Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Flora and Fauna

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The limelight hydrangea is in full flower. Unlike my Annabelle hydrangea, the limelight always blooms later in the summer. Eventually, these flowers will turn pink. It’s a beautiful plant, lush and full.

In case you’re interested, I filmed a short video yesterday. It’s just a short little tour of the big garden bed and the beds by the porch entrance. Everything is in flower and it was sunny and beautiful so it seemed like a good time. It’s on my Instagram feed.

But you can tell it’s rained a lot (an understatement) because in certain areas of the property, I’m getting a lot of mosquito bites. For instance, yesterday we decided to sit in the Secret Garden for a bit – mostly to see if mama robin objected. She did. So we quickly got up and left so she could relax. I’d say we were out there about 3 or 4 minutes. I got 5 mosquito bites. Yikes. The Secret Garden is at the bottom of a hill and it stays wet longer than any other part of the property, so it makes sense that mosquitoes would thrive there.

Nature update: So far, I’ve seen lots of butterflies, including a black swallowtail, an Eastern swallowtail, a great spangled fritillary, and a few monarchs. This morning, our little groundhog was hanging around the big garden bed and we saw our first bunny in over a year. Unfortunately, the little bunny was in one of my garden beds! I opened the door and eventually, he scampered off, white tail bouncing. Oh what a cutie! And of course, mama robin continues to feed her babies constantly throughout the day. She’s a single mother so she has to do it all. I see more of the babies bodies now as they get stronger and thrust themselves up even higher to get food.

I finished my book this morning and, since I’m reading them in chronological order and I missed the one that was published before this one, I’m going to catch up by reading that next. I’m really enjoying the Ruth Galloway series.

I haven’t begun another painting yet. Just wasn’t in the mood. Today is dark and rainy, so light might be an issue. We’ll see.

By the way, I’m finding the fact that the email versions of these posts have been going out on time consistently lately rather ironic since they will soon be no more. Ah well.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Day Three Hundred Nineteen

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This is what I ended up doing yesterday afternoon. I ignored the dollhouse and started on this. Both the dollhouse and puzzles are calming for me, but jigsaw puzzles (and crossword puzzles) are the most calming – a form of meditation, if you will. I love John Derian’s puzzles. As far as I know he only has three designs, the one I just finished, this one, and one of a cat. I’m not a cat person, so that particular design doesn’t call to me.

This is based on an old map of NYC. Here is what it will eventually look like:

We’re getting snow today. We’ll have somewhere between 1 and 4 inches by tomorrow. There is a chance for a winter storm with more accumulation next Sunday and Monday. We’re looking forward to watching the snow fall today. First of all, it’s pretty. But mostly, it’s something different. Since we’re basically indoors these days looking out at a barren landscape and every day seems the same, something like snow ends up being exciting.

These guys (all 8 of them) have now discovered our yard. This was taken from the kitchen window. We’re fascinated by them. Our neighbor has informed us that the rooster is aggressive, so we’ll make sure to stay away from him. On one hand, it’s slightly annoying to me that they are now free-ranging on our property, but on the other hand, they’re interesting and we get a kick out of them. And don’t they eat ticks? Am I remembering that correctly?

They sure do lay pretty eggs.

I’m almost finished with my book and then it’s on to Winter Solstice.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Sunday: Reading, Deer & Sunshine

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They’re still hanging in there. Pretty good for grocery store flowers!

It’s sunny and a bit warmer today. The rest of the week will be in the fifties and yours truly is up for that. Yesterday was a strange weather day. Windy at times, never got above freezing, and for a period of time while we were at Rick and Doug’s, the sun shone through dark clouds while a magical snow squall appeared out of nowhere. Tiny little flakes swirling and swirling everywhere. It was what I call a ‘weather day’ – changing by the hour. I love that.

Both of us have been reading a lot this weekend. I’m currently more than halfway through M Train  by Patti Smith. I’m completely enthralled by her mind, her writing, and her sensibility. I was also reading The Thirst  by Jo Nesbø, but I found I wasn’t quite in the mood at the moment for this particular story, which is rather gory, so I put it down and started The Pursuit of Love  by Nancy Mitford. I bought it last year at Shakespeare and Company in Paris. The bookseller who was attending to me told me it was her favorite novel. I’ve heard that from a few others since then. As I opened it yesterday, I saw the familiar Shakespeare and Company stamp inside the front cover, and I was immediately immersed in memories of our time in Paris.

There’s something delicious about having the time to read and read and read some more. That is where we are this weekend. In between reading, we eat, we visit with friends, and we talk about what we’re reading.

So we’re here. It’s March. As I scanned the forecast this morning, I saw no real snow on the horizon. Of course, there is always a chance of a big snowfall appearing out of nowhere, but so far, so good. Fingers crossed.

Currently, there are two young deer dining on the grass right outside our back kitchen window. Since that grass is in an area that stays wet (it’s at the bottom of a hill) it’s quite green, whereas the rest of the grass around here is not. These two young ones were here yesterday as well. We’re happy they have something to eat and that they’re safe in that secluded little Secret Garden. We don’t talk when they’re out there. We barely move. Their hearing is so acute that any little sound will scare them.

Today, more reading and season 3 of Babylon Berlin, which is available on Netflix as of today. Some journaling, some laundry, for sure – it’s Sunday and that is ‘wash the sheets’ day – and a spot of cleaning,

I hope you’re having a good Sunday.

Happy Sunday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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