Friday, March 29, 2024
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A Little Dose of Afternoon Sweetness

tortoiseshell cat on windowsill
Kelly is ready for her closeup.

I have a video to share of total sweetness in a kitty. You might remember that Kelly was my Lead Crochet Tester, and that she immediately occupied anything crocheted in any form—under construction, headed for the wash, being worn by me, it didn’t matter, when Kelly saw crochet or felt it under her paws it was Kelly’s bed right away.

Even before I lost Kelly last weekend, and even before I knew she was developing any illness, I was compiling all the things she’d done that inspired me and were just simply the cuteness of Kelly, which I always called “the full Kelly effect”. I always described her as timid and shy, and indeed she was, but when it was just her and me and she felt safe, her little personality was almost too much. Still photos caught her beauty, but I really needed a video of Kelly being Kelly so you could see and hear her little greeting and her quick routine of running a few steps, a quick downward cat and upward cat ending in a balletic stretch of her right then left hind legs in turn, pointing the toes far out behind her, each move bringing her one step closer and eliciting another Kelly word, such a performance.

I was never successful in that because my little digital camera, which I use for video, wasn’t up to the task of following Kelly. But I did manage to get her on video one afternoon last August, just about exactly a year ago, offering to test some crochet work for me. I walked into the studio to spend a little time with her and work on my crochet project, and when she saw me she got up and did her greeting, then when I sat down and pulled out my crochet she purred and walked all over it. So I decided to video her in this, set up the camera, turned it on, walked back into the room and offered her the crochet work. She didn’t talk for me, but she was extra sweet and accommodating with my silly projects and I thought I’d share it. My crochet didn’t quite pass the test, but Kelly let me slide, this time. Just try not to be put off by my silly high-pitched voice!

You can also click here to watch Kelly the Crochet Tester on YouTube.

I have no idea what she smells on it, but I was in the kitchen right before I went upstairs.

You can see she is on the windowsill in the studio, right in the spot where I managed to get my favorite photo of her, below. I would have been one failed photographer if I hadn’t gotten at least one photo of her here; this was her favorite place in the house, on this windowsill, from the day she arrived, and I had plenty of opportunities to photograph her, and did. But in most of those photos Kelly was in full or partial silhouette because of the angle of the light. This one photo worked so beautifully well because I had the drawing table cleared for work and covered with a fresh sheet of white matboard as a work surface, which reflected both the sunlight shining past her, and the light from the sky shining straight down, washing gentle, balanced light on her face. I couldn’t have asked for a better setting. This photo is the background of my computer screen in my studio, which is right by the window where it was taken. It’s almost like seeing her there.

tortoiseshell cat on windowsill with paintbrushes
Kelly the Art Cat

I’ve taken a little time to get accustomed to my home and my studio without Kelly, and I’ll be back to posting regularly again.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts, prayers, energy and condolences. Any loss is difficult, and Kelly’s passing came almost unexpectedly. She is also the last of the “old guard”, those dedicated felines who stayed up with me through lots of late nights in the 90s as I prepared for working at home, lying all over my desk and sleeping around my feet while I was at my easel. She takes a portion of the memories from that happy time of my life so there’ve been a lot of other memories to attend to, happy memories, and lots of cats.

 


All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.

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.

22 thoughts on “A Little Dose of Afternoon Sweetness

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  • Love the video Bernadette – she seems really intent on helping with you with your project! The photo is also fabulous – one of my faves. A possible painting in the future?

    Reply
    • Vicki, she was so happy to do her part! And, yes, the photo will someday be a painting, a watercolor. I think this time everyone saw what I saw in that photo. I want to paint her fairly large so that I can work all the details easily, and that’s a pretty big investment in time so unless I decide to go into a manic phase and paint for days on end, which I’ve done, I’ll wait until I have the time to devote to her. I really can’t wait.

      Reply
  • Bernadette I am absolutely mortified I missed the post about Kelly leaving for the bridge!!! In fact I missed your daily emails and was just about to check your site when this popped up. I am so sorry for your loss! That video is just precious. It must be so bitter sweet to have it, but a comfort too xox

    Reply
    • Carolyn, it’s okay, it’s so hard to keep up with everything. I am so glad I have that video, just wish I could hear her voice, but you hear mine anyway!

      Reply
    • Kitty Blogger, she was about as sweet as could be. Thanks for watching!

      Reply
  • I’m glad took some time to get used to life without Kelly. That video must be such a precious memory. I hope that we’ll see the photo of her on the window sill as a painting some day – your little forever muse.

    Reply
    • Ingrid, it will take a long time, since she took the last of my earlier years with all them with her, but I was so glad I kept those two videos. I tried repeatedly to get her usual reaction but deleted them all except those.

      I’ll be working on that painting very soon, I can picture every brushstroke.

      Reply
  • That’s a heartwarming video Bernadette. Love it. I’m so glad I filmed our Jones too. It makes me feel better watching some clips of her. Take care.

    Reply
    • Herman, for all the photos and art I have, that little video was very comforting. You take care too.

      Reply
  • Oh, wow. I’m all choked up, Bernadette. Kelly was and always will be an angel. I’m so happy you have that video. Thank you for sharing with us. I wish I had a video of my Tereza. Take your time, we understand about not feeling like blogging. When you return, I’d like to discuss you doing something with one of my photos of my Bobbi.

    Reply
  • We just wanted to come over and check on you – to see how you were doing. We are so very sorry about Kelly…and are so very glad you have such sweet memories of her to hold close.

    Reply
    • Thanks Lisa, I’m getting there, a little each day. I’m actually glad I “found” this now, I really appreciate it, and I’m glad I can share it.

      Reply
  • awwww, so sweet- that Kelly chose to share her “true colors” in the safety of your companionship.

    Reply
    • Anita, she never really relaxed though the moments were more frequent in her last two years, so I love all those moments.

      Reply
  • I love shy cats too – they can be quite ridiculous when they feel safe enough to love on a human. I’m wondering about the crochet – is it wool? is she reacting to the lanolin in the wool? she sure does seem to be interested in it. I have to say I would miss her terribly as well. I’m sure she knew just how much you loved her and felt the same way.

    Reply
    • Bethany, I held my breath and tried not to make a big deal when Kelly did something bold, like had a bath in the middle of a room. This was last year, when she was 17, and finally, after all those years, felt safe enough to be as sweet as that.

      It’s actually cotton, and it might be that there was a catnip toy in my crochet bag, as one gets deposited in there for safe keeping on a regular basis. But what she usually did was accept it as her own, curl up and have a bath and then a nap, and again it was so funny that she did something so bold.

      Reply
  • well, she is just too precious for words. And I can’t find what happened to Cookie. I know she and Kelly were of similar age. I am so sad and hope you do take time to let all those loving warm memories flood through. Feel their soft embrace…be well, Linda Rodgers and Savannah

    Reply
    • Linda, she was too cute, especially when it was contrasted with how timid she was. I could sometimes just imagine her full personality without her fears to hold her back.

      Cookie died on February 3, before we met. You can read about her here: My Little Sunflower.

      Kelly was the last of the cats who knew me when. She takes a part of my youth.

      Reply

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