Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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In the Limelight

October 16, 2016 at 10:06 am by Claudia

Yesterday: Obsessively deleting tons of emails – I really need to be better about doing that every day, cleaning here and there, some good heart-to-heart talks with my husband, crying about Scout, walking the trail, feeding the horses (Ashley let me stroke her coat!), dinner and the Cubs game. We didn’t last through the whole game because we got sleepy, but I see this morning that they won.

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The dried hydrangeas that were in this bucket had been there for years. It was time for a refresh. I clipped these limelight hydrangeas the other day when I knew we were going to get frost overnight. I’m planning on adding more; there are some large blooms on that bush, but they haven’t reached the perfect pink/green stage yet. Turns out the frost didn’t harm them.

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Have I told you how much I love this table? Oh, that’s right, I have. Repeatedly.

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I have three different hydrangeas on the property: Annabelle, Limelight and a version called Endless Summer. They are gorgeous, each and every one, but the Limelight is the only one that changes from white to this pale pink and green. Limelight blooms are also cone-shaped, unlike the fat, round blooms of the Annabelle and Endless Summer.

Today, we’re going to go to a vintage car show. Don has recently become a fan and has gone to a few of them. We thought it would be a fun thing to do today. I’ll take pictures.

I want to update you about the fundraising campaign we had for our friend Dawn. Our goal was $3000 and generous donors helped us meet that goal. I’ve spoken to Dawn on the phone a couple of times during the campaign. Each time, she started crying because she was so moved by the donations made by friends and strangers – good people, all. She has started to work an hour or two a day – that’s really all she can handle at the moment – but her voice sounds stronger and we’re cheering her on.

Some of you, dear readers, also contributed and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Dawn thanks you as well!

In the midst of virulent speeches and anger and a feeling of being besieged on all sides by this presidential election, we stop and remember that there are really good and kind and loving people out there. We see it every day and we certainly saw it in this campaign. We are thankful.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

 

 

Filed Under: antiques, flowers 26 Comments

Fly Me To The Moon(Flower)

September 30, 2016 at 9:12 am by Claudia

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This beauty opened overnight. I got up when it was still fairly dark, but I could see its glow from the kitchen window.

What a beauty.

And the scent! Oh my goodness, it’s heavenly.

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The flowers are quite large – almost double the size of a morning glory.

There are a lot of buds that will be opening in the next week or two.

Please, Mother Nature! Hold off on any freeze, okay?

The morning glories are still blooming as well, but not quite as prolifically as they were a week or so ago. We are now averaging about 3 or 4 a day.

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There it is amidst the leaves. Hello, beauty!

I am absolutely sure I will plant these seeds again next year. I love this vine.

I’m a little under the weather today – I think it’s my sinuses/allergies/crap. I also mowed yesterday, which probably didn’t help, but we had to get it done before the next 3 or 4 days of rain. (Though I have yet to see any rain and we would like some, please.) Anyway, I’m slightly cranky and sniffly and a happy camper I am not.

I promised you more photos of the living room, but that hasn’t happened. In the meantime, here is another view of the table top.

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Beautiful table + sunlight + Roseville = Happiness.

Happy Friday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: antiques, flowers, garden, vintage 22 Comments

Sunday Drive

August 8, 2016 at 9:37 am by Claudia

We were feeling a bit restless yesterday and it seemed to be the perfect time for a Sunday Drive. Remember Sunday Drives when you were a kid? Don and I used to do this sort of thing fairly often, but we’ve been lax lately. So, off we went, not sure at all where we were headed.

First stop: we ended up at our new favorite antique emporium.

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I’m in love with this industrial looking cubby with the hairpin legs. I posted it on IG a week or so ago and it’s still there.

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Oh heavens. Roseville jardinieres and matching pedestals. It’s rare to find both the pot and the pedestal intact. On the left: Clematis. On the right: Peony. Did I want them? Yes. Could I afford them? No. Would they be knocked over almost immediately upon entering our home? Most likely.

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Imagine getting your hair permed with this electrified contraption. Horrors!

I saw many things I wanted, of course. This is a great shop (in a former Joann’s Fabric store) and it’s filled with very high quality vintage items. Not the sort of junky stuff I’ve been seeing lately in other shops. Lots of architectural salvage and industrial and pottery and regular old antiques. We really love it there.

We then crossed the Hudson River.

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It was a gorgeous day. Those little white specks are sailboats.

And stopped at one of our favorite towns, Beacon, NY.

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We hadn’t been there for a while and there are lots of new businesses and galleries and shops. Beacon is rather trendy – a couple of years before the time we were looking for a house, Beacon became an up and coming town for NYC transplants. People were buying old houses for a song and renovating them. We looked at houses in Beacon. It’s closer to NYC and is a stop on the Hudson Line, making for an easy (and less time consuming) commute. But we just missed the boom and the affordable prices, so we started to look further north.

It has a wonderful art museum, the DIA.

We found a great little restaurant and grabbed some lunch.

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Had to grab a picture of the tile floors in the bathroom. My favorite design. It reminds me of my bathroom in Cambridge, MA, all those years ago. Not quite the same, but close.

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We had veggie burgers and fries. Really, really tasty. That’s Don’s hand and wrist (upper right) after I told him to stop grabbing fries so I could get a picture.

Don’t worry. We were back at it rather quickly.

Six months ago today, we lost our little girl. It’s a very sad anniversary.

Don’t forget to leave a comment here if you want to be considered for the coloring book giveaway. The deadline is at 8 pm tonight.

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: antiques, On The Road, Scout 46 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.

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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.

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