Sep 28, 2012
Posh Pets is back with another instalment of Project 52 with Beautiful Beasties! This week, our challenge was to do a little “street photography” by producing an image that showed a little more of its surroundings and was more documentary in nature.
We met this little guy on the street, gamely sitting on his balcony. He lives on one of the prettiest streets in Haifa, Israel, in the German Colony and seemed to be enjoying the peace and quiet of this particular morning. I loved how the morning light hit him just so…and so I snuck an image (or two or three or more).
If you haven’t followed us before, here is the deal…this is a blog circle of pet photographers who each interpret the theme in their own way. So, please go and check out our newest member StinkDog Photos in Denver, CO and see what she found on the ‘street’ this week! And then continue all the way around until you end up with Posh Pets!
Sep 27, 2012
A few days ago we spent some time in Caesarea, specifically amongst the ancient ruins that date from King Herod’s time. The views of the Mediterranean Sea were stunning and it was somewhat overwhelming to stand on the remains of what was, at one time, the busiest port and to imagine what life was like. Today, Caesarea has been revitalized with art and jewellery stores together with some amazing restaurants where you can sit and enjoy the view.
One thing we did notice as soon as we got there was that there seemed to be a lot of cats enjoying the view (and the friendly pats from the tourists!) as well. The first one we met was Tommy, as the staff told us. A seemingly homeless cat who had a name and looked as good as he did…well, we knew that there had to be someone caring for him. A little while later, we noticed a sign with an arrow saying, “Cat’s Corner”. We couldn’t resist and so off we went to explore a bit. We came upon a little shop named Cat’s Corner just as it was evidently supper time. For there was the shop keeper banging a spoon on a table and feeding a group of cats.
In speaking with her, she told me the story. She currently cares for approximately 30 cats who have all come from abusive environments. Caesarea has become somewhat of a refuge for these homeless kitties. Sometimes people just abandon them on the property for her to care for. Which is a better option than what others do. She has an arrangement with a kindly veterinarian who comes once a week, on a volunteer basis, to check up on them and to ensure that everyone is happy and healthy. And she tries to educate people that cats are loving creatures who should be treated kindly. Unfortunately, she explained, Israeli children seem to “come out from the womb kicking cats” and thus, most cats are scared of people.
Her store has all kinds of cat-related items and she uses 10% of her profits toward the upkeep of her growing brood. She also gladly takes donations which one can place in a little basket. Although, for a time, they thought someone was stealing the money as some would go missing every day. It wasn’t until they made a point of watching very carefully that they found out who the thief was…the very same Tommy that we met!
So, should you ever be in Israel, be sure to take in the views of Caesarea and visit Cat’s Corner…there will probably be more than 30 cats by then!
Here is the famous Tommy…
This beautiful boy has a bit of a bald line on his flank. The reason? Someone wanted him away from their restaurant and so threw hot oil on him! He was in agony, but has been nursed back to health in Caesarea and continues to seek out cuddles and gentle pets from people.
This is Tiger who is still a bit shy of people but will watch you with great interest from afar.
Sep 19, 2012
Look at this little furry face I met yesterday! Soya is 2 years old and comes to work with her Dad. Her job is to greet the visitors as they go through the booth at Ein Gedi, Israel. (Which, by the way, is gorgeous and a fabulous opportunity to view some waterfalls, swim in the pools and generally enjoy an oasis in the barren desert!) On this particular day, it was HOT. Not a cloud in the sky and 42 degree weather…perfect weather for a swim. But not so perfect if you are a dog with hair. And, so we met Soya, resting in the shade of the booth and ready for her close-up!