Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Some News & a New Egg Cup

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While out and about looking for a gift the other day, I came across this little egg cup. I’ve posted about my collection, but the truth is I haven’t added to the collection in a long time. They seem to be getting harder and harder to find. So when I saw this goose egg cup, I squealed with delight. It is so charming – it has a made in France stamp on the bottom. And it was only $4.00.

I want to share two things with you. Our niece, Lauren, will be featured on Bang for Your Buck on HGTV tonight at 9:30 pm. She is a realtor in San Diego. We’re so proud of her. She is beautiful, photogenic and very successful in her career. The HGTV people like her so much that she is doing 8 more episodes – she just finished filming her second. I also have to add that she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Congratulations, Lauren!

I am honored to be featured as a Shackster at The Katillac Shack. Kelee told me that the post will be up this evening in time for Pink Saturday and through next week. Heidi of Heart and Home is also featured. Kelee is an amazing person. Her Design Gives Back has done so much for so many. I admire her more than I can say. Please stop by and leave a comment – Kelee has a giveaway planned in conjunction with this and she tells me there just might be a piece of vintage McCoy pottery involved!

The Garden

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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.

Ta Dah!

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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.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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