Equal Time for Kitties

I got an e-mail recently from the Association for Fair Treatment of Felines about the amount of time that the dogs were getting on the blog.

The threatening tone and noises being made about "cease and desist," civil rights violations and other unpleasantnesses had me going, "All right, all right already!"

So here you go, AFTF. Happy now?

Hook, Line and Sinker

It's like dangling a string in front of Otter, or reaching for Walker's favorite balls. Mention that a portion of my restaurant tab will benefit a good cause and I'm picking up the phone to make a reservation.

Oysters Apicius at Nostrana.

So all it took was hearing that during the month of May select Portland restaurants and New Seasons Markets will be donating 10% of the sales from designated menu items to The Wetlands Conservancy. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Conservancy's mission is to protect and preserve Oregon's greatest wetlands. And what better time to have that particular benefit than during American Wetlands Month?

Squid ink tonnarelli with shrimp at Nostrana.

Called the Aqua Plate Special and featuring seafood whose habitat is dependent upon the health of Oregon’s estuaries, it's not only designed to raise money for the Conservancy's efforts, but to build an awareness of the connection between healthy wetlands and a healthy food system.

Even better, at least as far as I'm concerned, is that the fishy friends to be featured include Oregon oysters, Dungeness crab and pink shrimp, as well as Pacific NW wild-caught salmon. See what I mean? Dangle that hook and I'll bite!

Details: Aqua Plate Special benefit for The Wetlands Conservancy. List of participating restaurants and markets.

Top photo from The Wetlands Conservancy. Oysters and tonnarelli from Aqua Plate introductory media dinner at Nostrana.

Kitten Update: Otter-rific

Just because she's so freakin' cute and I know you secretly love cute kitty photos, right? Right?

Otter at 10 months.

Making Waves

Upside down.

Who'd have thought that a little 6-lb. nymphet of a kitten could turn our lives all topsy-turvy? Her name is Otter, she's a 7-month-old spitfire with decidedly laid-back tendencies, which bodes well as she matures, and she seems completely nonplussed by the other two furry ones in the household. (Not talking about the husband or son here.)

A friend found her and her sister living in the horse barn where my friend's daughter rides. They'd been dumped there to become "barn cats," but the two half-feral cats already in residence didn't take kindly to the interlopers. Plus the kittens kept running out into the driveway to greet anyone who drove up…hmmm…black kittens, dark morning…nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

And since I was starting to feel like we were ready to jump into the kitty pool again after losing our Chester a year ago, I went out to "take a look" and, you guessed it, fell hook, line and sinker. I'll keep you updated on occasion as our ship gradually rights itself again, but I think this new crew member will fit in just fine.