Happy Mother's Day

With special thanks to France, Mum Laila and kittens, Tarka and Griffin, who will be 26 days old on May 13th.

And, of course, Happy Mother's Day!

Enjoy

Sylvie, Fernand & The Gang!

Photo Portrait 18" x 27"

Taken early December, framed at last today and now hanging over the fireplace!   The main picture was chosen quickly, the selection below was much tougher.   All the dogs, and Taylor, are rescues.

Main Picture
Back of sofa:  Simone, Fernand and Shaddie.
Seated:  Mia, Sylvie, Daisy and Coco (turned away from the camera)

4 cut in below L to R
* Simone & Fernand  * Chaos!  * Sylvie & Taylor  * Fernand & Sylvie with Shaddie & Coco

Enjoy!
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Emma on the run....

 12"x6" Photo

Many have already seen this.   I find it rather special - it captures the incredible beauty of Emma.  Ultimately I like it better than the "jump shots";  they're fun, this is serious!

One amongst 305 taken October 30.

Enjoy!



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GK wi Flowers

GK, or Grey Kitty, watching me.
Very very cautious having raised himself as a stray.  The patio was his territory...and I'd stepped onto it. GK figured caution was better part of valour and disappeared - then came warily back about 10 minutes later.

I should add:  he has the most loving "home" and mistress, whom he adores.  On her lap he is in seventh heaven - he just doesn't take kindly to strangers.

Enjoy!

...

Digital Delight

You may have seen this, I simplified it!

 

Look for the digit!

(Thanks, Minou)

Enjoy

Bandit's Photo Session

Bandit was NOT going to cooperate
and thus these
terrific "out-takes"

!!

I will NOT smile

 

Won't!  Won't!

Aargh.  This is SOOOO BORING!

Hey!  What's that?

 WOW, it ran right across the room!

Gotta go catch it!

And in the end, all of the above

was much better than the "official" portrait

Enjoy

(Thank you, Bandit)

...

.

You again?

Coming Soon - but maybe not this pose
The look is definitely NOT happy to see me:  "Oh no!  Her again!"


MINOU is a shy medium fluffy grey boy.   He has this quirk:  he likes people who squeak.   Yes SQUEAK not speak.   A high mouselike squeak calms him down and turns him on.   So first 15 mins at his home, all conversation was squeaked.  (If speak becomes spoken, does squeak become squoken?)  Surprisingly difficult to maintain.  Ultimately he realised I was not a serial cat thief and I got some very decent shots to work from, of which many are just downright funny.

Took 3 hours.  Tho NOT unusual for cats to take ages.   They are such sensitive things (heavy sarcasm).   Oh, that time included his buddy GK who was REALLY shy but was not (thank heaven) in need of squeaking.


Enjoy!


...

Rescued 2009

All rescue cats are beautiful.   This was one - from 2009. 

Enjoy



...

Time out...

         ...for sleeping



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A COLD & Lovely Day

 

 

The Eco-Museum in Montreal this week.   Ffffffffffreezing!    For those not in the know, it's a collection of animals native to Quebec, from the often seen to the hardly ever seen.    It's a wonderfully quiet place to visit and held in great affection by those who have small children.  In fact watching the antics of the 2 yr olds is quite as interesting as the animals.

The otter display is outdoors - you can see the top half of the window is iced up.   Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Saying Goodbye!

 

Taken at 9 am today - that long shadow is from my mother's apartment building.  It's 27 stories, her apartment is on the 22nd.

My mother is now in a superb nursing care residence (REALLY super!) where she is relishing her new room full of old things and a different (lower) view!   It's me that's in her 'old' apartment, packing up and closing down and saying goodbye to this view which will be very, very hard to lose.    Another view below.....

Puts things in context: the edge of her balcony with squirrels running thru crisp snow.

Below, looking to the right of the above...

St Joseph's Oratory with the sun coming in sharply from the right.  Very hazy.  I love the pointy evergreens!

For over a month now, not a pastel or pencil to paper.   I think it won't be too much longer.

Homeless Bikes

Just three...

...examples of...

...homeless bikes...

Have you noticed how MANY bikes stand for weeks locked to no parking signs, railings, even parking meters?  You'll see them looking lonely in every season.    It's hard to figure out why someone would bother to lock them up so carefully, and then just, well, never come back.  Perhaps it's the "someone" (not the bike) one should worry about.   Anyway, here are 3 examples of homeless bikes.    After 30 days they disappear into whatever rehab system the city runs.   This is such a useless intrigue I'm surprised the Montreal Gazette hasn't run it as a front page feature.

OTTERLY AMAZING!

 

!!!WOTTER SHOW!!!

See you tomorrow

OH DEAR!

"The Nestling" flew out the door a day early!  

Thus latest email advice

contained two days worth of portraits.

SOOOO, for those on email, nothing but this arrives Wednesday am; next portrait post Thursday.

Obfuscation 

Monday's work, and post, goes out at stroke of midnight, thus Monday's work arrives by email Tuesday.   But somehow Nestling post, tho it SAYS Tuesday, went out Monday.  So that means those on email will get this Wednesday, and Wednesday's artwork on Thursday. Got it? I'm not sure I have.

Travellin' Through

POSTS ON SHORT VACATION

 

Slight Hiccup!    Should be back on track shortly.

Above, Cleo sits on one of her thrones.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

ENJOY!   Hope you aren't snowed in - but that is SOOOO seasonal, right?

Who's Cleo?   Well that's Cleo, boss cat at NaturalAnimal on Sherbrooke St in Montreal.

Pastels will continue shortly!

Jack

Serendipity.   These are such.

JERICHO Photo Portrait

Jericho   Sepia Photo Portrait

A happy guy!   A serendipitous moment.   Enjoy.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

OF COURSE IT'S A CAT!

Dates back to 2008.   And, yes, that is my dragon jar and my cat.  By now you should know his name, Jackie.

HAVE A GREAT CREEPY TIME!