Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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The Garden

April 8, 2010 at 10:52 am by Claudia

Yesterday it was 89 degrees here. Yikes. Today it will be at least 80 degrees. Then the temperatures will fall to the normal 60 degree range over the weekend. One perk of the unseasonably warm weather is in the garden. Plants are growing by leaps and bounds. I’m thrilled because that means I get to see some action here before I leave in a little over a week. There is much more going on than there was last year at this time.





Yes! This last photo is of my little lilac bush – planted 2 years ago. I didn’t get to see any blooms last year because I was on the west coast. Don, bless his heart, took some photos and sent them to me. Maybe it will be more fully in bloom before I go.

Next week I will mulch the gardens and plant some pots for the porch and the patio. Then I will give detailed instructions to Don: when to water, how often to water, what weeds to pull. I would much rather be doing all this myself – I get such joy from it. Oh well – it is what it is.


The hyacinths are getting top-heavy…I’ll plant them outside next week. I retrieved these silver candlesticks from my hutch today. They were given to us as a wedding present from our beloved friend Craig who died last weekend. He was such a lovely man. His home in San Diego was absolutely wonderful – quirky, beautiful, full of memorabilia. And he had the most wonderful, lush tropical gardens. His taste was impeccable. These beautifully tarnished pieces will be a wonderful reminder of our lovely friend.

Filed Under: garden 20 Comments

Ta Dah!

April 7, 2010 at 9:45 am by Claudia


My first bunny sighting – shot through the kitchen window screen. This is a little guy! I love, love seeing the bunnies on the property – they have a home in our woods. I also saw one of the groundhogs/woodchucks who live under our shed. He was dining on our grass – they are vegetarians, did you know? Just like me.

I finished the last 3 squares last night:


Left to right: an egg cup with an egg, McCoy pottery with yellow roses and forsythia, and my initials and the year.

Here’s the whole 39 (really 40) Squares project:


I’m going to try and get a better photo but this will do for now. What fun this was – I’m already thinking of stitching one with Don in mind. I’m also doing Teresa McFayden’s Freestyle Embroidery EZine, but I will hold off working on that until I am in San Diego. Yes, embroidery floss and sewing basket will be packed up and shipped to San Diego. I have to have something to work on and I think these little embroidery projects are the perfect creative outlet.

I think I will take my 39 Squares project with me. It reminds me of home and everything I love. Perhaps I can find a frame at one of my favorite shops.

Some of you have asked why I will be away so long and why San Diego. I will be the Voice/Speech/Dialect coach for the Shakespeare Summer Repertory at the Old Globe for the third year in a row. I will be out in San Diego for 10 weeks. A long time – but not as long as last year, when I also taught for a semester – that involved a six month stay. Don and I used to live in San Diego – I worked at the Globe for eight years. I have many friends there, as well as Don’s family. Nevertheless, I still don’t want to leave Don, Scout, Riley and MHC.

I will be blogging from what I call MHC West – sharing some of my favorite antique stores and barn sales. Oh, there is so much eye candy out there!

I’m off to pack some boxes for shipping to San Diego.

Filed Under: animals, San Diego, stitchalong 33 Comments

Hyacinths & Squares 35, 36 & 37

April 5, 2010 at 12:04 pm by Claudia


Such a pretty hyacinth! And the scent is heavenly. Thank you so very much for your lovely, supportive comments on our recent losses. It has been a tough time for us, as well as for many others who loved these wonderful men. Don has lost the 3 most important men in his life in the last year. It sometimes doesn’t seem real…I suspect this is a natural coping mechanism. One can only process so much at a time.

I hope your Easter was happy. The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous. I’ve been working out in the yard, trying to get everything ready before I leave for San Diego on April 17th. Then I have to leave my gardens just as everything gets ready to bloom. I’ve decided that this will be the last time I leave for such a long time in the Spring. Gardening is one of my greatest pleasures and I waited many years to have my own garden. This will be the 3rd year in a row that I’ve been gone at this time of year. By the time I return in July, many of the spring flowers will be gone.

I played catch-up on the 39 squares project this morning. I’m actually stitching 40 squares so I did three this morning. Two of them are combined.


In honor of Spring – my favorite Spring flower, the tulip.


Home = Heart. Only three more to go!

Have a wonderful Monday.

Filed Under: Easter, stitchalong, thanks 23 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

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