From the Archives: Big Brothering

February 10, 2019 Bernadette

Lucy was a lone kitten in a house full of teenagers, but she made the best of it. The girls, Cookie, Kelly and Peaches, gave her daily guidance on how to bathe, what were the best napping places and how to use toys, but they left playtime for Namir. Namir accepted the role of teasing and chasing and comforting big brother easily, and Lucy adored him. She followed him around, imitated him, and got him to play silly games, like hide and seek, as you see above. Still photos don’t always convey what the subjects were like in moments when they weren’t standing still, so here’s a little playtime between Namir and Lucy when I gave up making the bed, just about 10 years ago.

Lucy thought she had a clever little game of sneaking up on Namir while he patiently sat on the bed and watched all her careful planning. First she leaped under the edge of the bedspread I’d pulled back. I’m sure Namir had no idea!

Lucy tries to get him from this direction.

Then she realized she was in a dead end bedspread! So she turned around…

…and hopped in under the other edge. Pretty smart for a kitten! Of course, Namir still has no idea she’s trying to fool him.

Now it’s all set up! Namir clearly wants to know what the little shadow is under the edge of the covers.

Namir doesn’t move.

Namir still doesn’t make a move. I briefly intervene and lift up the bedspread.

Lucy reaches for him.

No response. Namir, do you see me?

He just doesn’t seem to get it. Lucy has to try a little harder.

Don’t worry, Lucy, Namir’s just fooling with you. He’s like that!

I'm not sure he gets it. — I’m not sure he gets it.

He eventually did get some brotherly “licks” in, but no wrestling match on that day.

Also from the archives on or about this date…

Two Views of Cookie and Namir, Plus Lucy, in the Sun, 2007

You may recognize the theme of these photos from “Darling Clementine”. I was taking photos in preparation for that painting from January through March that year, and I did include other cats as well as other props and views in that series. In truth, I’m still photographing my cats in the sun in that spot. I love seeing their long shadows in the sun just as much as seeing them napping.

Lucy was there too, and took Namir’s spot for a while, as he deferred to her, as he often did. Already she was such a model. I’m struck by how much she looks like Mimi here.

Seeing my cats in this scene through the years is a treasure.

Photos From the Archives and Vintage Photos

Photos pulled “From the Archives” were taken by one or another digital camera of mine between 2002 and, well, yesterday, but usually they are older than that, and I had never had the chance to feature them. Vintage Photos are from my film archives back to 1983 when I purchased my Pentax K-1000 camera. They’re a fun way to “introduce” other members of my feline family who came and went before I began blogging, and to illustrate my feline family in general from days gone by.

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watercolor of cat in kitchen — “Darling Clementine”, watercolor, 12″ x 9″ © B.E. Kazmarski

January light is so beautiful, the sun still at a low angle streaming into windows and doors, the days often overcast and the brilliant warm yellow sunlight a respite, and this is what has Namir transfixed in the stream of sun that washes in the back door in winter—and probably a few birds bobbing about on the deck chasing stray bird seed. 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.