Daily Photo: But Whose Whiskers Are Those?
Yes, I see a black cat curled in a basket. But I also see some fanned whiskers pointing upward! There have to be two cats there, but it’s hard to tell most of the time around here!
The cat whose profile you see is Bella, and Bean is curled up with her. I love Bean’s whiskers. Happy Whiskers Wednesday!
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From Instagram
None! I’ve had water flowing into my basement for the past few weeks and since it keeps on raining instead of snowing, I have to keep cleaning it up as best I can. However, as soon as I mop it up or sweep it into the sewer, it’s refilled with more water. I still have to work down there, and it’s all taking a lot of extra time. I can’t wait for my new roof, and until then I’ll be at this!
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From the back yard and beyond
From around this date in past years
Brotherly Secrets, 2021
What do you suppose Mr. Sunshine is whispering into Giuseppe’s ear? From Giuseppe’s expression it seems to be something quite shocking! And considering I don’t know anything particularly shocking that Mr. Sunshine might be whispering to he brother that he doesn’t already know, it also means I have no idea what Sunshine might be telling him. If you followed that, I’ll just add that it’s probably not our business as humans to know, but kitties reading the post will probably get it.
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From Instagram
I’m still ready to play, but you two want to go back in? Perhaps we’ve stayed out longer than I thought. It was a bit chilly before the snow.
From the back yard and beyond
Squirrel Ponders His Day
Squirrel enjoys morning sun on his ears and whiskers and ponders what he’ll destroy today.
This photo was taken through old wavy glass, that’s the “effect” on the highlights. I love how it works out with each of the wavy glass windows in my house, each one a different pattern.
Today is Whisker Wednesday, and while I love the photo just because, I actually took it because of Whisker Wednesday. I waited until the squirrel got into a position where his whisker highlights were clear.
From around this date in past years
What’s for Dinner? 2020
I only set a few cans of food in front of them and asked what they wanted for dinner. I didn’t expect such an extreme reaction. Did they misunderstand?
A note on something interesting, to me at least. Nearly everyone asks me how I can tell all these black cats apart, especially the four siblings. Well, Mewsette and Giuseppe are sister and brother, and aside from being black with yellow-green eyes they look quite different. Mewsette has a round face and a shorter nose, a wide muzzle, smaller ears, and oval eyes. Giuseppe has a wedge-shaped face and longer nose, narrower muzzle and big ears, and rounder eyes. Actually, I walked into the kitchen and woke them up, then quickly took about 10 photos. No wonder they have such expressions on their faces.
The Prize
One of the birds we regularly watch, the house finch was having trouble getting through the sparrows to get his due at the feeder. He finally managed to get a sunflower seed.
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Photos from around this date in previous years
Bella in the Cat Book Library, 2018
Bella is looking studious in the cat book library. “Cats don’t need books,” she says, “we know everything.”
One of the features in our “new” room is the reinstatement of the cat book library on the mahogany dresser with the mirror, obviously an excellent place to display one’s superiority.
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What other photos did I post on or about this date?
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Former Fosters: Update on Simon and Theo, 2017
Simon and Theo’s first Christmas! They were 2015 fosters and in February 2016 I took them to live with my niece and children in Savannah. Simon is into everything, and he’s clearly scoping out that tree for all the possibilities, but hasn’t gotten into trouble yet.
My niece had some extra photos on her Facebook page but I didn’t want to share them because they’re all pretty casual, but she added this, “Cat’s Christmas perspective: Elsa (oldest)-whatever. i get treats, happens every year. Baby (next to oldest)-yes, they do this, then I remember I get goodies. Simon (1.5 yrs old, formerly feral, new to house early 2016)-yep, these make good blankets. WTH??? is going on????”
Jennifer bought Simon a basket for Christmas so that he could sit in it under the tree. Simon loves to be in things. But when she looked under the tree Theo was in the basket, and Theo doesn’t like to sleep in things.
Simon discovered this and gave Theo kisses and generally annoyed him until he left.
Simon had his basket back.
I know they have an awesome home, and I can visit them along with my family.
They love their doggy brother.
Theo is soooooo handsome and Simon so clever! This is why we rescue, so kitties can have happily ever afters!
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What other photos did I post on or about this date?
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Looking for Trouble to Get Into, 2016
What’s a young cat to do when everyone is asleep and he wants to play? He’s waiting for trouble to happen so he can get into it. They human has been very dull. Who could not love that face?
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Shared on Facebook
Mimi and I got outside for just a little bit yesterday before the rains came and the temperature dropped. It’s hard to believe I was barefoot with capris and a tee until mid-afternoon!
From December 26, celebrating Boxing Day.
From Christmas night…
December 23, from those long nights in the studio…
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What other photos have I shared on or around this date?
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They are gathered for when I opened the oven to remove the freshly-baked apple crisp. Why not? Several of them tasted the ingredients as I put it together. It’s not unusual that I get six black cats in one place, but getting the seventh cat on that cabinet is a real trick!
In the front, Smokie is washing Bella’s face. Giuseppe sat down with his tail over her, the rest milled around, not sure whether they would stay for the warmth and chance of apple crisp and possibly dinner, or go back to their afternoon naps. They went back to their naps!
Our friend Debby Nicola came to visit (you’ll see her also in my update to yesterday’s post about Bert and Ernie) and was greeted at the door by five of seven black cats—Mewsette and Smokie were upstairs enjoying an easy Sunday nap. Below four fine felines milling around angling for pets; it’s the boys and Mimi. Each of the boys had some time on her lap, then Mimi occupied her for a nice long nap.
A little later we went upstairs to see how Bert and Ernie reacted to a visitor, and Mimi sat disapprovingly on the top edge of the baby gate—you can see her over Debby’s shoulder—as our traitorous visitor handed treats to the two foster cats. Humans! You can just never figure them out.
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Cleaning Day, 2013
Stacks of boxes! big chunks of paper! twine! packing peanuts! it’s all going out the door! Wet floors and noise! She’s gone crazy! Better get out of her way or she’ll be tossing us out too!
Yes, time to clean up after the holidays, and the kids are losing all their improvised toys. It’s not as if they don’t have plenty of official toys! Except, of course, Mewsette’s precious works of cardboard art.
It’s good to do an inventory and put things away, though, all the stacks of boxes of merchandise and packing materials. It took lots of kitty toes to keep track of how many cards and garden flags and calendars are left, and as much as we all wanted to get started on new things, we had to get the place under control.
Not the best photo, above, but I was running the sweeper when I saw the big eyes and looks of horror and all of them clustered on the cabinet for safety!
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Into the Picture Frame, 2012
Mewsette studies the image reflected in the glass. How does she get in there to explore this magical world?
Perhaps if she peeks around the back…
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He’ll Never Know What Hit Him…, 2011
Somehow I don’t think Jelly Bean is thinking about how much he loves his brother Mr. Sunshine. I think he sees a target drawn right on the back of Mr. Sunshine’s head.
This is how it begins, the daily wrestling match, it’s all Jelly Bean’s doing as he sits on his table by the window waiting for one of his brothers to innocently happen on by. Usually it’s Giuseppe, but now and then Mr. Sunshine walks into the trap.
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Cookie’s Biggest Fan, 2010
I will always thank Mewsette for taking care of Cookie.
Has Mewsette adopted Cookie?
I’ve often noticed Mewsette being near Cookie, sitting, sleeping, bathing, sometimes trying to do a gentle nuzzle or head-butt which is summarily rebuffed by Cookie. “I don’t need any babysitting!” Cookie would say. However, I’ve lately seen Mousse cuddling with or near Cookie—after she’s fallen asleep, of course!
Perhaps like Giuseppe in the way he adopted Peaches years ago, cuddling, keeping her warm, giving her his youthful energy, Mewsette will finally have her way with Cookie. Cookie couldn’t ask for a nicer understudy in Mewsette, big, strong, quiet and sweet.
Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals
Fine Art • Photography • Gifts • Greeting Cards • Books • Commissioned Portraits & Artwork
After seeing the “Van Gogh Up Close” exhibit I wanted to work the same energy and form I saw in his brush strokes choosing oil pastel to layer and blend the strokes. It’s Giuseppe and Mr. Sunshine, just quietly hanging together on the landing, Giuseppe sitting upright, Sunshine loafing. Find this art on a garden flag, a keepsake box, a tile, and more. Read more and purchase.
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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Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork
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