claudine hellmuth's blog: retro * whimsical art and illustration

key west!

As promised we went to Key West today and I headed straight to the Earnest Hemingway house. I was not there to see the house but to see the famous 6 toed Hemingway cats! I barely spent 5 minutes in the house, all I wanted to do was to see if I could find and cuddle as many of the kitties as possible. Some of them were very snuggly and some of them just wanted to sun bathe, so I didn't bother them. I talked to another tourist who also said she was there just to see the cats too! They are quite the attraction!

Here's Charlie Chaplin, he's the most photographed kitty of all of the 60 Hemingway cats. Not all of the cats at the Hemingway house have the famous 6 toes. But more than 1/2 of them do! Charlie does. The orange cat is Pablo Picasso in the background.

Here's an extreme close up of the toes. So cute!

We did get a few more photos, but I'll download those later. There are also more on the Hemingway House web site!

And a Key West rooster..... they are all over the island and very loud!!! I love them. I want one. I don't think my homeowners assn would approve.

I'm off to bed! Apparently the guys are snorkeling tomorrow. I will not be. I have a terrible fear of fish. Like deathly afraid. I think I was eaten by a fish in another life. I might go kayaking though. We'll see how adventurous I feel.

Labels: travel

:: posted @ 12:09 AM by claudine hellmuth::

COMMENTS:

You must have been related to us in a past-life. Maybe that's why you get on with Cynthia so well. We had relatives get swallowed whole in the Philippines by "giant fish". Sometimes they would mysteriously come back, as was the case with I think one of my mom's cousins. Of course he was an albino afterwards bleached of all pigment and had no hair, but he was alive. Sounds kind of Biblical - I know. But that would explain a fear of fish.

Oh! And it looks like you're having fun! I hope you're enjoying the vacation.

# posted by

Andrew Thornton : 6:22 AM

Hello Claudine,

Thank you for your lovely cat's pictures. You make me smile this morning. :-)
Charlie Chaplin seems to be very comfortable in front of the camera! He's a model for a long time, it shows! ;-)
I understand your fear of the creatures of the sea. Oh yes. :-)
Enjoy the sun and your free time.

Manon from Montreal

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:49 AM

ooo, what a fantastic outing! i would have spent all my time with the kitties too!!

my kitty emma is has 6 toes on her paws. they look like kitty gloves. she can use them to pick up things, like popcorn. it's so cute! :-)

# posted by

Leah : 3:53 PM

Hi Claudine!
What a wonderful vacation! I am so glad you are having a great time!
:) Melissa

# posted by

Archie and Melissa : 10:00 AM

Oh my gosh! How fun! I cannot wait to go to the Keys this summer!!! I can't believe I haven't made it down there yet. I've lived in South Florida for over two years now, you'd think I would have been able to escape down there by now!

Glad you're having a good time!!!

Carmen

# posted by

Carmen : 11:40 AM

Those kitties are so cute!
Love the extra toes, so useful!
And I really don't think the HOA would appreciate the rooster, but he is very colorful and happy looking!
So glad you are finally relaxing!
B-

# posted by

Unknown : 11:02 PM

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# posted by

Anonymous : 12:12 AM