There certainly are some strange creatures here… (this was at the National Aquarium in DC, not to be confused with the larger one in Baltimore).
spotted eel from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
skinny eel from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
seahorses from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
upside down fish from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
Even animals can be addicted to bad behaviors. Case in point: Molly loves to lick tape and Missy enjoys chewing plastic.
cat eating tape from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
cat chewing plastic heat pad from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
I come across a fair share of dogs waiting in cars for their owners (sometimes with them too). Other than the pair of dogs I saw hanging out together in the front seats of a car, here are some others I’ve noted:
This one was waiting for its owner to get lunch at Panera Bread. I was pretty startled when it barked at me fiercely!
This one was waiting with its owner for someone to come out of the Hertz rental return. I was shocked to see such a large dog staring at me.
This one was waiting for its owner to get packages from the rental office. It was so calm and still.
Around dinnertime, the cats are sure to let you know they’re ready to be fed. Listen to the forlorn little meow that Missy uses to guilt you into feeding her early!
cats waiting for food from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
It’s been raining a lot here lately and the crisp freshness of the air after a wet day reminds me of the time right after Sandy swept through Panda’s place in VA. The squirrels had come out in force, frantically eating the food they’d hidden!
squirrel burrowing from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
squirrel in bush from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
squirrels out and about from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
squirrel stashing from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
The legend of the wild parrots in the Arcadia/San Marino/Pasadena area of Los Angeles is a pretty loud (and squeaky) one! Apparently they’re red-lored parrots and they usually fly in large groups, or at least pairs, squawking to each other the whole time. Talk about an alarm you can’t shut off!
flock of parrots squawking from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
pair of parrots flying from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
Every single day that I’m with my cats, my heartstrings get their exercise. The way that they just plop down on me and purr contentedly would make anyone smile. No matter how many times I see them sleeping, playing, or doing other cute things, each time is special. Missy is especially loving and comes to nap by me a few times a day. She gets into some crazy positions that don’t seem comfortable at all, but she appears to love twisting in weird shapes. It makes me want to take pictures of her all day long. Molly’s taken some time to warm up to me, but lately she’s been quite cuddly too, and purrs nonstop when she’s in a good mood. Both of them bring so much joy to my life!
In honor of them, I just had to put together a collage of some of their wonderful pictures. Having pets is truly one of the most rewarding things and I’m particular to cats because they’re adorable yet not needy and they don’t smell (sorry dogs). It’s really true that they help lower your blood pressure – they keep me calm and happy even when I’m going through a tough time. How could you look into those faces as they adore you and not feel your heart open to them?
Click on image for larger view!
There’s an awesome pond filled with ducks for you to feed and play with in my town. Today I stopped by to find this brave fellow, who let me get within arm’s reach! I just had to see if I could actually touch him and I loved it. He’s so soft!! Everyone should try poking a duck too.
i poked a duck from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
Yesterday, my iPhone’s camera started acting up and wouldn’t properly focus. The result was what you might call “soft focus.”
I first noticed it when trying to take pictures of Missy being cute (and trying to take over my laptop).
Subjects within about 6-8 inches came into focus, but anything further got blurry, like the background here.
After testing in daylight and various conditions, I confirmed that it wasn’t any number of factors – just a camera lens having issues.
You know what makes me happy? My adorable cats, sleeping the day away. It brings serenity to my life. 🙂
cat dreaming from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
Sometimes when Missy’s sleeping really soundly, she’ll twitch or move like she’s running or (like in this case) eating.
napping cats from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
