Tuesday, March 19, 2024
backyardblack catscatsdaily photogardengarden catsmimi

Daily Photo: This Post Belongs to Mimi

black cat rubbing face
Mimi owns this porch post.

Ah, the good old cheek pheromone trick. Mimi LOVES to rub her face on things, her cheeks, her chin, her nose, she gives things a thorough dose of her cheek pheromone so that all who come near know that Mimi owns this thing, be it the porch post or my car or the tree or the birdbath. And quite often, me.

~~~

My first vendor event in two years!

360 view of the Carnegie Farmers Market and my display. It was so busy, two hours in I could finally sit down for a few minutes. What a great event! Everyone was so happy! And no rain even though it was forecast for the whole day.

This is a smaller display including both feline, nature and wildlife gift items. I went heavy on the newer items so I garden flags and tote bags, but eventually I’ll fill out the keepsake boxes the votives the dish towels and other items too.

I’ll be there almost every Sunday through September, except when I have my open house and during Rock the Quarry. Of course, that means even less time to post, but I’ll hope to deal with it. Check Portraits of Animals to see my upcoming events.

From Instagram

A hummingbird moth visited my phlox today. I recorded the video at half speed, they move so quickly it’s impossible to see them clearly, but they’re so cool to watch darting around, the little proboscis tongue unrolling to poke into each flower, moving on to the next one.

Years ago I actually thought these were a variety of hummingbirds, then I finally found out what they were, really a moth but they love the same plants that hummingbirds do. I believe this is a clearwing variety, those are the ones I usually see here.

 

From around this date in past years

Mimi Read My Mind Again, and a Video, 2020

black cat on picnic bench
Vines.

Mimi read my mind again.

black cat on picnic bench
Paws.

Out in the back yard watching her enjoy the picnic bench I wondered how I could photograph her that would be different from the other eleventy-billion photos I already have of Mimi on the picnic bench, and had a fleeting thought of her interacting with the emerging Virginia creeper vines that twist around the table and bench. Within minutes Mimi provided a dozen possibilities for that idea, combining my joy and hers. And it’s also an example of just taking a lot of photos to see what you’ll end up with. I liked each photo I took as Mimi moved into position, or as I moved around her, then another pose came into view and I liked that one too. Again, a little overwhelming, but that’s why I decided to do a Monday Mimi in the Yard feature. These photos are from May 12, 2020, and the little vine is now a big vine,but we still do this today.

First, get a look at the view.

Sneeze!

black cat on picnic bench
Sneezing.

Have a seat.

black cat on picnic bench
Sitting.

Then must have a little bath to settle into the whole process of owning the space.

Then the initial stretch out and rest.

black cat on picnic bench
Napping.

Then she turned over and moved into exactly the place where I’d envisioned her, tucking herself up to and under the vine.

black cat on picnic bench
Vines.

Mimi is completely amazing with her ability to anticipate what I’m visualizing.

~~~

And a Mimi Video

One lone catnip plant sprouted at the edge of the walk. Mimi is blissed. I took this video with my new phone. I apologize for the small size of the video—I can only upload up to 50MB to my site so I had to save this down to a smaller size so it came in under 50.

Making these little videos has been fun, and I already have another. Plan to see more!

~~~

Because we have so many photos of Mimi today, I will feature recent Instagram and nature & wildlife photos tomorrow, Tuesday. Four of my most favorite photos of Mimi outside are below in previous years, and there’s a little video of her playing with a cattrack toy years ago!

 

From around this date in past years

Window Hunting, 2019

Mariposa has something trapped in her gaze.
Mariposa has something trapped in her gaze.

Mariposa often naps at the open window behind my monitor when I’m in my office. There’s a purrfect view of lots of exciting wildlife just ready for window hunting! There’s the birdbath and the catbird who talks to her, they hummingbirds who visit the feeder on the edge of the porch, lots of little critters who race across the porch, and…a baby groundhog.

So Mariposa is reclining on the edge of my desk, the windowsill, and the track where the window slides. Then she stiffens, listening, and very…very…very slowly turns around, flattens her ears and looks over the edge of the window frame, then slowly rises up onto her front paws and watches, rapt at something moving in the ground cover just off the porch.

Baby groundhog having a snack.
Baby groundhog having a snack.

And then, the little critter has the courage, with such a brave and capable hunter having it pinned in here eyebeams, starts to walk across the porch…but then stops, apparently sensing those eyebeams. There was an extended standoff, and then the little one made a break for it.

The baby groundhog stops under the power of Mariposa's gaze.
The baby groundhog stops under the power of Mariposa’s gaze.

Baby groundhogs are almost as cute as kittens. I just wish they wouldn’t eat all my gardens down to nothing, especially when I leave all the native plants I know they love to eat.

 

Photos shared in past years

The Huntress, 2016

The Huntress: Intent
The Huntress: Intent. Just look for the eyes.

On a quiet afternoon the garden was full of excitement.

The Huntress: Listening
The Huntress: Listening. You can’t see her, surely.

For several years before moving in here Mimi hunted for food for her babies. Now that she’s a pampered princess she still likes to indulge now and then, just to keep in shape.

The Huntress: Waiting
The Huntress: Waiting. Well disguised.
The Huntress: Watching. Something is over there.
The Huntress: Watching. Something is over there.

Nothing escapes her notice.

Capturing these photos between the blades of grass and sometimes confusing light and shadows and moving blades of grass was my own hunting expedition for the afternoon. See below if you’d like a print of one or more.

. . . . . . .

Just Playing

But she still has a great time with toys! Someone donated a few toys her cat didn’t like, and I moved most to the kitten room but all the house panthers were immediately absorbed by this cat track with a ball swirling around the bottom that makes bird chirps when you smack it, and one in the top that just goes around, and feathers out of the top, just for good measure. Mimi is feeling pretty darned well, and just because she does (and I still find it a miracle), and because she was once a primarily outdoor cat endlessly breeding but has fully embraced being a pampered and loved house panther I filmed her having a great time playing with the birdie track ball. Watch it below or on watch it on YouTube.


Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals

AfterDinnerNap-Etsy

Fine Art • Photography • Gifts • Greeting Cards • Books • Commissioned Portraits & Artwork

The art print and greeting card design.
The art print and greeting card design.

I only wish my garden looked like this! But that’s why we have art. Available as a print and as a greeting card. 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!

 
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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.

2 thoughts on “Daily Photo: This Post Belongs to Mimi

  • You really are a cutie sweet Mimi and so is that wee groundhog!

    Reply
  • 15andmeowing

    Mimi is beautiful.

    Reply

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