Franklin’s a Gotcha!Cat
Franklin’s got me by the camera strap. My only purpose is to play with him, in his view. (He’s mewing at me now after playing fetch the wadded up paper with hubs for the last half hour.)
Wisterious Lavender
I promised wisteria . . .
Forest going wisterial
but there wasn’t much of it out our way this year, and health problems have made it harder for me to get to town.
It was on its way but time ran out . . .
All the wisteria is gone now.
Dreamy Green
The forest is going gangbusters.
I’m going to need a new camera. A few months back, bedazzled by the spring light, I stepped out to take photos moments before the hubs lost control of the garden hose. The camera and I got soaked. I dried it off but gradually it began to turn itself off now and then, and I don’t think it focuses as well and I know something’s amiss. I need to learn so much more about taking pictures any way. Replacing it will take time because things happen slowly in my world. And learning something new and digital has become more of a challenge for me.
Ascending imagination
It’s strange up there in the trees . . .
Leafy density
I love the plush depth of the wild-growing woods.
Franklin has a question
Franklin wonders why he can’t go out there.
Tiger Swallowtail with wisteria petal
I think it’s a Tiger Swallowtail, not sure. Franklin would probably chase these if he went outside. Much larger fauna might chase him.
In other news,
Iris everywhere I look
Iris came to town!
The ground was bursting!
There was always something underfoot!
Shy, unruly iris
Oops
I think someone got this with the lawn mower.
Iris kaput
This might have just up and happened, or it may have been knocked down during an evening of strong winds. Not sure. Iris doesn’t last long, it’s gone now.
“I came from town!” says Franklin.
Franklin curls up in his favorite chair
“You did Frankie! But you didn’t have your chair in town, or anyone to purr with.”
“True that. Puurrrrrrrr.”
Stay tuned, it’s industrial strength green out there now.
I live near a creek in a forest, in close observation and awe of the wildlife outside, as well as the domestic animals of the household. I'm writer Leah T. Alford. I was "catwoods" on this site Catwoods Porch Party, Itchmo Forums for Cats and Dogs, and a few other sites that may or may not exist now. I have now published a book, and the publisher wanted it called Catwoods. I never expected the book title to be the same as my username, so for now I've changed the username to Leah. For more info, click the "About" button above.
Catwoods Porch Party 
Franklin would probably be willing to be your test subject for your new camera if it meant he could monopolize all your time. 🙂
Hahaha cat 9.984, you are so right, Franklin no doubt will be glad when that new camera project begins!
Industrial strength green. Love it. Hi to Frankie.
Love it. Industrial strength green! Hi to Frankie. ❤
Thank you so much, I appreciate it! Frankie sends greetings and purrs!
Such pretty blooms! Thank you for sharing them. Is Franklin a male tortie? He’s sooooo cool!
I’m happy you enjoyed the pictures, Bonnie! Franklin is a black cat and not a tortie. Many black cats will have a reddish sheen show up in their fur at times when light hits them in a certain way. It can make them look like torties but it’s different. Also, in each of these pictures I increased color saturation in photo editing to bring his gold eyes out more. That made the reddish highlights in some of the pictures look a little redder.
Thanks for the like on my, Purple Iris, at Elm Drive Images..
My pleasure, Dan! I love iris, and your picture is beautiful!
Good luck looking for a new camera. I spent months doing research, really taking my time to investigate before purchasing. With all the latest bells and whistles it ended up being the wrong camera for me. It was too late to return it. So I bit the bullet and bought the upgraded version of my original seven-year-old camera which I should have done in the first place. Very short learning curve and I couldn’t be happier!
Thank you for telling me your experiences, RMW! I believe my thinking may be somewhat like yours. I don’t really relate to digital features so much and that’s made it hard for me to use the camera I have even when it was in top shape. But I’d like to have lots more control over the amount of light and color saturation. I am thinking about maybe going one step up from the camera I had. It’s all still in the thinking stage as I have so much to do right now. And I can sometimes make the old one take passable pictures, just not exactly the ones I’d like to have.
My original DSLR was/is the Canon Rebel t3i. I bought it with the 18-135 zoom lens. I bought the camera because on Amazon it was rated the easiest DSLR for somebody transitioning from a point & shoot. At first I was totally intimidated but I stuck with it and it became very natural to me. After the disaster with the M50 mirrorless camera, I upgraded to the Rebel t7i. It’s like an old friend that got a face lift! It has more up-to-date features but in a familiar package. Maybe in a few years I’ll want a better camera but I like the relative compactness of the t7i compared to the next step up. And I still believe it’s the photographer and not the camera that takes the best photos. Also, it’s always better to spend your money on lenses, not the camera body! Just my two cents…
Thank you so much for this information, RMW! I will definitely take it into consideration. I haven’t really had a chance to put much thought or effort into getting the new camera. Still using the old one, it still “works”, sort of, better at some settings than others.
Sorry for your wisteria. Ours was almost dead too, but then Granny did replaced it and now he’s growing, maybe next year we will have flowers of it again. Your flowers look so beautiful, Franklin. After all that talking you sure deserve a rest, sweet boy 🙂 Pawkisses for a Happy easy Day🐾😽💞
We’ll both look forward to wisteria next year! Ours was just out of sync this year, it bloomed to late and everything else crowded it out, I think. Franklin and I are glad you enjoyed our flowers, Little Binky. Franklin does snooze soundly after his bursts of activity. Happy Day to you and everyone there with you! ❤
Those are beautiful late spring photos, Leah! And little Franklin is always so handsome!
Thank you so much, Lavinia! Franklin and I appreciate it!
Franklin is such a handsome boy.
Franklin and I thank you, Inese!
On the subject of learning about cameras — as you know, I shoot a lot of pictures like you do, in the shade, trying to focus on ripples or something small, and I have had so much trouble! I finally found YouTube videos by Graham Houghton, and whichever camera you decide on, he probably has a series just for that model. It was so helpful to me to watch his videos where he showed how to go through the long settings menus on my specific camera, which option to choose and why. I think he also does comparison videos so maybe that will help you decide.
Thank you so much, TextileRanger! Sounds like those are really helpful videos and I will check them out. This will be a long process as there is so much on the to-do list.
Yes, there is always so much to learn! 🙂
I follow so many blogs that I just scan their notifications for “grabbers,” and didn’t notice that my subscription here got marked for no emails … I probably meant it for the one above or below yours on the list. Well, you’re back in my inbox where you belong. (I won’t tell anybody you’ve been hanging out there.)
My favorites in this post are Iris Everywhere, Swallowtail (I didn’t know they had that blast of color in the back, but I’ve never seen them close-up), Dreamy Green (it’s an intimate encounter), and especially Ascending Imagination (what nature does in our imagination is nature, too), which should go in the Best of Leah gallery show. It’s the kind of piece that invokes imagination, and is just beautiful.
Your visits to nature are truly immersive, and you come back drenched with creativity.
Wow, thank you so much for such nice comments! Gave me a much needed boost today!
Love those Irises!
Thanks Pam! Iris are just about my favorite cultivated flowers.
I remember as a kid my mom used to have beauties. We can’t keep them because we live in the woods and there’s not enough sun.
Iris probably wouldn’t grow where we live either, these are at my late Mom’s house in town. She transplanted some of her own that went back a long way, but they haven’t done as well as the ones in the pictures, which were already there.
I love that they are generational! ♥️
For sure, I’d like to keep them with us if we possibly can.
Charlee: “Franklin’s right, isn’t he, Chaplin? Humans only exist to play with us?”
Chaplin: “Well, and to open the cans of food.”
Lulu: “And to scratch our bellies!”
Ahahaha, Franklin agrees whole-heartedly!
Oh wow, everything so green !! must be reflected in the cat’s beautiful green eyes!! I too love those Irises, they do seem to be a flower best photographed while you can as they always seem to have disappeared anytime I take a second look out in the wetlands. Reminds me of Green Mansions when I see a forest of green.
Franklin and I thank you, Judy! Everything turned green really quickly this year as the spring flower season was short. We got an extraordinary amount of rain and that may have sped things up. I’ve never seen Green Mansions but it sounds like something we’d enjoy, so I’ll put it on our list of things to watch!
Hmmm, wonder if it is a movie? Not sure but maybe. It is a book I enjoyed when quite young I remember the title Green Mansions and the character Rima the Bird Girl…and like many things read in the distant past and not really reinforced by rereading…..I just feel a sense of it…I thought it was magical at the time.
I looked it up and read about the movie, assumed you meant that; it was evidently based on that same book. So now I will add the book to the book list . . .
The photographs are beautiful, Leah, especially the blue iris. Franklin is as handsome as always… Toffee is as noisy as usual…
Franklin and I thank you, Kerry! Franklin sends greetings to Toffee.
Toffee says thank you. She is beside herself as evil Mom has moved all the furniture to accommodate the new sofas…🙀
Gorgeous images, Leah, and such vibrant colors! It goes without saying, of course, that Franklin again makes a winning contribution to your post. 🙂
Franklin and I thank you so much Cate, I’m happy you liked the pictures! I’m partial to really bright colors!
Franklin has such gorgeous green eyes! Such a lovely cat and your photos are great! Well taken and shared with us👍😃
Franklin and I thank you, Garfield Hug! I’m happy you enjoyed the pictures!
Most welcome and have a lovely Sunday 🙂
Wonderful pictures! Good luck with the new camera. Can you just get an updated model of your current camera? Then the learning curve isn’t quite so great.
Mollie, thank you! That’s a good idea about the same camera model or one a lot like it, and I’m going to consider that. I might like to have a few more options for controlling the light; we just need to make time to see what’s out there.
Sweet shots, Leah! I especially like the Tiger Swallowtail and the Iris! 🙂
Tom, thank you so much! Franklin and I appreciate it!
Gorgeous pics, as always!
Thank you so much FACE Foundation, I’m happy you enjoyed them!
Beautiful flowers, and I love them all, but I love Franklin more than all 🙂 so lovely. Blessing and Happiness to you all, Thank you, Love, nia
Nia, thank you so much, I’m happy you enjoyed the pictures and Franklin! Sending happiness and blessings to you and your family and kitties, with love from Leah.
What lovely photos, Leah. I feel like a broken record, but hey! Your photos are always stellar, gorgeous colors, composition — they’re true art. That “Leaf Density” I could gaze at all day! But, of course, I’d have to break now and then to stare at handsome Franklin. 🙂 And may I say I just love the word “wisteria” — really, I have to find a way to use that word in one of my stories soon. And … a new camera? You and your art totally deserve it! I’d love to buy a good camera myself, but I know so little about photography I’m stumped just setting foot inside the camera shop. Hope you’re enjoying these spring days. Hope the severe weather is staying away. We have sooooo much rain, and we’re tired of it. The ground is thoroughly soaked, and farmers are having trouble getting their crops planted in solid ground instead of soggy lakes. A big hug to you, your husband and dear Franklin, Leah! Deb
Deb, I’m so glad you enjoyed the pictures! I share your reaction to the word “wisteria” and I’d love to read your story whenever you use it; I love reading your stories anyway of course, wisteria or no wisteria! That reminds me I need to write you an email soon but everything is crazy here. After rain rain rain for months we have been in a dry spell for a week so strangely enough I can say we have not had any trouble from the horrible severe storms that are raging elsewhere. I don’t know how long that will last tho . . . and the latest map I saw of future severe storms looks like they could go your way, so be careful. I don’t know much about cameras actually so will have to wait until the hubs can take a look at what’s online. I’d like to have something that will give me more control over how much light I’m letting in but I also have cost limits as well as complexity limits so we’ll see. Getting the one I have repaired would probably cost almost as much as a new one. Many hugs to you, your husband and cats and Charley dog! Leah
Hi, Leah! I don’t know why your WP comments don’t come back to me as emails like they used to. If I don’t check my WP app now and then, I can miss reading them! So sorry I’m so late getting back to you. Yesterday, my husband and I and Chuck and our cats drove home from Michigan with tornado-forming clouds in our rearview mirrors. Very scary! By the time we got home, we unloaded everything, turned the TV on and started listening to the weather reports. We live fairly close to western Ohio, which got hit pretty badly. One man, 81, was killed. Geez, this weather is so frightful!I hope the severe stuff is over soon. And yes, “wisteria” — you shall be the 1st one to read my story using that word … just as soon as I get it written! LOL But I will! And I hear you about the camera stuff, pricing, etc. There are so many features to think of, so many brands, so it can be confusing. Well, Chuck is licking my left hand as I type these words —I guess he must be hungry! LOL I owe you an email, too. You, your husband and Franklin all take care, be safe, and yet enjoy the warm spring days! Xo, Deb
Hi Deb, no worries about timing of comments, I know how it is to be busy and it’s interesting that I’m not getting any notifications of replies to any comments I make on other websites either. I just have to check back to see if there’s a response, when I think about it. Lots of glitches with wordpress and I’m not techy enough to begin to know how to get an app or how to use it, lol. Anyway you watch out for those storms too, there are way too many of them this year! So far the extreme heat is keeping them out of our area but we never know when that will change. XO Leah
Yes, we have a reprieve (of sorts) for today. However, I think at 3 p.m. they’re rolling in again — yikes! And yes, darn technology. Just when I think I have it figured out, some other glitch pops up, lol. Well, have a great day! D
Yikes Deb, I just looked at the weather map and it does have most of your state in a risk zone for severe weather today. Please stay safe! For now my state won’t have a chance of substantial rain storms until next week. You too have a good day while staying weather aware.
Just saw this, Leah — I realize I’m a day late and a dollar short — LOL — but thank you for the heads up. We got through, weather-wise, okay yesterday. Clouds are bunching up now, but I think we’ll be okay today, too. What weather app do you use? I think I need a better one.
I’m glad you posted today Deb, I was wondering about your weather . . . Being non-techy, I don’t use any apps. Hubs has one I think and he likes it. It may be national but attuned to each area, I’ll ask him at some time and get back to you. I use a blog by a TV station that covers our area and cross reference it with National Weather Service on facebook. I and many others on facebook post the weather updates when potentially severe storms are around. I do know, but don’t know how it happens, that when we’re in a tornado warning polygon all the cell phones blast out a loud noise and the screen fills with Take Cover Now. I know because that happened last year but the warning quickly dissipated. They didn’t have that in 2011.
Definiteely green and looking cool under the leaves. Those iris do get top heavy and fall over! Poor Franklin can’t go out and play! He has nice views though. Cameras, phones, and waater don’t mix! Have a nice weekend Leah!
Oh yeah, I think the iris may have fallen of itself, but it’s strange about the greenery alongside of it. May have been run over as it’s near the driveway. I am sorry that we can’t let the kitty out but it really is a jungle out there, with coyotes, free-roaming domestic dogs, and various other critters. Long-range plans include screened in porches and/or catios. You have a nice weekend too Greg!
Franklin is handsome and clever and he knows his flowers! What a guy!
Franklin highly approves of your comment, Lauren, and sends his greetings!
Thank you, Leah! Effie, Paladin, and I send ours as well!