Walking with Cats: Postcards
My head is like a fallow field. And so I went for a walk, and in doing so, the going out with myself also became a going in. Up the muddy lane we walked, Pi and The White Cat, Fishheads and me. Step by step and paw by paw, until we came to the top. And I want to make a set of postcards of our walk for a friend of mine and so I thought I might offer up sets, incase anyone else might be interested.
Depending on how many people are there will be either 10 sets, or 20. One I will keep, one will be a gift for a friend who loved my gingercats, especially Elmo, when they walked with me. These walks became a book called Cat Walk.https://www.solvawoollenmill.co.uk/cat-walk-jackie-morris
So, the sets of cards would be 50 cards in a box; 25 images, 2 of each design, so, one to keep and one to send. They would be £50, which works out as £1 a card, and I would include, with each box, a folded, printed and signed story of that particular walk. It will take two or three weeks for them to be made, but if you wish to buy a set leave a comment below and I will get in touch with you, or email me to reserve your set. ( As I say, the maximum will be 20 of this walk. 12 April, morning. I will give a flavour of the images and words below, but the piece that comes with the cards will be more in keeping with notes made on the walk, step by step, paw by paw.)
We walked through the mud, up to the top of the hill, where the wind blew.
A pilgrimage to Ivy’s stone, then on and up to find a place where a cat might warm their fur in the shadow of the wind, and watch the sea and the light shift over the land.
Paw by paw, step by step. The foxgloves are rising, the squill begins to bloom and the gorse is making the air taste beautiful.
Regal, wild, watching, listening. Lark song and the wind over land.
I’d forgotten how much Fishheads likes pens as I rested a while to take all in, and out at sea gannets hunted and porpoise cut through the skin of the sea.
Through all the wind the blossom still clings tight to the thorn trees, stunted by sea winds.
Small in the landscape, the cats blended with the living coats of the stones.
Back home The White Cat ate up all his food then curled into dreams.
I’ve changed the cats food, from the packets of Whiskas to a food that is delivered to the door. It’s called Katkin, and its 100% meat, and I have to say the cats are really thriving on it. I was so impressed that I thought I might approach the company to see if we could be ‘ambassadors’ for them, but then decided that, no, I don’t really want that kind of connection. Somehow it seems more honest simply to say, my cats are thriving on this food. They have all increased in weight. They no longer beg all the time for food and yet get skinny. They seem more contented. They hunt less ( huge bonus), are more settled and less antsy. There’s no waste as they eat it all. The White Cat, as well as increasing weight, seems more comfortable in his joints, is walking better. It’s been a big investment, as I had to buy a freezer ( 3 cats is a lot of storage space for cat food) But I really do think it has been worth it. And it’s great to be able to say this without the added incentive of being sponsored by the company. It’s enough for me that the cats health seems to be much improved. So, instead of being sponsored by the cat food company I thought the cats might earn their cat food through these postcards. If you are interested then leave me a comment and I will be in touch. I will also have more things for sale for MSF in the next few days. (Orders have closed on this set now, and they have gone off to print. Only 10 sets this time, but I know the cats will walk again so I have started a list in advance of the next set. Again these will be £50 for 50 cards, and a written account of the walk with each pack.) Need to add postage for overseas. The print run won’t exceed 50 packs…. more likely to be 20. So email me if you want to be included in the next set. Hoping to do some labyrinth ones too….. with images of the stones left in the wild. These will be £50 for 50 cards, or £150 if they include one of the remnants of gold leaf from a stone. )
Below are the first ones packed up and ready to go in the post. They have added cards as a thank you to the people who have been pioneers for this project…. I’ve toyed with the idea of patrion, substack etc…. but I think this suits me better…. so, might end up doing a set a month. Will see. They have with them a piece of writing about the walk.
Meanwhile, through Karen from Ramblings, I was asked to do a couple of ‘tweet of the day’ pieces for Radio 4. The first is being aired on Sunday. It was such a joy to wake in Gateshead to an unusual dawn chorus. I was working ( in Pembrokeshire) on kittiwake, for teh Book of Birds, and was so frustrated that I had to pack up and travel to Gateshead to perform with Spellsongs. I should have been out on the water with Ffion from Falcon Boats, at the kittiwake colony. Instead I was in Gateshead, miles inland. But, here, on inland cliff of The Baltic, was a colony I could stand next to, get close up with the birds. I spent four hours sketching the birds, watching them fly, from the height of their nests. It was wonderful.
Below are some of the sketches from that time and above is a card of one of the paintings for the book. If you’ve time have a listen tomorrow. Such an honour to be asked to do this. The second one is about raven voices.
Also, for more about postcards, and Postcrossings, have a look here.
I would adore one of these packs Jackie. They sound wonderful and will remind my of my girls.
We’ve been feeding our two Maine Coon boys on Katkin for the last year, they love it, and so much better for them than commercial cat food, good to hear of more converts.
they would be great for postcrossing
count me in !
màiri x
Beautiful cats and great idea, count me in!
What beautiful kitties. I would love a set of these cards. Do you ship to the USA?
Jackie, my budget sadly doesn’t permit me to make a purchase now but I so much enjoyed your superb pictures of your gorgeous cats. We have had so many splendid cats but now it’s just Cricket, a two year old persimmon colored cat whose intelligence and curiosity are a joy. Thank you for all you share, another joy.
A fellow Katkin adopter too. Would love a set of cards – what a wonderful idea.
This cards would be great to use for postcrossing!
Do you ship to Belgium?
Count me in !
greetings Maria
Just lovely !
I would love a set of these cards too ! Please let me know when available.
PS We have always had Oriental and Siamese boy cats – I can think of just a few who would walk with you, and many who wouldn’t ! i.e. “herding cats”