Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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An Encounter on our Walk

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These autumn wildflowers – asters – are all over the property. This clump is right by our rain barrel. The front lawn is now covered in leaves once again. In fact, everything is covered in leaves, including my car. It’s a sunny and beautiful day. Don has to sing at a memorial service today. A few months back, a young man heard one of Don’s songs and asked if he could sing it at his uncle’s memorial service. Don, of course, said yes. About a week ago, Don got a phone call from the widow, asking if Don would sing the song at another celebration of her husband’s life that is taking place in Connecticut. It’s in the afternoon and he’ll have a lovely drive. He’s taking my car as his is with his mechanics, who are trying to figure out the lights on his dashboard that keep coming on, even though the car is fine. Otherwise, it will fail inspection.

I liked cars better when there was no computer involved.

Yesterday’s adventure:

We went to the library for our walk – a little earlier than usual, about 9:45 or so. The library sits on a hill and there is a long driveway that leads up to the building. It’s perfect for our walk because there isn’t a lot of traffic. We started at the top, and walked downward towards the road, turned around and started walking back up, Suddenly Don said, “Look!” There was a black bear crossing the driveway, coming from the rail trail on the right. He headed for the back yards of some houses. After standing still for a bit, we continued on the walk, knowing he was gone. Went up and down a few more times and then it was me who said “Look!!” He was crossing the drive again going back toward the rail trail. But this time, he turned left into the area behind the library, walking near the rear deck and, eventually, making a right turn onto the trail.

It was so neat to see him! And, as the library hadn’t opened yet, we were the only people there. After we finished the walk, a guy came off the trail with his dog (named Bear, ironically) and we warned him about the bear. But I’m pretty sure the bear was long gone at that point.

Very, very cool! And just far enough away from us that we didn’t feel any fear. Just awe.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Books and a Bear

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Reader Jeanie sent some miniature books to the girls. They’re in German. One is about Einstein and the other is about Leipzig. Wouldn’t you know it, Nina and Sophie know German, so they’ve started studying them.

Thank you, Jeanie! The girls love them and send their thanks. Though Sophie looks like she’s read enough for the day.

Story from yesterday: Around 11 am, I was upstairs in the bedroom getting ready to make the bed. I happened to look out the window and saw a bear about 5 feet from our kitchen door, right between the funky patio and the memorial garden. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I yelled out to Don: “Don! Don! Go to the window!” He kept yelling, “What window?” But I was so stunned that I could only say, “Just get to the window!!!” I finally heard him say, “Oh, my GOD!!!”

By that time, the bear had turned around and was heading up into the corral and Don got a photo of him.

Sort of blurry as Don was using his iPhone and trying to zoom in. Plus, the sun is shining on his coat, so he looks sort of brown on top. He isn’t. He’s a black bear and I got a really good view of him.

Don thinks he was not full grown, kind of a teenager. I think he’s right.

Anyway, we’ve never seen one that close to us before. He proceeded to go up into the back forty and then over to our neighbor’s property. I told Don to call them and warn them because they have chickens. Our neighbor said she was looking at him at that moment; he had crawled under the chicken house (which is raised quite a bit off the ground) and he was eating their food. Oh, my!

Later, after I’d posted the photo on IG, my neighbor who lives across the field that runs behind our property, asked me what time I saw him. Apparently, he was in the neighboring campground around 12:30 walking around near the canteen and front entrance – they’re not open yet for the summer. And my neighbor discovered that her trash cans had been raided. So, he left my neighbor’s property, walked across the field, ravaged her trash, and then went on to the campground. He/she was hungry!

Black bears are not aggressive. If, for example, I had been outside when he was approaching the property, he would have run off.

An amazing experience and it makes us wonder how many other times a bear has been around and we just didn’t happen to look outside at that moment.

I was really tired yesterday – allergies, I think – so I didn’t accomplish much other than a few chores. But today, I’m going to mow the corral, the last section of the property that hasn’t been mowed in the last week.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Gulp

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This morning: I woke up before Don, came downstairs, drank some water, started the coffee, and slowly opened up all the blinds in the den and the living room. Then I decided to open the cloth blind in the kitchen – something I don’t usually do that early in the morning.

There was a huge black bear walking in the corral. I gasped. Huge. I thought he/she might be headed for the trash can but, no, he was walking toward the parking area. I ran for my phone to take a picture. By the time I got back, he had passed Don’s car and was walking toward the lilac side of the lawn where he disappeared. I’m sure he headed into the woods.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Talk about being jolted awake!

And last night, after thinking the wrens weren’t nesting in the birdhouse, I heard them singing on the porch. I paused the program we were watching and looked out at the birdhouse and I saw two wrens – one in front of the house and one that flew behind it. This morning, I heard one of them again. He was on the porch and briefly flew up to the perch in front of the house. He didn’t go in.

So. Are they here nesting or are they just hanging out? I’m still not sure.

I dressed a few of the girls yesterday.

Pip. I like her in red.

Maeve, Pip, and Imogen.

All of the girls have been dressed in a fresh outfit. They’re ready for Spring.

Except for Wren. I’ll take care of that today.

You know, a lot of Blythe owners/collectors routinely sell one of their dolls in order to buy another one or to pay some bills. I get it; I’ve briefly considered selling one or two of these girls. But then, I pick up the doll in question and look at that beautiful face and I can’t do it. I’ve bonded with them. I’d be abandoning them.

Just now, Don brought me some coffee and as he left the room, he said “Hello, girls!”

Don has to go to the eye doctor this morning. I have to run to the store.

We’re still resting our muscles and will probably take it easy today. Well, Don has  to. He can’t do any heavy physical activity after getting the shot.

Has anyone seen the May issue of Country Living? I haven’t seen it on the stands yet. I’m curious to see how they styled my two egg cups.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

 

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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