Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Flowers, Ants, Bunnies, and Books

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Now, that’s a cheery sight…the calibrachoa is filling out nicely. It’s doing my favorite thing; spilling out over the top of the plant stand and between the wrought iron ‘wires.’ I have some in a planter, as well, but you can’t see it in this photo.

Yesterday, we woke up to an invasion – and I mean INVASION – of large black ants. It was insane. They were in the kitchen and the living room running around on the wood floors. After dealing with them most of the morning, the remaining ants eventually disappeared. In the meantime, we had placed a call to our pest control people and someone is supposed to come out on Friday. We may cancel that if there’s no reappearance. We’ve also had bees, wasps, and hornets appearing inside the house. I’m not sure where they’re coming from, but since it’s been so hot the last few days, I’ve been closing the windows and running the A/C and there were no buzzing intruders yesterday. In the case of the bees, etc., we’ve been able to capture them and release them outside. Sadly, in the case of the ants, there was no way to remove them humanely and that always makes me feel guilty and sad.

I’ve also had to gently remind a few bunnies that the big garden bed is off limits. They’re awfully cute, but there’s plenty to chomp on around here that doesn’t involved the plants in the bed,

And I’ve had a tiny little encounter with poison ivy on my left wrist. It’s clearing up now.

What’s next? Locusts?

It’s awfully beautiful out there this morning. Don mowed the front yard yesterday and will have to mow the corral today. Rain and thunderstorms are predicted for tomorrow. Wild phlox has appeared all over the property. The phlox is so beautiful in subtle shades of white and pink and lavender. I’ll have to take some photos today.

I’m reading Close to Death  by Anthony Horowitz. I’m also slowly reading The Cottage Garden by Claus Dalby, a Danish gardener I follow on Instagram. It’s absolutely gorgeous. I rarely buy books these days, but after waiting months for the one copy we had in our library system and being stuck inside because of my hand injury, I treated myself. I’m glad I did because it’s beautifully photographed with lots of helpful information. It’s the kind of book that makes me smile.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

 

Buttercups

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I love the appearance of  buttercups on our lawn. Usually, they are concentrated on the lilac side of the front lawn, but this year, I’ve found them scattered around the property. They’re so cheery and delicate. Like dandelions, they pop right back after being mowed.

Eventually, they’ll fade away until next year, but I sure like seeing them.

No rain today. And…maybe no rain for the next five days! Shocker! Don’s gig went well last night and now he can take it easy for the rest of the weekend. I have started another puzzle. It’s slightly annoying; the pieces are harder than usual, almost plastic-feeling, though they’re not plastic. And on the back of each piece is a letter, which I suppose corresponds to whatever section of the puzzle the piece belongs to (awkward sentence!) I use up a lot of mental energy trying to ignore those letters because I don’t want any help at all.

I’ll probably weed a bit today, do some laundry – that kind of thing. And I’m deeply into The Instruments of Darkness, by John Connolly – it’s getting to the point in the reading process where I will soon be unable to put it down. In fact, I had to force myself to put it down to write this post! He is a wonderful, wonderful writer.

I hope you enjoy your weekend, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Fog

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The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

Carl Sandburg

I think of this poem nearly every time I see the fog. So simple, yet so evocative. I was in a production of The World of Carl Sandburg  many moons ago, and it was a lovely experience. Consequently, I can recite great swaths of his poetry at the drop of a hat – all these years later. My great friend from my school and theater days back in my hometown was in it with me. He died several years ago, much too young.

A melancholy memory on a foggy morning,

Today will be rain-free, then more rain tomorrow. And on it will go, throughout the week ahead.

I’ve been informed that two newly published books that I had on hold have arrived at my library, much sooner than I expected. Suddenly, I will have to scramble to finish The Heist  by Daniel Silva, so I can read the new arrivals in the 14 days allotted to me. I read a big chunk of the Silva this morning. Fortunately, they’re fast-paced thrillers, which surely helps.

Did anyone see the Northern Lights? Nothing here, but it was cloudy last night and we were told not to expect anything than the occasional green flash of light. In the brief time I observed the sky, there were no flashes. I’ll have to check the neighborhood Facebook page to see if anyone around here saw them.

I saw them once when I was a camp counselor working in northern Michigan. We were on an overnight with our campers – my fellow counselor on the overnight was my boyfriend at the time. They were stunning. That would have been the summer of 1972.

Oh, to be young again!

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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