It's been a while since Bert sat for his portrait at the same time that I had the camera out. Tuesday was the day! Here he is in the west forty, a favorite hunting ground, on the lookout for a mouse or vole. He's getting one or two every day now. And, yes, he eats them.
Bert just turned fifteen years old. He still loves to hunt.
By the way, this is what our yard looks like when I can't mow. It's been too wet recently, so all the little plants and wildflowers can flourish. I'm hopeful that over the next few days I'll be able to get out there and cut them all down. They're pretty, but if I don't get them under control they'll grow to be waist-high.
You are growing a meadow
ReplyDeleteAll the better for Bertie to hunt in, eh?
ReplyDeleteSo glad that Bert posed in the meadow.
ReplyDeleteMeadow planting is all the go among garden designers in the UK, if the programmes I see on TV are anything to go by: they say it's good for wildlife and needs no care, indeed thrives on being left alone (until it's time to cut it all down after the flowering/seeding season, and to take away the cuttings so they don't feed the soil).
ReplyDeleteLovely portrait of the hunter!
ReplyDeleteThe yard looks exquisite right now. And so does Bert. Always best to photograph black cats in daylight. We had two in California. In 12-14 years, I think I got one good photo!
ReplyDeleteI love Bert! More Bert !!
ReplyDeleteI love this photo. Bert's pose was perfect!
ReplyDeleteIf you leave part of the young meadow unmown, you'll have lots of butterflies and bees, good for pollination.
ReplyDeletetravel, it grows all by itself. ;)
ReplyDeletejudy, there are a lot of mice this year. I'm not sure why, but maybe because the winter was so mild.
bettyann, :)
autolycus, there are plenty of natural meadows around us, so I don't think I need one in the back yard.
evelyn, he looks regal. Like cats do.
mitch, I can see where photographing them in the dark can be problematic...
michael, I'll see what I can do. :)
galestorm, :)
emm, as I said to autolycus, we're surrounded by natural meadows, so we get plenty of bees and butterflies already. And I don't want provide more habitat for ticks in the back yard.
I have an [even greater] affection for all-black cats in that I always imagine - erroneously, I hope - that not being distinctive in colour they are likely to be less appreciated and thus more neglected than other more gaudily coloured pussies. However, I know with some certainty that in Bert's case that wouldn't apply.
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