From the Archives: The Garden Party, April 2009

April 26, 2026 Bernadette

tortoiseshell cat and black cat — Cookie and Mimi enjoy an afternoon in the “garden”.

Over a decade ago five-year-old Mimi and 17-year-old Cookie enjoyed the warm spring sun as they sat in our indoor garden, wordlessly conversing as cats do. Cookie told Mimi how she, too, had kept a distance, feeling sure she was going to end up back outside, the same as Mimi felt. That wasn’t at all what happened, and, in fact, Cookie could see Mimi’s destiny as the lead feline in the household and keeper of the human.

I have no idea what the conversation was about that I interrupted, but they were deep in some communication, facing each other and slowly blinking their eyes and shifting a bit now and then. I tried to photograph them in the act, but they turned to look at me and the spell was broken, but I knew the moment and the photo were an important memory and I titled it “The Garden Party.”

They looked lovely nonetheless, two lady friends enjoying a pleasant afternoon, and I treasure this photo, Cookie at 17 and Mimi a mere 5 years old. At that time, Mimi was still a little distant, as if she expected to be put back outside at some point, deferring to the cuteness of her young adult children. I like to think that Cookie was not only giving Mimi some reassurance that she was not going anywhere, but that Cookie herself was passing along sage advice to Mimi about being the lead feline in the household.

Cookie, Keeper of the Human passes the torch

Cookie always liked my little indoor “garden” on this table and regularly sat sunning herself, nibbling grass and just hanging out all the years she was here. Mimi began spending time with Cookie as soon as she entered the house, but in the spring of 2009, Mimi’s job of raising the Four pretty well done, she apparently wanted some adult company. What a wonderful friendship these two had, and I thought of it each time Mimi sat on my lap and looked up at me and I know that what happens among the felines in my family is not always due to my decisions. I rescued each Cookie and Mimi and brought them into our home as fosters. They ended up staying because no one adopted them, and then I decided to just keep them both with me because it felt right. Cookie and Mimi figured out the rest.

I’ve shared this photo many times before and it means just as much to me each time.

Read more about Cookie, and why she’d be the one to pass the wand along to Mimi.

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Maybe you can hold me to this: I had intended to paint this image in watercolor in time for the anniversary of the photo this year but settling down for a painting has been a challenge for me as we know. That’s why I waited until the end of the month to share it because I thought I’d get to it during this month, but I was instead celebrating Mimi’s Garden all month. The big work for the garden is pretty much finished, and I’ve already started some afternoons in the studio with Morty, so we’ll see if I manage to follow through this year.

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From the Archives: Tortie Camouflage, 2010

Tortoiseshell cats can be camouflaged against many backgrounds with all their irregular speckles and dots. This photo of Cookie taken in the spring of 2010 truly shows her ability to blend into her background as her orange and tan blend with last year’s leaves and her green eyes blend with the spring’s new growth. I could not love her more.

I didn’t find the photo of Cookie, above, until 2013—I guess I found it when I needed to. Truly she is camouflaged! The photo is actually from March 22, 2010, and here’s what I had to say that day, interestingly very much like the day Mimi and I had out in the yard on Saturday:

And it’s also been unusually cold in the past few weeks, and where I usually have peas, lettuce and potatoes planted—and I’ve often been eating meals outdoors—my soil is still frozen. Heading out in the yard in the spring has always been a celebration with whichever kitties were headed out there with me, and I’ve also included some photos from the same day outdoors.

Cookie inspects my lettuce planting. Apparently it was done properly because for once she did not see the need to walk over the soil.

“Don’t tell me I’m too old to be walking on the deck railing!” Cookie gives me a little sass—a lot of sass—about whether or not she should be walking on a narrow piece of wood about ten feet above the ground. She always had good sense, and when she became a little steady in her last year she quit prancing on the catwalk.

tortoiseshell cat on deck railing — I’m fine up here! Don’t tell me what to do!

Just a nice photo of Cookie looking out into the yard with the daffodils just about to bloom in the background. Yes, daffodils are among plants toxic to cats, and I always worked to lure Cookie away from them lest she bite their fronds.

“Put the camera down and come and eat lunch.” Cookie waits on the picnic table next to my soup and salad while I’m still wandering around the yard photographing…things. It was an overcast day, but there was so much to see out there. Yet Cookie was always looking out for what was best for me, and trying to keep me in line.

tortoiseshell cat on picnic table with food — “It’s time for lunch.”

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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.

Art and Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals

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Feline Photos from Portraits of Animals!

I think this photo of Cookie would be a wonderful greeting card or print, so I’ve added Tortie Camouflage to my website. Did you know that many of the favorite photos you see here each day are available as prints and note cards on Portraits of Animals? I add to the gallery all the time too, as images gain popularity. If you see one here that you think would make a good photo print or greeting card, please let me know! In the meantime browse the gallery of Feline Photos.

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.