From the Archives: Cookie in the Pasta Bowl, and in the Soup Pot, and in the Baking Pan…
This was the first one of all!
Good thing I checked the bowl before I filled it with the mellowed fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette!
I warmed my big round pasta bowl in the oven, then set it on the counter while I ran outside to get a couple branches of basil to finish off my dinner, maybe ten seconds, and when I returned Cookie was just settling into the bowl as if she’d been in it all day. What else is a cat to do with a nicely warmed, round ceramic cat bed that you might notice purrfectly fit her? I tossed the basil in with her and grabbed my camera for a straight-on shot (below) then stepped up Cookie’s footstool for the above shot.
Amazing how cats can fit themselves comfortably into just about anything, but this is a natural.
Here’s another view. I couldn’t decide which view I liked best—I love the above view because of the composition, but I also like to see the expression on Cookie’s face.
I didn’t move her, but as soon as I started mixing the tomatoes with the pasta curiosity got the better of her and naptime was over.
This was the first photo I posted in a series I named “In the Kitchen With Cookie”. Cookie had always been intent on exploring everything in her world and curling up in anything that would fit her, even at age 17 as she was here and even with her lifelong disabilities in climbing and jumping and anything requiring strength and agility in her hind legs. She got herself anywhere she wanted to go and was very proud of herself for the outcome. With this photo I began documenting her interactions with my pots and pans and bowls in her last two years.
I also made a calendar of her photos, as described below. I took this photo in September 2010, but I used it for the August calendar layout.
. . . . . . .
August In the Kitchen With Cookie…
RECIPE: FRESH TOMATOES over COOKED PASTA
You can add more or less of any ingredient to your taste; I always have more of each than this. Core and cut two pounds of tomatoes into one-inch chunks or halve cherry tomatoes, thinly slice two or more cloves of fresh garlic and chiffonade a quarter to a half cup of basil leaves. Place in bowl, toss with two tablespoons of sea salt or one tablespoon or regular salt, let sit while you cook a pound of linguini or fettucini, toss together while warm, top with fresh grated parmesan or very coarse seasoned bread crumbs.
Guess what I’m having for dinner tonight? This photo was actually originally posted in September, but my tomatoes are tomato-ing and my basil is basil-ing and it’s time for this meal—Mimi and I went out to get them this morning. No one else ever curls up in my pots and pans and pasta bowls…Cookie was one in a million. Remembering Cookie with a big smile.
. . . . . . .
Here’s the two-page spread for August:
. . . . . . .
In the Kitchen with Cookie 2014 Calendar
If you’ve followed my daily photos on The Creative Cat you may be familiar with my photos of Cookie interacting with properly-warmed pasta bowls, enamel pots and glass salad bowls in the series called “In the Kitchen With Cookie”. I was lucky enough to catch her in the act through the years photographing a dozen amusing images of Cookie exploring alternate uses for these items.
A number of readers requested a calendar which sounds like a wonderful idea to me, especially as a tribute to a part of Cookie’s unforgettable curiosity that still makes me laugh. The calendar is a 5.5″ x 8.5″ spiral-bound calendar printed on 100# matte-finish text paper so it’s easy to write on but the art still looks bright and crisp.
Each month includes one main photo of Cookie caught in the act which was either taken during that particular month or is themed for that month food-wise, plus a bit of the text from the original post on The Creative Cat—and Kelly even makes an appearance with Cookie in two of the photos! I’ve also included a simple recipe of my own that corresponds.
On the right a monthly calendar includes basic holidays, moon phases and room for notes at the bottom, and other photos of Cookie from the same and related explorations decorate open areas on the calendar page.
The recipes celebrate winter days in my kitchen and the seasons of my garden, long enjoyed with Cookie’s supervision, including my special “Cheesecake”, “Healthy Multi-fruit Crisp”, “Easy Lemon Vinaigrette” and my best advice for cooking fresh sweet corn.
Maybe someday I’ll publish that cookbook too. In the meantime, here’s a gallery of the images in this calendar.
Art and Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals
~~~
Feline Photos from Portraits of Animals!
From several years ago, one of those mornings, I think Cookie is watching Namir. I like the odd angle, the blur and the crop. It’s as if I’m standing right there with Cookie, looking over her ear as I often did. 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.
Subscribe to my e-newsletter
Subscribe to The Creative Cat Preview E-newsletter.
© 2022 | www.TheCreativeCat.net | Published by Bernadette E. Kazmarski
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!
Aww, so sweet! Heck, I’d curl myself into a warm bowl, if I could…
Really, what a great nap spot! Cookie always knew when it was a good photo too.