HRH Reluctantly Presents . . .

This month's DOGS post.

And RIP to the goodest dog of all,

KABOSU, who inspired the 

famous DOGE internet meme --

Can We Keep It, Mom? Can We?

My Caturday Adventure

Yes, I went to my city's 10th annual Cat Festival yesterday! It was a noisy, kind of chaotic experience, but fun as well. Lots of cat-related exhibits, speakers, info, activities, and vendors of products for cats and for their humans.

Oodles of cats and kittens too! Including the most adorable black sphynx kittens (squeeeeeee!) They are so much more attractive than pink-skinned ones, I think. I petted an adult sphynx just to see what they feel like -- warm, soft and ever-so-slightly fuzzy (probably just my imagination?)

I wore my "tarot reading cat" t-shirt to the event (which I got in Vancouver the last time I was there) and received many compliments on it from other discerning fashionista attendees, LOL --

Here's a couple of photos of an exhibit I enjoyed -- LEGO cats! The tuxedo one looks just like HRH! The only thing missing is her crown.

And look at this attention to detail, LOL --

There were three "celebrity cats" at the event as well, only one of whom I was familiar with -- Great Grams of Gary, the adventurous cat from right here in Alberta who hikes, skis, canoes, kayaks and camps with his human in all the Rocky Mountains parks and elsewhere.

Gary is huge on Instagram and every other social media platform as well. Here's just one of his videos --

As a major fangirl, I just HAD to buy some Gary merch, namely his latest t-shirt with this adorable art on the front --

I scored a freebie from another table too -- this cute little "yin/yang cats" cloth bag --

All net proceeds from the Cat Festival go to various cat rescue societies in Edmonton, so it's also a worthy charitable endeavour for local felines.

The Joy of Religion

Thanks, Maestro Bugs!

May Full Moon Altar: Kwan Yin

Are you being storm-tossed on the turbulent seas of life? Then Kwan Yin, the Buddhist embodiment of the Divine Feminine, has compassion and assistance for you. 

See how the other sailboats on the altar cloth are pitching to and fro in the darkness, desperately trying to stay upright among the wildly crashing waves? We all know how that feels, don't we, when life is struck by tragedy or crisis.

But Kwan Yin floats serenely along amidst the chaos, sitting in her little vesica piscis goddess-symbol of a boat, unperturbed by the huge waves roiling beneath the bow. With meditative calm, she holds the Pearl of Enlightenment in her left hand. In her right hand she holds a small bottle containing her tears called the Balm of Compassion, collected as she weeps for the suffering of the world. She pours this healing balm over the world, which is her companion in the boat, to comfort and calm all who need it.

Kwan Yin stays in the Eternal Now, not in the Past, not in the Future. She does not try to control what she cannot control. She understands that all storms pass in the fullness of time and we will come once more to safe harbour.

If anyone who reads this is currently going through such a turbulent time, I hope that Kwan Yin will bring some sense of comfort and serenity to you in the midst of pain and anxiety.

The last time I was in Maui in 2018, I bought this little statue of Kwan Yin at a favourite labyrinth-walking location, The Sacred Garden, which is a not-for-profit retreat centre, spiritual shop and plant nursery in the upcountry region of the island. The altar cloth is made of paper napkins which caught my eye last year in a local Edmonton shop. The lotus candleholders came from Amazon and have been used before for some other altars.

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks 2024; Affirmations meme from the internet.]