DANTE AL FRESCO!

Mama has dis thing about "gettin' some fresh air"!  Since all dat white stuff got stuck on da ground, I'd radder stay inside where it's warm, but she has udder ideas.

Mama tole me "Al Fresco" means "in de fresh air".  But, I dont know why she makes ME stay outside, when it's really "Al" who is "Fresco"!    Yoo never heers anyone say "Dante Fresco" do yoo?

I gets captured and put on my leash.  Heer I am sittin' on da frozen ground.

Is not so much fun, so I ask mama nicely if I can go back inside.

Much to my chagrin, she just says "You need some fresh air, Dante!"   Ack!!!

So at leest I takes a spot on da porch where it is dry and not cold on my feets.

But suckah dat I am, I asks again.  "Mama, may I pleez go inside now?"

Dat one wuz a 'no-go', too!

I tries my very bestest pleading.  "Pleez, mama, pleez, purrty pleez?  Fur da luff of Cod, let me in!"

An' do ya think she lissens to me?  Of course not!  Instead she decides ta take a movie pickshur of me suffering dese Arktick tempurratures!

Yoo will notice dat I tries my best ta ignore my Mama, but she just keeps on natterin'!  Is not DAT cold, she says!  Harumph!  An' den she calls me a 'good boy'.  Duz I need ta be frozen ta be a good boy?  Is dat what it takes?  A Dante pawpsicle?

Maybe if I poses nicely fur her, she will finally let me in.

Heer's a nice one!  Mama says you shud BIGGIFY it fur da 'Wow' factor.

It's not over yet.  Come back tomorrow, same time, same place to see what happens.  Will I live happily and warmly efur after or NOT?

(Not quite)  THE END

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY WITH DANTE: SANTA BABY!

THURSDAY IN THE GARDEN WITH DANTE: LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

 Since our last post, it has snowed quite a bit.  Although there's no work that needs to be done in the garden, Dante is going to show you what it looks like, and how he occupies himself outside during the winter.

As long as the temPURRatures aren't below freezing, Dante is happy to explore outdoors.

Here he is beside the large deciduous tree in the front yard.

"I moss sai", says Dante, "dat it's ackshully not so bad out heer wen yoo gets yoosed to it." 

In fact, Dante likes to make depawsits in the snowbanks.

"Dere's no buziness like snow buziness", he says.

And here is Dante inspecting the tree in the back yard to see how it's standing up to the weather.

"Trees is bilt fur snow an' cold -- just like me!"

And a winter tour of the garden wouldn't be complete without making a snow angel, so here's one just for you.  "Duzn't I luk anjelick?", asks Dante?

Dante is a garden ornament for all seasons, showing you how gardens can be beautiful even covered in the white stuff.

FRIGID FRIDAY WITH DANTE

You would think that Dante, a Maine Coon with a thick fur coat, wouldn't balk at the lower temPURRatures.  After all, his Maine Coon ancestors developed such coats as a defence against the steely cold winters in Maine.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about the Maine Coon coat:

"Maine Coons have several physical adaptations for survival in harsh winter climates. Their dense water-resistant fur is longer and shaggier on their underside and rear for extra protection when they are walking or sitting on top of wet surfaces of snow or ice. Their long and bushy raccoon-like tail is resistant to sinking in snow, and can be curled around their face and shoulders for warmth and protection from wind and blowing snow and it can be even curled around their backside like a insulated seat cushion when sitting down on a snow or ice surface. Large paws facilitate walking on snow and are often compared to snowshoes. Long tufts of fur growing between their toes help keep the toes warm and further aid walking on snow by giving the paws additional structure without significant extra weight. Heavily furred ears with extra long tufts of fur growing from inside help keep their ears warm."

Nevertheless, Dante has been resistant to outdoor excursions beyond the front porch of late, and even then, not for very long.

"Brrrrr!  Is cold out here!"

"Why do you do this to me, mama?  OK, I'll give you one good

pose and that's all."

"Please let me back in, mama!"

"I said, please!!!"

"O fur Ceiling Cat's sake woman!  Give a mancat a break!"

"OK.  One last time.  Got it?  Good."

And with that, mama opened the door and Dante went inside.

  And me?

I was left out in the cold.

THURSDAY IN THE GARDEN WITH DANTE: DANCE POTTY!

These pictures were taken on Decembrrr 5th after we had rain which washed away the snow.  Today, we have snow again, but it's too cold for kitty paws to go outside.

So, Dante took advantage of the newly bare ground in the garden, to throw himself a "Dance Potty".

First, you do the 'potty'.

And then, you dance on top of it!

Put your left foot, out ...

... and put your right foot, out ...

... and then you shake it all about (that's why this one's a little blurry -- it's all the shaking going on)!

And finally, you get down and DIRTY!

Whaddya know!  Dante's not only the reigning Canadian Poop Idol, but also a mighty fine Hip-Hop artist, to boot.

Join us in the Spring for Dance Potty II in the Garden with Dante.

DANTE: IT'S PLAIN WE'RE NOT IN SPAIN!

These pictures were taken early last week before the snow had fallen.  The sun is very bright in the late afternoon when Dante went out for some fresh air -- maybe a little too fresh for his liking!

Dante is wearing his new Spain Football outfit (soccer to we North Americans).  Spain was, of course, the champion in the last World Cup.  Dante, too, comes from a long line of champs, so they have something in common.  Dante's father, named Sergeant Pepper, is a Master Grand Champion Maine Coon, who is now retired and still living at the cattery where Dante was born.  If you're interested, here's the link to the Lacocoon Cattery, where both Dante and his Dad appear on the Homepage.

Anyway, here's Dante out in the front, casting a mighty shadow.

He looks like a mancat on a mission.

He's come to stare at the front door.

And share a close-up of his Spain Football shirt for you to see.

"Well, it is nice an' sunny out heer" ...

... "but My Ceiling Cat, it's cold!!!"

"I don't suppose you'd open that door for me, wouldya, mama?"

"Furget it!  I'll doos it maiself!"

"At leest I finks I will."

"Brrrrrrrr!  I'm gettin' da shakes!"

"Dear Ceiling Cat:  Would yoo pleez make mai mama open da door?"

"I'm freezin' mai sockher balls off out heer!"

Mama tells Dante that it's a really nice day and he should take advantage of the good weather because soon there will be snow and ice. So he settles down in Domino's chair to wait until I come to my senses.

"Hey, is ackshully not so bad up heer!"

"Da sun is pretty darn nice, aldoe I'd trade dis ta be in Spain ware da rain falls mainly on da plain."

"It's warm in Spain all year long, ya noe!", says Dante as he basks in the glow of the Canadian sun.