Friday Four and More: Morning of Early Inspiration, April 2008
This photo may not be too impressive, the camera I had at that moment was not the best for capturing movement or low light or anything so I couldn’t capture and convey what I was seeing in those moments. But this was one of those mornings…when I deeply felt the early inspiration that came along with watching all five of them and their movements, five graceful and active silhouettes responding to each other and to me, forming patterns and shapes and absorbing sunlight and cool light into their black fur.
What I mean is that this is one of those mornings when I first felt that I couldn’t give them up, I felt too full of the visual inspiration that had been awakening my creative senses on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean I was inspired to draw and paint these cats or any cats, but my creative senses were getting warm-up exercises for graphic design and illustration that I did every day that I had always done by looking at magazines and other publications and out in my garden in the morning in season. These guys were right there all the time, like the greatest creative exercise machine I’d always needed. But I also see the early inspirations for my daily sketches that I began about 3-1/2 years later.
They were nine months old and still technically “fosters.” It was interesting to see their size at this age because they were very tiny kittens at first and we were concerned about FIP, but they certainly outgrew that and here as sub-adults they look the size of adults. Guess they were meant to be big cats, but I don’t think any of them ever fully realized their actual size but always thought they were kittens.
All these photos were taken between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. I was doing my morning things, like cleaning and laundry so they were milling around on the landing with me before they they went off in different directions to do their things. Do you feel the movement and see how those silhouettes interact with each other? Very much unlike the mixed household I’d always lived with because the individual cats were a uniform color.
First Mr. Sunshine went into the bathroom with me and defiantly wanted to play instead of letting me clean the room. He got a green sparkle ball and pinned it down to make sure it couldn’t go anywhere and waited for me to settle down to watch his show. Then he proceeded to smack that ball around while Jelly Bean watches, and of course I do too.
I found Mewsette and Giuseppe in the studio on the white drafting table looking out the window. Either the birds were doing their morning things or there was a SQUIRREL. Those two profiles followed by the silhouettes from behind, how many photos and sketches came from them in these positions and in this place in the following years?
Jelly Bean went back out onto the landing to block the top of the steps. That’s blocking all passers because he would catch his siblings if they jumped over him and swat my foot if I stepped over him. Instead I stopped and took his picture and told him how cute he was.
Mimi was in the shadows as she usually was at this time, giving all the attention to her kittens and probably still thinking she was going back outside. Ha! Look at those stunning photos she inspired. The first one of her interesting shadow effect with just the shadows and textures in the sun…
…and I made this photo black and white because it looked like it needed to be with that interesting strip of light with all the little artifacts that interrupt it all the way down, Mimi and her shadow as a silhouette, the geometric pattern of the floor, OMG how did I get anything done? It looks like this was one of the mornings that made me start not only following them with a camera, but pulling out my brand new DSLR and carrying that around with me along with the little point and shoot palm-size digital.
Lots of other great photos of them and the fosters they mentored in the following years below…
From around this date in past years
Nap in the Golden Hour, 2024
The warm sunlight reflects off the table to illuminate Bella’s face with golden reflections. Captivating to me! Bella just wants me to stop already because I took about 24 photos of her…such a beautiful, inspiring sight.
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From Instagram
Little panther has a sunbath on the deck. It’s a complicated process and all must be just so.
Mariposa contemplates an empty bowl. Not sure what conclusions, if any, she reached.
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From the Back Yard and Beyond
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From Portraits of Animals
April 8, 2006, the Day I Took the Photo of “Blue and Yellow”
From around this date in past years
Nothing to See Here, 2023
Meeting? No meeting happening, move along, nothing to see here.
I still feel like I interrupted something. The three “kids,” the three youngest in the household, all were trapped for TNR, then fostered, now they’re enjoying a nice soft bed indoors not having to worry about where their next meal is coming from.
I guarantee you these three were chasing each other around the house just a short while ago, and now they need a serious nap. But were they discussing something when I walked in and interrupted
And I’ll also point out that the cats I live with have an awesome sense of composition and aesthetics.
From around this date in past years
Midnight Louie’s Got the Cute Moves, 2022
Thjs guy has got the head tilt. And the big round hopeful eyes, and the cute little chirps and tail twirls and heavy-duty face rubs. He may not have the big, swaggering confidence of Simba, but he is quietly irresistible. He is so unbearably cute sometimes I can hardly contain myself. When I sit at my drafting table to paint or do other work, he settles on my lap with his head under my chin. One of these days I’ll have to get a selfie of us. But one thing for sure, he figures out right away what’s going to get my attention and hold onto it.
From around this date in past years
That Scary Neighbor, 2021
Mewsette enjoys her time in the back yard with her mom each day, but sometimes…there’s a scary neighbor in the next yard. You can see that Mewsette can’t be seen behind her clever screen of grasses and wild garlic fronds. She is watching this suspicious man who is quietly developing a little patio and garden in his back yard.
Feeling a little safer back up on the deck, Mewsette wraps her tail around a deck picket and keeps an eye on his activities, now through the tops of the forsythia bush.
He is not a scary man, in fact he is a cat man! And he is very quiet and nice and loves to watch my kitties in the yard. But as of yet, Mewsette can’t be convinced. Even her mother can’t quite convince her it’s okay, but the fact that Mewsette is still outside watching him is progress.
So while Mewsette is still keeping an eye on that neighbor, Mimi has some plans for a little fun.
She loves to walk around on the deck railing. Cookie walked around on the deck railing when she was 17 too, and I feel Mimi is still balanced enough for this to be safe. She really enjoys walking around on just this section for now. As I clear off the deck and it’s easier to move around we’ll see how she feels about the other side. So after her own wanderings in the yard and calming Mewsette, then her walk on the railing, Mimi was ready for a nap. Or purrhaps that spot was just the right temperature for a nap, sleepy or not.
Now that I have most of a fence, I feel confident to let the girls walk around without leashes in the back yard. I am always with both of them and also watching and listening for any potential problems. At this point they are only outside for about 15 minutes. Later, as the temperatures rise, they may want to stay outside longer, and then they’ll need their leashes. Right now, I photograph them and watch what they do, then when they go in I try to get some work in outdoors. As my time loosens up a little more, I’ll spend a little more time outside. But I know I’m distracted so we’ll have to decide if they stay outside on leashes, or go indoors while I work and come back outside later. But I’m so pleased to have the back yard in the condition it’s in so we can enjoy it.
Below, humble chickweed, one of the wild plants I photographed while following the girls around the yard. I love tiny white flowers.
This Week’s Update
Last week through Wednesday, I finished my 10 days feeding Denise’s colony of 12+ at the top of the hill plus the handsome Maxi—photos coming soon; trapped a kitty on Tuesday night—story was supposed to be last week but will be tomorrow; and prepared entries for art and writing contests. Now that I’m caught up with the work that didn’t get done last week, I can get back to posting, and hope to keep it going!
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From Instagram
Last Friday: Basil is always reliable for an amusing morning #blep, or should I be concerned about what’s hovering above my head?
Sienna has a heart-to-heart with Preppy Kitty.
Today, which is National Cat Lady Day! “Your chair? Note that ‘cat’ comes before ‘lady’ in ‘cat lady’.”
Though I detest the whole “cat lady” myth, I don’t mind sharing photos of me with my cats.
#catlady wakeup. The reality. “I realized upon awakening that I was being used as a fort.”
A cartoon I sketched based on real events. From 2012. https://thecreativecat.net/saturday-morning-cartoons-being-used-as-a-fort-2012a/
Somebody wants attention. #catladylife A sketch from life as Giuseppe tried to convince me. From 2013. https://thecreativecat.net/daily-sketch-reprise-in-my-face-2013/
From the Back Yard and Beyond
A sweet collection of spring flowers, though often they are each considered pests, grape hyacinth, persian speedwell, dandelion and bright green grass. The color combination is a rich eyeful on a bright spring morning after a long winter of snow and overcast skies. They were growing in my neighbor’s yard, conveniently at eye level as I walked up the street to feed Denise’s colony.
www.bernadettestoday.com/spring-collection/
From around this date in past years
Silly Cats, 2020
Bella snuggles with her Sunshine. She was having an excessively silly day last Friday.
A closeup of the action.
Meanwhile, the whole picture. Looks like Jelly Bean lost this round of musical baskets and has to wait until someone wakes up to try again.
\Walking on the wall is a thing now. Glad I’ve provided Mimi with some new amusement.
She appears delicate but she is not. Even in an unexpected snow with icy winds the yellow tulip is dignified and elegant. Nature has so many lessons.
And then Saturday…
So this happened today.
Thank you to everyone who helped me get this car! Who bought things from me, shared my posts and my website, drove me around or let me borrow their car in the past four months, understood when I couldn’t get somewhere, asked if I needed anything, and picked up things I needed. Getting this car has had so many hurdles to jump in just the past two days let alone the past four months and more. When we’re supposed to be limiting travel and social distancing I wasn’t even sure I could buy a car right now!
Thanks to my friend Bill for driving me 100 miles to get this car today. Thanks to Mike for taking such good care of this car so I could have it right now when I need it and it doesn’t need a thing fixed and has a full tank of gas, and for being one of the most honest sellers I’ve ever met, and for finding the nicest notary and helping me figure things out when I discovered I’d forgotten my license plate and insurance and my debit card didn’t work as expected. (No thanks to the hacker of my other debit card who almost made me call the whole thing off!)
Years ago, after college, I had no license and no car and wanted no parts of either one, but life isn’t always like that. Going months without a car in these uncertain times and around my hip surgery was really pretty scary, I just never felt safe. I’m so grateful this worked out well and I met some really nice people along the way, and when things open up again I’ve got the car to help me get to vendor events, and rescue cats!
And yet…
Mimi says, “Car schmar, I need my outdoor enrichment time.” Mimi on her wall, and more little rainbows, the purrfect angle of the evening sun to lovely effect.
From around this date in past years
Happy Jelly Bean Day!, 2019
Because of a certain colorful candy Jelly Bean thinks it’s all about him. Whichever holiday you observe today, we hope you have a blessed celebration with family and friends and lots of good food.
And because I can never take only one photo once I get going, here are a few more photos of Jelly Bean with his namesake. Yes, jelly beans can be a choking hazard for cats, and if they manage to eat them can cause some gastric upset, but no cats or beans were harmed in this photo shoot. Hard to believe these photos are from 2013!
Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals
Fine Art • Photography • Gifts • Greeting Cards • Books • Commissioned Portraits & Artwork
Just like today’s Featured Daily Sketch, the photos at the top when they were nine months old were where the inspiration started.
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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I can only imagine what it looks like when several black cats are weaving around each other this way and I don’t blame you for wanting to catch it.