For the last 20 years or so I've been living in apartments that don't allow pets, so I don't have any personal cute critters to show you. I do, however, get shots of other people's pets from time to time. Here are a few.
This is the cat who lives next door to the Clifton Burying Ground, a colonial-era cemetery at the corner of Thomas and Golden Hill Streets, up the hill behind the Newport Public Library. The charm of this particular graveyard is that it sits amidst a bunch of neighboring backyard gardens; this kitty belongs to one of those backyards, and often greet visitors to the cemetery. She often accompanies me on my crawls through the place, getting head-on views of the gravestones. She's probably wondering what this crazy human is up to.
This is Rocco, looking adoringly at his mistress (who let me tell you is well worth adoring!). This was taken at King Park on the south end of Newport Harbor, where Rocco and his lady are frequent visitors. When the summer concert series in the park is in full swing the two of them are always in attendance.
You've seen this one recently, but I had to include it here - a Golden Retriever getting a ride on his master's sit-on-top kayak at Belmont beach on the Cliff Walk.
And last but not least, Hitty's Kitties. My friend Virginia inherited these three from a co-worker (named Donna Hittie, hence the name) who died earlier this year. They are, from left to right: Merlin, Dolly, and Serafina.Okay, on to the videos... I couldn't help myself; for a theme about pets, I just had to include one of the cartoon episodes of America's favorite domestic duo - Tweety and Sylvester.
The song that popped into my head as soon as I saw what the theme would be was Jerry Leiber and Mile Stoller's "Hound Dog". But not the Elvis version. Nope, I want to go with the original version of this by Big Mama Thornton, for whom Leiber and Stoller wrote it. So here's Miz Willie Mae in all her glory!
And last but not least... Who doesn't know about Andrew Lloyd Weber's Broadway-musicalization of T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Yes, I'm talking about Cats, but I promise not to post a clip of "Memory"; I'm not that cruel! However, I do want to send this one out to my friends Ina and Kevin in memory of Gus, their sort-of resident feral cat who didn't come back from his Winter wanderings this year. So here you go, guys - "Gus: The Theater Cat". Enjoy!
Photos & text © 2007, 2008, & 2010 by A. Roy Hilbinger
I Thought I Saw A Putty-Cat!
ReplyDeleteAw. Tony beat me to the Puddy Cat comment!!
ReplyDeleteah, roy apartments that don't allow pets....you poor, poor thing!! my heart aches for you! tis a requirement for where we rent!
ReplyDeletewe almost moved last year as our landlady got into some stint about emma's dog visiting us - and she told us that we were not to have pitbulls on the premises; we told her that we'd be moving, she obviously doesn't know anything about the breed and that she was simply buying into the anti-breed propaganda - guess the thought of having 'good tenants' leave made her quickly change her mind.... she isn't anti-pet as the person other flat in the house has an approved dog... and there were dogs before lin moved in...any animal can be nasty as any person can be if brought up to be so.....of course a pitbull that raised to be mean is something to fear, but a pitbull raised lovingly and properly is in my book can be the sweetest most faithful friend their can be.
Oh, Roy.......gorgeous photos, as usual.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you can't have a pet.....my latest blog details some of the joys (?).
you can't even have fish?
ReplyDeletepet rock?
:)
shame about pets and apartments. You'd think they'd allow at least a cat. Great shots as always and I can almost feel Rocco's 'slobber'. Then sometimes other people's pets are best, all the fun and none of the responsibility. I'm imagining you crawling among headstones now! Surprised you haven't been arrested! Hahaha!
ReplyDeleteThanks folks!
ReplyDeleteTony & Willow - Now, now! It's Puddy-Tat, as in "I tought I taw a puddy-tat! I did! I did tee a puddy-tat!"
Kim - I know what you mean; pit bulls have been some of the sweetest dogs I've known. Unfortunately in urban and semi-urban areas bullies are raised to be status symbols by young swaggerers, and those dogs are about as mean as they get, hence the reputation.
Betsy - Fish? Nah! In my mind fish are for eating, not petting!
Baino - My current landlady, who has held that title for 10 years now, is an old peasant woman from southern Italy who has that region's superstitious fear of felines; I've actually seen her go into a spitting frenzy chasing a neighbor's cat out of the back yard. As for crawling after pictures... Well, so far nobody's freaked out over me in a cemetery, but I've often been asked if I were hurt or sick when I've been on my belly going for a macro shot of wee flowers. Yes, there are people in Newport who consider me one of the city's "characters".
"I promise not to post a clip of "Memory"; I'm not that cruel!"
ReplyDeleteBless you, friend!
And thanks for Big Mama's version of "Hound Dog." Most people probably thought E;vis' version was the original... like they think Chubby Checker invented the Twist.
Drat... I often hit the semi-colon key instead of the "L" key beside it, when I type in the dark!
ReplyDeleteI read 'Old Possum's Book' instead of mother Goose to my children! Great meander. Happy TT. -J
ReplyDeleteIt's "tawt" I "taw" a puddy tat. Just sayin'.
ReplyDelete:)
cats are cute!
ReplyDeleteNiiiice pick on the Big Mama Thornton tune! Hadn't seen the kayaking dog tho'; cool :)
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you can't have pets! I'm glad you have some charming surrogate pets in the neighborhood to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the Sylvester cartoon (there is something so charming about the old cartoons made without benefit of computer graphics!) and Hound Dog.
This was a most enjoyable take on pets from a guy without one.
your photos are brilliant!! loved the music too! great post!
ReplyDeletehi i am donna's cousin from indiana thaks for taking care and giving them a decent home jim
ReplyDelete