A dusting of snow

Hard to see, but the roof opposite has a dusting of snow. It was like that this morning, a thin, crisp crust of powder. Then it melted quickly in the low sun. Now the clouds are back, getting that orange glow off the sodium street lights. Next doors roof has a thin white layer of snowy ice. The gritting lorries are out, and we are waiting for disruptive snow showers coming from the North West through the Cheshire gap. Meanwhile the cats dip in and out of the catflap. Coming in frequently to warm their paws, then out again to do who knows what? When we go to bed they will come in and curl up to sleep. Meanwhile they pad through the thin layer of snow, silent and probably deadly!

Cat keeps warm

It’s hard to see, but one of our cats sleeps in front of our two oil filled radiators. He’s the biggest of our cats and has thick fur, but I think because he was abandoned and used to live outside, he’s taking advantage of the warmth he can get. It’s no problem to us as the heaters warm the whole room, and when he’s not there he’s usually outside in the cold. He really likes being out and about. One of the other two cats sleeps upstairs on a soft and fluffy bed or on the cat tree by the living room radiator, and the other one either sleeps on my chair, the sofa, or an igloo shaped bed in the living room. So basically they are all snug!

Blowing a Hooley?

I think Hooley is a phrase meaning a gale or stormy. It’s a more picturesque word, probably quite old.

Despite our double glazing I can hear the wind soughing around the house, the vuuumming noise through the gap around the kitchen window. The cat flap opening and closing as if a fat, invisible cat was coming in and going out of the door. The overgrown bushes by the side of the house sometimes scrape along the wall. I’m used to it now but it used to be quite creepy when I first heard it. And of course it’s dark outside, dead leaves scatter and blow about on the wind, and litter scurries along the gutter on the road, picked up by the wind and dumped damply in heaps.

In amongst all these noises the cats use the cat flap, coming in and purring at me, purr-miaow? Where’s my tea? It’s not the wind this time, it’s me

Cats

Symmetry with cats

Alien plants?

Symmetry makes interesting patterns. I took a few photos of my kitchen window ledge a few days ago and then tried using a vertical mirroring to create something different and unusual. Something you wouldn’t see unless it was in a reflection. I always think it’s worth doing this because it can look really alien. This photo has a large cat doorstop in it at the back, a Spanish pot with a tile design pattern and a large, dark pink cactus. But I can see a face, with pink hair and a moustache at the front with dark eyes and nose? The cats could be like conjoined twins, like a Greek mythological monster. And the cactus leaves in the middle seem to show a green face with an open mouth. Why not try this yourself?

Cats sleep..

Late at night

Cats sleep and I can’t

I almost slept

Then a cat crept

Onto the bed

Laid down on my leg

My leg went to sleep

But I didn’t

Shook off the cat

And came and sat

On my armchair

With a cup of decaff

And a cracker with cheese

I’m really not pleased

Cheesed off in fact

I might try and nap

With a cat on my lap

Or go back to bed

As the dawn breaks red

Another night of cat naps fled…

Tiger cat

Lino cut cat from last year. The curve at the back could be from a snail shell. This is another technique I would like to pramore this year. I think I will try and create card sets, hopefully without cutting my fingers. You also have to remember to carve back to front or letters are the wrong way round. If you have ever tried this you can feel the carving tools slipping on the surface of the lino. You have to push quite hard to cut down into it but not too deep or you can split the lino. The kit I bought had a safety carving blade which is the safest way to carve. I look forward to doing some more.