Daily Photo: A Profile in Shadow
I guess the sun feels good on the back of her head. If her long hair is anything like mine, it heats up pretty quickly, and it’s quite relaxing. Her whiskers are somewhat alert, as she she does when she’s quietly enjoying something. Mariposa does have a few pensive and quiet moments in her day, and the sun is as good a reason as any to bow her head down and hold still for a while creating a soft profile in shadow.
I almost named this photo “Mariposa in Profile,” but when I went to set up this post and found the one from the closest date last year I saw I’d already used the title and looked for a difference between the two photos. Purrhaps it’s this time of year, when the sun truly warms up!
I’ll be catching up on things from this week today—no Instagram posts or any other social media. We were busy!
Photos from around this date in previous years
Mariposa in Profile, 2022
Mariposa was truly a star and posed for this sensitive three-quarter profile from the back against the contrasting dark background. The light area you can see in that background is actually her reflection in the bookcase door. She is quite the meowdel, and offered a variety of other poses, but this one was the one that stayed in my mind, so I’ve used it first.
A rainy morning opened into a brilliant sunny afternoon. I stopped off in the woods on my way back from some errands, and I arrived home at just the purrfect time of day, when the sun streams into the dining room window and all the cats take their sunny spots on the windowsill and table in front of the window and the bean counter. I took a billion or so photos of Mariposa, Bella, Basil, Sienna and Mewsette and I featured one in my Monday post. I’ll be working from this folder for a while, I’m sure.
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As a side note, I download the photos from my DSLR by putting my SD card into a card reader that is plugged into a USB hub, plugged into my computer. I’ve never had a problem, but for some reason this time the card would not show up in my directory, then when I tried to move two days’ worth of photos, 100+ each day, onto my computer it stopped after five photos and gave me error codes. When I finally got it to open again, none of the folders were there! I put the card back into my camera and tried to look at the images in my view screen, but they didn’t come up! All my lovely photos of my cats in the sun and my walk in the woods were gone? I had so much to do but I had to figure this out. I put the card into another read and plugged it into my phone and the card came up and showed it had 457 items on it, meaning the files were still there. I saw a folder called LOST.DIR and there they were.
I put the card back in my reader, found that folder and moved it onto my computer. All the files had random numbers instead of the date and order I’m accustomed to, and no file extension, but I could tell by the size of the file that some were JPG files and some were RAW files. I renamed a few files with the file extension…and they opened up in Photoshop. Whew! I took a photo with my camera and put my card into the reader and opened it up on my camera, and everything worked fine. My heart stopped when I thought they were gone, but the world would keep turning. But until I found that everything was okay I wasn’t sure if I could trust my camera.
That set me back a couple of hours on Sunday, as little things tend to do. It may happen again, but at least I know what to do. And I’m scheduling my camera clean and service for next week!
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From Instagram
Working in my studio, with cats.
Eight cats are with me in my basement studio tonight, all set up to supervise what I do. Six of them are in this photo, lined up on either side of my walkway as I move back and forth to set things up for my work tonight.
They love to watch what I do, they want to be near me when I’m working, I’ve always had the feeling they enjoy my energy while I’m enjoying what I do. I love having them near me.
But I don’t really want them all ON what I do and I want to keep them safe. So in order to prepare in a situation like this I invite them in and let them wander around and smell things and have a bath and talk to each other, and basically do what cats do when they explore a space.
Soon enough they’re done with it, and I put out some boxes for them to nap in, and they actually have a big cat bed on my work table. By the time I’m ready to get to work, they’re all asleep. As I work, I can look at them fondly, reach out and pet who is closest when I get a chance.
I’ll be using my heat press back there in the corner, the fan is for some water from recent rains. I have to cut down some fabric, then press the fabric transfers I printed earlier, supurrvised by Simba and Midnight Louie, onto the fabric for garden flags, then lay things out to cool. All while doing my best to prevent any felines from napping on what I’m working with, wrinkling fabric and leaving cat hair, keeping everybody safe and making sure I get my work done sometime before tomorrow morning.
Working the late shift in my basement studio tonight, and the #supurrvisors are taking their places. Hamlet and Basil, my fancy boys, have taken their stations on the basement #cattree from where they can see the entire room including me to make sure I keep working.
Midnight Louie wants you to know that he can still properly #supurrvise even in this position.
Armpit scritches are the best.
Now that’s interesting. I captured the brothers in my own reflection.
Pretty nice day outside. We’re sitting on the woodpile enjoying the sun.
Great business lunch with Carolyn from My Three Cats & Co. today at Barb’s Country Junction Cafe in Carnegie.
Carolyn and I met in 1998 when I walked into her bricks and mortar store unsolicited and asked her if she’d like to put my portraits on display. Since then she’s been one of my best customers and business mentors, someone I can bounce ideas off of and who’s always supported me. And not only that, she’s got some of the best cat gifts at the best prices! Check out her online store when you get a chance.
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From the Back Yard and Beyond
Photos from around this date in previous years
The Conversation, 2021
Hamlet consults with Jelly Bean on some matter of managing humans and their weird habits and continuing socialization.
Hamlet has found Jelly Bean to be a more than acceptable cuddle buddy. I’ll find the two curled together, usually with Bean using Hamlet for a pillow. I think Hamlet needs a close buddy to feel confident, and Jelly Bean is good for that. Plus, he’s got that great purr that just lulls you to sleep.
A friend gave me the cat tree that’s behind the post. I’m glad to have some extra levels and scratching places there. Since the big one that was there pretty much self-destructed the post has stood in well. But in that busy corner I need more than one thing for them to scratch on and sit on.
The do everything together when they are together. Hamlet looks pretty pleased.
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From Instagram
Giuseppe has that earth day vibe, using a reusable shopping bag as a bed.
A great way for kitties to spend a cold, snowy afternoon.
From the Back Yard and Beyond
Pink
Nothing is quite as pink as the sudden profusion weeping cherry blossoms. Nothing else is pink at that time, it’s the first drink of that color in a flower, and it’s sweet as candy. I photographed these blooms outside my dentist’s office just off of Main Street, then went home to design a biannual flyer for a customer who likes to use spring flowers on their spring flyer. I had been thinking of daffodils for that, but the pink had seeped into my creative storage space and would not be ignored. I used the photo below as the background.
Attitude.
From around this date in past years
Too Cute! So Distracting!, 2020
Mariposa’s response last night (last week!) when I thanked her for keeping my spot on the bed warm, but could she give me some room to get into bed?
Looks like she might consider it.
But she went back to sleep. Really, what did this precious kitty do when she lived in a filthy abandoned house and had no humans to charm beyond belief?
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These photos are all from April 14…yes, nine days ago! Below are photos from April 15. Little by little I’m catching up! With spring, more daylight in the house, and the upgrade to my cell phone I’ve been putting it all to the test. Just bear with me, because I’ll be getting my DSLR repaired in a few days.
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Good morning! There are eight cat figures in this picture but only seven are real cats. Can you find the one that’s not a real cat?
(Answer: Nearly in the center of the photo, right next to Mewsette’s face, is the edge of a Moselland Cat Riesling wine bottle shaped like a black cat!)
Mimi was really happy for a sunny morning so she could run around the yard and play. This happens every day!
What was blooming last week! Kind of early for lamium but all those yellow flowers aren’t holding back, more forget-me-nots, more lunaria, more color every day!
Then the next day, frost!
Another walk down Main Street and the pretty and interesting things I saw.
Now, from April 16!
Three little girls. I think Sienna wants Mariposa to ask Mimi if she will ask me for special treats. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
And April 19
I was of three minds, like a kitchen in which there are three black cats who want my breakfast. My apologies to poet Wallace Stevens. It’s the brothers three working their familiar manipulations in triplicate.
The “P” key on my keyboard was sticking so I pulled off the key cap to clean out around it. Turns out it had a sample of cat fur from each cat who’s lived here over the past decade. So did the “I” and the bracket on either side.
A nice diversion from the pile of paperwork, taxes and financial reports I’m working on. Or am I really only providing a nice papery bed for kitties to sleep on? That’s kind of what it looks like.
From around this date in past years
Mimi in the Cat Book Library, and a Beautiful Morning, 2018
Mimi took her turn in the cat book library today, watching the neighborhood out the door. She fits purrfectly in that little spot. I’ve been planning to put a shelf there so the books don’t get worn since everyone likes to spend time there. Below is another view of Mimi, but the cat tunnel in the mirror isn’t so nice. This is all after we had a nice adventure out in the back yard, below that.
Mimi loves her “real” cat tree out in the back yard. I still haven’t had the last section of the wild black cherry tree removed. I hope to get it removed now that the weather has finally turned warm, and we hope it stays that way. But until then, we have to visit the tree every day.
My camera decided to focus on the grapevine as Mimi was walking along, but I like the way it looks. It’s Mimi in her favorite space, kind of dreamy, part of the environment.
While Mimi was exploring her favorite spaces, I was exploring mine with my camera. It was a blue and yellow and green morning. I am so happy to finally have flowers to photograph.
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What other photos have I shared on this date?
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What’s Out There?, 2017
I have no idea what we are intently watching but I just whispered, “What’s out there?” and Mimi turned slightly and whispered, “Murf”, like, “Shut up.”
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Weekly schedule of features:
Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life
Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters
Tuesday: Rescue Stories
Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork
Thursday: New Merchandise
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Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats
And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!
Mariposa was such a pretty kitty.
Absolutely! And it’s not just because she’s my little girl either. 🙂