Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for birds

A Beautiful Sunday

May 2, 2022 at 9:08 am by Claudia

Yesterday was a beautiful day; sunny and in the mid-sixties.

We were busy.

First time using the potting area in the shed! Note: I potted some urns by the porch as I didn’t want to carry them all the way to the shed. But everything else? In the shed. I’m starting to look at everything on the porch that I’ve stashed there out of necessity in the past; broken bits of pots for potting, tools, a big rubbermaid tote that I kept under the picnic table and I’m realizing that all of it can go in the shed!

We also mowed the corral and the back forty in the middle of my ongoing potting of plants.

We also saw a huge hawk in one of our maple trees – right by the corral. I ran inside the house to get my telephoto lens. This guy wasn’t budging, even though we tried to shoo him away. They’re around here more often lately because of the chickens next door. – I’ve often chased them off. In the middle of all of this, I realized I hadn’t heard the rooster next door for a long time. I wonder if he was taken by a hawk? I’m afraid to ask. This is one of the reasons I won’t keep chickens. Too many predators. Too much heartbreak.

Hawk flying away. Finally. Since he was in silhouette, I can’t be sure, but I think he’s a Northern Goshawk. They have that white eyebrow marking. His wing span was massive.

Side note, we’ve also seen a Bald Eagle recently, hanging out near the river.

After we finished our chores, I took a shower and then we traveled several hundred feet down our road, made a left turn, and visited the Taco Truck. We recently learned that about its existence and that it would be parked by the Old Grist Mill across the road on a daily basis. We were thinking that we’d buy something to help them out because surely not that many people would know of their location. We were wrong. There was a long line of people ordering and while we were in line, a group of bikers roared up the road and also got in line.

Delicious food which we ate while sitting on one of the decks right outside the Mill – one that not many people know about. We know because we live across the road and sometimes walk around the grounds.

This was our view:

Water flowing under the now unused mill and the river. If you walked out of the upper right corner of the photo and crossed the road diagonally, you would arrive at our cottage.

Also yesterday:

Our first groundhog sighting. This guy seems to be living in the tunnels under the big maple. Or maybe he was just hanging out there, which often happens. He’s on the smallish side, but I’m betting he’s the one who ate the tulip and is nibbling on some hosta leaves.

It was so beautiful that I wandered around the property and took some photos with both of my big girl cameras.

A baby crabapple right by the maple on the far side of the porch, near our property line.

Working outside, potting, feeling the warmth of the sun, doing a bit of mowing – that’s my happy place. I felt my shoulders drop for the first time in a long time. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time.

We will be taking it easy today as it’s raining.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: animals, birds, flowers, garden, groundhogs 31 Comments

Wind, Wrens, Magazines, And Books

April 28, 2022 at 8:59 am by Claudia

You were going to get another photo, but after editing it, I realized our stair treads were all scuffed up and not at all attractive, so you get this one instead: Maggie Rabbit and Olivia on Easter Sunday.

Suddenly, Maggie – who previously seemed on the petite side to me – looks huge!

Well, yesterday was an extremely windy day and today looks like it will be, too. So I can’t do anything outside because of pollen/wind. The wind was so bad yesterday that Don even commented on it. And we’re going down to freezing tonight. We are now two days from the beginning of May but it feels like March.

I want to scream.

I’m trying to stay positive and I do, for the most part. But to be perfectly honest, there were some tough stretches yesterday. We also have a fire danger warning because of the combination of dry air and high winds.

I am enjoying the latest Michael Connelly – gosh, it’s so wonderful to know that you’re in good hands. As I’ve read everything he’s written over many years, I know that I will immediately be immersed in the plot and that the writing will be so uniformly excellent that I can just sit back and go with it. I read a big chunk this morning and, given the weather forecast, I’ll read another big chunk this afternoon. I got an email yesterday afternoon saying that the other books I reserved are in, so I’ll drive on over to the library later this morning and pick them up.

These writers – Michael Connelly, Louise Penny, Susan Hill, James Lee Burke, Deborah Crombie – are like old friends. I trust them and I’m never disappointed.

The Carolina wrens: I still think the wrens were scared off by that trailer bird house tipping forward. I don’t see any activity. But I have often heard another wren on the porch. This Carolina wren has a higher pitched song. Late last night, I started to wonder if he’s made a nest somewhere on the porch. The only place I could see that happening is in the pots that contain my now-dead lavender from last year, which are right outside the picture window in the den. I know the wrens will make a nest just about anywhere. I’m going to investigate – carefully and quietly – later today. Another sleuthing expedition!

No news yet on Country Living. I mean, really, it’s April 28th and the May issue isn’t on the stands? The newest issue is usually out at least two weeks before the start of the month. Given the state of magazines in general, could there be problems at CL? I hope not. Even though it’s not my favorite magazine, we need print. Digital just doesn’t cut it. Just as a three-dimensional book feels absolutely right in my hands, so does a three-dimensional magazine. Since this month marks the sudden end of Martha Stewart Living in print, things seem a bit ominous.

Added to original post: Verna wrote to relay this information: There’s an April/May issue and a May/June issue, which comes out on May 29th. I believe Dee Dee mentioned this, as well. The editor originally said “May issue” but perhaps she meant May/June. I will try contacting her again (though she never responded to my first request) to clarify that. If it’s May/June it will be another month until we see it.

Update on the update: Just heard from Sarah – “Hey Claudia! So sorry, I missed your first email. Our May issue ended up becoming our May/June issue. It will be out later in the month — 5/24. Please get in touch closer to then and I’ll mail you a few copies!” Okay. We have an answer!

Okay.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

Filed Under: birds, Blythe dolls, books 21 Comments

Splashes of Purple

April 14, 2022 at 9:18 am by Claudia

80 degrees today – a bit much for this time of year. We’ll have the usual thunderstorms that follow unseasonably hot weather. This is the periwinkle/vinca that is everywhere up in our woods. Those little splashes of purple are the first splashes of color we see in the spring, followed closely by the yellow of the daffodils and forsythia (also in bloom right now.)

We worked very hard in the shed yesterday and it’s much more well organized and a heck of a lot cleaner. I even have my own section for flower pots and garden tools and also a space for potting! More needs to be done in terms of esthetics, but it’s good for now.

The lawnmower and the snow blower always seemed to take up so much space, but after we had organized everything and moved them back into the shed, they looked much smaller. It’s roomy in there!

But, boy, were we pooped! We have to get in shape again.

Nevertheless, it’s very satisfying to have finished a project.

I’m definitely holding off on clearing the garden beds until next week – even though I’d love to do it this week. It’s going down into the thirties for several nights, so those leaves covering the beds need to stay until it gets back up into the forties.

Yesterday evening, a little bit before the sun went down, I heard the Carolina wren and there he/she was, standing in front of the trailer, singing away. He hopped inside, sang a bit, hopped outside, and eventually flew up on the roof. Are they back? Did they never leave? I don’t know, but I sure was encouraged. We heard him again early this morning, when it was still dark. I also heard them in the back forty while we were outside working yesterday – another nest, maybe?

No sign of any groundhogs yet, but I usually don’t see them this early, even though they are no longer hibernating. Chipmunks are everywhere as are the squirrels. There’s a woodpecker up in our trees – I suspect it’s the catalpa – and lots of other calls I can’t identify.

One of my favorite things about spring is the sound of the birds.

Even though I complain about winter, I wouldn’t trade the seasons for anything. I had 8 years of very little in terms of a perceptible seasonal change when I lived in San Diego. It was a welcome relief from New England winters when I first moved there, but after a few years, I tired of it. I was raised in Michigan and spent a total of ten years in Philadelphia and Boston. It’s what I know and what my body needs.

Okay. I’m going to finish this up so I can go back to Last Friends  by Jane Gardam. I read a chunk of it this morning. She is such a wonderful writer – I highly recommend her.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

Filed Under: bird nest, birds, books, flowers 32 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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