Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for birds

Water Lily, Number 5

June 30, 2021 at 8:53 am by Claudia

Number 5 is finished, unless I tweak it a bit more today.

Water Lily, one of my favorite pieces. I distinctly remember bidding on it on eBay.

I learn something every time I tackle a painting. I am reminded that I am new to this, so I have to be kind to myself while challenging myself to grow. I love really getting to know these pieces of pottery in a way I didn’t before I studied them in detail. And the result is that I fall in love with them again.

I’m not sure what the next piece will be – I have a lot of small pieces and low-to-the-surface planters, etc., but I think the higher, more vertical pieces are best for these studies – at least, right now.

I sat in the kitchen, sweating, for two hours in order to finish this one yesterday. One more day of this dreadful heat and humidity and then we’re going to get thunderstorms and rain for the next couple of days as the system breaks up and moves out. Our brains are mush. Don put the container of dry brown rice away in the refrigerator instead of the pantry. Whoops. Half the time we don’t know what day it is.

Oh wait a minute…that’s normal for us.

I water around 7 am and keep refilling the birdbath all day. Speaking of birds, yesterday, I noticed a robin up in the branch of the black walnut tree right outside our kitchen. He kept moving around and I thought he might be preening himself.  Today, I looked out there and realized he’s making a nest. I mean it when I say it’s right outside our window. Very close to the house. So this morning we watched him work and work at making his nest. He sort of stamps his feet to tamp down the nest materials and his whole body vibrates. I’m going to take some photos.

Of course, this means we’re eventually in for another round of chirping and attacks. But watching all of this happen is an incredible opportunity, so we’ll put up with it.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: birds, life, oil painting, Roseville pottery 35 Comments

Lavender

June 18, 2021 at 9:00 am by Claudia

Yesterday was rather a lazy day. I’m not sure exactly why, but several of the items I had on my ‘to do’ list for the day have yet to be done. I felt relaxed and did some reading, listened to music, watched an artist working via YouTube, found a piece of MDF that will support smaller pieces of art to set on the easel. You never known what you’ll find up in the studio – that MDF came from the miniature studio I built for Don. It was meant to be the roof, but I decided not to include it in the project. Happily, it’s the perfect size for the easel!

I’ll take a picture of the easel today. It’s still pristine and untouched, but I do plan on painting today so the breaking in process will begin.

Another gorgeous day out there! Despite my lazy day yesterday, I did prune some bushes and wild roses. They grow so quickly. As you can see, the lavender is starting to bloom. So is the milkweed and the scent is heavenly! Oh my goodness.

I’m making Don get on the ladder to remove some greenery that is currently blocking the entrance to the birdhouse/trailer. I noticed it yesterday. Just in case my pals decide to come back for another round of babies, I don’t want them put off by the changes to the exterior of the residence.

Can you tell I miss them? I really do. The robins not so much…

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: birds, flowers, garden, life 18 Comments

Morning Symphony

June 7, 2021 at 9:37 am by Claudia

It took me a while before I realized that these bushes, which bloom at exactly the same time as the wild roses, are not wild roses. It’s easy to look at the mass of white blossoms all over the property and assume they’re all the same thing.

These lovelies are dogwood – silky dogwood – and they grow along the edge of the property right above the Secret Garden. And in the Secret Garden. And also at the back entrance of the property as you walk into the woods from my neighbor’s meadow. They’re what I call ‘frothy.’

I haven’t written about them before and it’s high time I did.

We sat in the Secret Garden this morning, marveling at the natural beauty there. It just is. The only plants that have been brought in are the pots that I plant every year. Everything else is nature’s design. We listened to what I call our morning symphony. Birds singing, the bullfrog croaking, the occasional hum of a bee. Goodness, it’s beautiful there.

But it’s still very hot here. This will be our third day with temperatures in the nineties. There’s a heat advisory today. So we appreciate that time in the garden because all too soon we’ll have to shut everything up and run the a/c. Tomorrow will be a bit better, though it will also bring rain and thunderstorms as this front breaks up

Because of the heat, there’s been constant activity in the birdbath. I’m going to top it off after I finish this post.

Oh, and we had warning chirps again yesterday from the robins. I tried to see if there were any fledglings on the ground, but nothing stood out. Later, Don went outside and heard the same chirping and saw a brown bird fly from the ground in front of the shed onto the low branch of a tree. So mom and dad are still watching out for the babies.

I’m going to paint this morning. I’m not sure what, but I’ll play it by ear. Don’s going to do some recording. He’s writing a new song.

Oh, the catalpas are in bloom. Heaven.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: birds, flowers, life 12 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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