Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Blooming Hostas

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The hostas are blooming.

Not long after I ran outside to take this picture I was in the bathroom and saw a tick on my arm. Don came in and removed it. It had just started attaching itself to my body and I’m pretty sure it was a wood tick – too large for a deer tick. But come on! I walked outside, bent over to take these pictures and bam! A tick!

Later in the day, Don was stung by a bee.

And I mistakenly touched some poison ivy. Fingers crossed I don’t get it. I’ve already dealt with it once this summer.

What the heck???

It is absolutely gorgeous in the gardens right now. It may be the peak time for flowers. I have to drink this in. I spent a lot of time weeding the beds on the far side of the house yesterday, as I’d been ignoring them. I also cleared the beds in front of the shed. I’m late with a lot of the cleanup I’ve been doing over the past week because of  “The Crazy Summer Weather of 2026.” It’s been much nicer for the past few days, so I’ve tried to take advantage of it.

We have rain coming tonight and tomorrow and maybe the next day, so I’m trying to decide whether I should mow the front lawn or just wait until this stretch of rain passes and do it then.

I bit the bullet and removed the exterior of that fireplace on the 3rd floor of the Beacon Hill. Decision made. Now, I’ll fill it in with some foam board so I can wallpaper over it. And I’ll spackle the holes left behind from the removal of the mantel. I repainted the yellow buffet, but today I’m not so sure I like it. I’ll rethink it today.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Flowers and Miniatures

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Early morning light.

It’s Saturday and I’m waking up very slowly. Still drinking my first cup of coffee. I have a brief review session with a client at noon, but other than that, I’m mostly going to hang out with my husband. A bit of work on the dollhouse might be on the agenda.

So far:

I currently have the dollhouse facing the exterior windows in the studio.

I remain on the fence about the built in fireplace on the third floor. I’m very tempted to close it off and wallpaper over it. Frankly, it has bothered me from the beginning. I spent a bit of time yesterday searching for this dollhouse on IG just to see what others had done with it. A lot of people got rid of it. I’m headed in that direction.

I need some kind of wardrobe for the bedroom and bedside tables. And bedding.

I have my eye on an easy chair for the living room. It’s really beautiful but a bit pricey. A refrigerator for the kitchen remains an open question. And I need more than  just the piano in that top floor room.

Why am I not independently wealthy???

Ah well.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Friday in the Garden

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I’ve worked a lot on the property and gardens during the past two days and I’m wiped out. So today is “take it easy” day (though I had yesterday marked as that and I didn’t follow my own instructions.) I’ve pruned and pulled weeds. I mowed the lilac side of the front lawn and all around the shed. Don mowed the corral and the back forty. We’ve been busy. Frankly, it’s been so nice to have somewhat normal weather for the past few days and we know we have to take advantage of it. A real rarity this summer.

From the rear of the big garden bed. I love it when this area fills in with flowers.

I’m realizing that August is around the corner. Once again, another summer is flying by. Time to drink in all this beauty while it’s still here.

Joe update: I texted him the other day. He is in a rehab facility. He said it’s like “boot camp.” They work him very hard and he’s exhausted – 3 to 4 hours a day. His right leg is not responding well. He has a “hematoma that is pressing on a nerve which fires a major muscle,” so the leg is not responding. A possible complication from the ECMO machine. There’s a chance he might go home on Sunday, but he will need outpatient care, and will have to be on a walker with limited movement, but as he said, at least he’ll be home. He has to remind himself how far he’s come. He’s a fighter, my Joe.

Finally, thistle plants spring up around here and one that is just outside the big garden bed is quite formidable.

As you can see, it’s over 7 feet tall. Don is 6’4″.

I like to keep a little wildness in the garden areas. Sometimes, I’ll just let a plant like this flourish because it’s fascinating to observe.

Time for the mundane: laundry.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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