Yet more dogs from Unsplash.
My son is unable to provide his fabulous photographs of birds every other week. More from him on an ‘as and when‘ basis.
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
There we go! More photographs in a week’s time.
Dogs are animals of integrity. We have much to learn from them.
Category: Art
Yet more dogs from Unsplash.
My son is unable to provide his fabulous photographs of birds every other week. More from him on an ‘as and when‘ basis.
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
There we go! More photographs in a week’s time.
More dogs from Unsplash!
Alex has been in the Isle of Mull this past week taking the most amazing photographs of birds and I hope that in time some of Alex’s photographs will be shared with you on Learning from Dogs.
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
This week I went for Poodles and selected the above photographs.
See you all next Tuesday.
More German Shepherds from Unsplash.
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
Quite a few puppies, as you can see!
Introducing a guest post from Gloria Peters.
Although this blog is 99% about dogs that doesn’t preclude a guest post; one that is really charming.
ooOOoo
Fun DIY Toys to Keep Your Cat Entertained
Keep your cat entertained with these easy DIY toys, including puzzle toys and toilet paper roll toys. Challenge your cat’s mind and provide hours of fun with these ideas
Fun DIY Toys to Keep Your Cat Entertained
Cats are known for being playful and curious, so it’s important to give them things to keep them occupied and their minds working. But store-bought toys can be expensive, and your cat may not always be interested in them.
That’s why making your own toys is a good idea. Making your own cat toys is not only cheaper, but it also allows you to make them just the way your cat likes them. In this article, we’ll talk about ten fun toys you can make to keep your cat busy.
A cardboard box is one of the easiest and most useful toys you can make for your cat. You can make a box fortress by cutting holes and tubes in the box and filling it with soft bedding. Cats love to hide and look around, and a cardboard box fort is the right place for them.
Find a large cardboard box to start making your cardboard fort. Cut holes and tubes into the sides of the box, making sure the edges are even so the cat doesn’t get hurt.
You can cut the paper with scissors or a utility knife. Then put something soft inside the box, such as a blanket or towel. Your cat will love hiding in his new fort and exploring it.
Cats love feathers and you can make your own feather toy by tying the feathers to a string or stick. Your cat will enjoy chasing and pouncing on feathers, which will exercise them, keep their mind active, and remind you that cat shed.
Start by getting feathers to make a feather toy. You can use feathers you find on the street or feathers bought from a craft store. Use glue or tape to attach the feathers to a string or stick. Make sure the feathers are well attached so they don’t fall off when the kids play. Then hang a feather toy in front of your cat and watch it jump and run after it.
Cats love the natural catnip stimulant, and you can make your own catnip toy by placing dried catnip in a sock and tying a knot at the end. Your cat will enjoy rubbing and biting on the sock, and the smell of catnip will keep her interested.
Find a clean sock to use as the base for your catnip sock. Put the dried catnip in the sock and then tie a knot at the end so the catnip stays inside. You can also put bells or wrinkled paper inside the sock to make it more interesting. Then give your cat a sock and watch her rub and bite into it, enjoying the smell of catnip.
Cats naturally love to scratch, but if you give them room to scratch, they won’t scratch your furniture. You can make a scratching post by wrapping string or carpet around a cardboard tube or wooden pole.
Find a sturdy cardboard tube or wooden pole to start making your scratching post. Cut a piece of string or carpet long enough to go around the pipe or pole. Then wrap the rope or cloth tightly around the pipe or pole and glue or staple it to keep it in place. Make sure the scratching post is high enough so that the cat can stretch out its entire body when using it. Place the scratching post where your cat likes to scratch and rub it with catnip so the cat can use it.
Make a ping pong ball track a fun and responsive toy for your cat. Make a path for the ping pong ball by cutting holes in the cardboard box and attaching the cardboard tubes. Your cat will love trying to catch the ball when you hit him with the bat.
Find a wooden box to start making a ping pong ball track. After making holes in the sides of the box, make sure they are large enough for a ping pong ball to fit through. Then make a maze by inserting cardboard tubes into the holes. The tubes can be glued with hot glue or tape. Finally, place the ping pong ball in the maze and watch your cat try to catch it by hitting it.
A paper bag tunnel is another easy and cheap toy you can make for your cat. You can make a tunnel for your cat by cutting the bottom out of a paper bag and sticking several bags together. You can also crumple up some paper and put it in bags to make them rustle and make the animals more excited.
Collect some paper bags to start making the paper bag tunnel. Make a long tunnel by cutting out the bottom of each bag and taping them together. You can also put crumpled paper inside the bags so that the cat makes noise while playing inside. Your cat will have a great time exploring his new cave and hiding in the bags.
Another fun toy for cats that looks like their natural prey is playing with a fishing rod. Stretch a toy or some feathers and tie them to a stick or dowel. Your cat will enjoy chasing and jumping on the toy, which will keep her active and stimulate her brain.
Find a stick or fishing rod to start making a fishing rod toy. Use glue or tape to attach the toy or feathers to the string, and tie the other end of the string to the stick. Hang the toy in front of your cat and watch it run and jump on it.
A toy that gives treats is a fun way to give your cat a treat and keep them entertained at the same time. Cut holes in a plastic bottle and fill it with treats to make a toy that dispenses treats. To get a treat, your cat will break the bottle.
Find a plastic bottle to start making a toy that gives out treats. Use a utility knife or scissors to cut some small holes in the sides of the bottle. Then put the best treats for your cat into the bottle. Your cat will love to hit the bottle and try to get treats out of the holes.
Conclusion
After all, making your own cat toys is a great way to keep them entertained and stimulated while saving money. But when you make these toys, it’s important to put your cat’s safety first and give her a range of toys that stimulate different senses. Don’t forget to play with your cat to bond with her and give her some exercise.
ooOOoo
Here is Gloria’s bio that she also supplied:
Gloria Peters is an experienced pet writer and enthusiast, sharing valuable insights on gadgets to keep your feline friend healthy, happy, and entertained. Her expertise in technology and pet care is well-known in the industry, as seen on her popular website blog tulip.
Gloria Peters
I must say that Gloria has done a splendid job in writing the above guest post. It is excellent and way better than I could have done myself.
Thank you, Gloria.
The last day of April, 2023, brings a change in the Picture Parades.
My son, Alex, is a very keen photographer and has taken many beautiful photos of birds. He wants to build his following especially on Instagram (that is a link to Alex’s page) and I was very willing to assist him in his endeavour.
So starting today I will be posting the photographs taken by Alex and repeating this every other Sunday. In other words, I shall now be alternating between birds and dogs for as long as is possible.
But first of all here is Alex’s QR code.
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
Alex uses an Olympus camera, an OM-1, and his lens is an Olympus M zuiko 150-400TC pro. A feature of the camera is the continuous shooting rate of 130 frames per second that Alex uses to good effect; as you can see.
So if you are interested in photography, please go across to this Instagram link and revel in the wonderful pictures featuring wildlife from the UK🇬🇧, mainly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire and Bristol.
Next Sunday we are back to dogs!
More dogs from Unsplash.
This time Siberian Husky Dogs!
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
oooo
What a fantastic group of photographs; apologies if I have shown these before.
To apply to the UK’s Sound Generator.
This is the company that my daughter helps to run. She is Maija and together with Polly and Chloe they run Sound UK. I want to promote a recent item that appeared on their website.
ooOOoo
Now in its third year, Sound Generator is Sound UK’s research and development (R & D) programme that supports artists and seeds the development of an ambitious new project.
Each year six early career music and sound artists spend six months developing and testing their project, supported by mentoring from a range of experts.
By the end of the programme artists will have thoroughly explored their initial idea and tested that they can make it work, ready for the next stage of full commissioning and public engagement.
During the process artists will be able to try out new approaches, learn from others, increase their network and develop their practice.
Projects can be:
• For indoors or outdoors
• Suitable for venue touring or site specific
• Digital, installation or live
• Music, sound or multi-disciplinary
• Designed to reach a new audience, work with a specific community or respond to the world we live in.
Following an open call, six artists will each receive an award of £2200 to research and develop their idea across six months (June to November 2023).
In addition to £2200, the programme includes access to the Sound Generator Network with support sessions from a range of exceptional mentors, plus opportunities to connect with other artists on the programme.
The R & D will culminate in the creation of a short audio or video sample of the project, and a proposal for its delivery. These will be presented by each artist at a sharing event at the end of the programme and sent out to a wide network of industry contacts.
• UK* creators that reflect the full cultural diversity and gender spectrum of the UK
• Creators with 5 – 10 years professional experience
• Creators who want to develop a new idea that extends their practice, with public interaction in mind.
• Artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary music. Working within, but not exclusively, jazz, sound, folk, classical and electronic music, plus all points in between.
*we define a UK artist as someone who has been based and working in the UK for more than 5 years.
Find out more about our 2022 Sound Generator artists and our 2021 Sound Generator artists.
“We learnt so much and mentoring + support was very helpful in furthering our ideas. I think it also puts us in a better position to get further funding and for potential future collaborations.”
Daphnellc & Ambra, Sound Generator 2022
ooOOoo
Hopefully this is read by some people who either want to help share the message or want to apply.
Either way it was worth sharing!