Daily Photo: Sienna Strikes a Pose
It’s a sunny morning and everyone feels good. Sienna has been racing around and up the stairs to leap on the windowsill and then the wardrobe to strike a pose in front of the mirror.
She likes to keep an eye on the upstairs from there, and she also decides to parade around a bit on the wardrobe. Because of the sun it might also be warm enough to have a bit of a nap up there too.
She’s been feeling much better since her veterinary visit last week. Though she’s not fond of her antibiotic, liquid amoxicillin, she is quite fond of the freeze-dried chicken or salmon bits she gets just before and after the icky stuff. I don’t think we’ll need to go back at this point, her temperature, appetite and litterbox habits are all back to normal.
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From Instagram
None today!
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From the Back Yard and Beyond
I first read about the history of the apple in a historical fiction novel about prehistoric peoples. I went from there to look it up and research it years ago and from that enlightenment developed my love and respect for this humble, versatile little fruit—you can enjoy it, you can make art with and inspired by it, and you can eat it. What more can you ask for?
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From Portraits of Animals
I love snowy winter scenes, blue morning shadows or brilliant sunsets, snowfall, surprise bits of color. Winter has long been my biggest inspiration for landscape painting.
And I also love a row of houses in the sun without snow, the bare trees, the long shadows, and this dead end street has so many familiar elements. The street light, the telephone pole and lines, the bare tree and the hill beyond, the flag, all are markers of a place I’d recognize and probably see in small towns anywhere. The houses have been there well over a century, and being at the top of a creek bank have flooded several times, seen lots of people moving through, kids I went to school with, friends of my parents who grew up there long ago. Now in brilliant winter sun the dead end houses stand like old friends sitting together to watch the sunset with their blank window eyes that have seen much of life, the long shadows of the houses and buildings across the street reaching to touch them as the sun drops toward the horizon.
From around this date in past years
Unusual Cuddle Buddies, 2021
As I turned out the lights in the kitchen, Basil looked a little larger than usual.
On closer inspection, having Sienna tucked up against his side, her orange spots and specks not showing up in dim light, was a pretty good reason for Basil to completely fill the seat of the chair. I was so surprised to see them tucked together that I had to turn on the lights and take some real photos, though, just to document that it happened. Basil is generally a little anxious when someone is in a space he usually enjoys alone. More public places like the cabinet and my desk are different, but this chair, or on the cushion on the floor underneath, are usually not shared spaces.
Sienna is not typically a cuddler in other than public places either. Well, I guess cold weather will bring together cats who don’t dislike each other, but who don’t typically tuck themselves into each other for a good night’s sleep either.
“Can you turn the lights off now?”
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From Instagram
The Chewy Goody Box
Of course, Mariposa thinks it’s all for her.
Because my kitties don’t have years worth of new toys in storage, I had to take advantage of a kitty goodie box deal from Chewy when I placed my last auto-ship order. Everybody got something, especially the ones who were willing to share.
Mariposa did let others have some things in the box.
But Mimi got the red catnip ball, and she was not letting Mewsette anywhere near it. Mewsette is shocked, I tell you, shocked.
Mariposa and Hamlet negotiate over the green one.
No one wants to make the first move toward the two catnip balls.
Midnight Louie loves his Christmas blankie.
Simba found the big fish flies through the air, and then gets lost.
From the back yard and beyond
Snow Diamonds
Tiny snowflakes floated and twirled and swirled like tiny diamonds in the early morning sunlight today. I love it when that happens.
From around this date in past years
Morning Sunbath, 2020
Mewsette was so very happy in the sun. On winter mornings it streams into the back door and makes us all happy.
From Instagram
Not sure what this meeting is all about. Some sort of a purrformance review with Mr. Sunshine and Basil? They are communicating in feline body language humans can’t detect.
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Photos from around this date in previous years
It’s Sunny Everywhere!, 2019
The sun came out for an afternoon and everyone went to their favorite sunny spots! Sienna always loved the bathroom windowsill whee she can watch birds and soak in the sun.
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From Facebook
So much for that warm and sunny afternoon when Mimi was rolling all over the sidewalk. The temperatures dropped that afternoon and now we have snow.
Me and Mimi.
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Photos from years past.
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Can’t You Do Something About This? 2018
“I don’t mind cold weather. I’ll even walk in snow. I used to live out there, I can take it. But when it’s too cold even for me, you know it’s cold outside.”
Words spoken by Mimi, and could have been spoken by me too, except that I never lived out there. But she and I both enjoy being outdoors and generally don’t mind what Mother Nature is serving up because the weather changes all the time. Mimi keeps hoping things will have changed each time I open the door. They have not, and I can’t fool myself. But I’ll tell you, when the temperature hits 32 degrees we will both run out the door and stay there! Below you’ll see some photos from this date last year and the year before, and there are still green leaves! Parsley and rosemary in my pots on the steps! But even then, I knew we were getting off easy.
In the meantime, they are enjoying their new room!
Cat toys always make things look a little messy. Looks like home! The cardboard boxes stacked beside my rocker will all be packed into the entertainment unit when I take the time to sort through another section and toss out old software boxes and old receipts for taxes. But the room reminds me of when I moved in, all the light, the open space, and already the cats are playing more.
I haven’t been posting on Instagram since well before Christmas. I miss sharing photos there and onto Facebook, so I’m sure I’ll start it up again. But for now, I’m just posting them here.
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What other photos did I post on or about this date?
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Mimi Starts the New Year With a Good Luck Scratch, 2017
Mimi loves her scratching post! I’m sure someone would think a fierce panther had left her mark on that birch tree. It’s interesting to see what Mimi likes in a scratching post: she likes to stand up and stretch, and she likes a really rough surface. I have two chunks of wood with bark in the house for her and others.
You can kind of tell I’m playing catch up here…
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What other photos did I post on or about this date?
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Enjoy the Sun While You Can, 2016
Rather than race out into the wet cold yard, Mimi decided to pause at the top of the steps on the deck to enjoy the brief bit of sunshine we had today. A wise girl is Mimi, and she probably learned that lesson living on the streets for several winters—you have to make time to stop and enjoy the sun while it’s shining where you are, in fact, you should go out of your way to be where it is if you can. Within minutes the sun was gone, and the day became quite dark and gray. But that has its beauty too as everyone had really good naps all day long.
I enjoy those quiet winter mornings outdoors. I was out in the yard adding warm water to the bird baths and topping off the feeders. I actually fill them in the late afternoon for the birds to have a snack before they go to sleep, and then to have the seed as soon as they awaken. There are many cats to feed in the morning and I don’t like for the birds to go hungry waiting for all the cats to get their fill.
The parsley is the green behind Mimi. It’s protected on the deck and stays green, reviving after each freeze as long as they aren’t too long. Fresh parsley in winter is a real treat! As is the rosemary.
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Shared on Facebook
Bella set me straight on a few things.
” ‘Your’ tablet? Surely you know that all papers belong to cats for whatever purpose they choose even if you are currently making your scratchy marks on it. You can finish your scratchy work later. You see, it fits me purrfectly, so of course it is mine.”
Guess Bella told me. I keep a tablet for cat notes in the kitchen and record at least what I fed them and what they ate each meal and anything else I observe that I might want to remember. Comes in handy when conditions arise, but apparently it’s not as important as Bella’s bath and nap. Actually, it means she kikes me and wants to be part of what I’m doing.
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What other photos have I shared on or around this date?
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Iz Cute, 2014
“The human will never notice me here—I blend right in with the background!”
I have to move all their stuff out of the tub to bathe—a concept they still don’t understand—and the cat tree ends up straddling the sink. Ernie hopped up to investigate it and was very cute about it. But everything he does is cute. You can’t have a triangular nose patch that runs all down onto your chin and throat without being cute about everything you do. His triangular nose is very kissable too. I do that as often as possible. He likes it. What was that about feral? Yes, he is still a little shy, and he models that below.
Later in the day Dr. Michelle came to visit. Before Christmas they’d still been in the carrier and hiding in the tub when anyone came to visit, and hissed, but they were markedly different this time! We did have to coax Bert out form under the cabinet though.
His brother Ernie is a little more relaxed and encourages him. “Hey, dummy, if you don’t come out, we don’t get treats!
Bert has no problem taking the treats though. The rule is that they have to take them from your fingers, no cheating by putting them on the floor or even in the palm of your hand. When food is concerned they can learn to trust this pretty quickly, especially with the right flower essence on your hands.
“Hey, you forgot me!” Ernie waves one of his white mittens to alert Dr. Michelle to a possible problem.
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How They Celebrated New Year’s Day, 2011
A Nice, Quiet, New Year, 2011
It started out as me and Kelly and Cookie, and one or two at a time the family decided to join us after dinner, so we had a nice New Year all together at the table.
Kelly is at the water bowl, and on the table from the left is Jelly Bean, whose butt is the only thing showing, Cookie, behind her is Mewsette in profile, next to her is Mr. Sunshine, and in the crochet bag sitting up looking at Sunshine is Mimi, lying down in the bag is Giuseppe.
Mimi hopped into the crochet bag when Cookie hopped out to get a drink of water, and Giuseppe, ever the mama’s boy, joined her in there. Mewsette came to hang with me and Cookie and Kelly who were fussing with my crochet project. Jelly Bean felt left out so he wandered around and finally settled on the crochet project as well when Kelly went to get a drink of water. I had been sitting in the chair just behind Cookie and JB.
I had actually finished this scarf and it’s going to a feline-loving friend who will probably not notice a few spare cat hairs!
Here they are from the other angle, which is what I saw before I decided to get up to take the photo.
I love it when they all settle around me, but this has been a novelty in my years of living with cats. It’s mostly because five of them are related and often do things all together, while Cookie and Kelly are usually with me. When Dickie and Peaches were here they added to the fun, though I never managed to get a photo of all nine together.
If I need for them to move I actually get up and walk away and one or two will follow. Believe it or not, there are times when I need for them to move.
Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals
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When the sun moves around to filter into this window, Kelly hops over to enjoy it and have a nice bath on the cabinet. In a rare moment of repose, she sits still and lets the sun warm her back, the light reflecting back from the pine wood cabinet warming the tones of her tortoiseshell fur. 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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Weekly schedule of features:
Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life
Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters
Tuesday: Rescue Stories
Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork
Thursday: New Merchandise
Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy
Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats
And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!
So many cats in different colors can brighten up a house, and they can brighen up your day.
At least they get along. My 3 cats swat and hiss whenever they cross paths.
Sienna poses nicely, like a model. My cats are camera shy, and my anxious Princessa runs whenever I try taking her picture. She bolts out the window.
Oh, my, there are 12 cats and one human here! Now and then some disagreements, and for the most part the two fosters stay in their room upstairs–too many cats for them. But most of them are former ferals and I’m an artist and photographer, learning to pose is part of their socialization.