Sunday, April 28, 2024
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Daily Photo: Day One Outside, the Cleanup

Mimi is not happy I rolled up her rug.

Mimi sits on “her” rug out in the back yard, miffed that I rolled it up on Day One for the adventure boys, September 1, 2023. Initially we were only outside for a short time, from the basement door to the back door, then everyone went back inside because I had a big job to do! All summer during the renovations I had not been able to cut the grass, and it still had piles of stuff all over he place from my possessions to random pieces of cardboard.

And that orange and white outdoor rug that I’d swiped from a neighbor’s trash had been under the tent in my garden so I wouldn’t be walking on mud in there. That rug got filthy so I unrolled it in the yard to get washed by the rain. Mimi had loved to sit inside the geometric pattern but she is not happy I rolled it back up.

I had seen especially Giuseppe’s need to get into everything and knew I had to do something about it. Plus, I was pretty tired of looking at it!

Below, the view out the basement door, what it looked like before and after cutting the grass and going through the stuff. That blue tarp had about a dozen boxes of tools and things under it plus fans and other miscellaneous stuff.

And then the view from the side of the yard with my back to my neighbor’s yard.

Oh, some kitties aren’t happy to be back inside!

I put them back inside so I could keep the boys out of trouble—Mimi was easy to handle on her own. But Giuseppe and Mr. Sunshine split up and I couldn’t be in two places at once. I was right outside the basement door getting my lawnmower ready and moving things around, under the deck, on the deck, and still in some smaller collections out there. They boys were unhappy they were stuck back inside while I was still out there, to say the least!

When I had worked my way back up on to the deck, they followed me there. You can probably see Giuseppe’s mouth and whiskers in this photo, and Mr. Sunshine is to his right.

I don’t know how long I would have let the back yard go before I cleaned it up. After all the work during the renovations and then the losses, I really didn’t have much energy for it. They aren’t the nicest photos, but I love to remember how they were so energized by that first experience outdoors! That gave me the incentive to get it done. It’s a place I love to be, and I’ve always had at least one cat out there with me. I was so happy they were with me.

~~~

From Instagram

Demonstrating various styles of feline sunbath practice. From the top: Basil, Bella, Hamlet, Mr. Sunshine.

Oh, the pawsibilities.

~~~

From the Back Yard and Beyond

Sepia Memories

~~~

From Portraits of Animals

A Quiet Snowfall

Snowfall

 

From around this date in past years

Spring Sun and Whiskers, 2023

I'm an abstract cat.
I’m an abstract cat. Whiskers.

Ahhhh, the sun on his back makes his whiskers go crazy. Jelly Bean has whiskers that just go everywhere and I never noticed until he went “gray.” They match his totally cute purrsonality, I mean he is just fully made of cute. He’s petite, he bats his eyelashes at you and leans in, and then his eyes twinkle. He looks for all the world as if he’s smiling.

The whole family all had black whiskers for their first few years, then beginning with Giuseppe a white whisker and then another showed up on all but Mr. Sunshine. Finally Sunshine has a white one now and then.

~~~

From Instagram

See below.

~~~

From the Back Yard and Beyond

Hopeful Spinach Garden

I tried to get Mimi and Mewsette into this photo but they were tired of me and my camera.

“My hopeful spinach garden with my small greenhouse for plants made from my old shower doors down at the end covering my geraniums, overwintered in the basement, a small patch of order in the chaos of my garden.”

Please do click over to Today to read the rest of the post. It’s not long, just something I’ve spent time on for my own physical and emotional health for the past few days, and the girls have enjoyed it too. It’s a celebration of joy for spring and my garden.

Hopeful Spinach Garden
Hopeful Spinach Garden

~~~

From Portraits of Animals

Custom Commissioned Painting, “Winter Sunset Abstract”

 

From around this date in past years

Hamlet in the Cat Books, 2022

black cat with cat books
Hamlet poses with the cat books.

Hamlet gracefully poses in front of the cat books, suggesting that there is always more to learn about the cats we live with. He moved a bit and caused my camera to focus on the books instead of him. But he still looks very handsome and fluffy.

~~~

From Instagram

Just the little video below.

~~~

From the garden and beyond

Garden in the Snow

Happy snowy Monday morning! This little plastic pinwheel sticking out of about 6″ of snow looked cute before it started spinning, and put on a colorful show when it did.

 

 

Blooms in Winter

Scenes often look like a 50’s horror flick when captured on black and white film. In January 2020 I photographed my way with black and white film to the grocery store and back. I was just in the mood for it today. Read and see more.

black and white photo of metal sculpture plant
Blooms in Winter

 

 

From around this date in past years

Supurrvisor, 2020

tortoiseshell cat at keyboard
Sienna supurrvisor

I don’t get away with anything around here. Sienna makes a wonderful studio supurrvisor.

From Instagram

A good day for rescued girls to snuggle. Apparently the girls think one of the hats I made is a better cat bed for them.

Mariposa and sienna snuggle on my hat.
Mariposa and Sienna snuggle on my hat.

No, guys, don’t do it, don’t be fooled! All their leaves and mulch blew away, I’ll have to tuck them in again. I saw this when we were all birdwatching this morning.

my daffodils are up!
My daffodils are up!

. . . . . . .

Photos from around this date in previous years

Mariposa Has Ninjas!, 2019

Mariposa Has Ninjas!
Mariposa Has Ninjas!

Mariposa has ninjas! She is backed by The Four Housecats of the Apocalypse! Look out world!

This photo was really popular on Facebook, naturally because of Mariposa’s cuteness and the presence of The Four Housecats of the Apocalypse. I was on the other side of the kitchen but I saw the array of black cats on the cabinet, then Mariposa hopped up there and I knew immediately I needed to take the photo and what I’d call it, I just needed the right angle. I sauntered over to the other side of the room so that none would jump down and follow me, got my phone set up (wish I’d had the good camera!), and turned to get their attention so they’d all look at me at once. After a few tries, well, I Photoshopped a face in from one of the photos I didn’t use.

One friend commented that they always seem to be ready with a pose. I commented that I just carry a camera around and wait for the pose to happen. And I really do wonder if I’ve kind of encouraged that behavior by taking so many photos and giving them a lot of attention and praise when they get into a pose I’d like to photograph and then when they actually hold it long enough for me to get a good photo. I guess only they know!

~~~

From Facebook

Sienna has my lap all to herself and is making the most of it.

Sienna on my lap.
Sienna on my lap.

Mariposa and her mousie

I met with friend and customer Carolyn from My Three Cats & Co. who gave me a gift of little mousies in Christmas designs for the kids. Mariposa was soooo cute I decided I had to thank her with a photo shared on Facebook.

Even though I vowed to save the tiny Christmas mousies for next Christmas and they already have enough toys all over the floor, Mariposa said she really really needed one and so I gave in. She has already chased it around and around and around the kitchen and killed it many times. She has endorsed the Imperial Cat Cat ‘n Around mousie from My Three Cats – cat supplies and accessories! Thank you!

Does she know how to model, or what? She held that pose long enough for me to get three photos! She’s a natural.

Mariposa with her mousie.
Mariposa with her mousie.

. . . . . . .

Photos from years past.

.

Window Hunting for Long-haired Housepanthers, 2018
Basil and Hamlet are stalking the squirrels.
Basil and Hamlet are stalking the squirrels.

Window hunting among the long-haired housepanthers. The lamp provides clever camouflage. CatTV has been great lately!

The two longhairs have joined forces.
The two longhairs have joined forces.

Mimi and me. The temp rose to 24 degrees and it felt like spring. Snow doesn’t bother either of us, especially when Mimi can stand on my shoes. In response to yesterday’s photo, Mimi and I took a chance on the sunny day today.

Standing on my shoes.
Standing on my shoes.

Mimi is so aware of composition. What a purrfect feline model.

Mimi has such awareness.
Mimi has such awareness.

All the above photos were taken with my phone and shared on Facebook today. Not that I have any shortage of better quality photos, but I was in a frenzy of photography for some reason today. Probably because it was sunny, and because on Christmas day when I’d visited the trail I decided I’d come back for a photo of a little waterfall from a different angle, preferably when it was sunny, I decided to do that this afternoon. I got a lot of cool photos, but not the one that I wanted. I realized I’d have to stand in the water to get that photo, and that wasn’t a good idea in the current weather situation. Among others, I also got a photo of this incredible Ice Angel:

Dripping water falls and freezes to form a ghostly gothic statue, hands spread, three figures above its head. You never know what you’ll find in the woods in the winter.

Ice Angel
Ice Angel

Then I came back to head for the studio with Mimi.

. . . . . . .

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

.

Even More Photos of Jack and Diane, 2017

Where is Diane?
Where is Diane?

Now that Jack and Diane are very friendly and very active, they are also VERY fun to photograph! I actually ask them not to be so cute so that I can get something else done. On Saturday, on two sessions, I got some incredibly sweet photos just standing there and clicking my shutter as they did their kitten thing on the windowsill. I still haven’t processed most of them. But every time I go in the bathroom now, they are being photogenic and I’m done for.

Just before the boop. Get used to it Jack, you're going to be walking around with that irresistible DOT on your nose all your life.
Just before the boop. Get used to it Jack, you’re going to be walking around with that irresistible DOT on your nose all your life.

These four are singles that I took the week after Christmas, and each is sweet. Tomorrow I’ll post the ones I described above, and until I run out I’ll post a special post of kitten photos that are kind of grouped together.

A kitten stretch.
A kitten stretch.

One thing to keep in mind with all my photos: with the new year I’m looking for new greeting card, photo print and gift item ideas. I just keep producing images, and it’s difficult for me to stop and look them over and decide what they work well for. Any ideas you have are very welcome!

Fits purrr-fectly! Apparently, the sink really was made for Diane. She nestled herself right into that little soap dish.
Fits purrr-fectly! Apparently, the sink really was made for Diane. She nestled herself right into that little soap dish.

The photo above shows how neatly she settled herself into that little divot on the sink, but I also like her expression on the one below.

Yes, the sink does belong to me!
Yes, the sink does belong to me!

. . . . . . .

Mimi Has a Word With the Front Porch Guard Cat, 2017

Mimi has a word with the front porch guard cat.
Mimi has a word with the front porch guard cat.

Mimi has a word with the front porch guard cat. I’m not certain of the nature of this conversation.

That day was fairly warm. In following days she cuddled next to the Front Porch Guard Cat for warmth and let me know she was not happy with the cold. Or the leash.

The whole collage.
The whole collage.

And each of the photos.

Cuddling with the front porch guard cat for warmth.
Cuddling with the front porch guard cat for warmth.
To me: "It's cold. This is no fun. Fix it."
To me: “It’s cold. This is no fun. Fix it.”
To the squirrel: "If I get off this leash, you'll be cat food!"
To the squirrel: “If I get off this leash, you’ll be cat food!”
To me: "I'm going to trade you in."
To me: “I’m going to trade you in.”

~~~

What other photos did I post on or about this date?

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Wordless Wednesday: Perspectives, 2014
black cat lookign out window reflected in mirror
Perspectives

 


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AfterDinnerNap-Etsy

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sample of card with black cat on green sink
Sample card from “Compositions in Green and Black”.

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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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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.

2 thoughts on “Daily Photo: Day One Outside, the Cleanup

  • Brian's Home ~ Forever

    Those were all great. Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us!

    Reply

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