Tag: playing

Three Things

Scout vs. the Beaver

Back in 2000, Canon launched their first consumer digital SLR, the $3000 three megapixel D30. At the time I had a low-end film SLR and was looking to upgrade and was torn between getting the D30 or a much more advanced film SLR for a lot less money. While researching the D30 I found a website by an accomplished photographer named Michael Reichmann, Luminous Landscape, and his review nudged me to the D30.

While Michael and I photographed different types of things (and he was a vastly better photographer), I loved his approach to reviewing camera gear. He had a rare blend of talent, enthusiasm, experience, wisdom, helpfulness, generosity, charisma, and humility that made him my favorite reviewer. He evaluated gear based on how much enjoyed using it and how it helped (or hindered) his ability to get the shots that meant the most to him. He had an infectious love of photography and never lost sight of the big picture, that photography can be personal and meaningful and rewarding and emotional. And fun.

He died earlier this year from cancer and though I didn’t know him, I miss him.

I owe him a great deal for helping me settle on the D30. The camera had plenty of flaws but its strengths were even greater. I liked film, I loved digital. Less than half a year we adopted an adorable little kitten we named Scout. I’d give so much to be able to snuggle for even 15 minutes with Scout, who died a few years ago, and in a way the pictures help me do that. Here she’s a young kitten playing beside my wife. It’s funny that it’s almost hard for me to remember her being this young. On the one hand I remember clearly bringing her home for the first time, but it’s the adult Scout who always wanted to be curled up on or beside me that is so strongly imprinted on my memory.

Life is filled with ups and downs, something I’ve been reflecting on a lot tonight, so let me acknowledge some things that had such a positive impact on me in 2000 and 2001, and for years after. Michael, Scout, that first digital camera. Gone now, not forgotten, always loved.

(I do still have the D30 sitting around somewhere, but allow me the poetic license.)

Serenity, Serenity, Poke-Poke-Poke

Serenity

One of the unique things about Boo compared to our other cats is that, while he does have his favorite places to sleep, sometimes he seems to lay down wherever he was when he decided it was time for a nap, often in his chicken-wing pose. Here he chose some sunbeams on the hardwood, though there’s nothing unique about that, Sam and Templeton in particular also enjoy(ed) sunbeams. He’ll rest like that too, only moving his eyes around to keep an eye on events, and most unusually even if you come over to pet him, he lays there without moving, hoping you’ll share some affection and move on. And it’s not just with people, as you can see from Trixie who used a poke-poke-poke to try to rouse her brother to play.

Poke Poke Poke

Thunderdome

Our cat Trixie plays with a pink mouse on the dog bed

When we adopted Trixie early last year and were keeping her in isolation for the first couple of weeks, I let our dog Ellie come in and join us since she and Trixie hit it off pretty quickly. I brought in one of Ellie’s dog beds so she’d have a comfortable place to sleep when she wasn’t on the bed with us, but it was used as much as an arena of play by the kitten as a place of sleep by the dog. Pink mouse became an early Trixie favorite and remains so to this day. I’m sometimes awakened in the middle of the night when Trixie brings pink mouse to bed and one of them isn’t quite ready to settle down for the night.

In Which Boolie Destroys the World

Our cats Boo and Trixie play with an old leather shoelace
It was a major effort to get Boo to accept Trixie, but eventually he not only grew to tolerate her but now even enjoys playing with her. Here they’re goofing around with an old leather shoelace.

A few weeks back I had the worst nightmare I’ve ever had. The earth was going to be destroyed if I didn’t kill Boo and Trixie. They didn’t just have to die, they had to die at my hands. I learned from my mentor that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few — or the one — and since their young lives were forfeit no matter what I did, I agreed to do it. I picked them up and held them in my hands. They gave no resistance.

But I couldn’t do it. I would give my life but I wouldn’t take theirs.

I don’t remember anything else, so presumably the earth was destroyed by whatever malevolent force threatened it. Sorry about that.

A couple of weeks later I had the gentlest nightmare I’ve ever had, consisting of me walking around with my pants pockets overstuffed with pennies. That was the entirety of the horror of the dream, me walking around with jingly-jangly pockets weighed down with worthless currency. As much as I hate pennies, that’s a pretty easy cross to bear.

Otters at Play

Two river otters play in Bower Slough

At the dog park this morning two young dogs were playing when suddenly in their rough play a line was crossed and things got more serious. Their owners separated them and the aggression quickly dissipated and hopefully each dog made a little progress in their socialization. These two otters were part of a family group catching fish in Bower Slough, and thus were quite familiar with each other, but even so when one otter grabbed the other by the scruff of the neck I wondered if this playful move was a bridge too far. But as you can see the otter’s skin is loose with plenty of fat underneath and the victim took it all in stride.