Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Monarch

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I was out watering yesterday morning – high of 91, heat advisory – and I approached the birdbath. I was going to empty it and fill it with fresh water. As I walked to the birdbath, I startled a monarch butterfly who had been on the ground. I watched it fly to the ground by my car. I quickly realized it was a newly transformed baby, just emerged from the chrysalis. He (identified by the dots on his wings) was opening and shutting his wings in order to dry them.

Then he flew to my tire, where he remained for a couple of hours.

It’s all in the timing. If I hadn’t been out there at that time, I would have missed it. One of the caterpillars I showed you a couple of weeks ago is now a butterfly! I wish I knew where the other chrysalises are. Interesting that he was beneath the birdbath, where the chrysalis of a couple of years ago was hanging. I’d already checked the birdbath and there was no chrysalis there this time, so he came from someplace else.

A beautiful little moment in a sea of hot, dry, drought-ridden days.

This dress arrived in yesterday’s mail. A beautiful creation from The Pumpkin Belle, aka Helen, who is a dressmaker in England. I’ve always wanted one of her creations. She uses silks and she hand dyes and ages the fabric. So gorgeous!

Holly won the toss and I must say she looks beautiful. (There was some jealousy amongst the girls, but I assured them that each girl would have her turn.)

I have to coach two people today. I was so tired after the trip that I used up any energy I had coaching and promptly turned into a vegetable afterward. I find I need a day to recover, so I’m scheduling next Tuesday as the recovery day after the next round of driving.

We’re so sick of this heat. Yesterday was particularly humid and unbearable. Today will be the same and then I think we drop to the low eighties on Wednesday. Sigh.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Rain?

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We’re supposed to get rain today. We had a spritz overnight, but hardly any of the pavement got wet. “Heavy and torrential downpours at times.” PLEASE! When Don starts talking about how dry it has been and how sick of it he is, you know it’s bad.

It’s Monday and Don has left the house to report for jury duty. He may get sent back home today. It’s a little different than the last time I was called. He goes in today. If he’s sent back home, he goes in again tomorrow morning. I think he’d like to serve, so I’m hoping he gets on a trial.

Imogen in her new back-to-school shoes. Well, not just hers. As you know, the girls share clothes and shoes. Sometimes that involves a scuffle, but, for the most part, they’re pretty good about it.

Aren’t they wonderful? Look at the detail! Another pair from Cora Huang, who lives ‘next door’ to me in Connecticut.

I have no idea how any of the Blythe cobblers do such small and detailed work. Shoes are one of my favorite Blythe things. They’re also one of my favorite human things.

No coaching on the schedule today. I’ll work at least one day with Jane Eyre before I drive to Rochester on Saturday. And another with Jim. I’m just not sure when those days will be.

I’m awaiting the next installment of the Slough House series by Mick Herron. I finished London Rules, and was going to hold off before I ordered the next book. But I’m so addicted, I have to keep going. The next is  Joe Country.

More on the Great Lakes – I took a trip with my grandparents when I was about 9, part of which consisted of driving north through the Lower Peninsula to the Upper Peninsula to Sault Ste. Marie, where we crossed into Canada, and proceeded to drive all the way around Lake Superior. Years later, we camped on the shores of Lake Superior and I swam in that famously cold lake. I’ve been to Lake Michigan several times – in Michigan and in Illinois. I’ve sailed on Lake Erie with my father – he kept his sailboat docked at a marina there. When my dad and mom retired, they sold our home and moved north to Rogers City, which is on the shores of Lake Huron. (They loved it there. So did I.) and I’ve been to Lake Ontario several times. And Niagara Falls, of course!

I won’t have time to do much of anything other than work this weekend. But I will sneak in a little visit to Lake Ontario before I head back home on Sunday.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Friday

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Because it’s Friday at the end of a long week: Pippa in her new crocs.

I can’t get over this pair of crocs. Oh my goodness!

They were made by my favorite “cobbler” Cora Huang. I have shoes and boots from other makers and I love them. However, when I first purchased Sophie and was wondering where I could get shoes and boots, and was completely new to the Blythe community, I stumbled upon Cora. In a truly international doll/clothing/shoes world, Cora, much to my delight, lives in Connecticut. It’s nice to order something that won’t take weeks to get here. But the best part is her craftsmanship. Her shoes are beautifully made.

I’d say the majority of the shoes the girls wear are Cora’s.

I have one more new pair that I’ll share when I actually put them on one of the girls. They remind me of back-to-school shoes. I always got one new pair of shoes in the fall, invariably brown. As I got older, they were invariably brown penny loafers. Do you remember Bass Weejuns?

Now ask me when I last bought new shoes… Answer: last year. A new pair of Birkenstocks. Ask me when I last bought any new clothes…Answer: last fall when I had to order long underwear and heavy socks for cold location shoots on Spoiler Alert. I don’t much care about clothes these days. I’m happy with a new t-shirt. Maybe one new sweater in the winter. But I don’t have a lifestyle that requires being fashion conscious. I used to love it. Now I find it  exhausting.

Technically, the girls don’t need any new clothes or shoes, but much of the fun in collecting these girls lies in dressing them up.

Today I coach Jim for a bit in the early afternoon and then we’ll go vote.

Yesterday, on my one day off from coaching this week, I cleaned, watered plants outdoors – all sorts of little things that needed to be done.

Very satisfying.

To close,  I marvel at Lucy’s strength! She’s been holding her arm up to give the peace sign for two weeks now. How does she do it?

I certainly couldn’t do it.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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