I stayed indoors much of the day yesterday to give my allergies a break. It helped a great deal. Since it rained all night (right after I had sprayed the plants to keep the deer away, grrr!) I’ll probably wait to do anything else outside until tomorrow.

I did venture out to get the mail and grabbed these pictures.

A bud on the shag hickory.

The lilacs have just started to open. Don told me he got a whiff of their heavenly scent so I had to investigate.

Don had an encounter with Phileas the other day. And we’re sure it’s the same frog this year. Don heard a splash in what we’re calling the Frog Pond, so he went over to investigate. As he stood there patiently, he sang the Phileas song he sang last year. Eventually, Phileas appeared and swam to the side of the culvert, popping up his head to say hi. It made Don’s day.

Started in on the baseboards for the living room. I was having ‘a day’ and couldn’t quite figure out how to mitre the joins in this strangely angled room. My solution? Fudge it. And that’s what I’ve done, if only to save my sanity. In the end, this project is for me. I’ll use a little spackle to cover up any space in the join. I briefly thought about painting the fireplace white, but that seems too matchy for me. I’m going to stain it in pecan, instead.

And lest you think I have things under control, this is the current state of the studio:

It’s a mess. A creative mess, but a mess. This is when I long for a larger space. Ah, well. I just saw some photos of my friend Gwen’s new studio and doll space and I’m incredibly envious!

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

On Wednesday, I mowed the largest part of the front lawn. And then I mowed the Secret Garden. And then…even though I knew I was pretty darned tired, I mowed the lilac side of the front lawn. I did take about a 10 minute break in the middle of it all. That is a lot to mow with a push mower! I felt pretty proud of myself at the age of 73! Later in the day, however, I had a big old allergic reaction. My left nostril felt tingly and I started sneezing. I must have sneezed over 30 times in the next few hours. And it came back yesterday – more tingling, more sneezing. Crazy! Everything is bursting forth all over the property, I’m allergic to grass pollen, lots of mowing = a recipe for discomfort.

Yesterday, I made one last trip to the nursery and came home with two hanging plants and some small plants for two of my vintage pots. They’ll go in the Secret Garden.

I’m only filling two pots this year. The other two vintage pots are now at the porch entrance filled with pansies. I swept the porch, filled some trash bags, and I think the porch is ready to go!

I was determined to finish the wood floor in the Beacon Hill living room, so I went up to the studio. A few hours later, it was done.

It is such finicky and messy work. But it’s what I know and prefer. I watched a video of a guy who is an amazing miniaturist. He does his floors with thin veneer strips. I can see where this might be easier, but the veneer is too perfect and that’s not what I go for, as you well know. I like imperfections and slight gaps here and there between the floorboards – just like our floors here in the cottage. I like things to look old. I will be doing this in other rooms as well. Maybe a different stain color here and there, but this is an “old” house and it should look that way.

Now I start in on the baseboards.

It’s been a busy week. Don has a gig tonight. I may sneak in some back forty mowing when he leaves. Shhh! Don’t tell him.

And I have to sow my zinnia seeds.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.