Christmas to the pets in our household means Mr Big snoozing throughout the day under our bed in the far corner after having pigged out on his Christmas dinner, PF being mesmerised by the Christmas lighting we picked up from Ikea at the last minute, and Wiggley having all the cherries to himself.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Season's Greetings
I was told a long time ago (and am still being reminded constantly) never work with children or animals.
Well, this year’s Christmas shoot has proven that the guinea pig is the pro! Wiggley is also the oldest amongst the remaining furballs we consider as kids in our household. (Ginger would have put the cats in their places). At least the cats didn’t mind wearing a Christmas collar for the shoot.
2 more sleeps to Christmas!
Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year!
Thank you all for your constant support. Have a safe holiday.
In the meantime, here are some behind-the-scenes shots that I saved for this post that included my faithful staff assisting me with the shoot:
Well, this year’s Christmas shoot has proven that the guinea pig is the pro! Wiggley is also the oldest amongst the remaining furballs we consider as kids in our household. (Ginger would have put the cats in their places). At least the cats didn’t mind wearing a Christmas collar for the shoot.
2 more sleeps to Christmas!
Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year!
Thank you all for your constant support. Have a safe holiday.
In the meantime, here are some behind-the-scenes shots that I saved for this post that included my faithful staff assisting me with the shoot:
Monday, December 20, 2010
We made it!
We made it — after having packed and moved close to 50 boxes, big and small. I won’t even try to make an image of the stuff I have to move; it’s just too depressing!
Anyway, the boys didn’t pack their own stuff. The cats did wonder about the fuss and hid when the removalists appeared. I must say they coped very well with it over the last 3 weeks.
It’s our second day at home in Potts Point and I must say the cats adapted pretty well. We don’t have access to a private garden like we used to but PF and Mr Big still get to visit the old place during the day.
Wiggley is doing just fine. Sometimes I wonder if he misses Ginger. He seems to understand the change we are going through at the moment.
I can’t wait to explore my new neighbourhood! Later!
Anyway, the boys didn’t pack their own stuff. The cats did wonder about the fuss and hid when the removalists appeared. I must say they coped very well with it over the last 3 weeks.
It’s our second day at home in Potts Point and I must say the cats adapted pretty well. We don’t have access to a private garden like we used to but PF and Mr Big still get to visit the old place during the day.
Wiggley is doing just fine. Sometimes I wonder if he misses Ginger. He seems to understand the change we are going through at the moment.
I can’t wait to explore my new neighbourhood! Later!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Tribute to my boy
It has been a week since Ginger had left us.
In the mid of moving to our new home, Ginger passed away peacefully in his sleep on 10th December 2010, around 9.30pm. I remember checking up on the boys half hour before that. I guess he just wanted to leave quietly.
His sudden departure is still a shock to us all at home, including his companion, Wiggley. It took me a week to come to terms with not having Ginger for this Christmas, for my wedding next February, and for the years to come. Thanks to Petrest for their sensitivity and help.
This post is a tribute to my boy. He was full of life and sass. In his 5 years and 7.5 months, Ginger probably outdid any ambitious corporate achiever. He’s the guinea pig who shared a blog with Wiggley. He traveled between two homes in the last year and even travelled to Alpine in the Southern Highlands for one Christmas.
Ginger was the wise one. He helped us stay focused, I think - kept us earthbound and reminded us of what was important. He’s taught me about patience, love and kindness. He gave me so much joy in photographing him that he inspired me to photograph other pets. He had a sense of fun too. Ginger loved Baroque and Hard rock music. He had perfect pitch because he would not hesitate to let me know when I was out of tune practising the cello. Also he could squeak till the cows came home!
Amongst his companions were cats Matilda, Mr Big and PF, chooks Naomi, Laura and Dora, a Yorkshire Terrier named Princess (we dog-sat for some time), not to mentioned the Magpies and Currawongs in our neighbourhood. When we fostered two other rescued guinea pigs, Ginger was their leader and taught them to socialise with other guinea pigs and humans. He boarded at the then Australian Cavy Sanctuary branch in Wollongong and with Uncle Vinnie while we travelled overseas.
He survived two surgeries to remove his tumours. He loved his strawberries, cherries, parsley, and was very interested in his vegie garden which was a ceramic pot of herbs. Ginger was most curious about the products I purchased, especially his bedding made of recycling paper.
He let me dress him up in silly Christmas hats. He loved to play hide-and-seek and ‘follow the leader’ (it’s a guinea pig’s game, where two or more guinea pigs form a train and they follow the leader anywhere s/he goes).
Every year, he participated in Earth Day, watched Eurovision and the New Year’s Eve fireworks on tele. He even didn’t mind following two of the Australian elections and I suspect he voted for Kevin Rudd and was an admirer of President Obama. He paid tribute to Michael Jackson. Ginger met his fair share of human friends - who adored and loved him to bits.
He has watched many movies and TV shows with me: all 6 HP movies made during his time; all of Wallace and Grommet's series (his all time favourite); Peter and the Wolf; E.T.; G-Force; Caved In (that he lost interest in half way through); 60 seconds and many more.
I am missing his constant supervision of my knitting project, his big beadie eyes, punk rocker hair style, and his big and generous personality. I hope he had a good life with us.
He’s one little guy whose spirit will always be with us, close to my heart.
Here’s a compilation of some of Ginger’s life with us - images that I have made since 2004.
In the mid of moving to our new home, Ginger passed away peacefully in his sleep on 10th December 2010, around 9.30pm. I remember checking up on the boys half hour before that. I guess he just wanted to leave quietly.
His sudden departure is still a shock to us all at home, including his companion, Wiggley. It took me a week to come to terms with not having Ginger for this Christmas, for my wedding next February, and for the years to come. Thanks to Petrest for their sensitivity and help.
This post is a tribute to my boy. He was full of life and sass. In his 5 years and 7.5 months, Ginger probably outdid any ambitious corporate achiever. He’s the guinea pig who shared a blog with Wiggley. He traveled between two homes in the last year and even travelled to Alpine in the Southern Highlands for one Christmas.
Ginger was the wise one. He helped us stay focused, I think - kept us earthbound and reminded us of what was important. He’s taught me about patience, love and kindness. He gave me so much joy in photographing him that he inspired me to photograph other pets. He had a sense of fun too. Ginger loved Baroque and Hard rock music. He had perfect pitch because he would not hesitate to let me know when I was out of tune practising the cello. Also he could squeak till the cows came home!
Amongst his companions were cats Matilda, Mr Big and PF, chooks Naomi, Laura and Dora, a Yorkshire Terrier named Princess (we dog-sat for some time), not to mentioned the Magpies and Currawongs in our neighbourhood. When we fostered two other rescued guinea pigs, Ginger was their leader and taught them to socialise with other guinea pigs and humans. He boarded at the then Australian Cavy Sanctuary branch in Wollongong and with Uncle Vinnie while we travelled overseas.
He survived two surgeries to remove his tumours. He loved his strawberries, cherries, parsley, and was very interested in his vegie garden which was a ceramic pot of herbs. Ginger was most curious about the products I purchased, especially his bedding made of recycling paper.
He let me dress him up in silly Christmas hats. He loved to play hide-and-seek and ‘follow the leader’ (it’s a guinea pig’s game, where two or more guinea pigs form a train and they follow the leader anywhere s/he goes).
Every year, he participated in Earth Day, watched Eurovision and the New Year’s Eve fireworks on tele. He even didn’t mind following two of the Australian elections and I suspect he voted for Kevin Rudd and was an admirer of President Obama. He paid tribute to Michael Jackson. Ginger met his fair share of human friends - who adored and loved him to bits.
He has watched many movies and TV shows with me: all 6 HP movies made during his time; all of Wallace and Grommet's series (his all time favourite); Peter and the Wolf; E.T.; G-Force; Caved In (that he lost interest in half way through); 60 seconds and many more.
I am missing his constant supervision of my knitting project, his big beadie eyes, punk rocker hair style, and his big and generous personality. I hope he had a good life with us.
He’s one little guy whose spirit will always be with us, close to my heart.
Here’s a compilation of some of Ginger’s life with us - images that I have made since 2004.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Jelly bean
The shape of Wiggley's body in this shot reminds me of a jelly bean.
When I'm lurking behind him, he often turns around and checks if I'm watching his back. Not that he has anything to fear.
When I'm lurking behind him, he often turns around and checks if I'm watching his back. Not that he has anything to fear.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The dirty spot
It's officially Summer in Sydney. Yet we have been having almost non-stop rain for the last two days. I'm not complaining. I like the rain. I like cold weather.
Back to my series on Wiggley — a continuation from my last post.
Apart from his crest (and his sizeable derriere), there are a few other things I like about this particular guinea pig.
I like his nose. I like to run my finger along the front of his nose and down in between his whiskers to his upper lip. It feels spongey and velvety. Wiggley always goes into this 'translike' state whenever I do that.
I also like the marking on his left nostril that I affectionately call the dirty spot.
{ISO 500 | f/2.8 | 1/200 }
Back to my series on Wiggley — a continuation from my last post.
Apart from his crest (and his sizeable derriere), there are a few other things I like about this particular guinea pig.
I like his nose. I like to run my finger along the front of his nose and down in between his whiskers to his upper lip. It feels spongey and velvety. Wiggley always goes into this 'translike' state whenever I do that.
I also like the marking on his left nostril that I affectionately call the dirty spot.
{ISO 500 | f/2.8 | 1/200 }
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