Monday, 23 March 2026

**LOVE TO COLOUR?** Colouring with Cats #139 ~ Getting Your OM’s on with Mandalas on Mondays ~ Pandora Welcomes Mew To Monday

A vibrant mandala banner in pink, yellow, and white featuring a large ornate central mandala with radiating lines and dotted accents. The background shifts from soft yellow to bright pink in a smooth gradient. Decorative vertical borders with circular motifs frame the sides. Stylised text reads ‘Getting Your OM’s On!’, ‘And Unleash Your Zen Harmonies’, and ‘Mandalas on Monday’. Two Om symbols sit in the lower corners, and the ©BionicBasil® mark appears at the bottom.

Mindful Monday Magic with Pandora: Colouring Mandalas, Finding Your OM, and Unleashing Zen Harmonies at BionicBasil.com


Supurr  greetings, meautiful furiends

Today, Pandora is back to welcome mew to Monday, as she said, after my epic selfie yesterday
I think I should take another turn on the blog today! MOL

Nope, we weren't going to argue with that! 

Pandora - A long‑haired black‑and‑brown cat sits on a colourful blanket with red and pink patterns, mid‑yawn, showing an expressive open mouth. Behind her are a white cushion, a black sofa, and a brick wall with a cat tree. This photo is used for “Mandalas on Monday” at BionicBasil®, with Pandora welcoming readers to a new mindful Monday moment.

This is what she thinks at the start of the week, but never fear, Smooch is here!


We hope that mew're ready for the week ahead, so let's jump right in and start as always with our little breathing exercise, which we're sure mew all have down paw by now...  but if mew've forgotten, stop what mew're doing for a moment and take deep fulfilling breaths; counting to five on the inhale and five on the exhale:

Breathe in
Breathe out

Breathe in
Breathe out

Breathe in
Breathe out

Smooch is here again to offer mew assistance in getting your OM's on and Zen Harmonies happening, so just press play, close your eyes and follow his instructions.



Don't mew feel better already?  I know we do!


All the mandalas featured are created & designed by us, aka The B Team.

A horizontal page divider featuring bright vertical light‑spectrum lines in vivid colours against a dark background, creating a sleek, modern visual break between sections.

Here's this time's mandala.
A detailed black‑and‑white mandala titled “Mandala #139” features intricate symmetrical patterns radiating from a central floral design. This printable colouring page is part of the “Mandalas on Monday – Colouring With Cats” series at BionicBasil®, offering a relaxing, creative mindfulness activity for cat‑loving colourists.

Right-click the image to save a
nd/or print the mandala.


And here's our finished version. This time, we used a palette of pinks, magenta, and oranges.

A brightly coloured mandala titled “Mandala #139” features vivid pink, purple, red, yellow, and orange tones arranged in intricate, symmetrical layers. The design radiates from a central floral motif and is framed with a white border and black outline. This finished artwork, coloured by Cathrine Garnell, appears in the “Mandalas on Monday – Colouring With Cats” series at BionicBasil®

Coloured on the iPad and then transformed in Prisma, this time we chose the effect - Bubblegum. 


A horizontal page divider featuring bright vertical light‑spectrum lines in vivid colours against a dark background, creating a sleek, modern visual break between sections.

Don't forget mew can download** our **FREE** Colouring with Cats here:- Books One, Two, Three and Four.

A bright pink book cover titled “Colouring With Cats – Getting Your Om On and Unleashing Your Zen Harmonies” features a central mandala with the text “Mandalas on Monday.” The design includes decorative borders, Om symbols, and the note “Book One – featuring 10 beautiful mandalas for you to colour.” The book is by Cathrine Garnell and reflects a relaxing, mindfulness‑themed colouring series from BionicBasil®A light‑blue book cover titled “Colouring With Cats – Getting Your OM On and Unleashing Your Zen Harmonies” features a colourful circular mandala at the centre with the text “Mandalas on Monday.” Pink and white decorative borders frame the design. The cover reads “Book Two – Featuring 30 easy mandalas for you to colour” and credits the author, Cathrine Garnell. The overall style is bright, calming, and mindfulness‑focused.A bright green book cover titled “Colouring With Cats – Getting Your OM On and Unleashing Your Zen Harmonies” features a pink‑and‑purple mandala at the centre with the text “Mandalas on Monday.” Decorative borders frame the design. The cover reads “Book Three – featuring 20 gorgeous mandalas for you to colour” and credits the author, Cathrine Garnell. The overall style is vibrant, calming, and mindfulness‑focused.
A purple book cover titled “Colouring With Cats – Getting Your OM’s On and Unleashing Your Zen Harmonics” features a radiant circular mandala at the centre with the text “Mandalas on Monday.” Decorative borders and Om symbols frame the design. The cover reads “Book Four – Featuring 16 of our favourite mandalas for you to colour” and credits the author, Cathrine Garnell. The overall look is vibrant, calming, and mindfulness‑focused.
Colouring With Cats Book IV

[**see our download policy here]


So on that note, we'll say bye for now and hope to see mew on Wednesday when we're back with our Midweek News Round-Up. And if mew missed any posts since Friday, here are the links:


Sunday Selfies with Pandora

Until then

Keep Calm and Colour OM!


Supurr zen purrs

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team
















Don't forget to subscribe and never miss another mandala! 

Copyright Notice
© [2026] BionicBasil®. All Rights Reserved. No part of this post, characters, or lore may be reproduced, scraped, or rewritten in any form (including AI) without express written permission
Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com  

Sunday, 22 March 2026

The Sunday Selfies and Caturday Art Blog Hops at BBHQ **FEATURING** Pandora's Deck Selfie

Four illustrated cats pose together in front of a bright field of yellow tulips. From left to right: Fudge, a ginger cat; Parsley, a black cat; Smooch, a white cat with black markings; and Melvyn, a brown, black, and white tabby. Around them are scattered black‑and‑white Polaroid‑style cat selfies, and above the group is a white sign with a paw print and the text “Sunday Selfies ©BionicBasil®.

Early‑spring vibes on the BBHQ deck; green shoots, sleepy garden pots, and Pandora striking a purrfect selfie pose.

A bright spring border made of lush green grass dotted with evenly spaced yellow tulips in full bloom. The flowers stand upright with open petals, creating a cheerful, fresh, and vibrant decorative frame.

Furbulous Sunday greetings furiends

Welcome to another BBHQ selfie selection. This time, Pandora said it was her turn, and here is the little furry feline on the deck. It was a bit overcast the other day, but mew can see the pots in the background, yes, there is life, and hopefully, this next week or so, colour will burst forth. 

We're quite excited to see, as these were only planted in autumn/fall, so we have no idea how colourful they may be! #excitingtimes #worththewait 

Pandora's Deck Selfie


A long‑haired tortoiseshell cat sits on a wooden deck, looking back over her shoulder toward the camera. Behind her are terracotta plant pots with green foliage against a brick wall, creating a calm outdoor garden setting. This photo is titled “Pandora’s Deck Selfie” for the Sunday Selfies Blog Hop at BionicBasil.com, featuring Pandora from The B Team.

Smooch and Fudge were just out of shot, and she warned them, "Don't come any closer, mew'll ruin it!" MOL

Oh yes, she can be quite bossy at times, just like Amber. But for Cod's sake, don't tell Amber we said that, as all library privileges will be revoked faster than mew could say:

I'll have a niptini, shaken, not stirred, with a spring of catmint on the side! 

MOL MOL

A bright spring border made of lush green grass dotted with evenly spaced yellow tulips in full bloom. The flowers stand upright with open petals, creating a cheerful, fresh, and vibrant decorative frame.

We're also joining in Athena's Fabulous Art Hop so do stop by and show off your pawesome arty-farty skills.

Cute cat graphic for the caturday art blog hop

AI Artified photo of -A long‑haired tortoiseshell cat sits on a wooden deck, looking back over her shoulder toward the camera. Behind her are terracotta plant pots with green foliage against a brick wall, creating a calm outdoor garden setting. This photo is titled “Pandora’s Deck Selfie” for the Sunday Selfies Blog Hop at BionicBasil.com, featuring Pandora from The B Team.

The effect was created with Befunky - AI Image Enhancer, Watercolour GFX 3 + slight colour changes to hue and saturation.

Click here to dive into this splendiferous arty masterpiece starring Pandora, posing on the deck. It’s a floof-tastic test of feline finesse, and guess what? 

We crushed it in just 6 minutes and 50 seconds. Can mew beat our time? 

Of course, mew can! MOL

A bright spring border made of lush green grass dotted with evenly spaced yellow tulips in full bloom. The flowers stand upright with open petals, creating a cheerful, fresh, and vibrant decorative frame.

Anyhoo, it's time for us to go and get outside, the garden is calling most strongly, well, we have to go and snoopervise the P.A. as she's 'doing things' that need our expert guidance before she cuts the catmint in the millwheel by the pond too much.

If this happens again this year, we're not sure if Fudge will keep it together! MOL

As always, Smooch is getting ready for lunch ... he keeps staring at the oven with wanton aggression whilst growling intermittently. The P.A. said he will have to wait until she's finished in the garden, and no, we can't repeat his reply! MOL 

Then we'll be commenting and hopping around everypawdy's blog catching up as we do every Sunday, because there aren't enough hours in the week at the moment.

We'll be back bright and breezy in the morning, and look forward to your company then with 'something', we're not sure what, so we'll just say SURPRISE! 

We do hope mew have an epic day, and remember to ...

Stay Fluffy text banner, bold type with shadows in green and yellow
... and utterly furbulous! 

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team

black paw print to sign off post





A bright spring border made of lush green grass dotted with evenly spaced yellow tulips in full bloom. The flowers stand upright with open petals, creating a cheerful, fresh, and vibrant decorative frame.

Don't forget to join in the pawesome Sunday Selfies Blog Hop with

 Angel Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, and Cooper Murphy ~ visit them at their pawesome blog:


An animated graphic shows a cat sitting inside an open cardboard box with its mouth wide open as if calling out. Sparkles and light bursts surround the cat, giving the scene an energetic, playful feel. A speech bubble reads, “IT’S SELFIE TIME, SHARE THOSE EPIC PICS!” and the text “WWW.BIONICBASIL.COM” appears below the box.





A bright spring border made of lush green grass dotted with evenly spaced yellow tulips in full bloom. The flowers stand upright with open petals, creating a cheerful, fresh, and vibrant decorative frame.












Spring Bunting Divider in greens and yellows
Don't furget to subscribe to our blog and never miss another post. 
Spring Bunting Divider in greens and yellows
Copyright Notice

© [2026] BionicBasil®. All Rights Reserved. No part of this post, characters, or lore may be reproduced, scraped, or rewritten in any form (including AI) without express written permission

Spring Bunting Divider in greens and yellows
Graphics created with paid licence @www.canva.com & www.befunky.com

Friday, 20 March 2026

**The Forget-Me-Not-Library** by Heather Webber ~ Book Reviews with Amber ~ The Cat Book Connoisseur at The Mewton-Clawson Library ~ #354 ~ **PLUS** Friendly Fill-Ins

A whimsical illustrated banner for The Mewton‑Clawson Library at BBHQ shows Amber, an orange‑and‑white cat in the foreground, sitting before colourful bookshelves. The scene is decorated with flowers, trees, and small book‑themed elements such as an open book, a quill, and a thimble. The text reads “Welcome to The Mewton‑Clawson Library at BBHQ” and “Book Reviews with Amber,” creating a cosy, storybook‑style library setting.

This review of The Forget-Me-Not-Library by Heather Webber is part of Book Reviews with Amber, the Cat Book Connoisseur at the Mewton-Clawson Library. Scroll to read.

The world’s leading feline literary critic

From the shelves of the Mewton-Clawson Librarya curated review destination for cat-centric fiction at BionicBasil.com

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

✨ This Week’s Intro ~ 97% Calm, 2% Curiosity, 1% Mildly Suspicious Sparkles ✨

Hello, my gorgeous library guests,

and

Welcome back to the Mewton‑Clawson Library at BBHQ.

I am furry pleased to announce that the library remains mostly calm this week, not the deep, meditative stillness of last time, but a gentle, pleasantly humming sort of calm. The kind of calm that suggests everything is fine … probably … unless it isn’t … but it looks fine, so we’re just going with it.

The shelves are still aligned with military precision.

The books are reclining in their designated spots like pampered aristocats.

The mice are gliding about with serene purpose, tiny clipboards in paw.

Even the encyclopaedias are humming, though this week it’s a slightly more upbeat hum, as if they’ve recently discovered jazz.

And Melvyn?

Melvyn is calm … with a side of curiosity.

Not dangerous curiosity.

Not “the stapler is vibrating again” curiosity.

Just a soft, inquisitive sparkle in his eyes that suggests he’s noticed something … intriguing.

📚 A Morning of Almost‑Perfect Peace

Me: “Melvyn, sweetie, mew seem reflective today.”

Melvyn: “I am. I found a glitter trail on the 'G' Aisle.”

Me: “Glitter?”

Melvyn: “Yes. Pink. Sparkly. Suspiciously cheerful.”

Me: “And what did you do?”

Melvyn: “I followed it.”

Me: “Of course mew did.”

Melvyn: “It led to the atlas section. The atlases were … shimmering.”

Me: “Shimmering how?”

Melvyn: “Politely.”

Me: “Well, that’s something.”

Melvyn: “Should we be concerned?”

Me: “Not unless they start rearranging continents again.”

Melvyn: “I’ll keep an eye on them.”

Me: “Sweetie, that’s very responsible.”

Melvyn: “Also, the thesaurus has moved on from gratitude and mindfulness. It’s now journaling in haiku.”

Me: “Growth. Mew can't ask for more.”

Melvyn: "Indeed."
    
Me: "Now, meditation or tea?"

Melvyn: "Tea, with extra catnip syrup."

Me: "Catnip cookies?"

Melvyn: "Mew read my mind!"


📚 General Library Status Update

Happy mice
Happy vibe
Happy-ish atlases
Happy thesaurus (now in its poetic era)

In short:

The library is calm.
Predominantly calm.

Calm with a faint shimmer of mystery.

And honestly? I’m fascinated.

So, my meowvellous library guests, if mew notice a soft sparkle in the air or a faintly glowing map of the Southern Hemisphere, don’t worry, it’s all part of the library’s natural ecosystem.

Probably.

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

Last week, I said, and I quote:  I may share something really extraordinary with mew, but I have to get Basil's clearance first!

Sadly, Basil said I have to wait! Sorry about that, but soooooon! MOL

This was my face after he said that ... he did wither somewhat in the seconds after ...

Amber, an orange‑and‑white cat sits upright on a light wooden floor, looking directly at the camera with a serious, unimpressed expression. The image is used for “Book Reviews with Amber #354 – Feline Fiction” at BionicBasil.com, highlighting Amber’s reaction in the segment titled “Amber’s Not Happy With Basil’s Answer.” This photo represents Amber, The Cat Book Connoisseur and the world’s leading feline literary critic.

On that grumpy note, I'm off for another cup of tea with extra, extra catnip syrup! MOL


A split image shows two sections of a large home library. The top section features long white bookshelves filled with colourful books and magazines, with a cat walking along the wooden floor in front of them. The lower section shows another area lined with shelves of older, leather‑bound volumes and encyclopedias, with chairs placed nearby for reading. Text in the centre reads “Part of The Mewton‑Clawson Library ©BionicBasil®,” highlighting the cosy, well‑stocked library setting.
**Alt Text:**   A black‑and‑white line illustration shows three stacked books arranged like steps. A cartoon mouse with large ears stands proudly on the top book, while another mouse on the ground to the right looks up toward it. The drawing has a playful, storybook feel.
The P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.
**Alt Text:**   A cartoon illustration titled *Friendly Fill‑Ins* shows two cats sitting on a grassy field dotted with flowers. The cat on the left is orange with a red collar and a winking expression, while the cat on the right is black with green eyes and a blue collar. A butterfly flies above them, and rolling green hills and a blue sky form the background. Text at the top reads “Friendly Fill‑Ins — Hosted by Four‑Legged Furballs & 15andmeowing.”

1. The longest I have been without electricity is ______________________.
2. I am so tired of waiting for _____________________.
3. I can’t believe I still remember _________.
4. I wish I could go back and experience _________ for the first time again.

The P.A.'s answers are...

1. The longest I have been without electricity is a week. But as we're rather resourceful and prepared for such eventualities at BBHQ, we had a generator and plenty of fuel, so it didn't affect us much. Thank Basil! LOL

2. I am so tired of waiting for Netflix or Amazon Prime to turn up at BBHQ, utterly desperate to make a TV series of The B Team Adventures! LOL  But seriously, I'm tired of waiting for summer, roll on those lovely warm months ...

3. I can’t believe I still remember being four years old ... good gravy, what a long time ago that seems now.

4. I wish I could go back and experience getting my pony for the first time again. What an epic moment that was, and what an epic pony he was.

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!

**Alt Text:**   A black‑and‑white illustration features a vintage typewriter with a paw print on the sheet of paper. Stacks of books sit on both sides: on the left, a small cartoon mouse stands atop the books, and on the right, a cartoon elephant balances on the stack. The scene has a playful, literary feel, fitting as a divider for Amber’s book reviews.

A cosy illustrated library scene shows an orange‑and‑white cat sitting behind a wooden desk, surrounded by warm lighting, bookshelves, plants, and small decorative items like a lamp, a mouse figurine, and a “SHHHHH!!!” sign. The book “The Forget‑Me‑Not Library” by Heather Webber is displayed on the desk as this week’s top pick. A banner reads “Book Reviews with Amber #354 – Feline Fiction,” highlighting Amber as the world’s leading feline literary critic and Cat Book Connoisseur at BionicBasil.com.
Mewton-Clawson Library Copy

The Forget-Me-Not-Library 

 
by 

Heather Webber

**Alt Text:**   A symmetrical black‑and‑white illustration shows four cartoon mice arranged in pairs on either side of two pieces of Swiss‑style cheese placed in the centre. Each mouse faces inward toward the cheese, creating a playful, balanced composition.
📚 This Week’s Paw‑Approved Top Pick: The Forget‑Me‑Not Library

Dahlings, gather close and fluff your whiskers, because this week’s read is a warm, tender, soul‑soothing tale about second chances, unexpected connections, and the quiet magic that lives between the pages of a good book. And at the heart of it all? A furbulous, comforting, and emotionally intuitive black cat named Deckle.

❓ What’s the Vibe?

Think gentle Southern charm, a sprinkle of magical realism, and two women whose lives collide at just the right moment, all wrapped in the soft, steady presence of a cat who understands hearts better than humans ever could.

It’s cosy, emotional, uplifting, the literary equivalent of a warm hug, a purring companion, and a sunbeam nap rolled into one.

🐾 What’s the Story?

We follow two women navigating life’s unexpected upheavals:

🌩 Juliet Nightingale
Recovering from a lightning strike and feeling … incomplete. Something is missing, and she can’t name it. So she sets off on a spontaneous road trip, hoping the journey will reveal what her heart is searching for.

📚 Tallulah Byrd Mayfield
A newly single mum rebuilding her life from the ground up. She moves in with her grandfather and starts working at the Forget‑Me‑Not Library, a place where memories cling to the shelves, and healing happens quietly.

And then fate, with a little nudge from the universe, sends Juliet straight into 
Forget‑Me‑Not, Alabama … and straight into Tallulah’s life.

But the real magic? That’s Deckle.

🐈The Feline Heart of the Story ~ Deckle is everything: a comfort, a guide, a grounding presence, a furry emotional support system, and a whiskered ambassador of healing.

He senses what people need before they do. He anchors scenes with warmth. He brings characters together. He is, in my purrfessional opinion, the glue holding the entire emotional arc in place.

A library cat with purpose, with intuition, and he so deserves his own spin‑off series.

⚔️ What I Loved

💙 The Characters: Juliet and Tallulah are meautifully human, flawed, brave, and deeply relatable.

📚 The Library: A magical, memory‑soaked haven. I approve wholeheartedly.

✨ The Magical Realism: Soft, subtle, and woven through the story like starlight.

👨‍👧‍👧 Tallulah’s Family: Warm, messy, and full of heart.

🚗 The Road‑Trip Energy: Juliet’s journey feels like a breath of fresh air.

🐈 Deckle: The emotional heartbeat of the book. The furry sage. The whiskered wonder.

📖 Final Thoughts

This is a gentle, luminous story about rediscovery, resilience, and the unexpected ways we find our way back to ourselves. It’s emotional without being heavy, magical without being fantastical, and full of the kind of warmth that lingers long after the final chapter.
 
And Deckle? He elevates the entire experience, of course, he does! MOL

🪄 Summed Up in One Sentence

🐾 A tender, magical tale where healing happens in a library, lives intertwine by fate, and a wise cat named Deckle quietly steals the whole show. 🐾

A Top Paw Read!

Paperback:  346 pages
Audio:  11 hours 44 mins
**Alt Text:**   A black‑and‑white line illustration shows three stacked books arranged like steps. A cartoon mouse with large ears stands proudly on the top book, while another mouse on the ground to the right looks up toward it. The drawing has a playful, storybook feel.
My Rating Scale

A simple pink‑and‑white rating chart displays five levels of Amber’s book‑review scale using rows of pink paw prints. Five paws indicate “Top Paw ~ Read Immediately,” four paws mean “Furry Good ~ Read As Soon As,” three paws show “Good ~ Put It On Stand‑By,” two paws represent “Average ~ Emergency Reading,” and one paw signals “Meh! ~ Take a Nap Instead.” This is Amber’s Rating Scale as The Cat Book Connoisseur and the world’s leading feline literary critic, with over 350 reviews curated from the Mewton‑Clawson Library at BionicBasil.com, specialising in cat‑centric fiction

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®
Ratings of:

The Forget-Me-Not-Library

Overall Enjoyment
A horizontal row of five identical pink paw prints representing the highest rating level in the pet‑themed book‑review scale, corresponding to “Top Paw ~ Read Immediately.”
A gold scalloped‑edge seal features a pink paw print at its center, with a small golden bee hovering nearby. The top arc reads “TOP PAW APPROVED” and the bottom arc says “THE MEWTON‑CLAWSON LIBRARY.” This emblem represents Amber’s official seal of approval for feline fiction, part of Book Reviews with Amber — The Cat Book Connoisseur and the world’s leading feline literary critic at BionicBasil.com.
**Alt Text:**   A black‑and‑white illustration features a vintage typewriter with a paw print on the sheet of paper. Stacks of books sit on both sides: on the left, a small cartoon mouse stands atop the books, and on the right, a cartoon elephant balances on the stack. The scene has a playful, literary feel, fitting as a divider for Amber’s book reviews.

Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today

A horizontal row of six square graphics, each representing a different themed blog hop: “Brian’s Thankful Thursday Blog Hop” with a cat silhouette; “The Cat Blogosphere” with a globe and cat; “Feline Friday” with stylised cat drawings; “Nature Friday Blog Hop” on a stone background; “Flashback Friday” with a cat and dog; and “Friendship Friday” featuring two cats.
          Brian's Home   Catblogosphere    Feline Friday   Nature Friday    Flashback Friday   Friendship Friday          
Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

I really hope mew enjoy the book if mew choose to read it.

It's time for me to say BFN or bye-for-now as mew know the drill, so many books, so little time, and I'll be back next week with another specially paw-picked book just for mew, and don't forget that all my previous reviews can be found on my Book Review page.

Until next time...

Keep calm and read more books

Amber 

The Cat Book Connoisseur

A single bright pink paw print with a soft black shadow sits centered on a plain background. The design features one large rounded pad and four smaller oval toe pads, creating a bold, playful icon used as Amber’s signature sign‑off





Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

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Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

Copyright Notice

© [2026] BionicBasil®. All Rights Reserved. No part of this post, characters, or lore may be reproduced, scraped, or rewritten in any form (including AI) without express written permission

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®
 graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com