Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for books

Trees, Books, and the Girls

April 23, 2022 at 8:23 am by Claudia

Saturday morning.

I did some more work outside yesterday, but once my lower back started aching a bit, I stopped. The main/big garden bed has been completely cleared of fallen leaves and debris. So have the two beds near the porch. I still have to clear out the memorial garden and the beds where I sow seeds, as well as the beds on the other side of the house. But there’s no hurry.

In the past couple of years I’ve discovered all the youngish crabapple trees on this property and this time of year, when they’re in bloom or about to bloom, is the best. In yet another ‘get to know your property line, Claudia’ story, I was looking out the kitchen window at the crabapple that is just off of the Secret Garden, right behind The Dude. It’s the first crabapple I discovered several years ago and I was so charmed by it that I cleared a path which leads to the tree.

As I looked at it, I also looked at the much larger and very tall crabapple that is beyond it. It’s in full bloom as well and it’s gorgeous and I sort of envied my neighbors for owning that large tree.

Until I looked closer, went outside and looked at the property line.

It’s our tree.

Go figure.

I’m thrilled that it’s ours. Do you remember last year when we discovered that our property lines were a bit more expansive than we had thought? These are the things you discover when you continue to stay close to home due to a pandemic and do a lot of chores on the property.

I’ll try to get a photo of that tree today.

We might take our first stab at the front lawn today. We had to wait for a couple of replacement parts for our lawnmower and they’ve arrived. The grass is really long in some places, so we will have to  stop the mower periodically to unclog it. Happens every spring.

But darned if I don’t love mowing the lawn so I’m rather excited!

So far this week, I’ve started one book and after reading a few pages, stopped. I just didn’t connect to the author and her writing style. I’ve started another book – a mystery – that was in my TBR pile and I’m not far into it but I must admit, I’m a little thrown by the occasional occurrence of awkward sentence structure. Where was the editor? In all cases so far, it would have been a simple fix. It’s not enough to deter me at this point, but every time it happens, it pulls me out of the story.

I recognize this particular error because sometimes I’m guilty of the same thing when writing this blog, but the difference is that I go back and reread my post before I publish and ninety per cent of the time I catch it and make the necessary correction. But this is a blog and that’s a BOOK.

Anyway, I’ll move on.

Just because I haven’t shown them lately – The Girls.

I suspect they’re anxious to get outside and explore the property. Soon, girls, soon.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, books, trees 28 Comments

Idling Until I Can Actually Do Some Gardening

April 18, 2022 at 8:44 am by Claudia

The crabapple blossoms opened a couple of days ago. We have several crabapple trees on the property and the look of the blossoms vary from tree to tree. But this is always the first one to bloom.

It’s sunny today but we’re to get a little snow tonight – about an inch at most and it will be gone quickly. I can count on about 3 fingers the number of times we’ve had snow during the first week in April. We’ve been living in New York for 20 years, so that tells you it’s rare. But mid-April? I can’t swear to it, but I think that’s never happened. Anyway, it’s went down to 29 degrees last night. From the looks of the forecast for the week ahead, it won’t go below freezing again.

Between babying my back and the bizarre weather we’ve had this month, I really can’t begin to clear the garden beds until mid-week. I don’t think I’ve ever waited this long.

We had a low-key day yesterday. Since it’s only the two of us, we don’t do anything special. We don’t eat meat, so it was the usual vegetarian dinner for us. (I try not to write about my feelings on this subject here. Suffice to say, I’ve been a vegetarian for 35 years.)

Don did make a sugar-free apple pie, so we had a nice warm piece for dessert. Delicious!

I did a little tour of the office/studio on IG the other day. Would you be interested in seeing those photos here on the blog? Let me know. I’d be happy to share them with you. What can I say, I was bored and restless so I started taking pictures!

I am in the middle of The Sea of Tranquility  and I love it. I am a big fan of Emily St. John Mandel. Station Eleven  was my introduction to her writing and it was excellent. I remember I borrowed it from the library and immediately after finishing it, I wanted to buy a copy so I could have it in my library. Note to self: You still haven’t done that. Get on it.

A couple of you asked what book I bought the other day. This is it. It came out in hardback when we were in the early days of lockdown and everyone raved about it. It’s supposed to be very funny. I held off on purchasing it for some reason and then, over time, forgot about it. But there it was, on the fiction shelves at Barnes & Noble, so I grabbed it.

Most of my TBR pile is now on top of my bookshelf in the bedroom, but I do keep 3 or 4 books in the den – a little pile on the floor in front of the dollhouse. That’s where Fleishman is in Trouble  lives.

Alright my friends. I have to help Don tape an audition, so I have to get going.

Oh, I forgot! Don posted a song that he wrote about me on YouTube. If you want to hear it, here’s the link.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: books, flowers, garden, vegetarianism 32 Comments

Bunnies, Books, and a Surprise

April 16, 2022 at 9:30 am by Claudia

In honor of Easter, my Bunny egg cup cozies. Every once in a while I think of moving them upstairs to the office, but I can’t do it. I really like seeing them from my chair in the den. They’re darned cute and they make me smile. That’s mom on the right and her son on the left.

Yesterday, I drove my car for the first time since my back started giving me problems. I needed a little outing all by myself, which consisted of a trip to B & N (still  no Country Living!) to check out what was new in the book world. I also ran into Michael’s to get a yellow highlighter. A simple little jaunt, but it meant a lot to me. It was a beautiful day yesterday, sunny, in the 60s – absolutely gorgeous.

I found a book that I wanted to buy two years ago, but in the midst of lockdown and ongoing COVID crap, I forgot about it. It’s since come out in paperback, so I grabbed it. And I got a couple of magazines because I need some artistic inspiration.

It’s going to rain today, so I’ll park myself in my chair and catch up on Gardener’s World and read. I finished Last Friends  yesterday. The Old Filth trilogy by Jane Gardam (consisting of Old Filth, The Man in the Wooden Hat and Last Friends ) is simply delicious. I so love her writing; the rich characters, the different points of view. I already miss everyone who came alive to me on those pages.

I started Emily St. John Mandel’s newest last night – The Sea of Tranquility.

Last night, I was waiting for Don to come into the den before we switched over to Netflix for the evening. The TV was on – an old Law and Order that I’d seen before – so I was looking at Twitter and barely registering what was happening onscreen. I happened to look up right as this guy came on the screen:

No wonder the episode was familiar! I called out to Don and he couldn’t believe how dark his hair was. That guy has great hair, no matter if it’s brown or gray. (I happen to like gray better – he looks very handsome with some salt and pepper.)

He played a psychologist in this one.

Okay, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Filed Under: books, bunnies, Don, reading 35 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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