Written by For our prompt of “Broom” today, I sketched a little kitten taking a witch’s broomstick out alone for an evening joyride through the stars. I’ve no idea how a kitten could even steer while taking a broom ride like this one, but I assume that’s simply left up to magic. I love Halloween month, but prefer the cuter side of things rather than anything truly scary. As a kid, we’d tell each other ghost stories during this time of year. These were the kind of stories simply told to scare the other kids into fits and screams, but it all simply ended in a sea of giggles. Most of those stories had what they call “jump scares” where one kid would leap across the room at the pivotal point, becoming whatever horrible thing had just been described. In movies, this often happens when someone is walking through a house and a cat suddenly lurches into view while shrieking. It’s a cheap scare, but still manages to make me jump out of my skin each time it happens. Yet, the cats I sketch would never do such a thing as I like to imagine that they’re far more polite.
Since the night comes earlier and earlier each day now, Philippe and I usually end up in bed much sooner. I rather love it when we watch something a bit spooky. It doesn’t matter if it’s remotely scary, but if there’s any tension building at all, Philippe will grab the edge of the cover so he’s ready to pull it over his face if needed. One would think this would only happen while watching something like The Exorcist, but no, it can even happen during a Tim Burton movie. It’s rather cute and I’m no help whatsoever. When someone is walking slowly through a house I’ll make tiny sounds as though I’m scared to add to the tension. It’s that darn kid in me that used to tell those ghost stories. I just can’t help it. And it makes me giggle every time to watch Philippe duck and bury himself under the covers as though he’s just a little kid as well. And yes, in the kind of cuter movies we watch, it’s usually just a darn cat jumping out suddenly that causes this to happen.
Thankfully, our dog Phineas doesn’t jump out suddenly to scare us. Though there have been times when I’ve almost tripped over him when I didn’t realize he was right next to me. He’s a barkless basenji, which means he’s a bit stealth, but nothing creepy. There’s a beautiful black cat that lives in the neighborhood that we’ve named Cindy. That’s the thing about cats. They’re always wandering around without their owners present. So, while we know the names of all of the dogs in the neighborhood via the owners, the names of the cats are a complete mystery. So, Philippe and I just give them whatever names we prefer. Once recently, Cindy returned home early from her evening of wandering around and we watched as the owner came out to greet her. For a moment, I thought we’d hear the real name at last, but the woman just starting gushing and said, “who’s a good girl!” At least we got the gender right, as it’s terribly tough to tell with felines. I was secretly relieved as sometimes, mysteries are better when they’re left to the imagination. So, Cindy continues to be whatever we dream, making her quite a magical cat.
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Charlie awww there are no ghosts. I did paint a nice impressionist jack o lantern though! I am trying to follow the teachings of impressionist master (I think so) Jean Haines and the pumpkin just sort of evolved in my lesson on fall colours. No ghosts though.
Yay for impressionists! I adore them! It’s a wonderful way to learn how to abstract things indeed! 😃💕 And as for ghosts…. I don’t believe in them or disbelief in them. That’s how the inner child works! 😉 hehe
Cats ARE magical creatures and this one is gorgeous too!! Nice post, Charlie!
Thanks so much, Mary! 😃💕 Yes!! I wish I wasn’t allergic to them or I’d totally own a cat!
Fascinante, Charlie, me gusto el gato volador, jajajaj me acorde de una canción jajja
jeje! Muchas Gracias, Eduardo! 😃💕
Fantastic Charlie! I see that your kitty’s claws are out to hold on. Ouch, they are like little razors when they are kittens. My inner child had a blast today in my studio. It has been far too long since that happened. Hopefully your day was not too stressful!
Thanks so much, Karen! 😃💕 Yep, this kitty is holding on for dear life! lol I’m so happy your inner child got to play in the studio! So fun!!
Once when I was watching Hollywood Squares, the question was whether cats could be trained to come when you called their name. According to their experts, the answer was ‘no’. I’m still incensed about that. Cats do learn their names – they just don’t come unless they like you. I had three cats once, and if I called one the one I called would come running. Well, two of them would. The third one would immediately run and hide. If you didn’t come looking for her, she’d saunter out, scold you and then go hide again.
Yeah… I think that’s totally bunk! I’m sure such a test would be a laboratory setting. Everyone knows a proper cat would never dane to answer to a name when it’s a stranger and someone they don’t give two cents about! lol Shy cats though just double down on the inscrutability though. hehe 😃💕
I like th pink you added to her to give her some depth. So cute! Did you name Cindy, Cindy because she is black like a cinder? Yeah, I’ve watched Cinderella a few hundred times. 😉
Thanks so much, Lori! 😃💕 hehe… honestly Philippe named her and just likes to choose names that seem fun and common in America.
Cute kitty! He looks like he’s holding on with his kitty nails. 😋 This was years back, but we had a news anchor named Chris Marrou. He was quick on his feet with the witty comebacks. He was pretty funny. Well, we had a really powerful storm with tornadic winds come through. A viewer called in, sharing what he was seeing outside as the storm passed. The guy said the wind almost knocked him down while he was outside looking for his cat. Chris Marrou didn’t miss a beat. He said, “Yeah, that cat’s in Kerrville now.” Kerrville is north of us , about an hour and a half away. I laughed and laughed! 😂😂
Thanks so much, Marisela! 😃💕 Oh my goodness! That’s a wonderful gift indeed to make someone laugh in the middle of a storm! Love that!
Great picture, Charlie. I’ve never been a fan of horror movies because I’m too jumpy.
Thanks so much, Gary! 😃💕 Yeah, you sound just like Philippe… we can’t watch any of them! hehe
I don’t watch much horror either. Especially not the blood and gore kind. Hitchcock is about as hardcore as I want to get. And those Saw movies leave me cold. Its kind of weird that I read lots of serial killer books. Its just different on the page than the screen I guess. Some of it probably goes back to my Nancy Drew days. I re-read a Nancy Drew book this past year and was surprised how sexist it was. I should learn to leave well enough alone. 😁
Awww Hitchcock is my favorite! Love tension and plot… the gore just gets in the way of it all. And usually disguises the fact there’s really no good plot whatsoever. Yeah, those old books are not really PC by today’s standards, but they still managed to tell a better story than many books today. 😉
Hello Charlie,
That dear little kitty hanging onto the broom is so cute. I especially like the swirling night sky behing her. It looks like it holds more magic within it, waiting to be let out. And though I couldn’t write in, I absolutely loved the cat watching the leaves float to the ground and the poor little mouse was struggling in all that wind. And Cindy is such a lovely name for a cat! Is she gonna be part of one of your stories? I sure hope so. 🙂
Love,
Mugdha
Thanks so much, Mugdha! 😃💕 Hehe! I do love the characters Philippe and I create out of the real world. I’ve been trying to figure out all to put them all together into a proper story, but it’s not as easy as I’d hoped. I think instead, I’ll just have to imagine something just beyond that. There might be the real story I’m meant to tell!
Another magical sketch 🙂 Halloween not my favorite holiday..I kinda tolerate the spooky movies and all but would much prefer something funny and/or uplifting…I am more like Phillipe in my chair with my coverlet ready to be pulled up at any given moment..whenever I do get the nerve or interest to watch one lol 😊
Thanks so much, Priscilla! 😃💕 Hehe… I’m the same actually. I love fun spooky, but like on a kid level. Or things about lore and documentary. When movies are filled with dread or terror, I’m like… I can get this from real life already. Give me something fun to escape to and enjoy! lol
Thats a witchy cat. I really like how the moon leads the eye into the cat.
Thanks so much, Shawn! 😃💕 So happy you enjoyed this!