Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Daily Photo: Our Front Courtyard

This is nice. Where do you plant to sit?
This is nice. Where do you plant to sit?

“This is nice. Where do you plant to sit?”

I guess I dragged that wicker settee from someone’s trash to our little courtyard just for Mimi.

We are continuing our front “courtyard” use while the doe may still be moving her fawn around the back yard. I’ve been kind of busy cleaning it up out there too. I’ve left things outside so that I can spend more time on my website and shows, but it feels good to sweep and trim and move furniture out there. The green vintage rocker from year before last isn’t taking the weather very well so it’s about to become a plant stand. This wicker settee is mostly plastic but that’s fine since it only needs to be cleaned up.

Must have a bath on the new thing.
Must have a bath on the new thing.

It’s always been considered good luck when cats immediately take to something and have a bath and possibly a nap, like new homes. Mimi liked the rocker, but she loved this immediately, getting up on the seat, rubbing her face all over it and promptly settling in for a quick bath and then a nap in two positions.

A little nap to christen it.
A little nap to christen it.

In the afternoon the sun shines down through the river birches in nice moving dapples and it’s quite comfortable there. Mimi would like more space and she really prefers the back yard, but during the day it’s very quiet in our neighborhood and a few birds and the girl squirrels dare to come to the feeder when she is there.

Just another nice photo.
Just another nice photo.

The answer to where I would sit was across the courtyard on the small stone wall that holds back the pine needles. Mimi could only stay settled on the settee for a few minutes before she jumped down and came over to me. I was wearing one of my big cool cotton broomstick skirts and with how I was sitting, with my knees in the air, she found it quite the comfortable hammock.

Can't get up, Mimi's on my skirt.
Can’t get up, Mimi’s on my skirt.

. . . . . . .

Other Photos Posted On or Around This Date…

The Huntress, 2015
Just look for the eyes.
Just look for the eyes.

On a quiet afternoon the garden was full of excitement.

You can't see her, surely.
You can’t see her, surely.

For several years before moving in here Mimi hunted for food for her babies. Now that she’s a pampered princess she still likes to indulge now and then, just to keep in shape.

Something is over there.
Something is over there.

Nothing escapes her notice.

Well disguised.
Well disguised.

Capturing these photos between the blades of grass and sometimes confusing light and shadows and moving blades of grass was my own hunting expedition for the afternoon.

. . . . . . .

Just Playing

But she still has a great time with toys! Someone donated a few toys her cat didn’t like, and I moved most to the kitten room but all the house panthers were immediately absorbed by this cat track with a ball swirling around the bottom that makes bird chirps when you smack it, and one in the top that just goes around, and feathers out of the top, just for good measure. Mimi is feeling pretty darned well, and just because she does (and I still find it a miracle), and because she was once a primarily outdoor cat endlessly breeding but has fully embraced being a pampered and loved house panther I filmed her having a great time playing with the birdie track ball. Watch it below or on watch it on YouTube.

. . . . . . .

Intent

Intent
Intent

It’s not often they hold still long enough to get a good closeup of just their eyes, but Mewsette is very contemplative and focused. She just happened to be focused enough that I could catch a clear photo of her eyes. All that inky black fur and luminous eyes no matter what color. Black cats are really incredible.

. . . . . . .

Shared on Facebook

I decided it was the perfect morning to take and share these photos that I’d been envisioning: the early morning sun on my table with the tortie girls table settings! Mimi was more than happy to oblige her modeling skills.

Tortie Girls tableset, The Goddess tablecloth and place mats.
Tortie Girls tableset, The Goddess tablecloth and place mats.

Breakfast on the deck with Tortie Girls anyone? My handmade and hand printed tablecloths and place mats with “The Goddess” and “The Roundest Eyes” brighten up any morning! Super-talented product model Mimi loves showing off her tortie fur sisters Cookie and Kelly, but she is not part of the deal.

Tortie Girls tableset, The Roundest Eyes tablecloth and place mats.
Tortie Girls tableset, The Roundest Eyes tablecloth and place mats.

And below, before we even start, Mimi checks over all our stuff and makes sure we have everything we need. What would I do without her?

Mimi checks our materials for the photo shoot.
Mimi checks our materials for the photo shoot.

Read more about these Tortie Girls table settings and more, on special this month in my Etsy shop.

. . . . . . .

A Little Flour Among Friends, 2014

black cat with flour on face
Sunshine guards the cookbook.

Some of my cats “get into” baking just as much as I do and a few ended up with flour on the face in our Saturday morning baking session. I always let my cats explore my work space as I set up, but well before I put out anything they shouldn’t get into. They had walked all over the cabinet and table when I put out the cookbook and mixing bowl right after their breakfast so I could get the yeast-risen dough started early before anything else. Though they went off to do cat things, though they never go far. But imagine my surprise when they all reappeared to get a nose full of . . . flour?

Mr. Sunshine gets his nose into everything, literally, even when I was only transferring the new flour into the old tin, before I began mixing my dough.

black cat with flour on face
Sunshine looking a little displeased.

He got it on his forehead and whiskers by suddenly getting up and stuffing his whole head into the bag before I could stop him—I made the mistake of stepping back to take a photo of four of them watching me.

four black cats
Four of them supervise my work in the kitchen.

He even managed to get some on his tail, not sure how! But he made certain to wave it all over the kitchen.

Sunshine even had some on his tail.
Sunshine even had some on his tail.

They were so interested in it, more than just curiosity about what I was doing, the usual reason. I decided to leave the container open and see what Bean would do, just sniff it or try to consume it—and he actually did try to eat a little to my surprise! Flour? What could they like about flour?

black cat with flour
Even Jelly Bean has to taste the flour.

Below, Mewsette wears her flour proudly. She sniffed a little of what I spilled on the counter up her nose and sneezed to get it all over her face. It’s one more thing to keep permanently away from them.

black at with flour on face
Mewsette gave the flour a try.

After a while they were done and I could proceed with my baking project! Below, a little miffed I didn’t let them participate, but waiting for the baked goods to come out of the oven Mr. Sunshine and Giuseppe decide to occupy my cookbook as I give the kitchen its Saturday morning cleaning and prepare for other cooking. Surely if they cover up the cookbook I’ll have to pay them some attention!

Two black cats on cookbook.
Two black cats on cookbook.

I was finally successful in making a few things on Saturday, pictured below are two: sweet rolls with maple glaze (I like a little sweet roll with my maple glaze) and salsa verde, among a few other things for dinner later and for the freezer to stock up.

black cat with people food
Mewsette passes on the salsa verde and goes right for the maple-glazed sweet rolls.

It’s still cool enough to bake in the morning and simmer down vegetable stocks and gently cook some beans for a dish later in the day or the weekend. The Saturday morning kitchen is one of those long-standing traditions I indulge in as often as possible, like this morning from 2011 when we all made an apple crisp, and a good part of what inspired “In the Kitchen With Cookie”.

four black cats and tortoiseshell cat in kitchen
Five cats just hanging around.

We make a lot of memories on those Saturday mornings too.

Get your magic shopping bag full of black cats during Adopt a Cat Month!


Art and Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals

AfterDinnerNap-Etsy~~~

Feline Photos from Portraits of Animals!

The Huntress: Intent, framed photo.

On a quiet afternoon the garden was full of excitement.

For several years before moving in with me, Mimi “belonged” to a neighbor who would not spay her and she had six litters of kittens*. She hunted for food for her kittens, and my yard was her territory. Now that she’s a pampered princess she still likes to indulge now and then, just to keep in shape, though she is on a leash when she is outdoors with me. Read more, and purchase on Portraits of Animals.




Copyright

All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.


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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

One thought on “Daily Photo: Our Front Courtyard

  • walksoftlyand

    Goodness gracious, who would have put that lovely divan in the trash? Sacrilege! Karma points to you and Mimi for keeping it out of the landfill. May you both enjoy it for years to come.

    Reply

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