Sweet Charley.  I first met him through the fence when he was just a cute little kitten.  He and his brother Romeo were adopted by my neighbors to join their little animal kingdom.  I immediately fell in love with Charley.  He has this cute little chirp and loves to rub against my fingers when I reach through the fence.   Here he is three years later, a big guy, shy but still a lover!!

A little camera shy.

Check out photos of Charley’s sweet dogs, Bonnie and Clyde (RIP, Clyde).  It is rumored that Charley grooms Bonnie’s fur!

And Charlie’s brother, Slim Jim, back when he was slim (mer).

This neighborhood has lots of cats.  All with such great personalities!

One of my sweeties napping under the covers. He got in there all by himself.

Oscar and the forsythia.

Woodstock and her morning stretch

And Jack hanging out in the morning sun

Yesterday being the beautiful spring day that it was, I ventured out for a photo walk in downtown Nashville with two other photographers.  Nashville has changed so much.  This is so apparent to a native and so much fun to rediscover the area.   This will be the first of a few different posts on my two hour re discovery journey.

I wandered into the Hatch Show Print shop on lower broadway: a) because I had never been in there and am in love with their work and b) I wanted to meet the cats that live there.  I’ll admit it: I am a cat lady.  I love them!  Two cats live in the shop.  Only one allowed me to photograph him.  Huey and I became fast friends!

When I first arrived Huey was lounging under a cart, just waking up from his mid morning nap!

Huey is an orange and white kitty just like my cat, Leon. He is very friendly letting me pet him and give him a kitty massage.

He is the star of Hatch Show Print and really should have his image printed on a t-shirt. I would buy one!

Heading to the water fountain.

The sign on the front door of Hatch Show says to please keep the door shut as they have cats. I wonder if Huey has ever wandered Broadway?

Finding a place for the mid-day nap.

A great hiding place, perfect for feet and shoe watching.

I just want to thank everyone at Hatch Show for allowing me to act a little kooky over Huey!! What a great place to work!  I wonder if they are hiring???

Mary Claire

I would love for you to visit my site for more nature and animal images at htto://maryclairecrow.com

And to view wedding and portrait work, visit here http://maryclairecrow.wordpress.com

Feeling a bit melancholic about 811, my former house.  It had the most sharp, clean afternoon light.  These are some of the last photos I shot in that house.  Leon and Luna basking in the afternoon sun!  What a life!

The sweet life in the dog's bed.

Sandpaper Tongue and a Big Yawn

Zen and the Whiskers

Bright Eyes

Morning light at the new place.

Morning Grooming

Surrogate Mom

Ready to Play, Ready to Rest

Don't Worry, This is Not the Dining Table

Leon’s morning nap.

Sound Asleep at Eight A.M.

Beauty Sleep

A collective set of photos taken the past week or so…

The pretty purple morning glories somewhere on ninth street in Old Hickory and a garden spider, Argiope aurantia, also called the writing spider or banana spider just outside the Mayo's. I call him Fred. Isn't he beautiful against the blue sky in the morning light?

Morning glory black and white study.

The royal, majestic and abundant purple morning glory.

Love the color of these. Hydrangea are beautiful in this state.

So many spider webs around. This one had a feather. This morning when I went out on my deck, just before dawn, I counted about 25 spiders doing their thing!

Along the brown/orange and green palette, we have Slim Jim in the grass in the early morning light.

Stray Dude in his best Buddah pose.

Tunnel Spider web. I have never seen a tunnel spider, that I know of, but I can only imagine that if I put my hand near the "tunnel" I would probably never see it again!

A holly hock leaf used as a canvas for some critter to create art!

Meet Nibbles.  Nibbles came to our neighborhood last year looking for a family to love him.  He found a few nice people on one street block who fed him, named him and welcomed him on their porch but no one really claimed him as part of their family.  Nibbles was a skinny, not neutered, whinny kitty.   Then one day he took a trip to another street block, this time by the lake where birds, raccoons and ground hogs abound. He happened upon a really nice lady who took him in, gave him shelter, a safe place, took him to the vet where it was found he had worms.  This explained why he ate so much and never gained weight.  She had him neutered and now Nibbles is relaxed, enjoys the air conditioning in the hot summer and the deck in the cooler weather.  He has also learned to sing.  Well, it may not sound like singing to the human ear but he for sure gets out there and belts a tune that maybe the raccoons understand or the birds or the groundhogs, not sure.  The one thing I am sure about is this kitty is very happy and is cute as a button!

This is Molly.  She loves a nice pat and chin rub.  She is such a lovely pup!!

And then there is Linus.  My! How he has grown!  He may look menacing but this guy has a heart of gold and is just a big baby.   The first photo was taken last summer. 

Just what the title indicates, I am ready for spring.  I realize we have been spoiled the past few years with milder winters and this winter is making up for it as I fear the next few winters also will.  The spring can not come soon enough for me.  I can’t wait to get out in the garden and see it thrive.  I read somewhere that the spring will be very active and so I will have to take extra measures to keep my little plants safe.   Things are changing and that is  good sign.  I still have heat and electricity, that is a good thing!  And I have been able to get some beautiful images that would not be possible without the snow.   Winter, I can not wait to say goodbye and see you next year!

doggy prints

car shadow

beautiful birdbath

tire tracks and foot prints

picket fence

tree at rachel's walk

black & white scaredy cat

I am not sure what this is... but I liked the lines

tree shadows at rachel's walk

leon checking out the snow

my neighbor's super sweet dog, Mollie

sparkly ice

I absolutely loved this session.  Sweet, beautiful little baby, an adoring big sister, cool mom and dad and a wonderful clan of three dogs!  

Such a sweet little face!

A beautiful madonna.

Sisters!

A kiss from Bella.

Great mayhem!

lovely

camera shy Duke waiting for a treat

everybody loves the baby!!

Singing on the rock!

Smile!

Bella looking for a pet.

Shorty on look out.

With mom on the swing.