Inside and Outside

Inside--

"What. Do. You. Want.?!"This is Picasso. He is a dilute orange tabby cat with a LARGE personality. For the most part he tolerates people, meaning when he wants attention, love, or pats, he will let you know. Otherwise, just leave him alone.
Now I totally 'get' Picasso because we are not so different. I find I enjoy my own company and there are times that I choose to share me with my friends. I call myself an 'arteest'. (I have no idea what my friends call me. But I know what I tell myself--that I am their inspiration...)

Picasso lives in the building where I work. This day he and Mama cat (the other feline resident) had had a disagreement (translation: Picasso was mad and took it out on poor unsuspecting Mama. 5 times). Afterwards, he was pretty much being cranky to everyone. So he chose me to visit and ended up laying behind my laptop.


Before you get all mushy and think this was sooo cute, let me just tell you that no, it wasn't cute. He was a crank and as a full blown red-head-on-the-edge-of-anger, decided that my typing was ANNOYING. Stray swats appeared repeatedly around my laptop, shredding my fingers and hands with rapier sharp Claws of Death. Knowing he only wanted to Duel, I rubbed his temples to dis-arm him. He was so disgusted with such a looser opponent that he left in a huff and flicked his tail with total disdain.


Outside--

Winter has settled in the Texas hill country for the last week or so. Heavy clouds and fog sit on hill tops--

runs along valleys--

and eases along roads and fence lines--

I've driven quite a bit through the hill country over the last week and even in darkness the fog and mist seem to be a comfort. Although I am not fond of grey days and cold one bit, no sir, not me, I have somehow accepted (to a degree and ) this Winter. Maybe I'm getting older, maybe I've just realized that with weather you just have to endure. Eventually spring will come. Eventually the lows will be in the 70s and the highs will be 90 and above... kind of like labor with the end result of delivery being a sweet bouncing baby... then there's summer like a gnarly, mouthy, hormonal teen-ager; and winter like a, well, tired middle aged mother.... ooooooooh that went somewhere I didn't expect!!!

Traveling this past week, driving down a long highway, I came upon this youngster on a telephone pole. Several minutes after I pulled over to photograph her, she decided enough was enough.


She skreed when as she flew and I got THE SHOT.

Not bad for a tired middle aged mother.... in winter.