StrangeRanger

Recovery

Sorry about not posting last weekend.  I was recovering from a truly monstrous case of the ick.  Took me out of school for two days, which does not often happen to me.  I am soooo happy to be back to normal that I can hardly stand it!

Daisy was not a good nurse.  I think she was convinced that there was some sort of illness-monster around.  She didn't come near me much at all.  She did, however, keep an eye on LadyRanger.  I'm glad I had Daisy around to watch over her.  

As a result of the ick and a week of work I regret that I have no new Daisy pics to present.  In my defense, I will say that Daisy has been spectacularly uncooperative in that regard.  As soon as she assumes a cute pose, I grab the ol' camera.  Sadly, Daisy decides to move just as it completes it's 15 second turn-on sequence.  Most annoying.

I'll continue to photo-stalk the wee gray beast, though.  You may have something new next week.  Until then, enjoy a vintage pic of our girl.

Have a good week!

I rather like this picture....

...though you may have to take my word for it that there's a cat.

If you've been here before (HI TABBIES!!) you know how I love my light/dark contrast.  I think the garish color of the toy is a nice accent.  The string on a different diagonal from the shadows... Of course, the beauty that is Daisy completes the tableau!

Sunpuddle season is always a good season for me.....

...but Cat season is always the best season.

I am tired and lazy today.

Have one of my favorite pics of Daisy as a kitten.  Took this on the second day she was with us.

Not making much of a start on my 90,000 though.  I'll work on that later.  It's nap time.  Gotta go find the cat.

Death of a Legend

I suppose it's odd for me to refer to someone whose name I just learned as a legend, but I think it's justified in this sense.

Walter Chandoha died on January 11.  He was a WWII vet.  He served as a combat photographer in the South Pacific.  He was a professional freelance photographer.  He photographed (among many other subjects) cats.

This is his cat, and original subject, Loco.  Loco was found as a stray in Astoria, Queens, shivering and alone on a snowy day.  From what I read, this was the beginning of a photographer's appreciation of cats.  At his death, it is estimated he'd taken 90,000 photos of cats.

While I can, in no way, compare myself to Walter Chandoha, I do suppose we share that.

The NYT obituary gives you far more information, far better written, than I could, and the link to his website will give you a far better appreciation for his art than I am able to.

I've no memory of ever hearing his name, but I do remember some of the images on pet food bags and cans from my youth.  I've just learned that they were his.  It's a funny sensation, having a name to put with the photo.  I mean..I knew the photos were taken, of a cat and by a person, but it's nice to know who that person was.

I've looked at some (a bare tiny fraction) of Mr Chanodha's work.  The cat pics were what I went for first (because, obviously....) but I really loved his New York City in the Mid 20th Century photos.  In truth, I think I liked his black and white photos most of all, landscape and feline.

I'd thought, and read the comment, that since Mr Chandoha took so many pics of cats he almost single-handedly created the Internet.  He didn't diminish it, that's for sure.  I think he helped set aside the tiny little space in it that became mine, and Daisy's.  I'll try not to waste it.

90,000.

Challenge accepted.

It's a cold, gray day.....

....so you get a pic of a warm, gray cat.

Hopefully we'll see the sun again, soon.

Have a good week!

Daisy's Big Green Friend

Yes.  Daisy likes the tree.

She spent a lot of time beneath the tree (as befits any wonderful present!)

Speaking of presents, here she is playing with one of her wind-up mousies 'neath the tree.

One funny thing about Daisy and mousies is that sometimes she doesn't play with them so much as put them  at the very edge of her reach.  Then she tries to snag'em without moving.

Daisy even did twisty-cat 'neath the tree.

The cool, unexpected thing, though, was that Daisy secretly helped decorate our tree!

Here's the tree.  See the string hanging down in the middle of the pic?  The string leading up to the glittery purple ball?  Yep.  That's one of Daisy's favorite toys.

Daisy will throw this thing anywhere.  She could use this to throw the runner out at home from deep center field.  Guess she was playing catch one night and got it stuck up here.  We left it where it was.  Thought it added an impromptu, festive aire to our tree.  

Darn tootin'....you guys, really.  Glass balls here, glass balls there....all tied down tight, too.  No fun at all to play with.  This tree needed something fun!

Mission accomplished, Miss!  Thank you!

Helping

Daisy is always a helpful cat.  She supervises (snoopervises) almost everything we do.  She's also been known to supervise the tradesmen who've come in to work on our 84 year old house.  She was especially helpful during our great bathroom re-do and Josh, the tiler, was especially grateful for her able assistance.

Daisy tends to our routine chores as well as the big projects.  She is most enthusiastic about helping with the making of the bed.

You're doing it wrong.

Daisy sometimes needs a different view to spot the specific errors...

Nope.  Still wrong.

After much unheeded advice, she gets a little put out.

STILL WRONG.  Don't you people EVER listen?!?  Don't make me come down there.

Finally, she has to take matters into her own paws.

I've told you and I've told you and I've told you....I suppose that now I have to SHOW YOU.  idiot......

THIS IS HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE BED!  I can't believe that you primates are ruling the world while lacking even the most basic skills!  I HOPE THIS IS "LESSON LEARNED'" NOW....

I'm sure it is, Miss, until next week when I'll drive you nuts again.

We hope you all had a lovely Christmas and we wish for you all the Happiest of New Years!

Cat Tree... Actually, I meant cat, tree

Daisy has become accustomed to our Christmas tree.  This is Daisy's third Christmas with us but we didn't have a tree last year.  I think she'd forgotten about the tree from her first, kitten, Christmas.  She seemed a bit skeptical about this one at first....

I dunno about this, guys....never know what the outside will do if you bring it inside.....

...but she's actually very fond of it at this point.

Well, okay, but just this once.

This is the way my viking kitty ancestors used to hide under the pines of their native forests and ambush MOOSE!  MOOSE, I say!!!

She sleeps under the tree a bit, and hides there and watches the daily life of the house, quite content.  The only issue we have with her enjoyment is that Daisy is an instinctual ambush predator.  When I water the tree, she pounces from behind the boughs and tries to eat my hand.  I do worry about Santa showing up and leaving bloody palm prints all over our goodies.  Perhaps I should leave some band-aids and peroxide out with the milk and cookies.

We'll let you know how it goes.  Have a Happy Christmas, one and all!

The Great Snow of '18

For the first time in my memory we had a massive snow before Christmas.  Before the tenth of the month!  We've had white Christmases on the rare occasion but never anything like this.  We've had light dustings of snow but never anything like this.  It was really impressive.  We had a solid 13 inches of snow.

This almost never happens around here.  And given that a single inch is enough to throw the entire state into a panic, well, you can only imagine.

We were pretty well set up with snow-survival supplies.  Plenty of food, snacks and cat treats.  We managed to keep power all week long, which was wonderful.

We did also have a chance to go for walks around our neighborhood, meeting people and watching otherwise responsible adults enjoying sledding like they were twelve again.  It was a pleasant break from our routine.  Even Daisy got in on the festivities.

Yes, we put her harness on and took her for a brief walk in the snow.

She was pretty fearless, though I doubt she liked sinking up to her tummy in the powder.

She didn't seem to hate snow as much as Maddie hated it, but once we put her on the porch she made a bee-line to the nice warm living room.  After we got her out of her harness and her feet dried off, it was a trip to the bed for a wash.  

You people suck.

Yeah, it may be a long while before we take her out again.

Of course, now we've brought the outside in to her!

oh for the love of....what now?!?

We had a tree the first year we had her, but not the last year.  We'll see how they do together now that she's a full grown kitty.  More pics will come if they play nice otgether!

Have a good week!

Captivated

Daisy has had a morning  of intense concentration.  She even ignored me as I was getting her breakfast ready.  She even ignored her breakfast itself!  Why?  She was absorbed in the event taking place outside the window!

She was enthralled!

And by what?

The great Southeast Snow Show!

 

I don't think I've ever seen such a snow here in early December.  This is an amazing event.  A snow like this would be rare if it occurred in late January.  We may get somewhere between 10-15 inches of the white stuff.  That is not normal.

It sure is pretty, though.  

Daisy, LadyRanger and I have laid in supplies for a siege so we should be okay for a bit.  We've even got a working fireplace, wood and candles so we'll be okay for a bit if power goes out (though we would rather it didn't).  The wind has been strong enough to keep the snow from building up on power lines and branches thus far.  The precipitation may change to freezing rain later, though, so send us a good thought or two electricity-wise.

Who knows, if there's a pause in this, or if there's a non-ice denouement to this, we may give Daisy a chance to explore a bit outside, just to see her reaction.  Maybe she'll like it more than Maddie or Ivy did.  

You never know.....