Claudia — Page 1373

Outdoors at the Cottage & the Power of a Good Book

July 5, 2013 at 7:45 am by Claudia

coneflower

The very first of my many purple coneflowers has bloomed. Coneflowers are in every garden bed around here and since they’ve gratifyingly reseeded themselves, they’re cropping up in some unexpected places, as well. I just love them. They are very cottage garden to me.

I’ve finished all the Deborah Crombie books except the very newest, which is in hardcover. I’m going through a little period of mourning. I find myself unable to commit to any of the other books that are sitting around here, ready and waiting to be read. This happens to me rarely, but it sure has happened with this series. I’ve grown to love the characters so much that I feel as if dear next-door neighbors have moved away. I want to hang out with these characters, to have tea with them in their home in London – I want to be their friend. I’ve been pressing my nose against their fictional windowpane and I want in!

Does that ever happen to you? Does a book or a series of books so enthrall you that you find yourself wanting to live in that world? It’s sort of a mixed blessing, but it certainly attests to the power of the well written word.

hostabloom

The hostas are sending up their flowers and will soon be blooming.

I went out in the early morning yesterday and mowed part of the lawn. It’s growing so fast because of all the rain we’ve had and I knew that with the 90 degree/90% humidity forecast for the day I had better get cracking early. Totally exhausting, this weather. I did get a nice chunk done and I’ll do some more today. But only in bits. Because this weather, which has hung on for days and days, is not the best or healthiest in which to do any chores. Don, my poor guy, is in a dorm with no air conditioning. The actors are miserable. It’s hard to sleep. Yesterday, he was scheduled for only a costume fitting, so he went to see a play in the afternoon and a movie in the evening, just to be in someplace air conditioned.

I would not be coping nearly as well as he is. I hate humidity.

lavender

The lavender planted in the raised bed by the kitchen door.

garden

The bee balm has spread this year and its splash of red really adds to the garden.

beebalm

See that wheelbarrow in the upper right hand corner of the photo? Several weeks ago, I lifted it and noticed a small ant hill under it. I lifted it yesterday and gasped out loud. There is a veritable city there. Look:

anttown1

Do you believe this? It’s fascinating. It reminds me of ancient pueblos or those Indian dwellings carved into stone in the Southwest. How do they do it?

Good thing I don’t have to use the wheelbarrow at the moment.

Happy Friday.

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Nineteen Years Ago

July 4, 2013 at 8:02 am by Claudia

Nineteen years ago today, I was in the midst of my first full summer in San Diego. I was working at the University of San Diego and the Old Globe Theater. In those days, the Globe employees and actors were like a big family. One of the actresses had a home in Ocean Beach and she always had a big party on the Fourth that everyone was invited to.

That morning, I stood in the kitchen in my wonderful apartment (a kitchen with all the original circa 1930 tile counters and backsplash and fabulous wooden cupboards) and I whipped up a batch of guacamole. My dear friend Rick picked me up and out we drove to the beach. The atmosphere was festive and fun and many of the actors I was currently working with were there. Lots of laughter and good food.

There was this guy there. He was an actor. I had seen him in a production the previous summer when I flew out to San Diego for my job interview. I remembered him and I remembered how good he was. He had just been made an Associate Artist a few weeks earlier and was cast in a show that I wasn’t coaching. Anyway, I knew who he was. He didn’t know who I was.

As the afternoon went on, I noticed that every time I came inside the house, he was watching me. Catching my eye. And smiling. This went on for a few hours. Hmmmm. I was intrigued. Finally, though I am pretty shy, I decided to bite the bullet and I walked up to him and introduced myself. We had a lovely chat. Rick was right there, as well. There’s a picture of the three of us on the sofa that was taken by another actor. He sent it to me many years ago. It captures that first meeting, that first talk.

I guess we were flirting. Slightly.

Later that evening as all of us sat on the beach watching fireworks, I looked in his direction and his eyes met mine and we smiled at each other. I was glad that Rick drove, because as we made our way home, I was able to sit back in my seat and think about this interesting guy I had just met. And think I did. I was just a wee bit smitten.

Four years later, to the day, that guy asked me to marry him.

So, yes, it’s the Fourth of July but what we celebrate around here is the anniversary of the day we met.

Happy Anniversary, sweetheart.

busriders

Happy Fourth of July.

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Milkweed Blooms

July 3, 2013 at 7:48 am by Claudia

Recently, while mowing the back forty, I caught the whiff of a lovely scent. Hmmm, I thought. What the heck could be blooming back here? The area surrounding the grass is comprised of our woods and lots of wild plants or, for lack of a better word, weeds.

No…plants.

As I looked more closely, I realized the scent came from the blooms on the milkweed that grows everywhere. I’ve been here eight years and this is the first time I have noticed any flowers on the milkweed. Obviously, they’ve been there – I just haven’t ‘seen’ them.

milkweed1

Oh my goodness. Aren’t they lovely? A delicate pale pinky lavender with perfect little flowers. They remind me of the flowers in a millefiori paperweight.

milkweed2

How can I not have noticed these before? Was I so focused on mowing that I didn’t look around me?

I kept leaning in to catch a whiff of their delicate, lovely scent.

milkweed3

Milkweed is such an interesting plant. The big, broad leaves look almost tropical to me. The flowers are gorgeous and then, to top it all off, those fabulous pods develop in the fall. It grows wild here and I’m happy it does.

milkweed4

See?

blackberries

We also have lots of raspberries up there.

I leave them for the deer. They need them more than I do.

I have to take the car in for a re-alignment this morning and then run some errands. Today is my sister Meredith’s birthday. Most likely, she won’t tell you about it, that’s just her way. But if you read her blog as well as mine, you might want to stop by and wish her a Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday, beloved sister of mine. May your day be filled with happiness and love. You deserve all that and much, much more.

The winner of a copy of The Execution of Noa P. Singleton is Melanie of Comfy House! Congratulations, Melanie. Drop me an email with your mailing address.

Happy Wednesday.

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Outdoors at the Cottage & the Power of a Good Book

Nineteen Years Ago

Milkweed Blooms

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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