Tag: blackcatsrule

Caturday: Photography Challenge Day 6

Someone enjoys being on my lap on the weekends.

So in honor of caturdays (or Saturdays for those without cats), I decided I’d share another picture of one the cats of the house.

Pancakes always seems to know when I’m working on my laptop, and I’d say about eighty percent of the time she will try to push my laptop off my lap. Luckily I work on a daybed, so the computer would be landing on something soft. I’ve also learned how to twist to the side, perch the laptop off to the side and type that way. But she is my cuddly little miniature panther.

She also has a habit of burrowing under covers during the day to sleep in the dark and stay warm at the same time–it’s actually quite cute to watch her decide which bed, then which end of the bed and then she will stretch, and climb under the covers and either curl up or stretch out to snooze away the day. She’s starting to gain the nickname of “lumpy” as well as panther, panny, pansy, and pan-pan to name a few.

What are some of the nicknames you have for your pets?

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Starting the photography challenge over, take number 5? Or is it 6?

Well I’ve realized that I have fallen down yet again on trying to post a new picture to the blog daily. I also know what part of the problem is–I’m either not seeing anything that strikes my fancy to take a photograph of, or I think of doing it but before I can–I get distracted, and when I remember the picture I was aiming to take isn’t there any more.

So to restart the challenge, I’ve actually cheated a little and am using a photo I took last night of my cat as she was watching me read my oracle cards.

What are you doing human???

I will admit that I do my oracle/tarot card readings at night so that I have something to meditate on, and possibly dream on as well. Last night as I was shuffling and pulling cards, Pancakes came into the room to see what I was up to.

She didn’t know exactly what to make of the cards that were getting spread out on the mat and why I kept shuffling cards and rearranging them, while either nodding or shaking my head. Personally I think she wanted to start batting them around (probably thought that was what I was doing in an odd sort of way).

But she does like to investigate things that make sounds, especially plastics and when I turned around I’d noticed that there was a small piece of plastic behind me–so maybe she was just trying to tell me to hand over her toy??

So here is to restarting the photography challenge, hopefully I will just stop and take the photo when the urge strikes me and that way I can keep in touch with my artistic side as well. We will have to see what tomorrow brings……

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Day 2 and 3 of Photography Challenge

Pancakes looking down from her perch

Well since there were issues with connecting to the wifi last night and being able to add in a new post–today there will be two for the entry of one in the photography challenge.

The picture selected for yesterday is another one of Pancakes. Unlike the other two cats who will sit lower towards everyone, if Pancake is isn’t on someone’s lap or curled up under a blanket–she is watching everything from the “top” of her world.

When we lived out in Boston, I actually have pictures of her sitting on top of a large box that I had kept (I had numerous other boxes in it), and covered with a blanket. There were several nights when she would just sit up there and watch both me and the dog, before jumping down to sleep on the bed.

Whenever we do move, I have the old cat condo to take with (hopefully it will stand in the new apartment), so that she can still sit at the top of the world.

The pond froze a little bit last night and today.

The picture selected for today, is one of the outside pond that we have. So a polar vortex has been pushing its way south and east over the past few days. Luckily, we are far enough south and west, that we got chilly temperatures (today we were about 34 degrees, and last night it was 17 feeling like 6)–but not the frigid temps that some of the other states are getting.

I’ve realized that with the job search it may very well lead me back to a state that actually gets a good amount of winter weather (i.e. the snow), and gets dark earlier than what I like. I’ve also realized that to grow as a scientist and an individual–it means change, and dealing with things that I don’t enjoy (cold, wet snow and the sun setting at earlier times)–those changes though can lead to other adventures. Right now that is one thing I can say for certain is needed–change. The form of that change–I’m not 100% certain, but I am certain that I really don’t want to be in the same place again come winter next year.

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Photo challenge day 1

Pancakes the cuddler.

So I’m going to try to restart my photography challenge here on the blog. I’ve been doing a daily photo over on instagram, and that for the most part right now is focusing on my nightly tarot/oracle card readings. So the pictures aren’t going to be matching on the different social media sites right now.

The winner of the day 1 photo challenge is Pancakes. She is my almost ten year old domestic short hair cat. She is also the reason why I have learned to work with the laptop at an angle (she demands the lap), and when we move–I’ll have to invest in a table that I can work at, but where she can still sit on my lap.

She enjoys sitting on my lap whenever possible, luckily I have managed to keep her from sitting on my lap while I’m eating at the table. Any other time my lap is fair game and if there is something else on my lap–I better move it quickly or she’ll try to send it flying.

I’m sure that Pancakes and the other two (Waffles and Pyewicket) will be featured throughout my photography challenge along with Boozer, Magnet, and the fish. I will try to intersperse with other topics and choices (in other words, I’ll try not to be the crazy pet person. 🙂 )

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Photo of the Day: Pancakes taking her daily nap

Well it was obviously the correct temperature in the house earlier today, as Pancakes decided that she was just going to nap on the recliner for awhile, before going under cover on the bed. I’ve noticed that if it isn’t too cold in the house on the weekends (or during the week if I’m working from home), she will spend part of one day in my room curled up on the bed near where I’m working. The other day (or later in the day), she will reclaim her space in the other bedroom.

Pancakes taking her daily nap

She enjoys laying in rocking chairs or on your lap, especially if she can have the full lap (and push anything out the way that she doesn’t like–like a laptop computer). I’ve realized that I spoiled her out in Boston, to where I’d let her on my lap in the mornings when I was eating my bowl of oatmeal (since I didn’t have a dining room table, I ate all my meals on the couch), and I could hold the bowl above her, so she couldn’t try to help herself to the oatmeal. Needless to say she shocked my father the other night when he was eating in the other room, she just merrily jumped up on his lap and expected him to hold his food above her so she could lay on his lap.

Needless to say, we have spoiled animals in our house–they’re all treated like they’re our children. Needless to say–they still haven’t learned how to close the door behind themselves when they let themselves in, but that is something to work on.

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The Breakfast Duo: Photography Challenge Day 57

Today’s installment of the photography challenge is the breakfast duo: Pancakes and Waffles. One of the things I love about having pets (besides the companionship of the animal[s]), is that if you pay attention you can capture unique pictures daily (hence why the cats and dogs have almost dominated this photography challenge). Pancake loves to watch the fish, in either the family room or my room (though my brother’s room also has an aquarium, she doesn’t go in there often). Waffles also likes the family room aquarium [as her water dish].

Pancakes watching the fish

Pancakes was watching the koi swimming in the front aquarium after I fed the fish this evening. There is just enough room at the edge of the cabinet for a cat to sit and watch the fish if they want to. She usually likes to sit to the side, but the DVDs have started to pile up again so she moved to sitting in front of the aquarium.

Waffles sleeping in the pet bed.

When I came out to the main part of the house this morning, I noticed that Waffles was curled up on the animal bed. Some mornings she is awake and causing mischief with the other two, but I guess she was deciding that Monday was her sleep in day.

Waffles when I got home from work today……..

Then I noticed that when I came home from work, someone was still relaxed on the animal bed. Though I have been told that she did move a little bit to relax in the sun for awhile before returning to her throne. The cats will continue to do what they want, and I will hopefully be able to continue capturing the uniqueness of each one.

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Day 55 of Photography Challenge: Pancakes and Jaws (Short Post)

Today’s photo is brought to you by both Pancakes and Jaws. This photo was actually taken last night before bed, when Jaws was swimming around and caught Pancakes’ attention. She bounded over, stood up, and tapped on the aquarium to try to get Jaws attention (though I think Jaws was preoccupied with eating algae).

Pancakes saying hello to Jaws

Pancakes loves to tap on the various aquariums when the fish are swimming about, especially with Jaws since it is so large (I think my last rough measurement of it, it was about twelve inches long [based on placing a tape measure on the outside of the aquarium when it was cleaning the glass]). I really should measure to see the distance from the base of the aquarium to the floor, as that will tell how tall Pancakes can get when she decides to stand on her hind legs.

When she “talks” with the other fishes in the other aquariums, she is sitting by the aquariums–there isn’t a sitting area near this one in my room (at least not one that would be sturdy enough for her to jump on to sit).

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Double Day: Photography Days 51 and 52

Well yesterday was an off day and I forgot to post the photography challenge of the day. So I’m doing a double post today.

The lucky winners are of course the pets.

Boozer snoozing in front of the chair

Since work was canceled early yesterday, Boozer was having to snooze on the rug, as Pancakes (see bottom photo) had taken over the couch.

Boozer peaking over the back of the couch

This morning as I was drinking my morning Shakeology, I noticed that Boozer was peaking over the back of the couch into the dining room at me. I think she was wanting to convince me to stay home and spend time with the animals.

Piranha sleeping on the couch

The second oldest dog, decided that she was going to just lay there and stare blankly at me while I was taking her picture (though I don’t think she actually could see me since there weren’t any shadows for her to go off of). Piranha, being old (she is going to be fifteen come July) is slowly going completely blind, and luckily her sense of smell is still good and that is what is keeping her on her straight and narrow.

Pancake claiming the couch

As mentioned above, Pancakes decided to take over the couch and forced Boozer to sleep on the floor. Pancakes decided that the middle of the couch was her territory for awhile and kept the dogs off the couch for awhile.

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Photography Challenge Day 49: The cats and a dog

I just had to take this picture–Boozer was “sharing” her couch with Pancakes, and then Pyewicket was sleeping above. It isn’t all that often that we’ll find a cat sleeping that close to the youngest dog. Boozer has a habit of wanting to herd everything (and everyone) at some point–or wanting to play with them. The cats, she usually tries to herd out of the room (I think she is still upset with Pyewicket for jumping out of the closet at her when she was a puppy).

They’re sharing the couch (at least for awhile)

Pancake does care who is around when she curls up on the sofa–and she had taken Boozer’s prime spot–the middle cushion. Though she allowed Boozer’s tail to share the cushion with her. Pyewicket was in her usual spot on the top of the couch in the middle, where she can observe everything or just curl up and ignore everything.

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Monday’s Winner–Waffles, Pancakes, and Pyewicket

Well it is another start to a full week of work. It has been a strange month–we started with a four day week, had a full week, then another four day week, now have nothing but full weeks until the end of May (unless I use up some leave time to handle a few other things). I decided that this morning I was going to take some photos of the cats, since they were all up and about at the same time this morning.

First up: Waffles,

What is this thing???

Waffles is know for getting right up in your face if you are sitting at the dining room table and she wants attention. She isn’t afraid to push her self under your hand, so that in theory you have no choice but to pet her. I was trying to get a picture of her sitting at the table, but every time I took a picture, she shifted slightly. This was one where she basically pushed her face towards the phone.

I think it is a nice selfie for the Russian blue of the house. She acts slightly standoffish a lot of the time, but is actually a loving cat (vocal, but loving).

Yes, I see you…….

Second up is Pancakes. She is my actual cuddle bug–she will sit on my lap no matter where I’m at (as long as there aren’t dogs around to grumble at her). She usually spends a good ten minutes or more on my lap in the mornings.

As I’m typing this, she is sprawled in my lap, with her chin resting on my forearm (which makes it difficult at times to work on the computer). I think I interrupted her playing with a hair tie.

And last but not least, its:

Why are you paying attention to her???

Pyewicket, our calico cat. Pye is another one that goes to the beat of her own drummer. She usually won’t jump into a lap to cuddle, but she will demand a shoulder to sit on–preferably when you’re walking, that way she can see the house from a different view. She is now our oldest cat (though she is only about a year and a half older than the other two), and she does try to keep the “young ones” in check–usually bright and early running up and down the hall.

Do you have cats? How many/what kind? Do they run up and down the halls?

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