Jamie Moore

07/22/2026

Biggles the kitten

Biggles was one of my foster kittens earlier this summer. I decided to set up a kitten Photo Booth by turning an old aquarium on its side and placing a smidge of a lickable cat treat on the glass inside the front wall. I used photoshop to remove the reflections and seams then added a textured background. I tried a few other techniques also. Biggles was a good sport and really enjoyed his photo sessions.

Biggles was adopted along with his brother Key by a very nice family and is now going by the name “Whiskers” 😸

🏷️ kitten photography, kitten posing and modeling, cat photo ideas, creative photo editing, foster kitten love

07/19/2026

“Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. You never want to go out with a whimper. Everything can have drama if it’s done right. Even a pancake.”
— Julia Child

Happy Sunday!

These cardamom rolls have some dramatic flair, but were actually quite simple to make using half of the dough from FEASTING AT HOME’s pulla recipe. They freeze well and can be quickly revived in a toaster oven when you’re in need of a lightly sweet treat. The sprinkle of pearl sugar on top shouldn’t be skipped.

I’m currently working my way through ‘The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion’ by Beth Brower. I think the narrator is a delightful mix of Jane Austen and Bridget Jones.

Have you read any good books recently?

07/15/2026

“For I was rich, if not in money, in sunny hours and summer days, and spent them lavishly.”

— Henry David Thoreau, ‘Walden’

Griffin, an aspiring transcendentalist and connoisseur of sunny window perches.

Can you guess his thoughts?

🔖 still life with orange cat

07/13/2026

Pulla

lightly sweet and buttery Finnish Cardamom Bread
slices of sunshine and happiness

Finnish art and culture has unexpectedly inserted itself into my life this summer. I read a historical novel based on the life of Jean Sibelius when our community orchestra was working on an all-Sibelius concert last month. Then, I made a new friend from Finland on a swimming trip in Montenegro (her happiness was contagious). Now, I’m reading ’Deep River’ by Karl Marlantes, an epic novel following a Finnish family during turbulent times in the early 20th century, set in Finland and the Pacific NW in the US. A minor character in both books has been pulla, which is served with coffee and brings comfort to the characters during difficult times. I knew I had to try it, and it really is comforting to have with a cup of coffee or tea. I used FEASTING AT HOME ‘s recipe, which makes two large loaves (or you can use half the dough to make delicious cardamom rolls, which I did). After enjoying pulla fresh from the oven, I sliced and froze the extra, and have been toasting a couple of slices every morning for breakfast. I highly recommend this bread, which likely contributes the reputation of Finnish people as being the happiest in the world 😊

Have you tried pulla?

06/22/2026

06/22/2026

Hike up the town walls of Kotor to the Fortress of St. John with magnificent views of the fjords.

06/12/2026

Key and April: “Where’s Biggles?”
Biggles: “I’m playing hide and seek in this trunk right now, then tomorrow I’m going to PetSmart to get adopted!”

For adoption info, visit Tiplings https://tiplings.org/adopt

06/12/2026

My latest batch of foster kittens will be ready for adoption this Saturday through Tiplings.

Come meet Monty, Biggles, Wiggles, and Key at PetSmart on Urbana Pike on Saturday from 1-4 pm (3 month old male kittens of the highest quality and character).

06/06/2026

Can you picture this little warrior in your home? My foster kitten Key and his brothers will be available for adoption June 13 through Tiplings in Frederick.

06/03/2026

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.”
—Albert Schweitzer

Working on photos of my foster kittens, who will be up for adoption soon.

I haven’t been on social media much lately, so much going on here in addition to the 6 pack of kittens!

In January, I was diagnosed with musician’s dystonia (a task-specific movement disorder causing involuntary muscle contractions which interfere with highly trained motor skills, such as playing a musical instrument). Basically, the circuitry in my brain related to playing clarinet developed a glitch (all the hardware is intact—no mass or stroke). I have been working with some amazing musician coaches to retrain (or rewrite the affected program in my brain) since February. It’s going well, and I will be playing with my local orchestra in a concert of Sibelius works this month.

I just finished reading a novel based on Sibelius’ life, which was really interesting to read while playing several of his compositions—‘My Music, My Drinking, and Me’ by Caroline J. Sinclair. It illustrates how we all face struggles in life and how important it is to do your best to get through the difficult times.

The audio track is from Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, which was written after the tragic death of his 15 month old daughter from typhus while he was also struggling with alcoholism, debts, and subsequent marital troubles.