Wednesday, April 24, 2024
BasilBellablack catscat photographsdaily photogiuseppejelly beanmimimr. sunshine

Daily Photo: Cuddling on a Snowy April Day…

Five cat shapes.
Five cat shapes.

Can you even tell those lumps are cats? It started out with five of them gathering one by one to sleep in what I think is a kind of a chilly spot, by the big window, as the temperatures dropped, the wind gusted, and snow squalled outside…on April 4. Well, I was working at the downstairs computer in my office today, surreptitiously attempting to lure Sienna downstairs. But apparently she was cozy on her bed.

Then suddenly a squirrel leaped onto the bird feeder outside, spun around and fell onto the shelf below the window with a loud “clunk!”. Even Bella awoke from her basket bear my desk to see, adding up to six cats! Hamlet walked through at this point too, but I missed photographing him. Mimi was not impressed.

A squirrel woke them up.
A squirrel woke them up.

Basil and Bella keep watch for the little twit, as they call him, while everyone else settles back to baths and naps.

Watching for the squirrel.
Watching for the squirrel.

Jelly Bean isn’t quite sure what to do…settle back down and cuddle, or find another spot.

Six black cats.
Six black cats.

Apparently I’m looking a little lonely, but I soon discovered he was only interested in the gum bands I was taking off of printed materials.

Bean decides he's going somewhere else.
Bean decides he’s going somewhere else.

They have other rooms and warmer spots, but they always seem to settle near me.

Below, I’m shocked to see that last year I not only had daffodils blooming, but forsythia and even forget-me-nots!

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What other photos have I posted on or around this date?

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Bella at the Door, 2017

Bella at the Door
Bella at the Door

I really don’t retouch Bella’s eyes. They are very bright and clear light green, and I get the best photos of her when she’s facing a light source, as here where she’s looking out the door. But her eyes always look bright and clear, that’s one of the things that’s so beautiful about her.

I kept running outside today, with Mimi and to take photos. The weather was fairly warm, it was sometimes quite windy and with bright sun then heavy dark clouds. We were as unsettled as the weather. Bella felt the need to keep an eye on us when we were in the front yard so I could photograph the special daffodil, below.

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Little Tree Panther

I never have to tell Mimi how to pose. I just follow her around.

Little Tree Panther
Little Tree Panther

Boys at the Door

Among all the reflections and shadows you can see Basil’s round eyes in the center, and just in front is Hamlet who came to the door with Basil. In the reflection you can see my feet, but Mimi moved. I’ll be glad to get all the recycling into the bin tonight!

Basil and Hamlet at the back door.
Basil and Hamlet at the back door.

Spring Welcome Kitty

My stone kitty on the shutter above the table next to the door always keeps watch. Right now I have forsythia in the vase and it makes a nice composition.

Spring Welcome Kitty.
Spring Welcome Kitty.

Welcomes Kitties Ready for Work

All the kitty things that welcome people to my yard and porch are collected and ready to get to work for the season. Mimi and I have some work to do out here.

Welcome Kitties
Welcome Kitties

Out in the Yard

The First Forget-me-nots

I’m a little surprised to see them here all of a sudden. I’ve been watching the rosettes of elongated fuzzy leaves coming up all over the yard but really didn’t think they’d be blooming for a few days. I always associate them with the cats who’ve joined me in the yard. You can see these and more of the things we find in the back yard on my photo blog Today.

The first forget-me-nets.
The first forget-me-nets.

A Special Daffodil

I planted this daffodil 21 years ago and it has not bloomed for years. You can read a bit about that planting in a post on my writing site, Paths I Have Walked. I’ll be writing about this daffodil and that garden a little more on Sunday, on a different topic.

A special daffodil.
A special daffodil.

. . . . . . .

What other photos have I posted on or around this date?

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What I Did This Weekend, 2016

A young cat in surgery prep for his neutering--the green collar indicates he is a pet, not a feral cat, and the green tape on his ears remind the staff that he is not to be ear-tipped.
A young cat in surgery prep for his neutering–the green collar indicates he is a pet, not a feral cat, and the green tape on his ears remind the staff that he is not to be ear-tipped.

Well, I did a few other things this weekend, but I got some time outside and with other humans, a rarity for me of late. I helped my neighbor up the street try to trap the rest of her feral cats on Saturday and went to the HCMT clinic on Sunday.

The old-fashioned double-door trap.
The old-fashioned double-door trap.

When we’d trapped three weeks ago, which I didn’t share, come to think of it, we had only trapped five of eight cats she’d been feeding on her deck since last summer and fall. That was a great day for trapping cats, sunny and mild, but Saturday here was wildly windy and though it was sunny the wind had them all spooked and any movement sent them back into hiding.

A more camouflaged new trap.
A more camouflaged new trap.

We had planned to rebait the traps in the evening because that was when they came back the last time, and often winds will die down at dusk, but the temperatures had dropped, ending in rain and snow!

I’d volunteered for the clinic because I was to transport the cats we caught plus a few others from my area, but it turned out the other person had caught two cats, neither of which needed to go to the clinic. They had needed some help in post-op so I went anyway, almost two hours late for locking my keys in the car with the engine running. Things went fine after that, and I was asked to take photos of the clinic for a story about us on local TV. It’s always a wonderful time to be there and it’s been nearly a year, but I get to see people I only see virtually, all the time, in our groups. Plus I always get a chocolate doughnut. So until the next time, here are a few of those photos.

That was enough for a weekend plus some art and creative stuff, and Hamlet and Ophelia have been out more and are slowly adjusting to the house. I couldn’t be happier, but I couldn’t be busier. More to come!

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Giuseppe Performs, 2012

black cat on desk
Giuseppe put on quite a performance on my desk today!

Breakdancing? Recumbent disco, perhaps? A dramatic death scene from some Wagnerian opera? His team won?

Ah, a sweet message from his amour, Mlle. Daisy Emerald Marguerite. Be cautious, Giuseppe, Mlle. may be a little shocked to see you in full ecstasy!

No, Giuseppe says, “Lighten up mom! Life is good!” This is one of the good things about living with cats.

Enjoy the rest of Giuseppe’s performance.

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

AfterDinnerNap-Etsy~~~

Feline Photography from Portraits of Animals!

Bella's eyes certainly have it!
Bella’s eyes certainly have it!

The eyes really have it! It’s the most extraordinary thing about black cats, the way their eyes just glow against their fur, no matter what color their eyes happen to be. And Bella has those round eyes in that round face, and if that wasn’t enough she was sitting with her tail curved just so. This photo is available framed or unframed, on canvas or on paper on Portraits of Animals. You can find this photo in my gallery of Feline Photos.

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.

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