Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Day Three Hundred Fifty-Eight

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It’s cold here! Two more days of this stuff and then the warming begins. At least two days of near 60 degrees are predicted and I’m very happy about that.

I straightened up the studio; though if you walked in the door, you might think I hadn’t done anything of the sort. But I assure you, I have. While I was up there, I added the putz sheep from Helga to the herd already living on the mantel/shelf. It’s hard to get a good photo (I’m going to try again later today with my big girl camera) but this is better than nothing.

I have 20 putz sheep now. The two at the far right are adorable, but they’re not putz sheep. I took photos of exactly where Helga’s sheep are in this mix, so I don’t forget. I’m tempted to find some way to mark them – hidden, of course – because unlike so many things I collect, I can’t remember where and when I found most of these sheep. I remember the details of a few, especially The Lamb with the Party Hat, the symbol of this blog. I found her in Orange, California, when I was back in San Diego to coach the Summer Shakespeare Festival about 11 years ago. And the large sheep with the hat and the pack was a gift from Lori, the owner of Vignettes in Ocean Beach.

I’d love to have scads more. Fingers crossed. The one time during this pandemic that I actually went into a store other than the grocery store was in December when my friend Sydney dropped off two sheep (she has been the source of many members of my herd) and left it at the front desk of one of my favorite antique shops. I was in and out of there in a flash! I suppose I’d only do that sort of thing for sheep and dollhouses – at least, for the time being.

Finished puzzle dismantled. New one started:

It will eventually look like this:

I’ve started A Chelsea Concerto, a nonfiction book about living in Chelsea, London during the Blitz. It was recommended by one of my favorite book bloggers, Miranda Mills. I’m really enjoying it. The series we’re watching, A French Village, is all about life in a French village that is occupied by the Nazis. I seem to be immersed in WWII these days.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Seven

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I didn’t get to do any work on the dollhouse yesterday because I came to the conclusion that I wanted a different width for the floorboards. That wood should be arriving sometime today and I suppose I’ll start in on that over the weekend. But I did conclude that I need to sort through all the crap on my desk and clean things up a bit, so that’s on the docket for today.

I did finish this:

It’s called A Night at the Opera  and it was difficult and fun.

Don loves this one.

Sometimes I encounter a piece that clearly belongs to another puzzle, even though this puzzle was new and never opened. This is the one that was in this particular box:

And I wonder, what new puzzle owner will find he’s missing this exact piece?

I finished The Moving Toyshop, which I enjoyed. I’m not a big reader of classic British mysteries, as a rule. I’m not sure I’d read another Edmund Crispin, but who knows? He certainly knew how to weave an almost unsolvable plot. I had no idea “whodunit” until the end. The writing is smart and witty. Somehow, though, this particular section of the mystery genre is slow going and somewhat tedious for me.

Now to choose what’s next: Mrs Tim Gets a Job  or A Chelsea Concerto?  A Chelsea Concerto  is nonfiction and written by an artist who lived in the Chelsea section of London during WWII. I’ll see what my mood indicates later today.

Things I’ve been thinking about lately:

The Young People’s Concerts  television series of the fifties/sixties, conducted and narrated by the brilliant Leonard Bernstein. As a child, I loved them and never missed a performance. I’ve watched some clips lately and heavens, they were wonderful! Bernstein was, in addition to his genius as a composer, conductor and writer, a born teacher.

Being able to dial a number on our rotary dial phone and find out what the weather forecast for the day was or what the time (at the tone) was. I sort of miss those days. I think our local weather number (in the Detroit area) was WE-21212.

Calling information (411?) to ask a human being on the other end of the line what the phone number was for so-and-so. I’d often have short chats with the operator. Miss that, too.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Three (Book Review)

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Today I am reviewing It’s Never Too Late by Kathie Lee Gifford for TLC Book Tours. As always, I am provided with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book (from the publisher): When Kathie Lee Gifford stepped down as cohost of the fourth hour of the Today  show with Hoda Kotb, you might have thought her best days were behind her. It turns out, she was just getting started. As Kathie Lee says, “I’m not retiring; I’m refiring!”

In It’s Never Too Late, Kathie Lee draws on stories from her remarkable life to weave together a beautiful reminder that whatever circumstances we face, God is still dreaming big for our years ahead.

Taking us from her Chesapeake Bay childhood when she first heard God’s calling, to her skyrocketing fame with Regis, to her decision to leave television for Nashville, Kathie Lee inspires us to pursue what really matters.

Because it’s never too late to forgive, to dance the cha-cha, to make a difference in the world. God placed His dreams in your heart for a reason. And like Kathie Lee, you might just discover that the best is yet to come.

My review: I decided to read this book and review it because I’ve always liked Kathie Lee Gifford. She is refreshingly honest and funny and down to earth. She’s 67, I’m 68. And I like the concept of dreaming big, no matter what your age. That being said, I am often uncomfortable with anything I perceive as ‘preachy.’ I’ve mentioned this before on the blog. I was raised in organized religion, but that particular domination did not preach, except on Sundays in the pulpit. One’s faith was private, just as one’s politics were (obviously, I’ve changed regarding politics!) So when reading a book like this one, I have to let those old “judges” go and read it with an open mind. And I did.

Kathie Lee’s faith is a constant in her life and she really lives it. I admire her for that. She prays, she reaches out to others, she does a lot of work for charities and for the betterment of her fellow man. The book itself is composed of short chapters in which she speaks of moments and experiences in her life that illustrate the theme of this book. It’s written very much in the way she speaks, so there’s an intimate and upbeat sharing of things she’s learned along the way – always honest, always uplifting.

I enjoyed it very much. There’s a lot of scripture quoting, so if you’re uncomfortable with that, this may not be the book for you. Also woven throughout the book are lyrics to the songs she has written. She is a prolific songwriter and her recent move to Nashville is yet another example of her openness to change and growth.

There’s valuable advice here. It’s far too easy at this age to think it’s all over, that nothing new and exciting can happen. But it can. And I have personally had several pivotal moments in my life where I felt led by God (Divine Power, Supreme Being, Deity, whatever word you are comfortable with) to make a major change which I could never have engineered on my own, when things and people and opportunity came together in a way I never could have imagined.

I was particularly touched by the idea that it’s never too late to forgive. I have wrestled with this in my own life and have found the act of freely forgiving to be incredibly healing. Not only for the person I forgive, but for myself. It isn’t always easy; in fact, it can be incredibly difficult to get to that point, but it’s worth it in the end.

If these are ideas that appeal to you, I think you’ll like this book. It’s an easy and entertaining read and you’ll feel better for having read it.

About the author: Kathie Lee Gifford, four-time Emmy Award winner, is best known for her eleven years cohosting the popular fourth hour of the Today  show alongside Hoda Kotb. Gifford continues to pursue her dreams as an actress, singer, songwriter, playwright, producer, and most recently, director. She has authored numerous books, including her most recent children’s book, Hello, Little Dreamer, and four New York Times  bestselling books, including The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi.

I am giving away one copy of this book. If you’re interested, leave a comment on this post (not via email) and I’ll draw the name of the winner on Saturday.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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