Friday, March 29, 2024
backyardblack catscatsdaily photogardengarden catsmimi

Daily Photo: Rain

blackcat with watering can
Mimi sniffs the raindrops on the watering can.

Mimi finally got some outdoor time today, and guess what? It’s raining.

blackcat with watering can
I get a direct look.

After a very busy weekend when she barely got to step out onto the porch, she really gave me a talking-to.

blackcat with watering can
She starts talking.

You can imagine what she’s telling me.

blackcat with watering can
Mimi has a lot to say.

~~~

From Instagram

She thinks I don’t know she’s there. Her whiskers are always a giveaway when she’s lurking on the shelf under my sewing machine. Don’t mind the fabric scraps and cat toys.

whiskers
Mariposa’s whiskers from under the sewing machine.

Guess I have to stop sewing because Mimi sat on everything.

black cat sewing machine
Mimi sat on everything.

Someone threw a handful of cats on my bed. I work all day so my cats can sleep all day.

four cats on bed
Four cast on the bed.

Mimi and I aren’t sure if the cat who belongs to the ears in the box plans to ambush either of us as we walk past.

Cat in the box.

Bella is ready for a hot day, draped off the stool in the breeze by the back door.

Bella draped.

From the garden and beyond

It is, after all, a farmers market. My haul for this week of fruits and vegetables. Strawberries have such a strong sweet scent that I might just have to eat them all for dinner. Bargain for organic and sustainable foods from a farm in New Castle PA.

Farmer’s Market

 

From around this date in past years

Mewsette and her Mom, 2020

mimi and mewsette two black cats
Wandering.

Because it’s kind of birthday week, I thought I’d use Mimi’s weekly outdoor photo feature from days she was outside with Mewsette, and a few from inside too.

“Kids these days.” Mimi just isn’t sure about Mewsette’s choice of occupations, like pole dancing.

mimi and mewsette two black cats
Mimi isn’t sure about Mewsette’s choice of occupations.

Mewsette enjoys spending time with her mom, and Mimi apparently enjoys Mewsette’s company as well, though she may find Mewsette a little silly now and then, and I can almost hear, “When I was living outdoors…”. And sometimes Mewsette head butts Mimi a little vigorously. Patient Mimi is still an understanding mom cat.

mimi and mewsette two black cats
Off to explore the garden together.

Mewsette does enjoy the outdoors, though it’s not a necessity of life as it is for Mimi. I enjoy seeing her big round green eyes looking at the world as if it’s all new and wonderful.

Sometimes Mewsette is a little too intent on one minor detail, and Mimi just gives up.

mimi and mewsette two black cats
Guess we’re going to go our separate ways.

“Come one, let’s go over to the forsythia!” Mewsette is distracted by details. Mimi may not be happy with it, but I understand, I get that response when people go outside with me too.

Mewsette enjoys walking out into the grass and literally grazing, and then she starts into some silly game only she understands, where she runs partway up the steps and crouches and looks around, then runs back down and over to her post to do her pole dancing routine (above). But at the slightest unknown noise, like the neighbor coming out onto his porch, she is at our door and ready to run inside. She’s also been enjoying the deck now and then, especially the shade under the swing where there’s always a breeze between the houses.

But they enjoy their time together indoors too, especially creative ways to share a sunpuddle (before it was so hot). Cats can do that. They can be together, but apart.

mimi and mewsette two black cats
Up and down.

~~~

From Instagram

Some morning squirrel fun–he wants to raid the bird feeder, but Mimi is sitting underneath, calmly watching, so he runs up into the spruce and gives us an earful, flapping tail and all. At the beginning, look in the dark area near the top, you’ll see a squirrel tail flapping.

 

Today’s #studiosupurrvisor is not amused, possibly because he perceives another #blackcatsilhouette in the room and he doesn’t care for competition.
He’s also supurrvising me packaging for shopping a #decorativedish bearing his image. And his sister’s, but it’s all about Mr. Sunshine.

Sunshine Studio Supurrvisor.

How about Hamlet’s curly belly? I understand what curly hair does in weather like this.

Hamlet’s belly.

Mimi and the Welcome Kitty welcome you.
It was Mimi’s idea to hop up there and get in the basket. She is so talented.

Mimi the Welcome Kitty.

Because felines are purrfessionals in everything, including growing plants and landscaping–because, you know, they lived out there–I must be supurrvised, even outdoors.

Sienna and Mariposa supurrvisors.

 

From the back yard and beyond.

The feature from last week, and one of the things that kept me extra busy. Not sure this sunset was worth lacerating my front passenger tire for, but who knew that would happen? On second thought and next-day consideration, I think it’s pretty spectacular. I’ve been telling myself I need to start chasing those sunsets again so I hopped in my car and drove to a few ridges around to capture it. Fog in the valley from the storm, lots of red, and three other interesting views. Donut is on the car and now I have another errand. But it was all worth it. (I went on Friday to get new tires, but didn’t end up getting them until Monday.) Visit the post on Today to see more views of this awesome sunset!

Awesome Sunset

A bunch of varied roof peaks in a row along a hilly street in Pittsburgh.

Roofs in a row.

I planted some flowers and the phlox is finally blooming and at last I have a few butterflies stopping to visit. Cabbage whites are pretty common, but I was so happy to see this little guy, and he’s obviously so happy to be here, it was a cause for celebration.

Little Visitor

This honeybee was so determined to get into the tiny center of this tiny petunia, struggling and wiggling and finally getting in there, I was afraid he’d get stuck! These petunias must have been very sweet, though, because I had no lack of opportunity to capture the little guy working his way around.

A Little Bee Butt

We finally had some rain. The succulent leaves of autumn joy sedum are like big spoons that hold water, and often the surface tension of collected water will shape it so it looks like a gem, clear and perfect, refracting light and magnifying the leaf behind it.

Big Rain Gems

From around this date in past years

He’ll Never Know What Hit Him, 2019

Bean has his eye on a good spot.
Bean has his eye on a good spot.

He looks really cute, but don’t ever trust that little Bean. He’s always up to something. Right now, Giuseppe doesn’t stand a chance. Even if he happens to turn his head and notice Bean eyeing up a good spot on his head, it’s too late, Bean is going to get him one way or the other.

From Instagram

If it’s Whisker Wednesday, Mariposa haz em. Giuseppe haz patience.

Mariposa haz whiskers.
Mariposa haz whiskers.

 

Photos shared in past years

Something About a Basket, 2018

Hamlet in the basket.
Hamlet in the basket.

There’s something about a basket that changes a cat. Like what it’s done to Hamlet, here. Often he shies from being petted, though he enjoys it when it happens, and sometimes he runs when he’s startled. But here he’s lying in the basket as if he was tossed there, and I can stop by and run my fingers through all that floof any time I go past. And Hamlet curls his toes and sighs. How sweet it is.

From Instagram

Not now, I’m having a pawicure.

Not now…
I’m having a scratch.

We’re just waiting for dinner. Whenever you get around to it.

The four waiting for dinner...whenever.
The four waiting for dinner…whenever.

~~~

From Previous Years

Wordless Wednesday: Turn Out the Lights!

Turn out the lights. Can't you see I'm trying to nap here?
Turn out the lights. Can’t you see I’m trying to nap here?

~~~

Internal Thermometer, It’s 88 Degrees

Paint me like one of your French cats.
Paint me like one of your French cats.

“Paint me like one of your French cats,” Mr. Sunshine expresses. I wasn’t aware I had any really French cats, though they were named after characters in an opera that took place in France though it was authored by an Italian and sung in Italian. I don’t know if that makes them really French cats. But I do paint them.

I can always tell when the temperature has reached 88 degrees when Mr. Sunshine tips over on his back. He did so on Monday.

I know the temperature is 88 degrees.
I know the temperature is 88 degrees.

But the other views were even more funny. Like the view as I walked into the kitchen..

What a train wreck.
What a train wreck.

It happened again, late afternoon Wednesday. Guess I’ve got a pretty reliable thermometer.

Must be 88 degrees again.
Must be 88 degrees again.

. . . . . . .

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

.

Wordless Wednesday: Bella Shipping Su-purr-visor

Bella Shipping Su-purr-visor
Bella Shipping Su-purr-visor

. . . . . . .

Two Cool Cats
Two Cool Cats
Two Cool Cats

Hamlet and Ophelia are still the age that they zip around the house and are busy all day, especially Hamlet who runs like a little wild man through the rooms. But hot days are hot days, and a cool marble windowsill is cool enough to share with your sister.

Below another view that I thought just lent itself to an interesting black and white.

Cool Cats in a Cool Photo.
Cool Cats in a Cool Photo.

. . . . . . .

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

.

Happy, 2014
black cat
Kennedy waiting for food.

I have been thoroughly enjoying the kittens I’ve fostered and socialized this year, quite a difference and, honestly, a break from the older and hospice fosters who’ve spent time in my foster room. But I haven’t forgotten the importance of rescuing and fostering those cats who don’t have their lives ahead of them, who are here to be kept comfortable and know they are loved until it’s their time to transition off to another existence. I’m remembering Kennedy as I review last year’s photos one particular morning when, although many things just weren’t right and weren’t ever going to be right, and he wasn’t going to recover, and it just wasn’t fair, he and I both found peace and happiness in the simple things that were right: shopping for cat food, my anticipation of how happy he’d be, his enjoyment of it, and our love of each other.

. . . . . . .

I am walking slowly down the aisle of canned cat food in a pet supply store looking for any small can of paté style, any brand. Each one I find I consider the flavor and think of Kennedy, for whom I’m buying them, and how happy he’ll be when I give it to him. I’d love to stay with his “recovery” prescription diet but he doesn’t really need it, and to keep him otherwise on holistic, organic, grain-free foods so I won’t burden his body with ingredients unnecessary for a feline diet, but he needs variety at this point and I enjoy spoiling him a little, thinking how he nearly died of neglect just a few weeks ago, and though he has an end-of-life condition and his time is finite he is unconcerned about his near-death experience and looks forward to his day, and the food, and the affection.

Kennedy walks around and around my legs.
Kennedy walks around and around my legs.

I arrive home and tell him all about his new foods and pet him and show him all the cans and act as if I’m giving him his choice by rubbing his face on the one he wants, though he rubs on them all the same. But I’ve had one in mind from the beginning because he hadn’t eaten much that day. This flavor and variety has been a favorite with other geriatric or ill cats in the past and I’m sending happy anticipation to him as I show him the little can, let him rub his face on it and purr, then open the can, mix in his probiotic and some filtered water as he slowly walks a stiff figure “8” around my shins, bumping his head against my calf and purring some more.

black cat
Kennedy chooses his can of food.

I set it down in front of him. He immediately begins to eat, twitching his tail twice, emanating happiness. This in turn makes me emanate happiness. Perhaps he’s only eating it because he knows it will make me happy, and that will make him happy. Or perhaps it is because he is happy to feel special and loved, as likely he once was before finding himself ill and outdoors alone. Or perhaps he is aware his time is limited and he doesn’t want to waste any of it being unhappy. Perhaps it is all of the above. We fill the small bathroom with happy feelings.

Kennedy happily eating.
Kennedy happily eating.

He is not awake too often, but when he is, he is fully engaged. He looks at me bright-eyed every time, gets up and greets me and makes his little “hmmph!” noises, and slowly circles my legs and anticipates pets from his nose to his tail so he can stiffly put his tail in the air, and scritches on his head while he squints and makes smiley faces. And when any or all of the Five come to the baby gate, he struts over with a “hmmph!” and pokes one front paw and then the other through the mesh, often surprising the cat on the other side with a poke in the face, and this makes him happy too. When he has eaten a bit and within minutes of when I’ve left the room, he is back in his fleece bed in the box lid, having a little face wash, then relaxed and flat out sleeping on his side.

black cat
Kennedy at the gate.

I remember this dance with other cats at this time in their lives, and even in this same room. These simple acts are all that are needed to make us both very happy in the moment, with ripples of happiness that carry on with the memories. Isn’t happy what it’s all about?


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In Afternoon Sun, brush pen and watercolor, 7 x 9, © Bernadette E. Kazmarski

I also have many paintings of Mimi and Mewsette together, including “In Afternoon Sun” where they are on the studio windowsill. Read more and purchase.



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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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