black cat

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Shadow (with Hipstamatic)

For today’s combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt, we follow Luna in her favorite morning spot, the dining table. The bright sun from the southeast brings warmth to the surfaces and also casts strong shadows.

I am experimenting again with the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone, which simulates old lenses, film processes, etc. This particular lens was relatively clear but makes everything high contrast (a common theme in my photography). I also tried out another lens that has a rather streaky and overexposed quality:

The oversaturated image brings out contrast between the shadows and the sun patches.  It also has an interesting effect on Luna’s black fur.

Weekend Cat Blogging #293 is hosted by Samantha, Clementine and (honorary cat) Maverick at Life from a Cat’s Perspective.

Photo Hunt #248 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is Shadow.

The Carnival of the Cats will be up tomorrow at iMeowza.

Weekend Cat Blogging #292: at rest

For today’s Weekend Cat Blogging, we see Luna enjoying a nap:

It seems like she has been resting a lot lately. It’s been cold, it’s been dark, she is probably channeling some of my own fatigue, and of course she is a cat.

We were briefly jolted yesterday by a 4.1-magnitude earthquake in the Bay Area. It was relatively long, but still quite mild. Luna was on alert though, her ears pointing straight up and her eyes growing exceptionally wide. She did not run for cover, though.

Weekend Cat Blogging #292 is hosted by Kashim, Othello and Salome at PaulChens FoodBlog ?!. I quite like the monochrome graphic they created for today:

The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted by Billy SweetFeets.

The friday ark remains on hiatus.

Weekend Cat Blogging #290

December 25 (Christmas) is a completely free day us.

After a season (and indeed, a year) that has been exceptionally hectic even by my own standards, such emptiness can be a bit jarring. One could catch up on the myriad creative projects and practical items that have been languishing, or just relax. Luna on the other hand has no problem with this whatsoever.

This is yet another lesson we should learn from our animal friends.

I would go for a walk downtown or along the highway structures, but with the blustery wind and stormy skies outside, it seems best to stay inside this morning with a warm cup of of coffee and a cat.  It also seems like a good morning for some 1950s/1960s minor-key jazz (actually, a lot of mornings are good for that).  Just imagine The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Take Five or John Coltrane’s Equinox in the background with the pictures of Luna and you can glimpse Christmas morning at CatSynth HQ.

Weekend Cat Blogging #290, Holiday Edition is hosted by Jules and Vincent at Judi’s Mind Over Matter.

The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted tomorrow by Nikita Cat.

The Friday Ark is on hiatus for the holidays.

Weekend Cat Blogging #288: Saturation

We at CatSynth are feeling pretty saturated this weekend, particularly with music and social events.  But that doesn’t stop us from posting some recent unsaturated images of Luna:

Probably not the best pictures from a technical point of view (they were taken with odd lighting and at high ISO, the “setting of last resort”). But they still seem precious in their way.

Weekend Cat Blogging #288 is to be hosted by Salome at PaulChens FoodBlog?!

The Carnival of the Cats will be up this Sunday at Mind of Mog.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator

Weekend Cat Blogging: Homecoming (temporary)

With delays in the construction at CatSynth HQ, I decided to bring Luna home for the weekend. It is nice to have her home, even though it is only temporary.

As one can see in the above image, things are a bit out of place in anticipation of the work, but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying our time here. Here we see Luna checking out a new toy (a birthday present from a friend of ours):

Note the picture frames neatly resting on the stairs behind her. Much of the artwork (paintings, prints, etc.) had to be moved as well.

Weekend Cat Blogging #287 is at Mind of Mog.

Kashim, Othello and Salome are pulling double duty this weekend, hosting both the weekly Carnival of the Cats and the monthly Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos. We suspect they are going to be busy.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Happy Birthday Luna!

Today marks Luna’s official birthday.  She turns six years old either today or sometime near today.

I arrived back in San Francisco last night, just in time to celebrate with her, although not at home.  There is (once again) construction at CatSynth HQ, so Luna is staying at her boarding facility until it’s over.  I know she will not only be safe there, but she will be doted on and receive lots of love and attention.  When I went to visit her today, she came over to greet me, but then immediately settled down to nap.  But I was able to get some “relaxed” birthday photos.

Please join me in wishing Luna a happy birthday!  And thanks to everyone who has already left her comments.

Weekend Cat Blogging #283: Heatwave (in November)

It was a rather intense week here, with the San Francisco Giants victory, the elections, and the backdrop of exceptionally warm weather in November!  It was hot and humid, and even stayed warm enough at night to spend time outdoors.  For Luna, the heat means stretching out, relaxing, and waiting for things to cool down.

I quite enjoy the heat – especially the rare treat of a warm night – but Luna clearly does not.  I left the ceiling fans running for her, and a cold towel. The weather has cooled down quite a bit this weekend.  And the energy of the city will hopefully start to return to normal as well.

Weekend Cat Blogging #283 is hosted by Patchouli and Pam at sidewalk shoes.

Carnival of the Cats will be hosted this Sunday by Meowza at iMeowza

The monthly Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos is hosted by Nikita at Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: naranja

The theme for this week’s combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt is ORANGE.  So here is a series of photos in which Luna encounters our large stuffed fish, appropriately named “Big Fishy”.

For the last couple of years, Big Fishy has mostly been in the closet (no pun intended).  But we took the opportunity to bring him out for this week’s theme.   It may not be the most seasonal interpretation of orange, but we do have a black cat.

It also occurs to me that yesterday’s photo also fits today’s orange theme.

Weekend Cat Blogging #281 is hosted by Nikita and Elivra at Meowsing of an Opinionated Pussycat. Check out their latest “street scenes” of cats from their neighborhood in southern California.

And the Weekend Cat Blogging Hallowe’en Edition will be hosted right here at CatSynth next weekend!

Photo Hunt #236 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is orange.

The Carnival of the Cats is hosted by Kashim, Othello and Salome.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Stripes

I had been planning to post these very cute photos of Luna in her perch at the top of the stairs for Weekend Cat Blogging, and the just happen to be perfect for this week’s Photo Hunt theme of stripes:

No need to say much here. I think Luna speaks for herself quite well through these images:

Weekend Cat Blogging #279 is being hosted by Kashim, Othello and Salome at PaulChens FoodBlog?! The are going PINK this weekend for breast cancer awareness.

Photo Hunt #234 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is stripes.

The Carnival of the Cats will be up this Sunday at Mind of Mog.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.