Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for animals

Pie, Mulch, Don & A Chipmunk

May 12, 2017 at 9:37 am by Claudia

A sunny, lovely day today, which I will take full advantage of, since Saturday and Sunday will be rainy. I did a lot of weeding and mulching yesterday. There’s still a bit to go but the bulk of it is finished. I think I’ll hold off on potting the impatiens until the weekend and Monday’s winds are over.

Or maybe not. We’ll see.

A big old Julian apple pie arrived via FedEx yesterday. Ordering one to be sent directly to your home on the other side of the country is expensive, as Katheryn mentioned in yesterday’s comments. That’s why we rarely do it. Since Don is working at the moment, we are indulging – just a wee bit.

Also in the box? A T-shirt for me! Red, long-sleeved, with the logo on the front and the back…I love it! Don’s message on the note enclosed with the pie was “Sugar for my baby!”

Ain’t he the cutest?

His show is in previews now and he’s having fun. First preview was full of Jimmy Buffett fans and that made all the difference. They get the jokes, they sing along, it’s a great evening for all.

The leaves on the sugar maple.

And the forget-me-nots are getting ready to bloom.

Finally, for yours truly, there’s not much that’s cuter than a chipmunk. This little chippie has been seen in the back forty, on the porch, in the area behind the kitchen – always busy – and yesterday I saw him in the memorial garden, so I took some pictures of him.

Some adorable cuteness for your Friday.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: animals, Don, gardening 24 Comments

Garden, Bunnies and Birds

April 13, 2017 at 9:03 am by Claudia

As I was making dinner last night, the light was so lovely and the birdsong so beautiful that I grabbed my camera and went outside.

I forget how easily I get lost in taking pictures – when I went back in, I had overcooked my asparagus! Ah well. I enjoyed it anyway.

The grasses popped up over night. Amazing what happens this time of year.

Buds on the limelight hydrangea.

Boxwood.

Buds on the maple.

Hyacinths.

I was going to say this was a hawk, but I think it’s a turkey vulture.

This little bird, way off in the trees, was singing the most beautiful melodies!

Right outside the kitchen window this morning.

Happy Thursday.

Filed Under: animals, birds, bunnies, flowers, garden 30 Comments

On: The Blog, Nancy Drew, and An Update on the Rescued Horses

December 29, 2016 at 10:00 am by Claudia

Blog business first:

Oy. What a pain in the tush this has been! Last week I noticed something had been added to my blog and, at first, I thought I’d been hacked. A call to my host determined that I hadn’t been hacked but that the host had added a plugin to my site. A caching plugin. Plugins are the method in which a WordPress blog/site can be enhanced and adapted by the owner – just as widgets are for Blogger. Caching is the way in which static files can be created that ultimately enable a faster load time.

But they are not without their problems. I don’t like caching plugins and, early on, eliminated them on my blog. They don’t work so well when you post frequently, as I do. In addition, I was ticked off because something had been added to my site without my permission. I am the owner of my blogs and I determine what goes on the blog and what doesn’t. And it turns out that my host did this to all the sites under their umbrella. I called my host a couple of times last week, including on Christmas Eve, to get to the bottom of this and thought it had been resolved. Some of you, or many of you, would visit my blog on your browser and it would look as if I hadn’t updated the blog in several days, even though I had.

I can’t have that. So, last night, after receiving another email from a concerned reader who wondered why I hadn’t posted lately, I called them again. And the plugins are now powerless. It may take a day or two for all the caching complications to stop, but soon everything should be back to normal. I will keep an eye on things, of course. Sorry about that – but it was done without my knowledge and there has been a lot of blowback about it from other site owners, as well. This was not  a good idea!

Okay. Business over. Fingers crossed. If you have any trouble, just reload the blog on your browser, but that shouldn’t be an issue for much longer.

• Something arrived in my mailbox while I was in Hartford.

Number eleven in my collection. Another great cover illustration by Russell H. Tandy. It’s amazing to me that the colors remain so vivid many years later. Between my Nancy Drews and Don’s Hardy Boys, rearranging the bookshelves is fast becoming a priority.

• I want to share four links with you concerning the two local horses, Ashley and Pliers, that were rescued by the Catskill Animal Sanctuary. I just discovered some videos done by the Sanctuary about their rehabilitation and the good news is that they’ve been moved from their temporary quarters on a farm to the Sanctuary itself. If you watch the videos, you’ll understand why they needed to be worked with before that could happen.

Intro to Ashley & Pliers

Ashley & Pliers, Day One

Ashley & Pliers, Setting Boundaries

Ashley & Pliers, Home at Last

We were so concerned about them, as were other local residents, and seeing how well they are doing fills me with gratitude – gratitude for the Sanctuary and for our friend who gave them a temporary home and initially contacted the Sanctuary, hoping they would take them. They will live out their days in peace and when Ashley leaves us, Pliers will be much better prepared for life without her.

What a blessing.

Happy Thursday.

Filed Under: animals, blogging, Catskill Animal Sanctuary, horses, Nancy Drew 54 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.

Thanks for stopping by.

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The Dogs

The Dogs

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

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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