Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Day Fifty-One

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Yesterday was absolutely beautiful – and warm. I spent some time potting flowers and then realized I need to buy another big bag of potting soil. I always underestimate how much I need. In the middle of it all, we took off for the grocery store, picked up our order, drove back home and did all the necessary stuff to bring it in the house. More work on the porch and then inside because my allergies were flaring up.

Oh, but it feels good to be back on the porch, making it pretty. And to see the hostas and coneflowers and day lilies coming up from the ground, getting taller every day. Don is in the midst of a clean up project on the property and is enjoying working outside.

Some lobelia – I used it last year in this pot and I really love the purple and white inside this textured Italian pot.

I’ve potted some of the impatiens, including in the hanging pots. I’ve added plants to the antique English and French pots that I use in the Secret Garden. I’ll get some photos of those soon. Today, I’ll finish with the impatiens that I have on hand and will put the gardenias in the barrels by the Funky Patio. That is, if the potting soil holds out. Probably one more trip to the nursery is on the docket for tomorrow morning.

I’m also working on the other Nancy Drew puzzle. While I wait for the coffee to brew in the morning, I walk over to the kitchen table and add a few more pieces here and there. And then I work on it again in the late afternoon. Another puzzle arrived in yesterday’s mail; “Peonies” by a Japanese artist.

We’re sure enjoying this beautiful weekend. I hope you are, too.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Day Fifty

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First of all, the email versions of my posts have not been going out at the normal time. They’re scheduled to be sent during 11 am – 1 pm EST. But for the past couple of days they’ve gone out after 1 pm. Yesterday, I noticed some of them went out at 4 pm and others at 6 pm! What the???? Anyway, there’s nothing I can do about it. I use Feedburner, which is free. I’m not about to pay for yet another item in regards to this blog. So…I will advise what I always advise: come to the blog directly. Bookmark it in your browser. I always post before 11 am. Always. And if you come here directly, you’re helping to support this blog. It costs money to keep this blog going, money I have to put out every year. This pandemic and the lockdown will also have a negative impact on my ad income, so I’m told, and coming to the blog directly will help me through this time.

Thanks.

Yesterday, in the pouring rain, we went to our local nursery/farm stand.

Masked and ready to go. (Meredith made these masks.)

Despite the rain, there were several people wandering the aisles in the nursery, but everyone had masks on and all of us were good social distancers. Amazingly, everything on my list was there, including impatiens. There are a few other items I want to get eventually, but for now, I’m thrilled. What a difference a week between visits makes.

Don got lots of produce, I got the plants, we met back at the car, used our hand sanitizer, and drove back home. We did the usual washing of hands, produce, sanitizing of packaged goods, washing of hands again and again, etc., etc. etc. All of the plants were brought to the porch, once all signs of impending thunderstorms had passed.

Exhausting, but that is a given.

I’m so looking forward to potting all of my plants but first we have to pick up the other groceries we ordered and go through the sanitizing ritual yet again. Then – I really hope – we’re through with it for a while.

It’s a sunny day today. The temperature is going to reach 70 degrees! After this past week of rain and more rain, we are very grateful.

I started on the new puzzle but I haven’t done much on it yet. Updates to come.

Have a lovely day today and stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Day Forty-Nine

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Finished.

I inserted the last piece in the early afternoon yesterday.

Then I let it sit for 24 hours so I can admire my handiwork! Actually, I keep it there to admire the design of the puzzle itself. These puzzles are so bright and wonderful with all the wonderful cover illustrations. Hard to take a picture of all the detail, especially on a dark and rainy day, but you get the idea.

A close-up of one of the book covers.

And another.

This one is my favorite:

Can you imagine all the young boys who wanted this Detective Handbook? Who wanted to learn about “Authentic detective methods for solving mysteries?” I wonder if I can scout out one of these on the Internet? I’d love to have it to add to Don’s collection. It’s sort of like sending in for decoder ring or a special prize on a cereal box. A special detective handbook!

Such a pleasure working on these puzzles (thank you again, Vicki!) I love doing them, I learn about the books, and I inevitably think I don’t have enough pieces (it happened again,) am faced with the empty space where the last piece should go but I’ve used them all and then…discover it on the floor. This happened to me with both puzzles.

It rained all night long – very, very heavy rain, so we have a river flood warning. Today? Rainy, thunderstorms in the afternoon. You can bet I’m pulling out the next puzzle. It will be the perfect thing to do on a rainy, thundery day.

But first, we’re going to the nursery/farm stand. We’re out of fresh vegetables. I’ll see if any of the plants I want/need have come in. We’ll wear masks. We’ll take disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer. And then we’ll come home and wash our hands and all the vegetables and then we’ll wash our hands again and take showers and put on hand sanitizer.

It takes twice as long to do anything these days.

Tomorrow, we pick up our order from the grocery store. We’ll disinfect everything. And then, hopefully, we can lay low for the next week.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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