Island photo commentary - very long

My brother gave us a lift to the island this year. As usual, Caliban
complained all thew way, while Miranda curled up in her carrier and just
gave me resigned looks every time I peeped into her carrier. Though
Caliban obviously hated being in the car, he also became very protective
of it. He even hissed at my brother every time he had to get out and
then got back into the car. It didn't help though I kept telling Caliban
that it was my brother's car.

When we finally reached the island and I let the cats out of their
carriers, they were so excited. Miranda immediately dashed outside, but
Caliban was confused for a moment, running around my shack and meowing,
then he, too went outside. He was so excited, he was vibrating all over.


http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0258.jpg

I only got one fairly god shot of the swallows:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0268.jpg

My uncle has a d-thing, a mutt with a Russian name that I don't know how
to write (the Cyrillic letters), but it sounds like Cucoosh and it means
coconut. He has two cats, too, whom the d*g respects and loves, so he
wouldn't hurt a cat, but the other cats on the island don't know this,
and they're afraid of Cucoosh. One time, the d*g chased Emil up a tree:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0280.jpg

It took some coaxing, but in the end, he came down under his own steam.

Caliban is a window cat. This picture also shows how he likes to dangle
his front paws, which was one reason he fell into the sea later:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0286.jpg

Both cats loved to lounge in this patch of grass and flowers, and also
chase grasshoppers:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0287.jpg

Miranda spent ages sniffing this clump of dried seaweed (bladder wrack)
that had been thrown up on the cliff. It must have smelt nice and fishy:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0298.jpg

Then she went on to stare down into the water, and I was afraid she was
going to jump, but she didn't (not as stupid as Caliban, obviously :

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0303.jpg

Both cats love to roll around on the warm cliffs. Actually, *all* the
cats who have ever visited the island have enjoyed this, I think.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0323.jpg

There were several swans staying near the island, but this is my only,
crappy swan picture that I managed to get:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0326.jpg

Swans have become very common in the Finnish archipelago in the past
15-20 years. If you want to see some very much better pictures of the
swans by our island, please take a look at my niece's pictures. She got
some lovely shots of a family of swans - mum, dad and one baby.

A poor-quality picture because I didn't want to use the flash, but had
to get a shot of Miranda looking uncommonly silly, doing upside-downy
head with her tongue out.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0327.jpg

As I've mentioned, both Emil and Caliban are too easy-going for either
one to initiate play properly. They would sniff each other and then
mostly ignore each other.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0335.jpg

Except, of course, when Emil showed Caliban where the swallows' nest
was, with disastrous consequences. :P

Before my sister brought her cats, Linus and Ronja, to the island, both
mine would hang out at mum's cottage. When my sister's cats arrived, Mir
and Cali didn't dare to come too close any more. But until then they
would follow me there every time I went.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0338.jpg

I went to visit the rosebush where I scattered Frank's and Nikki's
ashes, and found that part of it had died.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0350.jpg

In spite of having big bowls of fresh drinking water at home, all the
cats like to drink 'wild water' when they can find it. Here Emil is
drinking sea water that has seeped into a hollow between some rocks:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0346.jpg

The sea water in the Baltic sea is not very salty, so it's not as
dangerous as you might think.

Interrupted while washing a paw:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0365.jpg

This picture just makes me laugh. Miranda makes a perfect rock:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0376.jpg

Caliban spotting one of the grey cats. He was a bit confused, because
one of them (Emil) was friendly enough, but the other (Kasper) considers
it his island and all other cats are interlopers.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0381.jpg

I thought Miranda looked particularly lovely he

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0402.jpg

Wild little Ronja:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0408.jpg

She has one of the prettiest faces I've ever seen on a cat:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0409.jpg

Her BIG brother Linus (actually, her half brother):

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0410.jpg

It was a wet summer, so I bought a pair of boots. Miranda adopted the
box they came in:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0416.jpg

And then there are sundry photos of the often tortuous plant life of the
island, where the conditions are often rough.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Marina wrote:
of it. He even hissed at my brother every time he had to get out and
then got back into the car. It didn't help though I kept telling Caliban
that it was my brother's car.

Such a good guardian kitty!!!

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0258.jpg

Look at their big wide eyes....

I went to visit the rosebush where I scattered Frank's and Nikki's
ashes, and found that part of it had died.

It's not unusual for rose branches to die off, don't worry about it.

Her BIG brother Linus (actually, her half brother):

He's a tubster!

As always, sounds like a lovely holiday. Welcome back!

--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

On Jul 27, 3:57 am, Marina wrote:
My brother gave us a lift to the island this year. As usual, Caliban
complained all thew way, while Miranda curled up in her carrier and just
gave me resigned looks every time I peeped into her carrier. Though
Caliban obviously hated being in the car, he also became very protective
of it. He even hissed at my brother every time he had to get out and
then got back into the car. It didn't help though I kept telling Caliban
that it was my brother's car.

When we finally reached the island and I let the cats out of their
carriers, they were so excited. Miranda immediately dashed outside, but
Caliban was confused for a moment, running around my shack and meowing,
then he, too went outside. He was so excited, he was vibrating all over.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

I only got one fairly god shot of the swallows:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

My uncle has a d-thing, a mutt with a Russian name that I don't know how
to write (the Cyrillic letters), but it sounds like Cucoosh and it means
coconut. He has two cats, too, whom the d*g respects and loves, so he
wouldn't hurt a cat, but the other cats on the island don't know this,
and they're afraid of Cucoosh. One time, the d*g chased Emil up a tree:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

It took some coaxing, but in the end, he came down under his own steam.

Caliban is a window cat. This picture also shows how he likes to dangle
his front paws, which was one reason he fell into the sea later:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Both cats loved to lounge in this patch of grass and flowers, and also
chase grasshoppers:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Miranda spent ages sniffing this clump of dried seaweed (bladder wrack)
that had been thrown up on the cliff. It must have smelt nice and fishy:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Then she went on to stare down into the water, and I was afraid she was
going to jump, but she didn't (not as stupid as Caliban, obviously :

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Both cats love to roll around on the warm cliffs. Actually, *all* the
cats who have ever visited the island have enjoyed this, I think.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

There were several swans staying near the island, but this is my only,
crappy swan picture that I managed to get:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Swans have become very common in the Finnish archipelago in the past
15-20 years. If you want to see some very much better pictures of the
swans by our island, please take a look at my niece's pictures. She got
some lovely shots of a family of swans - mum, dad and one baby.

A poor-quality picture because I didn't want to use the flash, but had
to get a shot of Miranda looking uncommonly silly, doing upside-downy
head with her tongue out.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

As I've mentioned, both Emil and Caliban are too easy-going for either
one to initiate play properly. They would sniff each other and then
mostly ignore each other.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Except, of course, when Emil showed Caliban where the swallows' nest
was, with disastrous consequences. :P

Before my sister brought her cats, Linus and Ronja, to the island, both
mine would hang out at mum's cottage. When my sister's cats arrived, Mir
and Cali didn't dare to come too close any more. But until then they
would follow me there every time I went.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

I went to visit the rosebush where I scattered Frank's and Nikki's
ashes, and found that part of it had died.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

In spite of having big bowls of fresh drinking water at home, all the
cats like to drink 'wild water' when they can find it. Here Emil is
drinking sea water that has seeped into a hollow between some rocks:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

The sea water in the Baltic sea is not very salty, so it's not as
dangerous as you might think.

Interrupted while washing a paw:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

This picture just makes me laugh. Miranda makes a perfect rock:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Caliban spotting one of the grey cats. He was a bit confused, because
one of them (Emil) was friendly enough, but the other (Kasper) considers
it his island and all other cats are interlopers.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

I thought Miranda looked particularly lovely he

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Wild little Ronja:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

She has one of the prettiest faces I've ever seen on a cat:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

Her BIG brother Linus (actually, her half brother):

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

It was a wet summer, so I bought a pair of boots. Miranda adopted the
box they came in:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ummer%2007/?ac...

And then there are sundry photos of the often tortuous plant life of the
island, where the conditions are often rough.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Maria, what beautiful pictures, of a beautiful place...thanks for
posting them. I thoroughly enjoyed them.
I don't want to make you sad by saying this, but don't you get the
feeling that Frank and Nikkie
are there with you, too? I kind of did, just looking at the pics.

Sherry

Sherry wrote:

Maria, what beautiful pictures, of a beautiful place...thanks for
posting them. I thoroughly enjoyed them.
I don't want to make you sad by saying this, but don't you get the
feeling that Frank and Nikkie
are there with you, too? I kind of did, just looking at the pics.

You're right, I do feel closer to them out there. You didn't make me
sad, but when I saw that their rosebush had dried up partly, I did feel
sad. It was a very dry summer last year, though, so I guess it's only
natural.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

I soooo enjoyed these! I particularly love the window shots. They look like
they should be in a magazine about country living or something.

"Marina" wrote in message
...
My brother gave us a lift to the island this year. As usual, Caliban
complained all thew way, while Miranda curled up in her carrier and just
gave me resigned looks every time I peeped into her carrier. Though
Caliban obviously hated being in the car, he also became very protective
of it. He even hissed at my brother every time he had to get out and then
got back into the car. It didn't help though I kept telling Caliban that
it was my brother's car.

When we finally reached the island and I let the cats out of their
carriers, they were so excited. Miranda immediately dashed outside, but
Caliban was confused for a moment, running around my shack and meowing,
then he, too went outside. He was so excited, he was vibrating all over.


http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0258.jpg

I only got one fairly god shot of the swallows:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0268.jpg

My uncle has a d-thing, a mutt with a Russian name that I don't know how
to write (the Cyrillic letters), but it sounds like Cucoosh and it means
coconut. He has two cats, too, whom the d*g respects and loves, so he
wouldn't hurt a cat, but the other cats on the island don't know this, and
they're afraid of Cucoosh. One time, the d*g chased Emil up a tree:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0280.jpg

It took some coaxing, but in the end, he came down under his own steam.

Caliban is a window cat. This picture also shows how he likes to dangle
his front paws, which was one reason he fell into the sea later:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0286.jpg

Both cats loved to lounge in this patch of grass and flowers, and also
chase grasshoppers:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0287.jpg

Miranda spent ages sniffing this clump of dried seaweed (bladder wrack)
that had been thrown up on the cliff. It must have smelt nice and fishy:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0298.jpg

Then she went on to stare down into the water, and I was afraid she was
going to jump, but she didn't (not as stupid as Caliban, obviously :

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0303.jpg

Both cats love to roll around on the warm cliffs. Actually, *all* the cats
who have ever visited the island have enjoyed this, I think.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0323.jpg

There were several swans staying near the island, but this is my only,
crappy swan picture that I managed to get:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0326.jpg

Swans have become very common in the Finnish archipelago in the past 15-20
years. If you want to see some very much better pictures of the swans by
our island, please take a look at my niece's pictures. She got some lovely
shots of a family of swans - mum, dad and one baby.

A poor-quality picture because I didn't want to use the flash, but had to
get a shot of Miranda looking uncommonly silly, doing upside-downy head
with her tongue out.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0327.jpg

As I've mentioned, both Emil and Caliban are too easy-going for either one
to initiate play properly. They would sniff each other and then mostly
ignore each other.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0335.jpg

Except, of course, when Emil showed Caliban where the swallows' nest was,
with disastrous consequences. :P

Before my sister brought her cats, Linus and Ronja, to the island, both
mine would hang out at mum's cottage. When my sister's cats arrived, Mir
and Cali didn't dare to come too close any more. But until then they would
follow me there every time I went.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0338.jpg

I went to visit the rosebush where I scattered Frank's and Nikki's ashes,
and found that part of it had died.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0350.jpg

In spite of having big bowls of fresh drinking water at home, all the cats
like to drink 'wild water' when they can find it. Here Emil is drinking
sea water that has seeped into a hollow between some rocks:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0346.jpg

The sea water in the Baltic sea is not very salty, so it's not as
dangerous as you might think.

Interrupted while washing a paw:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0365.jpg

This picture just makes me laugh. Miranda makes a perfect rock:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0376.jpg

Caliban spotting one of the grey cats. He was a bit confused, because one
of them (Emil) was friendly enough, but the other (Kasper) considers it
his island and all other cats are interlopers.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0381.jpg

I thought Miranda looked particularly lovely he

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0402.jpg

Wild little Ronja:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0408.jpg

She has one of the prettiest faces I've ever seen on a cat:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0409.jpg

Her BIG brother Linus (actually, her half brother):

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0410.jpg

It was a wet summer, so I bought a pair of boots. Miranda adopted the box
they came in:

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0416.jpg

And then there are sundry photos of the often tortuous plant life of the
island, where the conditions are often rough.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

"Marina" wrote in message
...
My brother gave us a lift to the island this year. As usual,
Caliban complained all thew way, while Miranda curled up in her
carrier and just gave me resigned looks every time I peeped
into her carrier. Though Caliban obviously hated being in the
car, he also became very protective of it. He even hissed at my
brother every time he had to get out and then got back into the
car. It didn't help though I kept telling Caliban that it was
my brother's car.


LOL, Caliban was only trying to pertect his Meowmie. Miranda, I
can't get over how beautiful and awesome those pictures of yours
(and your niece's) are. You have got to take them and get an
agent. You really need to put out a book about the owners and
the island of cats.

Pam S. who'd pay for it in hard back instead of waiting for the
paperback edition to come out.

"Marina" wrote in message
...
My brother gave us a lift to the island this year. As usual,
Caliban complained all thew way, while Miranda curled up in her
carrier and just gave me resigned looks every time I peeped
into her carrier. Though Caliban obviously hated being in the
car, he also became very protective of it. He even hissed at my
brother every time he had to get out and then got back into the
car. It didn't help though I kept telling Caliban that it was
my brother's car.


LOL, Caliban was only trying to pertect his Meowmie. Marina, I
can't get over how beautiful and awesome those pictures of yours
(and your niece's) are. You have got to take them and get an
agent. You really need to put out a book about the owners and
the island of cats.

Pam S. who'd pay for it in hard back instead of waiting for the
paperback edition to come out.

Marina wrote:
When we finally reached the island and I let the cats out of their
carriers, they were so excited. Miranda immediately dashed outside, but
Caliban was confused for a moment, running around my shack and meowing,
then he, too went outside. He was so excited, he was vibrating all over.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...t=IMG_0258.jpg

I was wondering if Caliban had remembered the island. They look like
they had so much fun at their summer retreat.

I've been wondering about some other things - as part time outdoor
cats, do they know where "home" is? Do they stay out more during the
day, or during the night? Are there any places on the island that are
dangerous or off-limits to them? Do you have to hunt rabbits and
rodents in order to keep Miranda fed?

Takayuki wrote:
I've been wondering about some other things - as part time outdoor
cats, do they know where "home" is?

Oh, yes, they know where hoime is, and they actually spend about half
their time on the island sleeping inside my shack.

Do they stay out more during the
day, or during the night?

It depends a lot on the weather. They don't like windy weather, so this
year they stayed in a lot. And they don't like pouring rain, either, of
course. Neither do they like very hot sunshine, so they stay inside
during the hottest part of the day (Caliban would often burrow under a
woollen blankie on a hot day - I don't understand how he could enjoy
that!). They would mostly go out in the mornings and evenings, weather
permitting. But I could usually get them to follow me out on the cliffs
with me at any time of day if I wanted to play with them.

Are there any places on the island that are
dangerous or off-limits to them?

Not dangerous, and not off-limits per ce, except that the other cats
would not like them to come into their houses (especially not Caliban,
who would proceed to eat their food). I don't know how I would enforce
any limits on them. They're pretty good about staying close to their own
shack, though (except Caliban when on a quest for food, that is).

Do you have to hunt rabbits and
rodents in order to keep Miranda fed?

Miranda is perfectly able to hunt for herself. Now if only I could get
her to eat her kill. Nikki would have taught her so well.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:57:29 +0300, Marina
wrote:

My brother gave us a lift to the island this year. As usual, Caliban
complained all thew way, while Miranda curled up in her carrier and just
gave me resigned looks every time I peeped into her carrier.

Wonderful photos essay! I love seeing pics of your kitties; they are
both so photogenic. Being absolutely beautiful cats, of course, makes it
an easy job...!

Seeing pictures of the island reminds me so much of when Frank and Nikki
were there, in years past.

I hope their rose bush recovers :-(

~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Life without cats would be only marginally worth living."
-TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie.

How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven.
- Robert Heinlein

Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier.
-Buddha