Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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Spring in the City

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I’m back from a long day in the city. Yesterday was sunny, in the mid to high fifties, and all New York seemed to be out and about on a Saturday. Since I got in early – better early than late when taking the bus – I strolled down 40th Street toward the Main Library and Bryant Park. (I avoid 42nd Street like the plague as it is always crowded with tourists.)

The day was clearly about Scotland because I saw kilts and tartans everywhere. (I’m part Scottish, but I have no idea if it was a specific day being celebrated or just Scotland itself.)

See? Bagpipers.

I had no idea there was a Whole Foods in this location. It was a lovely surprise, so I grabbed some lunch there. I don’t walk through this area as much as I used to. When we lived in our rental cottage, we lived very close to the Metro North commuter train line so I arrived at Grand Central Station, which is just a few blocks from here. Now that we live where we do, the bus is often the best mode of transportation and our buses go in and out of Port Authority, which is on the other end of 42nd Street.

For those of you less than familiar with NYC, Bryant Park is behind the Main Branch of the New York Public Library. It’s very European in feel, with little bistro tables and chairs all along the green, a small carousel, and elegant food kiosks.

I walked through the park toward the entrance to the Main Library.

If it’s possible to have a favorite building in NYC, this one is mine: The Chrysler Building in all its Art Deco glory.

The entrance to the Library. They don’t make them like this anymore.

This group of people had gathered on the steps to watch:

These lovely highland dancers.

Takes me back to my high school production of Brigadoon. A shout out to the McLeod sisters and my dear friend Jerry who did the highland dancing in that production.

I went into the Kinokuniya Bookstore – my first time there – and was amazed! It’s the largest chain bookstore in Japan. Lots of books, both in English and Japanese and wonderful craft books, by the way, though I didn’t buy any. Paper, pens, stationery, wonderful gifts – the store is on three floors and it’s extraordinary.

I bought a couple of neat pens and this pretty pencil pouch:

After digging in the depths of my bag one too many times, I thought it was time to corral everything together in one place. Isn’t this lovely?

After lunch, I headed over to the theater.

I had a chance to chat with Christy – our Anastasia – before the show as well as a few of the other cast members. The matinee was lovely, all of the cuts and rewrites have made it a tighter show. I took notes, of course, but it’s in very good shape.

They are recording the original cast album today and tomorrow. So exciting!

After the show, I hightailed it to Port Authority, where I managed to catch the 5:00 bus. It’s Spring Break time, so both of the buses I traveled on yesterday were packed.

Today…I’m going to start cleaning up the property and the garden beds. Huzzah!

Happy Sunday.

Rabbits and Egg Cups

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First bunny sighting: yesterday morning. Though it was still too darkish outside to get a good photo, I stood by the kitchen sink and smiled.

Bunnies. Spring is here.

This morning, I stood in front of the china cabinet in the kitchen trying to figure out where to display the plate and saucer I bought at Fish’s Eddy. And, as happens with all of us, I really took in the things I have stashed in the cabinet. I’m so used to walking by it and not noticing…you know what I mean.

I had forgotten about this lovely Emma Bridgewater bowl:

I echo the sentiment: Don’t let the farmer have his fun, fun, fun. Run rabbit, run, run, run.

(I just read a mystery where the farmers routinely shot rabbits and I had to skip over those paragraphs. Do Not Like. The mystery was excellent, by the way – The Dry.)

I can’t remember whether I bought this in England or found it somewhere stateside. Most of my Bridgewater was purchased in England – London, actually. I carefully packed it all and brought it back home – this would be about 16 years ago. But I vaguely remember finding a piece here. Was this it? I’m not sure. What I am sure of is that I really love it.

So, in honor of the bunny sighting and the bunnies and baby bunnies to come, I share this with you.

I’m back to limiting my news and Twitter time. I don’t want to be constantly angry or fearful. It’s a delicate balance, as every day brings more alarming news. But I can oh-so-easily fall in to the proverbial rabbit hole and become obsessed by what is happening every minute. So. A bit of twitter. Maybe  The Randi Rhodes show in the afternoon. And Rachel. That’s it.

It will be easier to strike this balance when I can get outside and start my garden cleanup. It’s too wet right now. Fingers crossed that I’ll be able to start on that next week.

More egg cups. And The Lamb With the Party Hat. And a little thimble with a cow on top (a gift from my friend Susi in Amsterdam.)

The egg cup with the two yellow chicks is a Fanny Farmer egg cup and it was the start of this whole collection. My godparents gave it to me when I was a wee thing and I kept it for decades. One day, in 2001 or 2002, I read an article in Martha Stewart Living about collecting egg cups and there, in one of the photos, was this egg cup! That was it. I was off and running.

The sun is coming out. More rain tomorrow. I will be traveling into NYC on Saturday to catch the matinee of Anastasia. I need to check in and take some notes.

Happy Wednesday.

Back at the Ranch

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Back home. I was really tired yesterday and getting packed, hauling everything to the bus station and the ride back home took all my remaining energy. I was very happy to see the cottage, where the snow, though still evident, has melted a lot since I left last Tuesday. It’s a rainy and gray day here and I’m told it will be that way all week long.

Yuck.

Of course, I came home to a cottage that was empty and the fact that Don is gone really hit me. His absence is felt, believe me – as he tells me when I’m away, the house just isn’t the same without him. As far as Don’s journey, he’s in California today and will arrive in LaJolla in the afternoon. First rehearsal is tomorrow.

When a new musical or play is in previews, it’s still in rehearsal. So, while public performances are going on at night, the afternoon is for rehearsing, rewriting, restaging. I know that some of that is on the agenda for Anastasia, so I will no doubt be back in NYC at some point. But for now, I have some time off.

Today is for mundane things; buying some groceries, picking up the mail, sorting through tax stuff so we can file an extension – that sort of thing.

And for reading. I took two books along to the city but I was so busy that I hardly read at all.

These are the two pieces I got at Fish’s Eddy. I said they were vintage, but I now know they were made within the last twenty years. This is a part of the Restaurant Ware line –  made by Homer Laughlin (creator of Fiesta.) Homer Laughlin is still going strong today. I looked up the marks on the back of the saucer and it looks like it was made in 1999. I love this pattern – though there were only a few pieces left.

Awfully pretty restaurant ware, don’t you think? Since I really don’t need or have room for any new china, these two pieces are all I allowed myself.

Now…where to put them?

Missing Don, missing Anastasia, but happy to be home.

The winner of a copy of Garden Design  is Melissa! Melissa, I’ve sent you an email. I need your mailing address.

I have one more book to share with you and I’ll do that sometime this week.

Happy Monday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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