I take my flower photos in many different places—the woods, the raised beds, the farm gardens, inside in the rain and cold, and lately, on blistering hot days, I put some in vases and went out to the porch in the shade. Pulling the table out and turning, I can catch the sun in my photos.

Zip, who misses little or nothing, appears magically and mystically whenever I come out with my camera. He very much associates my camera with me, and now, religiously, when I bring the camera out to the table, he humps up and lies down next to me.

(bottom photo, from Maria)

He is careful not to bother me or get too close to the flowers. He waits patiently for some attention, which I give him when I’m done. He often sleeps right next to me.

I always take time to scratch his ears and neck, and more often than not, he sleeps on the table right next to where I am working.

Bud has become my flower photo associate and companion. I love having him there, and his presence gives us something we need. The exciting thing about Zip and other barn cats is that they also treasure his independence and freedom to hunt and work outside.

We are rat and mouse-free again, and the pigeons ruining our hay in the loft are gone. Barn Cats are, first and foremost, barn cats, not pets. They love us when they feel like it and ignore us when they wish. Chasing mice is much more important to them than watching me take photos of flowers, and if he sees anything stirring on the grass, he’s gone, happy to leave me behind.

Zip is not obsessed with Maria or me or bothersome. When I am busy or distracted, he leaves me alone. When he gets some attention, he wanders off like a barn cat, which is to say free, curious, and healthy.

I see him as my flower art colleague. I take better photographs when he is there.

At night, he loves to sleep on the porch or in the hay loft in his barn. He has a heated barn house in the winter but never (maybe once) uses it. Zip would not be Zip, I am sure, if he did not get to make his own decisions and go and hunt where he pleases. More than Ever, I don’t want him to live at night in the house, nor does Maria.

My motto: Let Barn Cats be barn cats, let dogs be dogs.

Some people think that keeping him from the house is cruel.

I’m happy to say to each one of those people I don’t give a shit about what you think; please blow it out of your ass and take it elsewhere.  (thanks for the words, Julz.).

When Zip spots anything unfamiliar or slightly menacing, he immediately disappears and goes to one of his safe-havens.

I told him this morning that he was my official flower associate now; advice and criticism are welcome.