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Natural Beauty in Late Autumn

December 1, 2018 at 10:12 am by Claudia

The porch lights are up. It actually takes no time at all, about 15 minutes or so. (I’m not even going to bother with cleaning the railings until spring.) The lights were such a cheery and welcoming sight as we arrived back home last night from Rick and Doug’s. As we drove up to Don’s parking space near the shed, we saw the buck again. And he stayed there, very still, until the car lights were off and we walked toward the house. Two sightings now of that beautiful animal.

While I was outside yesterday, I grabbed my camera. I like to remind myself that there is beauty in the bleak landscape. It just takes seeing the landscape through the lens of my camera to realize that every season has its beauty.

The milkweed pods have burst open to release their silk parachutes.

Here’s one that still has seeds. Soon they will be transported by winds, or simply drop right where they are, guaranteeing that more milkweed plants will grow next spring.

I think they’re beautiful.

The burning bush has finally lost its red leaves leaving these beautiful berries behind. The berries are toxic in large quantities to humans and animals, but they are food for the birds. I’ve never read that they are toxic for birds. I’ll trust the birds, who know, to make that decision.

I’ll be finishing Susan Hill’s latest sometime today. Then the question is: do I read another James Lee Burke or start the Louise Penny? Penny is the only author I do this with: I often postpone starting the book because I know it will be such an exquisite pleasure to read and that, once it’s done, I’ll have to wait another year for a new book in the series. So I hold off.

Delayed gratification.

I have a feeling I’ll be holding off. We’ll see.

I’m going to work on the mini trees today, as it’s foggy out there with rain coming later in the day.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: books, Christmas, garden, Louise Penny, reading 20 Comments

Potpourri on Tuesday

November 27, 2018 at 11:09 am by Claudia

• As promised, my little group of Vintage by Crystal creations.

I bought the two bunny rabbits first, then the Easter rabbit on the egg, then the Santa, and now the Butterfly Rider.

They’re smallish, they don’t take up too much room and they’re charming. What could be better?

You can find her on Etsy under Vintage by Crystal.

• I’ve been concerned about the giant Boston Fern that I brought in from the porch. It takes up a lot of real estate and we all know that ferns can be picky and hard to care for. They like moisture. With the heat on, I worry about it drying out and there have certainly been a lot of dead fronds that I’ve had to clean up. I’m now watering it more and misting it every time I water.

There are good signs, like this:

Several of these new fronds are growing out of the center of the plant. (Gosh, it was hard to get a good picture of this! They’re so tiny.) Anyway, I’m hopeful at the moment. Fingers crossed!

• I don’t know if you know about this little book; only 126 pages long, smallish – the size of a pamphlet, but it is essential reading for the times we’re living in. I actually bought it last fall in New Orleans, but Don and I only started reading it aloud to each other this morning. It’s a powerful and easy to read warning about tyranny, using examples from the 20th century.

You’ll be shocked – or maybe you won’t be – by the direct connection to what is happening in our present.

I’ve seen it recommended over and over during the past year and a half. And now I see why. Snyder is a Professor at Yale. It’s inexpensive, too – just $8.99.

• I finished Righteous  by Joe Ide this morning. (Reading in the morning = the best.) I can’t recommend this series highly enough. Ide has a unique voice and a unique character in IQ. I’m going to order his newest, Wrecked. But in the meantime, I’m starting The Comforts of Home  by Susan Hill. And Louise Penny arrives in my mailbox today.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: books, collecting, houseplants 20 Comments

Reading, Books & Coaching

November 26, 2018 at 10:56 am by Claudia

Getting a good photo this morning is a challenge. It’s so dark out there – even now, at 10:30 am. The gray skies and general yuck are the precursor to the rain that’s arriving this afternoon. We’re due for almost an inch of it. Yesterday was unseasonably warm and sunny.

Go figure.

These gray days are tough for me. I have to force myself to be cheery and positive. I’m realizing that they are best spent with a good book in which I can lose myself. I am very into reading lately, thank goodness. After the reading drought earlier this year, I’m back at it and, oh my, it helps enormously.

Understand that I have stacks and stacks of books to be read. Way too many! They’re on the ottoman, on the floor and on the bookshelves. But this particular stack is what I’m tackling at the moment.

Two James Lee Burkes that I haven’t read, the newest Susan Hill which arrived last week, and Joe Ide’s second in his IQ series. The third was just published, but I had somehow missed out on the publication of the second, so I’m reading that first. In fact, I’m reading it right now. I fell for his style when I had to read and review IQ, the first mystery in the series. He’s a wonderful writer with a unique voice.

And tomorrow’s mail will bring the newest Louise Penny! Heaven!

I had another long day in the city yesterday, but not as long as some, thank goodness. I left for the bus around 7:15 and got home around 4:00. Rehearsal went well – I worked with the young man who is taking over the lead male role. Since he’s primarily an Australian pop star (with a large following stateside) who has done a bit of television, he’s not used to speaking onstage in a Broadway house. I requested the rehearsal so I could take him through all of his dialogue and help him understand vocal energy, fully voicing the ends of his lines, articulating clearly – that kind of thing. He’s a great guy and eager to learn, so working with him is quite rewarding. He’s such a personable and polite young man. He takes over the role this Thursday and I’ll go back around mid-December to watch him in a performance and check in on his progress.

No Christmas decorating yet. You know I don’t do any of that until the second week of December. I may put up the lights on the porch, but that’s it until later. I like my holidays to be separate and, since we love to keep the tree up through the New Year, decorating now would be way too soon. I’ve never understood decorating before Thanksgiving and then dismantling everything on Christmas afternoon. Doesn’t the Christmas season extend to New Year’s Day? Or am I just old-fashioned?

There are times that I like being old-fashioned.

Besides, I haven’t even thought about presents yet.

Two questions for you today: When do you decorate? And what are you reading?

Happy Monday.

 

 

Filed Under: books, Christmas, coaching, reading 88 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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