I started this post a few days back. I wanted to write about something "happy". Something that would make you smile, something good in my world. My world is beyond complaint, on reflection. It is me that isn't.
I know that some might rush to say that I am indeed good or worthy. But what measure is that? If I am indeed "good/worthy"? What then? So what? To what end, this mortal coil?
I am not so keen right now, so please forgive me. I give you the short story of my youngest kitten (still after years)! Who has the longest tail, no pun intended.
My dear friend Nell had never been particularly keen on cats. Somehow she ended up with a black one, which for reasons that escape me, she named "Pineapple". Nell is a fantastic fine artist, as well as Scenic Artist and we met when I was still working; painting for opera, theater, the Philly Flower Show, cruise ships, etc. and then the movies. I blog under a nom-de-plume, so you won't find my film credits.
About two or three years ago, Nell gave us a buzz. See, she had a mama cat that had just given birth in her West Philly garden. Nell had been feeding mama, and after the happy occasion, fed the four off-spring.
There was an over-hang at the back of her house, where she set up food, water, extra shelter and, god bless her, an area to train the cats. She tied tin-foil balls on lengths of string attached to poles. She encouraged play every day and named the kittens. As a first-time cat owner, she displayed an innate understanding of what the wild cats needed.
Enough time passed, that she could get mama cat fixed and checked for diseases. With a clean bill of health, mama needed a place to hang with her kittens until they were placed. They came here. The all-black female kitten with a dash of white on the tip of her tail, that Nell named "Spark", was the one we'd been attracted to. But the boy with an odd dash of light up his nose Nell had named "Star" became the obvious choice for us.
Now, his first name is Zebedee, a character I loved from The Magic Roundabout, from the stop-animation shows of my British childhood. I have also named others from that genre, such as Dylan (Magic Roundabout), Orinocco and Womble. Zebedee got his middle name "Minky" due to his foul breath, his shiny, super soft coat, enormously long, lush tail and slinky ways.
Ergo: Zebedee Minky Star.
I love this photo of him! He looks like a feline Marty Feldman. I love the hints of pink and teal behind him and how up close you can see his lower lip. He only uses "Star" as his last name now, as he has come into his own, like the star he is.
His features do not favour a photogenic response! Animals are objects of beauty, only because we love/appreciate them, or apply hidden needs within ourselves. It is that silent gift of our speechless friendship that may help a fellow creature.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, January 10, 2009
at Saturday, January 10, 2009
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animals,
scenic artist,
strays,
Zebedee
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