Meet Orange Cat. Yep, that's her name. We've had her for almost 12 years now and she remains, quite simply, Orange Cat. It's official you know when it's on their veterinary record! After the first few months of spending countless hours trying our best to come up with a name that suited her, we just couldn't and slowly, Orange Cat just stuck. But, at this point I'm convinced she's not living in a state of despair over it. She is affectionately called Pusskins on a regular basis and seems emotionally well adjusted so her name is rarely discussed except when introducing her to others. :)

However, what has disrupted her little world, and likely caused her some despair is the existence of two small humans living in what she firmly believes is solely her domain. Two small humans who are WAY more interested in her than she is in them. I can just imagine her sighs and feelings of disdain when she sees them coming. But, wouldn't you know, she ALWAYS seems happily hunkered down in a chair or on our bed upstairs, EXCEPT when you want her to be! She regularly attempts to hold her ground just waiting for one of them to get close while she's lounging in one of our recliners. That's when the warning meow is sounded! Next comes the stealthy swat if the meow wasn't sufficient to ward them off. HA! Seriously? Ward them off? They're fascinated by her! I can't imagine why though considering they've both been swatted at multiple times. Somehow, unlike me, I'm very sure that Orange Cat won't miss those babies one bit when they move soon. 

Today, when both the babes were napping, this is where I found her and where she stayed for an hour or more. I'm sure she was very proud and quite happy with herself thinking 'I'll show them' as she laid her fluffy self right smack dab in the middle of the living room floor next to all their little toys!!! She gave me 'the look' when I was making her portrait as if to say, 'I'VE NEVER HAD THIS MANY TOYS! 

Kitchen photos. ALWAYS kitchen photos. There's no posing if she's outside. Trying to catch a great image of a labrador while it's rolling, wrestling, jumping, humping, digging and, in general moving non-stop is exasperating, to say the least. Sure, I know all about using my camera settings to catch the action but, honestly, it's just no fun when they're being obnoxious. There's really no posing when she's inside either. This was a 'one shot, lucky, click of the shutter' before she bridged the gap between us to slime me and my camera lens with kisses. You'd never know it by the beauty in this shot, would you? So, so many kitchen shots of my pretty baby. This is where we spend lots of time. She doesn't seem to mind much, though. There's always a treat nearby (or whatever baby Evey drops on the floor) and that makes her quite the happy Piper pup. 

Moving on to my second photo. Food photographers, you have my utmost respect. Period. I raise my glass (my bowl to you.) Here's to a fabulous bowl of ham and beans with cornbread! Delicious smells filled this house today while we waited on an ice storm that has yet to arrive and one I could definitely live without. But, no worries. I'm safe and sound at home. And, a steaming hot bowl of leftover beans will be amazing tomorrow, too, should that ice storm actually hit. :) 

Miss Piper <3

Dinner :) 

We saw at least a half-dozen eagles at Smithville Lake today. As many times as I go out eagle watching and as many times as I've captured photos, I never tire of them. Such a beautiful, powerful creature.  

This isn't the best photo I've captured of an eagle but it's not 'bad.' The longest lens I own is 300mm and it was at 300. And cropped A. LOT.

I hope to capture yet another, better image this winter but for now, this is my first in a few years. It was so cloudy and beyond bitter cold out there this afternoon. We were late getting out there and it was close to sunset (had it been a sunny day) so that didn't help me out either but, I got a shot. I hope you enjoy.

I'm not sure how far we were from it. I'm not a great judge of distance. This was shot with my lens at 300mm.

Here it is cropped.

And, for anyone who might be interested in boating and/or skiing right now, I took this one for YOU! ;D