Cats and Flowers of a Gloomy Spring

Wisteria busting out all over

Lush

High in the Sweetgum Tree

As we all know the news is gloomy. And, many of our days have been gray. We had so much rain the creek stayed roarin’, so we didn’t make a close-up spring creek trip this year. Now it’s too buggy and soon, it may be too snakey.

These pictures won’t be edited, as I can’t do that right now. We put a bigger hard drive in the computer, for more pictures. Somehow that means Photo Shop doesn’t work; we’re working on the fix but it’s going to take time. There may be enough color in the flower pics, though I’d prefer more.

Most of these wildflowers are now gone. Spring came early and now we are all GREEN. Except the sky, it’s blue. For awhile, anyway.

Franklin lounging

Franklin enjoys the sounds and smells of active spring critters.

Unknown berries of blue appeared in January

This first color of the year in the picture above startled me, as I don’t recall seeing it in the woods before.

Spiderwort

The blue flowers called Spiderwort were some of the first, along with the dandelions. Town usually blooms first, but dandelions popped out in both locations at once.

Dandy Lions

Dandelion puffball

A mix of flower colors and shapes

Intensity

More Spiderwort on the way!

The pinks!

One part of a ginormous plant

Gray Day Aloft

The Violets!

Last year’s pine

The wintry forest floor that violets grow into; note the leaves at the top right.

The most glorious dandelion

The mad, wild, wisteria:

Wisteria with bonus butterfly or moth

I looked on the Internet and through a bug guide I have, and a perplexing number of species look like the bug in the picture. One is a UK butterfly. To me the closest is a moth called the Emerald, a member of the Nemoria species. They are partial to deciduous woodlands, which is where I saw this.

Deeper

Doing the twist

Lavender excess

About to spring on a cloudy day

The Green Anole

It was like this for about three (not so) blissful weeks

Wisteria within reach

Violets going gangbusters

Shelley, tortoiseshell with white coloration, felis sylvestris catus

Lagniappe: our friend’s beautiful Shelley. No confusion about species here.

We see this and know the blooming’s about to bow out

Petals on the road meant the wisteria floral surge was ending, as of about a week ago. So I hastened to do the spring post ahead of the feral and kitten news. I may even be on time for those who still have early spring flowers.

While awaiting our latest new cat post, here’s my Catwoods book, so you can read about past years! We go back a long way! Here’s Franklin in front of Borgo Publishing, link below.

Franklin in front of the lovely Borgo Publishing site

Borgo Publishing Catwoods page

 

Color in Black and White, With Cats

Cat’s Eye Crying Color, or The Antediluvian Feather-Duster

I wish I was still doing this kind of work. I did the original drawing using graphite and hard lead drawing pencils. Then I had mechanical prints made from that drawing. I hand-colored them with pencils, making each one different.

My old artwork was done in the company of cats. Often they were snoozing on the drawing table or on me as I worked, exercising watchful feline supervision.

I wrote, but I was mainly a painter and mixed media artist before I became ill. After that I no longer had the fine finger coordination needed for visual artwork.

So I wrote the book Catwoods, Stories and Studies of Our Feline Companions. Writing helped me stitch mind and memory together across time. Volume 1 includes the years when I could draw and paint and collage. When I began this website I used photographs as illustrations. I’ve come to really enjoy doing photo essays. I know my photos are far from technically on point, as I don’t have a background in photography basics. It’s hard for me to learn new things now. I just use a few photo editing techniques the hubs taught me to make the color and light and dark balance closer to something I like. Which usually means, extreme bright color. I never really get the pictures exactly as I want them.

However the book is not like a photo essay. There are only pictures on the cover, no pictures inside, because they are so expensive to print. Imagery is built of words in the book. I wrote it like a painter. It dances with cats of all colors. Friends say it’s “vivid”. It’s not only about cats, it’s about the natural world, and going to live in a wilderness full of leaves and animals and insects and amphibians. It’s about art and music and work and community in the southern US in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. It’s also about the great forest of North America. This first volume goes to 2004-2005. I wasn’t from this area, but I’ve lived here 50 years. It’s southern, it’s weird; but even though I’m partial to black cats, it’s not Southern Gothic, or old-style Gothic either. It’s heavily researched, and I tried to make the science solid.

Franklin in March last year

As I wrote, our savvy cats were in close attendance. Major influences on the prose are: Shakespeare, and Faulkner; fellow artist friends who were and still are into surrealism and experimental writing; the crisp, precise description found in scientific writing; the stellar story-telling abilities of US Southerners; music – I try to make syntax rhythmic, because sometimes a sentence just needs another beat. The writing style changes over the years, like real life does. The biggest influence through all times was, our cats.

The bibliography would fill several pages. I checked out a major textbook on rabies from the library (for Vol. 2), and read other cat narratives, cat mysteries, cat science, cat picture books, James Herriot stories.

So the book’s not exactly like the photo essays you read on this website (and there will be more but busy, difficult times are making us slower to get the needed work done to make space on the computer.)

The book pages are in black and white, like the above picture of Franklin.

We can add color to artwork, and soup it up in photos, as you see below:

Franklin with jazzed light

Though the mechanisms are different, it works that way with books, too; when we read we get color and stories from black and white markings; they flash through our brains in full spectrum.

Check out this post for the ways you can get Catwoods. Shipping is free until the end of March. If you are not in the US you will have to email easty@ernestandhadley.com to make arrangements.

Catwoods the Book With Free Shipping

Lovely Borgo Publishing Catwoods page

Stay tuned for spring photos and uh, more cats and kittens.

Catwoods the Book With Free Shipping! (March 2020)

You can now order Catwoods, Stories and Studies of Our Feline Companions, with free shipping through the end of March at these publisher sites:

Borgo Publishing Catwoods page

As of today, March 18, I found yet another page to buy the book on the Ernest and Hadley Booksellers site under “local authors” (local here, that is)

Ernest and Hadley Booksellers Catwoods Page

Although the following site says it’s “special order” the publisher assures me the book is available at (also with free shipping through the end of March):

Ernest and Hadley indielite Catwoods page

You can also go to Amazon and get free free shipping as their listing goes to Borgo Publishing:

Amazon Catwoods page

If you are in a country other than the US, sorry to say that you will have to email easty@ernestandhadley.com to arrange to get the book. They are the owners of Borgo; they are local and I know them to be reliable.

And, please do tell me in a comment how it goes ordering from anywhere, US, or elsewhere.

Obviously we think that’s a big, bold deal! Franklin is casual towards all things book but is willing to say, “That’s cool!”

Franklin says, “What book?”

For more about the book see the reviews on Amazon, the Leah T. Alford Author page, and the “Book Topics” section in Categories on the right hand side of this page.

We do have some Spring pictures waiting until we can work on the computer to expand the space for photos, and a few winter ones we’ve missed. They’ll be coming soon, so stay tuned!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here’s Shelley with a “What’s with that camera!” look.

Shelley, Tortie Extraordinaire

 

Catwoods the Book is on Katzenworld Today!

We are happy to say that my book Catwoods, Stories and Studies of Our Feline Companions, is on Katzenworld today. It’s presented by Oliver the Maker of Mischief! Thank you Oliver and Katzenworld!

Life With Cats Becomes a Book

Uh, since I wrote that post the publisher has changed things, so now the fastest way for those in the US to get the book is at this link: Borgo Publishing Catwoods page. Outside the US, please email easty@ernestandhadley.com to make arrangements.

Franklin the Cat is on Tummy Rub Tuesday!

Our Franklin is on Tummy Rub Tuesday over at Katzenworld today!

Go check out that wonderful site and the post with the Franklin tummy and other kitty tummies on Tummy Rub Tuesday!

Franklin Kitty Dabbles in Editing, Quibbles Over Catwoods Book Cover

Franklin, Budding Editing Cat

Franklin took a brief interest in editing recently. Taking a rare glance at the screen, he was pleased to see himself in the website banner. As a budding Editing Cat, he expressed approval.

Franklin notices my Catwoods book on the Borgo Publishing site, a great place to get the book.

Then we looked at the lovely Borgo Publishing site, where my book Catwoods, Stories and Studies of Our Feline Companions, is for sale.

Frankie quibbling, against the beautiful backdrop of Borgo Publishing

“Impressive!  But now that I’m up close I see that the black cat on the cover is not me, just who is that Othercat!?”

“That’s The Minx . . .”

“What the … ! Phsssst!”

The Borgo Publishing Catwoods page

It’s really quite a beautiful site, and, it’s kinetic! Getting the book at the Borgo Publishing Catwoods page will be the prettiest online buying experience ever!

Nope, says Franklin

“Nope, I’m just not gonna look at that,” says Franklin, “And I won’t be editing that second book unless I’m on the cover.”

“Um …” (The second volume is supposed to have our late Little Buddy aka Good Old Boy.)

Frankie’s got his mind made up

“Seriously, I’m just not looking, not until my own picture’s on a book cover.”

Franklin being a cat, he has territorial rivalries; for humans the Catwoods book page at the Borgo Publishing site is a feast for the eyes.

Lagniappe:

Shelley last year

Our friend’s cat sweet Shelley!

“Phssssst,” says Franklin, ” Othercat!”

To see what friends who have read Catwoods are saying, go to my Leah T. Alford Amazon Author Page.

A few words from me about Catwoods the book:

It’s mainly about cats but also has forest and creek descriptions and history.  I go for rhythm when composing word structures. I like to break the rules and have fun with language, otherwise, why bother? I kept the outmoded lavish writing quirks of some earlier decades when writing about those years. For more recent times, I employed the sparser style of today. I evolved to include more of the cadence, structure, and expressions of humans actually talking, not just in dialogue, but as the narrator. The book’s mood ranges from light and conversational to completely goofy to seriously scholarly, to feeling sad about history, and life events. Cats, too, have their own ways of being lighthearted, or studious, or gloomy. There are blissful, giddy moments, and somber moments as we look back. This is the way real life is – humans, and animals, having moods and phases.

News from the Cat Writers’ Association! They have an annual contest that is open to members and also non-members who are writing as well as creating works about cats in other media. Work must have been published in 2019. The deadline to enter is February 14th. You can read about it here: Cat Writers Association Communications Contest

Stay tuned, we will have more pictures of creek, woods, and cats, cats, cats. First we have to do some work on the computer so I can store more pictures, so that could delay my next posts.

In Winter, Cat and I Look Back at Fall

Only one picture, one instant (that I caught), had anything like the color effects in this foreground.

Everything’s different now at the creek, all leaves were washed away by heavy rains. More storms are on the way, with severe weather potential.

Franklin on an autumn afternoon

I miss all those quirky fall colors; Franklin misses the sunnier light and the autumn smell of freshly-turned leaves and sounds of busy outside critters.

A quick word about Franklin’s eyes. He has large and very prominent eyes. I think that’s the reason a few people say he looks “startled”. Frankie’s somewhere on a continuum between feral and socialized to humans, and he has a detached, grouchy demeanor at times. He’ll even purr with that look on his face! But if he was really startled, his pupils would be much larger. One day I’ll do a post about his gorgeous eyes.

Stopping by

Translucent, with tree shadows

Saw the forest, it was floating

Semblance of trees

Murky tree hints

Looks like evening, but isn’t. Still looking back

Waves of green

Subsurface origins

Unsmooth landing

Crossing currents

Edgy

Rock Slap

Shadow Animation

Reality check

A little calming glitter

Lagniappe: The beautiful Shelley, our friend’s cat, in September light:

Shelley! Found on the streets as a kitten, she became a sweet house cat.

We end with Frankie sitting upon me and demanding attention. He likes to stretch out one front foot and rest it on my forearm while he sleeps.

Don’t forget my book, er, “our book” says Franklin, and he’s right, it’s not Woods, it’s Catwoods. Available on Amazon (check out my new Amazon author site and the nice things friends are saying about the book) and at Borgo Publishing. For international orders, contact easty@ernestandhadley.com, found on the Borgo site at the top.

Franklin Meows for a Happy New Year!

Franklin wishes everyone a Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and many thanks to all who have followed and read and viewed this site, from Franklin and me! Please know I appreciate y’all even though my ongoing health issues mean I cannot express that appreciation as often and as gracefully as I’d like to.

Bud the Editing Cat is still looking out for the book from the Rainbow Bridge

Thanks also, to all those who have purchased my book and read it! This is the first time I’ve posted the cover picture showing the spine, which features my late Editing Cat, Bud. My late Minx is the cover kitty. There has been a change in how to purchase it on Amazon; to get a new copy you have to click on “1 new from 23.95” which leads to Borgo Publishing, the publisher of the book. For international orders, contact easty@ernestandhadley.com on the Borgo site. Please consider purchasing a copy, as we now have even more cats to take care of! As soon as I can I will post about these newest events in our ongoing life with cats. While you’re at Amazon, check out my new author profile site, and check back later too, as it isn’t complete yet!

I know I mention the book a lot but to have my first book-length work out at my age is a big deal to me! It’s been stranger and more fascinating than I could have imagined!

Catlike Image Appears in Landscape, detail

In 2020 I hope to feature more of my past art, so here is a mixed media piece I did in the late 80s or early 90s. I’ve posted it before on this website, but it’s been a long time.

It may be awhile before I can post again but please stay tuned!

Fall Creek, Trees, and Cat, Part 3

November 17, 2019 Wait, there’s more!

I’ve bumped up the colors but hey, fall is the time to par-tay!

Ever watchful Franklin

The sweet house beast enjoys those slanty autumn rays.

What’s out there in the water? Can we know?

Afternoon forest fling, streamside

A look back to November 6, 2019

We are leafier on the 17th!

The water’s of a mind to dazzle today

Pine meets swirl

Oops, this one is out of sequence and was taken on November 19, 2019.

A view to the creekbed

Sunny and bright

Show-off forest

Edges

Trees on November 17th, 2019

On November 18th we had gray skies

November 19th, 2019

On November 19th we were there after a medical trip, later in the afternoon than usual, drawn by the golden light.

Evening things up, late on a fall evening

Convolution of light and dark

Gained in reflection

I wish I had more pictures from this time, from this day, but we were losing the light. It’s tricky to pin down the right moments in the moving tilt of autumn light.

Trees on the next day, November 20th.

Festival

Sky show

Leaf feast

Branches keepin’ the beat

Oak trees rock

Franklin has become more of an editor and I’ve had to reach over him to do much of this post. Although his usual contribution is “Stop twitching, would you just keep still!? I was comfortable, then you moved!”

There may be another creek visit in the camera, but I’m not sure. Windy nights quickly took down leaves, rainy and/or gray days plus my need to pace myself slowly, kept us from going to the creek since those last times in November.

Now it’s December so it’s time to say, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Solstice, and whatever holidays anyone celebrates at this season of home, light, and change.

My book makes a great gift any time of year but even more so on a holiday, so here is an easily clickable link to Amazon again. Amazon works for international orders, too, but if you don’t care for Amazon, the site of the publisher, Ernest and Hadley, can also take international orders, and the book is on Barnes and Noble and many online booksellers. Check the pages bar under the banner for the online bookseller page.

Catwoods, Stories and Studies of Our Feline Companions

 

Fall Trees, Creek, and Cat, Part 2

November 6, 2019. Leaves!

On November 6 we trekked to the creek and found the leaves had made their appearance, big time. It was all like, Tree Parts Department, what can we help you with today?

Franklin throws a glance my way while on a nature investigation of his own

Tulip tree leaf bops on

Better act fast, we’re moving along!

Traces of forest, as seen on the creek surface

Trees at the house a day before this creek walk

Stay with us, we will have an important environmental message at the end of this post.

Bigleaf magnolia leaf scoots along

Lookalikes in the water

All these colors are gone now. I have a limited activity capacity and I’m slow to do everything. I’m always out of sync!

Some leaves stay at the edges

Ritzy fall colors adorn the creek

We’re on our way

Bright sunshine brings out color on a November day

All water, no solids here

Stones we can step on. Sometimes they shift a little.

I can’t resist the wild, found abstracts

Unreal, but . . .

The trees, around November 11 and 12. One of those afternoons was so bright and sunny it would have made a good creek day but it was so bitter cold I didn’t go that day. I did go later in November and I’ll make another creek post, hopefully next week.

We waited for this!

Sweetgum turning

They changed late, we welcome them

Oak leaf jam session

For Curtis

Happy Holidays to all as those days draw near. Don’t forget that my book Catwoods would make a great gift! We now have more feral cats to feed and TNR, (their photos and stories will be posted in the future). And, the book includes nature and coloration in nature, animals other than cats, some details about art groups, cats, and lots of different stuff! Here is the link to Amazon, and the page with several online booksellers is in the header bar:

Catwoods, Stories and Studies of Our Feline Companions at Amazon

Almost all the leaves are off the trees now. Two windy nights brought them down, along with the seasonal creep towards winter. Everything changes.

I have fun making and posting these pictures, but I also want to show everyone the beauty of the creeks, forests and wilderness near the southernmost end of the Appalachians. Lately I’m concerned as to whether I will always be able to protect this sweet creek. I’m not in good health, my husband and I are aging, friends are becoming seriously ill; and friends in our age group and even younger have died in recent years. Will I be able to make these autumn excursions next year? And, deforestation is happening in some areas around us.

Beyond this small place that I know well, we have so much freshwater biodiversity in our state, and it needs protection. The US southeast has a multitude of rivers, creeks, wetlands, and other waters. Our creek flows into a larger creek, which flows into a river. The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is known as “America’s Amazon”. We have people who are actively looking out for those natural spaces and resources here. We also have many who want to protect them. We may be not always be highly visible outside this region, but we are here, we do exist.

The International Waterkeepers Alliance protects water worldwide.

We have so many Waterkeepers for so many waterways in Alabama I can only list a few:

Hurricane Creekkeeper‘s website with beautiful fall pictures of another creek I know. My own favorite! Check it out!

Black Warrior Riverkeeper

Cahaba Riverkeeper

Mobile Baykeeper

Little River Waterkeeper

All these Waterkeepers and others not listed have Facebook pages, too. Check them out!

So if advocacy for natural spaces is something any readers are into, I just want y’all to know that we are here and would love to be recognized! We too want a clean natural environment, and if you’d like to help us in any way we would so welcome you!

Stay tuned for more pictures, I still have more from this fall!