Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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In the Mail

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Friday. I find that half the time I have no idea what day of the week it is. Though I’m constantly aware of how quickly the weeks fly by. This summer, especially. This summer has definitely had its challenges, but I’m not ready for it to end. This morning I realized I can see changes in the light, changes in the look of the gardens, and the sun comes up a bit later and sets a bit earlier. All signs of the seasonal change to come. Sigh.

I mowed yesterday and did it slowly, constantly monitoring my back. Though, frustratingly, I did feel a twinge in my left lower back when I pulled the cord to start the mower. That hurts a bit today, but my original injury is much, much better. Don took over the mowing when he got home and will finish it up this weekend, so I’ll rest. But it was so good to DO something! My endorphins kicked in, which is always a satisfying feeling.

Two packages arrived in yesterday’s mail:

Cara (a reader of this blog) sent me her copy of Colleen Moore’s Dollhouse – a dollhouse I didn’t get a chance to see when I was in the Chicago area. Thank you so much, Cara!

And Kathy from Iowa (also a reader of this blog) sent me this:

To Kill a Mockingbird  in Spanish! I was completely surprised.

I’ve written before on the blog about my desire to collect as many copies of TKAM in foreign languages as I can. When Don was in Prague several years ago to film for PBS, he looked everywhere for one in Czech, but couldn’t find one. Last year, while in Paris, I found an edition written in French. I also found a copy when we were in London. It’s not in another language, but it is a special edition that was printed and published in England and it’s quite lovely.

Now I have one in Spanish! What next? German? Italian? Russian? Greek? Portuguese?

Thanks, Kathy!

The nicest people read this blog! I’m blessed.

It’s a gorgeous day today. I plan on sitting on the porch – carefully – and watching all the birds and bees and insects. I saw a hummingbird yesterday. And I saw Henry the day before that.

Happy Friday.

 

A Quiet Sunday

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I’m going to find a photo that I took of the Boston fern early in the spring and pair it with a recent one. It’s once again full and beautiful and I’m thrilled.

I had a painful night with ongoing back issues. I ended up coming downstairs and sleeping in my chair. I think I’ll do that again tonight. The bed, for some reason, isn’t the best place for me right now. Today I will take it extremely easy as I’m determined to kick this issue to the curb. I’m over it. Don is taking portraits at the Farmer’s Market. Plus, he’s been taking care of me. And he’s been watering all the plants. To call him a gem is an understatement.

I don’t know how many of you saw this, but late in the day yesterday, Nancy left a comment here. She said she had a strong feeling that she should visit the blog. I don’t know the details yet and they might be private, but she said she’d send an email soon. Whatever the reason, I’m just so relieved to hear from her!

At one point in the day yesterday, I questioned whether I should have written the post. I contemplated deleting it. I’m glad I didn’t.

Good news! Thank you for all your caring and concerned comments. We are a community and I’m damned proud of us.

The antique dollhouse is back up on top of the china cabinet in the den. I’ve done all I’m going to do with it for the moment. We also wanted to use our kitchen table for eating once again!

That’s about it. I’m wiped out from the sleep and back problems, but I’m so grateful that I did get back to sleep last night. We had a big thunderstorm last night with lots of rain so Don won’t have to water the seedlings (morning glories, zinnias, etc.) Looks like a beautiful sunny day for the Farmer’s Market.

I can’t even address the horrific news from El Paso and Dayton except to say our real terrorism threat is homegrown: young white men. The GOP is bought and paid for by the NRA.

I’m sick of the whole damn thing.

Happy Sunday.

 

Worry

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Today’s theme: Bugs in the garden. I love to take pictures of them. Some of them are deliberate, others are accidental bug discoveries, only noticed when I examine the photo.

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One of the wonderful benefits of blogging is making friends, finding people that you wouldn’t know otherwise, discovering kindred spirits. I have been blessed with many wonderful followers over the years. In the course of 11 years of blogging, some followers have moved on. Maybe they don’t read blogs anymore. Maybe this particular blog no longer interests them. Maybe I pissed them off in some way. Who knows? I do know that there’s an ebb and flow to the whole thing – just as in non-virtual life.

At some point, I will register that I haven’t heard from so-and-so. In a few cases, I’ll write that person to make sure everything is okay because the lack of contact is unlike them and I worry.

That’s happened with one longtime follower recently. A while back, I realized that I hadn’t heard from her in ages, either here or on Instagram. And she is one of those followers who always leaves a comment. That concerned me. I found her email address and wrote her, not because she needs to comment, rather because the very lack of interaction from her concerned me enough to reach out and make sure she was okay. I wrote her on June 29th. I haven’t heard a thing. This week, I sent a direct message to her on Instagram. No response. She wrote on this blog as “nancybluemoon.” When I searched the comments on the blog, I discovered that the last comment she left was on April 15th.

I’m not sure what I can do other than what I’ve done. I have no other way to get hold of her. And I’m very worried.

We’re all connected here. Even if I haven’t actually met you face-to-face, we’re friends. And Nancy has been commenting here on the blog for years. Obviously, I’m concerned that something has happened to her.

I guess I’m sharing this with you because it’s been troubling me and I feel powerless. I know her last name, but a search on Google doesn’t provide any information.

Moving on is one thing, but disappearing from both the blog and Instagram is concerning, not responding to my email is concerning. The email didn’t bounce back to me, so the address is still valid.

I know you can’t do anything. I just need to share my concern with you today.

Thanks.

Happy Saturday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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