Sizing up the cats -

These cute brothers recently moved in with my friend Vanessa - she went

 to adopt one and ended up with two - they are adorable and it's wonderful

 knowing they are staying together. 

I love all cats. On my first safari trip to Africa in 2010 I was amazed to get this

close to the leopard and took many photos of this beautiful boy in Botswana.

 Sitting quietly in the open vehicle I was able to watch him close by in the tree,

and when he climbed down and walked calmly away along the trail he wasn't

bothered by us at all, thankfully!

On a trip to Kenya in 2015, this young male leopard named Twig

 was seen often during our game drives. . . . . . .

. . . . . . . but this morning I'm with Nala, my neighbor's cat. I can tickle her ears, 

and perhaps have a cuddle, always nice!

We are preparing for our first travel away from home since

the start of the pandemic. It feels odd not having packed a suitcase

in so long. I'll keep you posted.

Photo Challenge ~ Animals

I decided to feature cats for this month's Photo Challenge, subject animals. 

Perhaps my kitties are far removed from the domestic cats we usually enjoy 

photographing, but seeing these splendid animals in their natural habitat raised

my love of cats to a new level. I no longer have a pet cat…but a very special one 

did share my home for 21 years - I still miss her.

Lazy lionesses relaxing at the edge of the trail in Botswana - not at all 

concerned by our close proximity

These photos were taken on my first African safari trip in 2010. 

Needless to say I hardly stopped to take a breath, 

or shut my mouth which stayed open in awe when I 

realized just how close we were to Africa's 'Big Five'.

I took so many photos and realized that if I ever I 

was fortunate to take another safari - and I did 

in 2012 - I would definitely require a DSLR with a 

big lens and a fast speed for capturing wildlife.

For these shots I used that trusty, still loved, 

Olympus SP-590UZ which, although slow, did get 

me some wonderful photos of animals resting 

when not chasing down their next meal!

A young male leopard watching a herd of grazing impala from his tree branch in Botswana

The leopard is my favorite African cat - beauty, 

movement and strength are so amazing. 

Adults have been seen dragging huge kill - such as 

antelope and young giraffe weighing over 

200 lbs - up into trees where they often store their kill 

to feed on for several days.

Elderly male lion relaxing in the afternoon shade in South Africa

The lion has been known as the King of Beasts for 

centuries due to its majestic appearance.  

In more recent times, wild animals have been called 

jungle animals, hence the lion's modern title 

"King of the Jungle".

The majority of lions live however not in jungles but 

on open savannah…the huge grasslands of Africa.

All photos edited in iPhoto and PicMonkey.

Joining Donna's Personal Photo Challenge - always fun and inspirational to those of us who love taking photos no matter our equipment or level of expertise. Remember, we are all photographers in this digital age!

Donna's tips, and participants' excitement at sharing their great pics, add to making this a great time enjoyed by us all - so join in if you're not already part of this monthly challenge…..we'd love to see your fabulous photos.