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You are here: Home / Archives for Blythe dolls

Book Juggling and What are you Reading?

July 27, 2023 at 9:12 am by Claudia

It seems that everything has bloomed earlier than usual this year. Black/brown-eyed Susans usually bloom in August and they first flowered a couple of weeks ago. Same with the David Phlox. Today’s weather will do them no favors, so I’m going to go out and water this morning before the worst of the heat sets in. We have a heat advisory today and this will be the forecast through Saturday. Thank goodness for air conditioning.

We might get a severe thunderstorm around noon. Sigh. Yet another torrential rain.

Because I’ve been stuck inside, I’ve been playing with the girls.

I placed them on the ottoman for a moment and was taken with the way they looked together.

Believe me, playing with dolls at this age is a truly wonderful thing – something I had never even entertained! They have truly enhanced the quality of my life. Magic and wonder are in short supply these days, so why not grab them while you can?

I’ve been reading a lot. Reading War and Peace first thing in the morning is key. My brain is more open to all the details.  Later in the day, there are too many distractions. (Right now, we’re in the midst of a big battle in the War of 1812.) Then I usually follow with The Deptford Trilogy. I should be more specific about that: I’m reading the first book in the trilogy – Fifth Business. When I finish that, I’ll switch books in order to read Demon Copperhead  by Barbara Kingsolver. I got it from the library, so I have it for a limited amount of time. After that, it will be back to the Trilogy.

Unless another book that I forgot I reserved arrives at the library.

I feel like a juggler!

What are you reading?

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, books, flowers, garden, reading 41 Comments

Random Thoughts on Wednesday

July 26, 2023 at 9:08 am by Claudia

Taken not long after we mowed the entire front lawn yesterday morning.

I pushed for it because I knew we had to get it done before we had more rain and 4 days of very hot weather, starting today. I was right. We had a huge thunderstorm yesterday afternoon – another bout of torrential rain and endless thunder and lightning.

In all my years, and as you know there are a lot of them, I’ve never witnessed so many thunderstorms in the course of one summer. Honestly, we’ve averaged 2 or 3 a week, every week. Sometimes more. Most summers, we get them, yes, but every once in while, not a parade of storms like we’ve had this summer. I’ve never seen anything like it.

I love a good storm, but it’s safe to say that I’m over it. Enough already.

I swear that I can smell smoke out there, but the weather app says nothing about it. No air quality warning. But my sense of smell is pretty darned exceptional, so I won’t be surprised if we get some kind of warning tomorrow. Anyway, we plan on staying inside for the next four days as the heat index will reach the high nineties and the humidity will be off the charts.

Yuck.

I saw Buddy yesterday. He was out and about and at one point,  I had to make an appearance to get him out of the garden. That scamp! I think he might have taken over as the main tenant under the maple tree. I can’t be absolutely sure of course, but he is the only one of the siblings who regularly pops out of that hole.

We finished up the deductions and I sent them off to our accountant out in California. Yay! Done.

I took a minute to take a picture of two of the girls:

Mabel is wearing a new dress from our friend Woolly Rockers who lives in England. This is a ‘hula girl’ dress (check out the pattern) and I love it.

I’m not sure what they’re looking at – the hydrangea? A bird? Our neighbor’s house? Who knows?

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, cottage, groundhogs 16 Comments

Monday Stuff: Flowers, Groundhogs, Mosquitoes

July 24, 2023 at 9:16 am by Claudia

Monday. It may rain, it may not. Yesterday was so lovely, we tried to really be in the moment and lap it up.

Don suggested we sit on the porch since, for once, the weather was good. We sat on the glider. We had to leave because there were so many bees buzzing around the roses and other flowers.

We decided to sit in the secret garden. I got attacked my mosquitoes. We retreated to the house,

So much for sitting outside!

These day lilies are so gorgeous and I often miss them because they’re on the far side of the house. They’re also huge.

I might weed-whack a little today. The area around the secret garden is overgrown because we’ve had so much rain.

We’re sending off our deductions today. I’m glad that chore is finished!

No recent sightings of Buddy, though I did see the older groundhog who lives under the shed sunning himself on the ramp. That reminded me of Henry, who often took advantage of the ramp to watch the world go by. The baby groundhogs have grown up. They’re so big now. I was telling Don that I miss that time right after Mom fiercely moved them all to the other burrow and Buddy would sneak back down here during the day. When it was around 5:30 pm, he’d look around, make sure he was safe, and trot back to the gate, look around again, and make his way into the secret garden and then run up the stepping stones on the little hill. Then he’d run toward the burrow. He was so gosh-darned adorable.

But kids grow up so quickly, don’t they?

Katie bonding with The Dude.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, garden, groundhogs 16 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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