Daily Photo: Mimi’s Renewed Garden!
I took the weekend to tackle my VERY overgrown vegetable garden for both me and Mimi! She has a new birdbath to drink from, and some new and longtime napping places, plus the brick paths between the garden beds. I will eventually have my own homegrown vegetables, which I’ve been without for four to five years because of hip surgery, deer in the yard and the need to replace fences, and last year the construction and caring for the four siblings. And both of us have the life enrichment of being outdoors, me with my garden exercise and lots of inspiration and images.
For most of the years we’ve been going outdoors Mimi has prowled the paths of my garden with her own routines of visiting the garden chairs and the woodpile, and I know she enjoyed her feline activities, even when I had her on a leash. But since we lost Mr. Sunshine she’s slowed down, as I’ve mentioned, but still enjoyed her garden. I did clean it up once earlier this year but I slowed down in spring, not knowing what plans my gall bladder had. With all the rain, and then being off my feet in the height of growing season, the garden overgrowth was taller than me. Mimi stopped wandering the garden except for her visits to the wheelbarrow in June and July. I did a little cleanup around the wheelbarrow a couple of weeks ago, but didn’t want to push my recovery after the gall bladder surgery. Here are two photos showing before and after I cleared around it a little.
I feel quite recovered now, and strong enough to get yard work done, but where do I start? It’s everywhere! I need my vegetables and I miss my garden, so if I only got that done it would be a big improvement. As Mimi and I visited the wheelbarrow each day I planned. Sorting through my seeds, some very old, I decided which ones I wanted to plant that would still have a decent growing season this year and decided to prepare planting spaces for those. I started Saturday morning, clearing the rest of the overgrowth, moving all the pots and gardening stuff I had “stored” in the middle of the garden area from under the deck to the side of the garden, and prepared the picket fence bed and the one planting bed I’d set up last spring before Mewsette was so sick and the construction started. Here is a “before” photo from last week.
Poor Mimi had to go back inside for most of the day! But when I brought her outside in the evening she immediately walked the paths around the garden. I knew it would work for her! I planted most seeds that evening and decided I’d just plant the rest on Sunday and get to the rest of it another time. But I got up Sunday and went outside with the full intention of setting up another planting bed—it wasn’t so hard and I wanted the space—and I’d plant flower seeds in pots—why should they all just sit there? Mimi had to go back inside because I couldn’t keep an eye on her, but she came out late and explored some more, visiting her wood pile.
Yesterday I’d planned to plant all the rest of the seeds with Mimi, but we had rain! A wonderful rain, soft and gentle, that settled in all the seeds I’d planted in the garden and the few I had the chance to plant in pots.
This morning when Mimi and I went out on the deck, she immediately went down the steps and headed for the garden! Here she is on “her” bench waiting for me to get down there, and what the garden looked like this morning before I finished planting seeds in pots.
So Mimi explored then lazed around a bit. I made her go back in for a while because I couldn’t keep an eye on her, but when I could I brought her back outside. She kept a (sleepy) eye on me for sure!
How precious?
Supposed to be supurrvising me planting flower pots. Sleeping on the job! She walked all around, then found the chairs and chose one to have a nap. For a few months she has been heading back to the deck for a nap after just a few minutes, but she slept out here in the shade for a couple of hours.
It’s so good to see the wicker chairs and Mewsette’s garden chair again. Those memories from all the years, but especially last year are still with me, and I’m sure with Mimi too. I thought about all of them over this weekend to today, and in fact I was thinking about them last week and I’m sure that’s what made me finally decide to go ahead and do this. Renewing my garden, and soon my yard, honors those memories along with giving Mimi and me our daily enrichment.
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From Instagram
Have to make some adjustments to my upward/downward cat.
From around this date in past years
Drinking from the Bird Bath, 2022
Mimi just can’t pass up a drink from the bird bath. I do have a water bowl outside for her but I think she just finds it fun.
Yes, things have been busy again, and this site has been running slowly for some reason. I have to tune up my databases, and it will be a while before I get to that, but I can at least post daily photos and an article now and then. After a week of not posting, I don’t know what day it is! I have photos and articles planned for this week, so let’s keep our fingers and tails crossed.
Mr. Sunshine is doing great! I just caught him counter surfing in the kitchen, and last night he chased and caught a moth for a midnight snack, definitely back to normal.
I will be raising funds, and I don’t want to wait too long, but here is my quandary: I have found funding sources that will reimburse many costs through programs for vaccine site sarcoma, pet cancer, cat cancer, and general help with veterinary bills that will cover at least half of the cost of his surgery. However, it’s reimbursement, which means I have to come up with the money ahead of time. That’s a challenge! And if you’ve donated to help with the cost and then I’m reimbursed, what do I do? Do I reimburse you? Trying to determine this…if you have any ideas, please let me know! But I’m so happy to see Sunshine back to himself.
All these photos are from the end of June. Figured I’d start there, then catch up with July.
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From Instagram
Another #Chewy order, and black cats once again mysteriously appear in my #chewybox. Is it any wonder I live with so many black cats? And if you have an #adopted your #blackcat during #adoptacatmonth then we just haven’t worked hard enough to show you how excessively wonderful black cats really are to live with.
Tough day at the office for #littlemimicat. And here is me with the keyboard on my knee because she’s sleeping on my desk where the keyboard should go because the sun is there and she stretched out and pushed it off onto my lap. What we #catlovers don’t do for our kitties.
Hamlet and Mr. Sunshine settle cheek to cheek for a nap. Kind of an unusual pairing, these two. It was Hamlet’s idea. Eventually, he wins everyone over. Temps have dropped dramatically and it’s snuggle time again.
From the back yard and beyond
From around this date in past years
Sharing a Sunpuddle, 2021
These two don’t look too happy at being caught sharing a sunpuddle. I’ll admit it’s a little surprising, but they both like this spot and there hadn’t been too much sun. For a good sunpuddle, I guess it’s worth sharing. They just kind of mind their own business most of the time.
Sometimes one of the other cats provides entertainment, and Mariposa is often the one.
Sienna tells Hamlet she’s tired of this paparazzi in their face with the camera. Looks like Hamlet isn’t too happy either. Guess I’d better get out of their faces.
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From Instagram
Very boring of me to only post on Instagram cat photos I’d already posted here. With the heat and then the rain there weren’t too many indoors or out.
From the back yard and beyond
But I did share a walk through my garden, covered with rain drops. Click this image to see a bunch more.
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From around this date in past years
Adorable Studio Supurrvisor, 2020
Isn’t she adorable? Sienna knows exactly how to use that head tilt. She spent a couple of weeks in my studio, even when I wasn’t in there. That was after a couple of weeks on the bed in my bedroom. She gets around! I’m glad. Sienna is a little nervous when too many cats gather, and until this year she pretty much stayed downstairs on the refrigerator or table by the window, sometimes following me to wherever I was working that day. Recently, I think the bed got a little crowded for her, but she’s been moving around without following me. That’s progress. A few weeks ago she let me know she no longer needed the calming collar by getting her front leg into it. I watched her do this, and it wasn’t easy because I have it set to that’s pretty much impossible. But I thought it was a clear indication for her that she was ready to handle the world without help for a while.
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From Instagram
A purrfect morning. Hamlet and Bella at the door, and Mariposa playing around in that nice warm sun. After two excessively hot days, this purrfect morning was welcomed by all of us.
Of course, no one can see Mimi cleverly hidden behind my bike. I parked it there and she immediately sat down behind it and peered around to watch the yard. I’m thrilled with this bike. I’m so glad I got it when it was on clearance. No more back pain or numb hands.
And underneath all that grass is my brick patio. I haven’t been able to keep it cleared of growth for a couple of years, but I started at the far end and worked my way to the front edge, so the next photos you see will show the bricks exposed again.
And photos from the back yard and beyond
Seen out the front window by my eagle-eyed ace predators. These two visit regularly and always spend some time wrestling for our amusement.
Spiderwort, tradescantia, widow’s tears, spider lily, Indian paint, this spring flower has a bunch of names and is native to North and South America. It’s one that we sent back to Europe to become an invasive perennial instead of the other way around. This variety is tradescantia ohiensis. It’s blue to purple and can vary in the same yard depending on the light and soil. Other times of the year they just look like tall grass.
From around this date in past years
Rainbow Naps, 2019
Pride weekend was everywhere here, and my cats are all about acceptance, so we got out the rainbow blanket to celebrate with rainbow naps. As soon as I put the blanket on the table by the window Sunshine and Bean were hopping over and stepping onto it. Throughout the day everybody had a nap on the blanket, just a revolving set of at least three cats at a time. We had some rain pass through so I didn’t get photos of mixed batches, but I did get Mariposa on the windowsill after she’d been squeezed out when Giuseppe added himself. Then the really big nap, kind of a landscape of cats.
The kids had a really quiet weekend because I was totally preoccupied with framing art and making stuff. In fact, I was apparently so dull that they didn’t even join me in the studio but slept all over the upstairs rather than trying to sleep through the noises I was making. That’s okay, I don’t like working with picture glass around them, nor the brad gun I use to secure art into the back of a frame. And I really don’t miss opening a framed work back up because there’s at least one stray black cat hair that I missed the first time around. No, the little handheld vacuum isn’t very popular either. But then after framing, and exciting cookie cutters along with dozens of other polymer clay shapes, I needed to sit down for a while and got back to portraits.
From Instagram
We can all share the rainbow blanket with Pride.
Sleeping on the job. Mimi, Mr. Sunshine (unintentionally, another rainbow).
Photos shared in past years
We Are Still Here, 2018
Basil and Hamlet want you to know they feel very left out of things, and while they often complained about me and my camera…they kind miss the attention.
“Ever since she’s been coming home smelling like other cats and dirt and sardines with dew on her shoes it brings back a life we remember…and don’t ever want to go back to. But that’s about all she’s done for a week, and we want things back to normal,” the boys said.
They are right, I haven’t done much else lately and they haven’t gotten the attention they usually do. I don’t know if they understand that I’m saving some kitties as they were saved, but I know that Mimi does, and I’m sure she’ll let them know.
I miss photographing them every day and capturing photos like these six of these two long-haired princes looking absolutely gorgeous.
From Facebook and Instagram
We have a lot to catch up with!
MAY 26
Today’s forecast: Lots of sun and a fair chance of catnip! Turn on your favorite CatTV station and enjoy!
MAY 29
When your mom says it’s too hot to share the basket, but you think she won’t notice if you just have your paws in there.
MAY 31
It’s the new place to be! Four bins of merchandise to be put away is the tallest thing in the room and an immediate cat magnet. Guess I’ll have to walk around the leaning tower of cat stuff for a few days.
It’s a tale of three tails. That’s it, I have to work somewhere else in the house or I’ll just photograph them all day long.
~~~
Photos posted on or around this date in previous years
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Thinking About Staying Home For Once?, 2017
The boys are getting a good look at me before I leave the house once again lest they forget what I look like. At least I know they miss me.
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Other Photos Posted On or Around This Date…
That Darned Catbird! 2016
Mimi is just about over that catbird and all her chatter! She stopped her bath to glare in the direction of all the noise. And then the darned catbird had the gall to start meowing!
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Shared on Facebook
The view from here. Giuseppe and Mimi enjoy speckled sunshine, I enjoy them.
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Other Photos Posted On or Around This Date…
Daily Photo Reprise: Time Out for Charm, 2015
I posted a few photos on Facebook today and forgot to add them to today’s daily photo post! But here they are…
Chipmunk! But wait–one of those cats is distinctly NOT a sleek black housepanther! No, it’s Charm, enjoying a little kitten-free time. She’s been locked in a 6′ x 6′ bathroom with five kittens for four weeks and she is over that. She tested negative for everything when she was spayed and really needs to gain some weight so we are all about relieving some of her stress and she has had some time out each day.
Mimi fully understands this exact issue.
And Charm is self-medicating…
Charm also has an interested adopter! Even though she’s a little underweight this particular adopter would understand, and she was also interested in adopting Zorro. Speaking of Zorro, I caught the sweetest photo of her today when I opened the bathroom door and posted it on Facebook…
And I posted this one on Wednesday just to be silly. It looks like all the extra photos and a little video worked because we have several applications on little Zee.
And I have been posting photos of the others to help them be adopted and not posting photos of the little bit, but here she is, crazy in the sink, little Splash!
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Daily Photo: Watching the Sky Change
Basil watched me work outside the window in the early evening, and also watched the birds in the trees and the clouds going by. Always have the camera ready, you never know when you’ll get an interesting shot. Even though the screen shows as a pattern it’s still interesting. The colors in the background are the opposite hill in full evening sun seen through my back door on the other side of the kitchen.
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Shared on Facebook
A neat desk is a sign that you don’t have enough cats. On the flipside, they also give you an excuse for a messy desk. The boys made the most of their supervisory shift yesterday. I don’t think they will ever outgrow cuddling.
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The Magic Shopping Bag, 2012
Same boys, three years ago.
I unpacked my groceries when I got home, and just as I thought I had emptied the bag I turned around and there was a black kitty in there! Where did he come from?! I didn’t go to the store where they have kitties for adoption, so how could a kitty have gotten into my bag, and under all my groceries?
Then I saw the white brushes in the kitty’s ears—it was Jelly Bean! And he had neatly hopped into my really big and tall shopping bag without touching the sides. What a kitty! Then he jumped back out without touching the sides.
Not to be outdone, Mr. Sunshine was next. “Take my picture please,” said the confident Mr. Sunshine, waiting patiently while I focused on his nose.
And then Giuseppe saw what was up, and you know that all three boys have to do the same things together. Giuseppe hadn’t been in on the beginning so he wasn’t sure what to do. Still, when Mr. Sunshine jumped out of the bag, Giuseppe jumped in and sat down to look at me. “Is this what I’m supposed to do? Am I just supposed to sit here?” he asked. Giuseppe is a little bit of a worrier.
“That’s perfect, Giuseppe,” I told him. “Just stay exactly as you are while I take your photo…and in fact, you can stay just exactly as you are forever, all of you, because you’re all such perfectly nice kitties!”
So that’s the story of the Magic Shopping Bag, silly but true.
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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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A garden is lots of work and it’s good that you help in the garden, Mimi.
Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous day and week. Scritches to Mimi. ♥
She likes it when I work when we’re outside so I don’t follow her around with the camera and leave her alone. Gardening is my joy, and a kitty out there with me makes it just about heaven.
That’s a nice bird bath and a nice watering hole for sweet Mimi!
And now she has a lot of her favorite exploring and napping places back!