Browse ›
An older woman paints at an easel in a backyard while a tortoiseshell cat sleeps on the ground beside her. 10 / 27

Maple Napped in the Dirt Beside Grandma's Garden Easel

AI imagetortoiseshell catpaintinggarden

A small easel stands among flowerpots in the backyard, and Grandma works at it with a fine brush, her gray hair pinned up and her glasses on. Washing hangs on the line behind her, and paint tubes and a mixing palette lie on the ground nearby. On the packed earth at her feet, Maple the tortoiseshell cat is curled in a deep sleep, her chin on the ground and her swirled coat blending with the fallen leaves. The canvas is a soft study of green foliage. A faint breeze lifts the corner of a drying cloth, and the whole yard seems at ease.

Cats are famous for sleeping up to sixteen hours a day, and a warm, quiet garden is a favorite spot. A sunny patch is ideal, but make sure there is shade available and fresh water nearby. Art supplies, though, are a different matter. Many paints, solvents, and cleaning fluids can be harmful if licked or swallowed, so store them securely and wipe up any spills. If your cat gets into something unusual, call your vet right away.

Maple does not have a single concern in the world right now. Grandma paints quietly, glancing down occasionally with a smile. Some afternoons are made for creativity and rest in equal parts. Neither of them is in any rush at all.

The canvas will dry, and the cat will stretch.

More from this collection

All 27 →
A smiling silver-haired woman holds a fishing rod on a wooden dock while a tortoiseshell cat sits beside her.Grandma Cast Her Line Off the Dock and Maple Kept WatchA silver-haired woman reads a folded letter while a tortoiseshell cat rests on her knees.Grandma Reread an Old Letter While Maple Slept on Her Knees
A woman reaches for an apple on a tree while a tortoiseshell cat sniffs the red apples lying on the ground.Grandma Reached for a Ripe Apple While Maple Inspected the GroundA silver-haired woman sits in a wooden rocking chair beside a tortoiseshell cat asleep on a cushion near yarn.A Sleeping Tortoiseshell and Grandma's Rocking Chair, Side by SideA smiling silver-haired woman holds the raised paw of a tortoiseshell cat on a patterned rug.Grandma Taught Maple to Shake Paws and the Cat Played AlongA woman in a cream cardigan plays checkers on a porch table while a tortoiseshell cat rests her chin beside the board.Maple Rested Her Chin on the Table While Grandma Planned Her Next Move