Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Waiting for Birds on the First Big Snowday


A big snow has come today, dressing the trees in their winter finery and bending 
the sweeping hemlocks to the earth. Rhu and I were out early, loading wood 
into the house, just as the snow began to fall. An enthusiastic cat, he is, racing 
around, up and down the trees and up the wood stack, providing hearty 
entertainment for the morning's work. 


Back inside, several hours later, the bird feeders are filled, but not one bird has 
found them yet. I do hope they will by tomorrow morning, I think Rhu will enjoy 
the show when I am gone off for a Thanksgiving feast with family. 


Rhu Bear is a cat that likes to climb and climb and climb... waaaay up in trees... and 
he has been perfecting the art of graceful falling, too.  






It has taken me months to find my way back here. Maybe because there has been a 
cat to settle in, and many, many leaves to move and gardens to ready for winter and 
students to teach and long roads to travel to do so. Maybe, too, because there is no 
heat in my studio, and not much art to show you. I've been waiting for weeks 
for someone to come, only to discover they were never scheduled to do so. 
I found someone else and then parts needed to be ordered and a week of waiting 
and now, finally, the parts are here and next week I should have heat! 

In the meantime, my camera has accompanied me on my long drives to school, 
and has captured some scenes from my travels - foggy mornings, and the setting 
sun on my home commutes and strange, painterly blurring that happens with speed. 















The lights are flickering and the snow continues to fall. I had more to share, but 
I'll come back another time (hopefully sooner than last time) so I'm sure this will 
get posted before the electricity fails!

19 comments:

Laura said...

Welcome back! The snow is beautiful as are your sky photos. I'm obsessed with sky photos lately. Stay warm and safe during this snow and enjoy it for me!
blessings
~*~

Suz said...

I am so happy for your new kitty,seems like a perfect match
I enjoy your posts and photos.....I like to see what catches your eye
Happy day of Thanksgiving

stregata said...

Wishing you and Rhu Bear a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. My goodness - has he grown! Hope you have heat in your studio soon.

ELFI said...

ce jeune chat est un chat sportif! il peut redescendre tout seul..??
ou il faut l'intervention des pompiers :)))))) joli!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

I have missed you. Rhu is certainly a high climber and an entertaining faller! Love the pics you posted. The river shot is so serene. The St. Joseph River runs close by with a bay at the end of my 3 block road. I never tire of watching the river lazily flow toward Lake Michigan.

Happy Thanksgiving. Don't be gone so long again!!

Mo Crow said...

thanks for sharing these beautiful photos of your sanctuary in the woods and the road but gosh my heart was in my mouth watching the wild brave Rhu Bear going out on that limb!

Sandra Dunn said...

Hi Valerianna - I enjoyed seeing Rhu in action. lol. His winter coat is so thick and shiny too. Your landscape to & from work is beautiful and fast moving action shots make neat images. Wishing you warmth, comfort and beauty up there.

Caterina Giglio said...

your thoughts, your photos, your life that you share are all .. ART... thanks for sharing your world.. x

Valerianna said...

I used to be obsessed with sky paintings, Laura... so, now I guess I'm obsessed with trees. I find obsessions to be an important part of the creative process!

Valerianna said...

Hi Suz - well, Thanksgiving has come and gone it has taken me so long to respond here! Lots of sky/branch images catching my eyes of late. Happy December to you.

Valerianna said...

Thanks, Stregata! I think since Thanksgiving, Rhu has gone through another growth spurt - big kitty!

Valerianna said...

No firemen needed, Elfi, he either gets down himself the RIGHT way, or falls off :)

Valerianna said...

I've missed being here and around blogland! Hope I can reclaim the time for it, Carol! I love crossing the Connecticut river on my commute, always good to see even a little tid-bit of river.

Valerianna said...

He is definitely wild and brave, Mo!

Valerianna said...

Rhu has exceptionally soft fur, Sandra, really, I thought I'd felt soft cat fur before, but his is really amazing. I can get rather obsessed with the speed and sky images in November!

Valerianna said...

Thanks for appreciating, Cat!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Valerianna, your Rhu cat is quite the entertaining little friend. Animals lighten the heart so much.. they slow down life and are a joy... Beautiful landscapes surround you.

Barry said...

Hi VA - good to share your space and views. Winter seems full on in your place. Good that you and R are still able to get out and enjoy it. Love the landscape images including the deliberate blurred one. Go well and stay safe and warm. B

A Magical Whimsy said...

I adore your photos of Pasha and Rhu Bear. Are they Maine Coons? They are so beautiful. I love cats, all sorts, the big wild ones too.
Your photography is quite intriguing and draws a person into the moment.
My sister and her family used to live in Pepperell, Massachusetts. Now they are in Minnesota. Out of New England snow, into the blizzards!
Have a lovely, safe, and blessed Holiday Season.
Teresa in California (where we are pretty much spoiled with our weather).
http://amagicalwhimsy.blogspot.com/