

ciao-meow/GG Central

[photographs by Michelle Fabio/Goat Berries/Bleeding Espresso/all rights reserved]

Buona Pasqua from GG - Week's End

GG & her editor wish everyone who celebrates the holiday, a peaceful & lamb-like Easter. (Or happy spring, you get the idea.) We've asked GG to behave in polite company this weekend. We live in hope.

ciao-baa-meow/The Management

[adorable lambs via {this is is glamorous}]

GG Wants a Petit Mouton

While we are (still) under the weather, we're still grazing for images. This little lamb is so cute (of course) but the amused facial expression sets it apart from other cute lamb photographs. GG still wants a little lamb following her about...it's not going to happen but she will meet a little lamb later in the spring. There will be photographs.

Several networks will televise the Hope for Haiti Now telethon tomorrow evening. If it takes an MTV dog & pony show to reach some people, so be it. We know well how the interjection of celebrities into disasters can make, frankly, a mess. Don't get us started. But when a recent study asserts that many of your children spend 7+ hours (!!!) a day connected to electronic devices (& we don't mean vacuuming the house), & you seem unwilling or unable to remedy this appalling situation (you know who you are), well then. And anyway, George Clooney (the telethon ringmaster) does walk the walk. You just don't always see him doing so.

Please don't forget Darfur Peace & Development, Made4Aid (they are directing money to Haiti at moment instead of Darfur, updates as they are available), & the various Haiti aid links on GG, bricolage, & other blogs you visit regularly. Many thanks.

ciao-still-cheeky-meow/GGCM

[adorable Yorkshire lamb photograph by Karnaphuli via flickr]

Lila the Burro

It's been donkey's years (sorry) since we came across Marianne Perdomo's lovely portrait of Lila. Since it's the Christmas season, & donkeys play quite a role in the story, we'll share it. Burros are so helpful--to our friends in Darfur, to Santorini & other Greek islands...all over the world. They are very smart & sweet, too. Since they work so hard, you'd think they'd be well-treated. Oops. Not always.

Here are two links for wild burro rescue in the States. Here's another link to Bedlam Farm's Journal. They have cute donkeys there, too. Of course, now GG wants a burro of her very own. Um. No. But she can ride one if we go to Greece or Italy next summer. (And if she asks-meows nicely!)

ciao-meow/GG Central

Under the Weather - Week's End

Archive + Update:

GG & her editor are both under the weather. So a little preview of the The House of Mouse on Etsy. This is Grace the Nurse Mouse & we need her services. We feel better just looking at her. The charming Anna of The House of Mouse in Amsterdam creates scads of adorable mice characters (including 'occasion' mice); the mouse of your dreams is but a few (mouse) clicks away. [image used with permission]- (from November 2008)

Update: Anna has an adorable blog & lots o' mice and she's going to have a baby. Congratulations, Anna! We just saw Life, craftiness and everything else. Go give her a visit. We're waiting to hear if she is full-up for holiday orders but you can ask her too. Plus there's a free mouse giveaway every month. More from The House of Mouse, soon.

ciao-sneeze-meow/GG Central

Darfuri flora & fauna

Two camels, a baby camel, & a baby goat...they need water, too. An everyday scene; those babies are cute. And camels are fine, if you get to know them. Their long pretty eyelashes can make up for their displays of crankiness. One time, GG's editor was run right into a thorny bramble in North Africa by a camel. There was a bit of a conversation; the camel didn't do it again. [photograph by Susan Burgess-Lent/DPDO/all rights reserved]

If you missed our update on Friday's Anne Frank post: for the abstract future, comments cannot be left for this site. Too much hate e-mail & comments. It's too stressful; things are bad enough. Enjoy the blogs & links on the page.

ciao-meow/GG's editor

Felinity on la Côte d'Azur - Week's End

[altered post from 24 August 2008; stripped of some extraneous html & 5,000 all rights reserved notices; it is all rights reserved but obviously we didn't know what we were doing last year. Thanks again to Jilly, who is so very generous & has given the go-ahead again for these 2 great pix. Please do visit her Menton, Riviera Daily, & Postcards from Milou photography blogs. We do, every single day. Lovely sites with excellent prose as a welcome bonus. More information about her life is in the post below. We hope you have a wonderful weekend & we hope to be back next week.]

**************

A breath of fresh Mediterranean air from GG Central.

Earlier this month, we had heaps of basil bestowed upon us by the munificent Maria Caterina di Perugia, Hermione the Cool Cat’s human-maman). GG’s editor dragged out an old recipe for Soup menton. Then, choses Menton (and all things southern French—from west to east) began to pop up.

A few days ago, one link led to another, to the Menton Daily Photo, & we just had to go. A beyond-adorable cat was the Thursday, 21 August 2008 Daily Photo. GG was entranced, as was her editor. The tabby-tiger resembles our late, dear Teddy & Oliver in their mischievous-but-sweet, pink-nosed splendor. Beyond the cuteness factor, note the elegant shot & the colors in both photos; anyone with thumbs can take a photo of a cute cat. This is different….and all due to the skill & empathy of photographer/hotelier/writer Jilly Bennett.

Also in the MDP, meet Woolite the Swimming Sheep (yes!) & Manon, the baby donkey at the Fête Patronale de la Saint Barthélémy.

Jilly’s main website is Pension Milou, “…PM... is a 5-star 'pension familiale' for dogs on the Côte d'Azur. The dogs who come to stay, live in the house with me - no kennels or cages. Here you'll read stories of their lives and mine on the French Riviera."

To round out her empire, Jilly publishes Riviera Dogs & Monte Carlo Daily Photo. They are lovely--a mini-holiday. It is well worth a drop-in for a smile, a recommendation to friends, & a thought about our friends–human & animal–across the sea. Read here about Jilly's life & work with animals in the South of France in Real Life Stories from Provence. She's an inspiration.

We plan to visit Menton Daily Photo every day to maintain our sanity in a world gone mad.

Cheers & ciao-meow to all!

© 2007 - 2009 · Jilly Bennett · Menton Daily Photo · All Rights Reserved/photos used by permission of photographer

Cute 'roo

We're having a tough & busy week here, so another photograph from the State Library of NSW/Australia [pet & animal set] is in order to keep things light. These darling girls feeding a little 'roo at a petting zoo was hard to resist. [Kangaroo & girls, ca. 1925-ca. 1945 / by Sam Hood] We hope to be back later today.

ciao-meow/GG/mgmt

Randomly Green blog

A sweet new blog on the scene: Randomly Green. GG & her editor love the Daily Kitten & the Endangered Animal of the Day features. Last evening, the Daily Puppy & Fairy Tale Art were also on the site but our computer, as anyone who will listen knows, is on the fritz. We think you should take a peek & perhaps become a follower. We'll be looking for other tasteful, cute sites by pre-teens & welcome any suggestions. Congratulations to Bella on her first blog. (Photo credit)

ciao-meow!
GG & her editor

Moroccan meows - Week's End

We're indulging GG here. (here? always!) She alleges a shortage of kitties on this week's page. These two cuties from only alice's Marrakesh portfolio. Her title? allow me this one cute leetle kittin picture. Absolutely!

ciao-meow until this afternoon,
GG Central
*****************

Update: we're too under the weather to do a real week's end post. Drat! We actually had some good ideas & photographs this week. Meanwhile, visit Small Expectations & read a wonderful interview artists Jamie Shelman & Tom Meyer gave to Design for Mankind. About artistic couples sharing the same space. It's enlightening, inspiring, & they're funny, too. GG wants to visit them now; she doesn't think her editor is cool anymore after hearing about them. We imagine her arriving at their snowy island home carrying her little valise, her jaunty beret & scarf worn just so. GG is a good traveller, she loves everyone, & is excellent & witty company. Sometimes, though, we wonder if she doesn't have secret, retractable opposable thumbs because--full disclosure to any future guests, or those offering her hospitality--GG has an unfortunate habit of rifling through purses & pinching things she fancies. We work daily on her rehabilitation; however, we cannot pretend to be hopeful.

Have a great & healthy weekend, all. bisou!

Weekend Update: The Daily Kitten

The Obama's are adopting a puppy in the spring. We've heard. We're delighted. We love dogs. However, we're annoyed with reporters fixated on the "pet" story who immediately segue into "dogs/puppies" when it comes to the wider viewing/reading audience. As in "adopt a pet," "there are so many puppies & dogs in need." What?

In a lame-o attempt to even the field, we offer the following. Please go to Petfinder.com, The Daily Kitten, & here, especially for those in the DC-area, the Washington Animal Rescue League. There are so many cats & kittens who need a home. GG would like to remind everyone that she, a magnanimous feline, loves dogs, too. GG was "found" on petfinder.com. Her adoption photo is her profile photo above. As imperfect as it is, it reminds us of that time nearly 3 years ago when she was looking for a home. Sniff.

Now ciao-meow & back to our weekend!
GG & her editor

PS: Enough with the Bush twins. That letter will soon be shopped around as a potential musical /play. The first few "listenings" -- cute, sweet. Now? Stop the madness!

[Photos from The Daily Kitten via Cute Overload:)]

Bambi love

We're getting sappier by the day but it cannot be helped: look at that face.

ciao-meow,
GG & her editor

(Original image by 20299709@N00; Some rights reserved)

The House of Mouse

No need to guess which mouse is GG's new favorite. Yes, of course, it's Terry Mouse...dressed up just like GG the Redheaded (Opinionated) Cat. It's so difficult to choose, so we selected the four above: (clockwise from top left) Alice in Wonderland, James Bond, Bharat the Bollywood star, & Hermione of Hogwart's. Another big favorite is Lulu the Bellydancer...perhaps we'll feature her in a dance post because Lulu deserves the spotlight to herself.

These adorable creatures are created by Anna Greaves, a British native who has lived in the Netherlands since 2003. Here is her profile, & here is a quote from Anna:

"10% of my profits go to the British animal welfare charity The Blue Cross where I adopted my beautiful rescue cat Nicki. In order to protect my customers with allergies all my creations are made and packed for shipping in a studio that Nicki does not have access to."

Here are photos of zee artiste in her studio...Anna is crazy busy at this time of the year but if you've not ordered in time for Christmas (there's still time in Europe for holiday delivery), Anna's mice are timeless & there's a mouse for every occasion, career, holiday, & cultural interest (take a look & you'll see what we mean). Custom mice are also a delightful option that Anna particularly looks forward to.

Happy looking...if these do not make you laugh out loud, it may be hopeless!

ciao-meow,
GG's editor

Grace the Nurse Mouse to the rescue

GG & her editor are both under the weather. So a little preview of the The House of Mouse on Etsy. This is Grace the Nurse Mouse & we need her services. We feel better just looking at her. The charming Anna of The House of Mouse in Amsterdam creates scads of adorable mice characters (including 'occasion' mice); the mouse of your dreams is but a few (mouse) clicks away. Visit the THOM, here. [Note: Anna's cut-off date for U.S. holiday orders is Friday, 21 November. If you're in Europe, you have more time. Check the shop profile here for dates.] photograph/image used with permission of Anna Greaves/The House of Mouse

ciao-meow, bisou
GG Central