Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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A Sultry Saturday

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More of this day lily, which blooms spectacularly. It doesn’t bloom for long but I must get about 30 gorgeous flowers. What a gift!

I’m wiped out today so it’s going to be a day of rest. Don and I mowed the rest of the front lawn and also the lilac side of the lawn and it was both physically tough and very hard in the dense humidity. But we knew we were going to have several days of showers and thunderstorms so it had to be done. I think we were finished by 10:30 or 11 am – so we avoided the worst of the humidity. We felt invigorated when we finished, but later? We crashed.

Today will be stormy, or so they say, so we’re going to stay inside and just plain hang out.

I started a subscription to the NY Times Crossword puzzle yesterday. I used to have one but I let it go several years ago. I’ve been missing the mental stimulation of the crossword as well as the zen-like state I’m in when I’m trying to solve it. It’s only $5/month and I figured I could afford that. I print them out on our printer. Truth be told, Don gave me a book of crosswords a couple of months ago and I finally did one of them yesterday. I was finished in less than 5 minutes. Too easy. Solving crosswords is a skill that develops with practice and I’m a bit rusty. But it’s coming back.

I’m not hearing much bird song when I first get up, but I’m a bit relieved because I just opened the door (at 7:43 am) and there was lots of bird song. I don’t want this summer to go by too quickly. I want to hear the birds and the tree frogs and the bullfrog next door. I can hear a mourning dove right now. Remember Lonesome Dove, the dove without a partner who hung out on the property? I miss him. And I miss Henry, that grand old gentle groundhog we loved for so many years.

Ah well.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Fledged

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I have a gift: Right after I discover baby birds in nests, they fledge the next day. Is it me? It happened with the robins and it happened yesterday with the Carolina wrens. If you remember, in yesterday’s post I wrote that they were very busy flying back and forth to the nest, feeding the babies. But now I think they were urging the babies to take off. Later in the morning, I went outside to water the pots and seeds. Don’s car was gone so I could see the nesting area pretty clearly. No activity. I waited a while, then I tested it and walked to the ramp leading to the shed. Nothing. I went inside the shed. The nest was behind the Cottage sign on the window box, right outside the window. I walked toward that window and saw the nest. Empty.

There’s the sign and there’s the nest. Keep in mind that it’s much smaller than it appears in this photo. But there’s the little hole in the nest where the babies were.

Sob. I’m a little depressed.

I almost went in the shed the day before yesterday to peek at the babies, but for whatever reason, I didn’t.

Godspeed, little ones. Enjoy the world.

Ella.

One of my Elly Griffith books is waiting for me at the library. The other, which is the one I need to read first, hasn’t arrived yet. Hope it comes in today.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Birds, Wildflowers, Butterflies

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My favorite time of year; when wildflowers are everywhere. In this case, Dame’s Rocket, also known as wild phlox, which is all over the place – the secret garden, alongside the garden beds, on the edge of the woods (as in the above photo) and in the woods. This period doesn’t last long, but I try to take as many photos as possible. This is the border of the woods that is right next to the main path.

I actually worked on Memorial Day. I had a coaching session with someone. A longtime friend of mine (who I coached years ago in the National Tour of Oklahoma) recommended me. So we worked a bit on a British dialect for an audition she has on Wednesday. So I spent a bit of the day in prep, and then we had the session.

It was a gorgeous day yesterday, but quite hot. I just read in the NY Times that this summer is supposed to be hotter than usual – especially out here in the northeast. Sigh. It’s already been very dry here. We really need some rain. Last summer we battled drought, so it makes one wonder – more of that this summer? I hope not.

In the meantime, I saw a goldfinch yesterday and, for the second time, an eastern swallowtail (butterfly.) The swallowtail was beautiful. I saw the mama and papa Carolina wrens chase off a larger bird that was hanging around. I just now glanced outside – I can see their nest from here –  and both parents are busy feeding the babies. And it’s intense; constant flying in and out of the nest. Those babies must be quite hungry this morning.

We watched a series – on HBO Max – about an infamous cult that was based in Albany – just an hour north of us. It was call NXIVM – pronounced Nexium. The name of the series is The Vow. I’m fascinated by cults and always have been. People got sucked into it thinking it would help them be better people. I won’t share the sickening details, but the cult leader is now in prison with a 120 year sentence. I have many adjectives on the tip of my tongue to describe him, but evil and vile will do for now. All of this was going on while we lived here and we were sort of oblivious, though I do remember reading about them when sentences were announced because one of the enablers – charged with sex trafficking – was an actress years ago on the series Smallville, so the press jumped on that. I still can’t get the whole thing out of my mind.

We’re now watching a two-part documentary on George Carlin.

I finished the Elly Griffiths and I’m trying to read something really short while waiting for her final two books in this series to arrive at my local library. And, of course, I’m reading a chapter a day of War and Peace. We will reach the midway point of this readalong on June 1st.

Okay. I’m also starting a new puzzle – another Renoir painting – but this one is darkish in color so it will be a challenge.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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