All The Ingredients For A Feline Beckoning

Today was back to the all too commonly pervading gloomy weather that we have had to endure recently so we only took a short stroll back down to the village for a meteorologically consoling pint at The Chequers.
We could have quite easily stayed in its enveloping warmth all day but we felt we should at still least attempt to get an image for the day so after downing our pints we headed back outside to flex our photographic muscles once more.
Today's shot is of our village shop window. I really liked the combination of the 'waving' cat and various colourfully packaged culinary ingredients - including an eclectic choice of sugar, self-raising flour and (s)paghetti - currently on display.
As I was later to discover our feline friend is actually beckoning and not waving - it is a maneki-neko character, a common Japanese figurine which can be traced back as far as Endo period (beginning in the 17th Century) - and can have two meanings depending on which hand (or should that be paw) that it has raised.
Raising its right hand is supposed to be a prayer for longevity, health or peace and when placed in a shop or restaurant raising its left hand it is meant as a beckoning measure and prayer for ongoing prosperity.
So whilst as a viewer this meant I was praying for a long, healthy and peaceful life from the proprietor's viewpoint they just wanted me to come inside and spend some money! :-)