The Apples in My Orchard

A Blog By Carol Labuzzetta Since 2017

Poetry Friday: Black Cats and Costumes

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theapplesinmyorchard

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2–3 minutes

I am putting more and more on my writing plate. I’ve been maintaining two blogs – here and also on Medium.com. It’s been fine and my wonderful WordPress followers – over 800 of them – have still been reading my posts. In addition, I’ve had a good month on Medium. com and feel confident I will make my goal of $10.00 this month in revenue.

I’ve been looking at some past Halloween photos. My sons are all grown now, with my youngest turning 21 in September. But, my sister sent me a photo of my oldest in a superman costume that I made with the help of my husband. I am sure my middle son (I have three sons) wore the costume five years later when he was about the same age at Halloween. I have been digging to find that photo. Anyway, the first Halloween as a parent had me motivated to make my one-year-old’s costume. And, I did! Thus, it started me down the road of making homemade costumes each year for all three of my boys and sometimes, my husband and me, also! It was fun and the photos provide treasured memories.

I enjoyed making our costumes and thank all of my guys for wearing what I sewed up for them! There is a black cat in our family now, too. Here is a poem I wrote about him several weeks ago. I hope you enjoy it and have a safe, happy, Halloween!

Independent Cat

Black as the night

And nimble too

You won’t hear me

Come to you.


I don’t like to be held

As some of my kind do,

But I’ll let you pet me

Although those minutes are few.

Very independent

And curious, I am

I’ll investigate every corner

Even if it ends in a jamb.

And when I’m tired,

I can open the door

To my own kitchen cupboard

Not far off the floor.

There I will sleep

Most of the day through

Until it’s time to rise again

And meow for you!

© Draft, Carol Labuzzettta, 2022.

Today is Poetry Friday! Our host is Jone Rush MacCullogh on her blog of the same name. Jone has a lot going on in the world of poetry, so be sure to stop by and read her piece today. You can also contribute to Poetry Friday by leaving a link to your poetry and comment on other poets’ work. Thank you for hosting, Jone!

20 responses to “Poetry Friday: Black Cats and Costumes”

  1. Bridget Magee Avatar
    Bridget Magee

    What a fun collage of Halloween memories, Carol. You are a talented seamstress!
    Your cat seems like an ex-purr-t at independent behavior. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Thanks, Bridget! His name is Peanut and is my son’s cat who we get to watch when he travels- love your wordplay. He is special! 🙂

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  2. tee+d Avatar
    tee+d

    What gorgeous memories – and what a beautiful creature! I love how s/he doesn’t deign to be petted often. S/He has Things To Do, after all.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Tanita, Thanks for stopping by! Thanks for your kind words. The cat has lots to do for sure – like sleep – most of the day1 lol!

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  3. Tricia Stohr-Hunt Avatar
    Tricia Stohr-Hunt

    What amazing costumes you created! Your cat is gorgeous. I’m intrigued that she has her own kitchen cupboard.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Hi Tricia, Yes! We are too. He found a way to open a bottom cupboard and climbs inside to hide or sleep. My son (it’s his cat) had to clear everything out of the cupboard for him. So fun to watch! And, smarr!

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  4. Laura Purdie Salas Avatar
    Laura Purdie Salas

    Those costumes! Wow. Mine were much more basic, and I was proud to get through those. Love the “jamb” wordplay in your poem–such fun!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Thanks, Laura! I did enjoy making them (most of the time). Some years, I felt pressure to get them done. We had more group costumes as the boys got older – The Munsters, Gilligan’s Island, and Wizard of Oz (pictured). I have to dig some more photos out but with our move, it’s been difficult to find things! LOL. Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. cvarsalona Avatar
    cvarsalona

    Carol, your costumes are wonderful. The boys were lucky to have a Mom that is creative and can sew. My mother was the talented seamstress in our family. My little grandgirls are wearing costumes this year that were made by my Mom for their Mommy and Uncle D. Happy Halloween. Perhaps you will add one of your image poems to my Finding Fall 2022 Padlet Gallery at https://padlet.com/cvarsalona/awz68cfim4nac1rp.

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    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Thanks, Carol! My grandma was the seamstress that encouraged me to sew. She made all of our clothes when my sister and I were little! Everything from winter coast to bathing suits! Talk about talent! Whew! I am not as accomplished but the boys really motivated me to make costumes! I hope your grandgirls enjoy wearing a costume that you wore! How fun is that?! But, if they’re made well – they last for a long time! I’ll try to add to your padlet. We’re having overnight company today so I don’t know how much time I’ll have to fool with it. Thanks, again

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  6. Patricia J. Franz: Published poet & kidlit author (@patriciajfranz1) Avatar
    Patricia J. Franz: Published poet & kidlit author (@patriciajfranz1)

    Your kitty is a perfect companion for these October-end days!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Thanks, Patricia! Happy Halloween!

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  7. lindabaie Avatar
    lindabaie

    Wow, those costumes are amazing. I made a few when my kids were young, a clown, a ghost, and the hardest, a robot! They are fun memories always. Your “Peanut” grandcat, right? is beautiful, just have to keep him safe on Halloween.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Thanks, Linda. I actually kind of forgot about making these costumes until some popped up on a Shutterfly reminder. It was definitely an act of love! And yes, Peanut is our grandcat – he’s an indoor cat – and lives with our oldest son in La Crosse WI. We love having him visit though!

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      Reply
  8. Jone Avatar
    Jone

    Carol,
    I loved the rhythm of your poem. Your sweet kitty seems like a dickens. Seeing the photos of the costumes makes me wish I had a photo of the pumpkin costume my mother made me and how I almost roasted in it (stuffed with newspaper)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Jone, Thank you so much! Wow! Stuffed with newspapers? That does sound hot and “inky!” The kitty is our son’s so he doesn’t live with us but love having him when he visits!

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  9. gailaldousmsncom Avatar
    gailaldousmsncom

    Carol, your kitten is so cute. My cat loves to be pet, but she doesn’t like to be held unless I rock her in my arms. Love the rhyming details and rhythm in your poem! “I can open the door to my own kitchen cupboard” “There I’ll sleep” and “until it’s time to rise again/and meow for you!” are charming cat behaviors. They all have such different personalities. Your children in those amazing costumes are adorable. Thank you for sharing. Happy Halloween!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comments, Gail! I appreciate them! It’s hard to love a cat that doesn’t want to cuddle but we do anyway, right?!

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      Reply
  10. maryleehahn Avatar
    maryleehahn

    That bit about getting into the cupboard says so much about your cat’s “personality!” My cat Jennyanydots once found a portal in the back of our half-double’s linen closet and traveled through the skeleton of the house to fall through the ceiling tiles in our neighbor’s kitchen and hide in their bedroom closet! Cats!!!

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    Reply
    1. theapplesinmyorchard Avatar
      theapplesinmyorchard

      Hi MaryLee, Yes, it does! He has such a curious mind, and likes his privacy, too! Yours sounds like the same, but has some dickens in her too! You got to love those cats!

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