Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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Porch Time

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Thursday was that rare day where all the humidity and storms of Wednesday had blown away, leaving moderate temperatures, a gentle breeze and perfect weather for some family porch time.

Don played the guitar, I read a little. Then I plopped down on the glider and slept for an hour. I got up, traded places with Don and he slept for an hour. That gentle breeze lulled each of us to sleep.

Simple pleasures. With all the unbearable heat we’ve had lately, this particular afternoon was a blessing. Today Don is off to the Berkshires to work on another play. Work is a good thing, but in our line of work, it almost always means separation from our loved ones. With the joy of work comes the sorrow of being away from the family. And with Riley being so frail, it’s especially hard this time.

Have a wonderful Friday.

Oh, For Some Sleep

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It’s 9:30 in the morning and I sit here, barely awake. I had to drive to Connecticut to pick Don up yesterday and we both thought the best way to handle all the hours away from Riley would be to make the trip in the late evening and early morning hours when he’s asleep. So, still sleep deprived, I headed out around 8:30, arrived at 11:30 and with a quick stop for something to eat, we arrived home at close to 3 am. I slept for about an hour on the way home, but the cumulative effect of my lack of sleep has really knocked me for a loop.
Riley’s exhausted today – he had a restless night. Yesterday, in the middle of the afternoon, he got up by himself. I couldn’t believe my eyes. He walked around a lot and even tried eating his dinner in a standing position. He can’t maintain that for very long, but bless his heart, he gave it a try.
Oh, for some sleep.
We’re home safe and sound and the dogs are sleeping and it’s supposed to be 96 degrees today.
Happy Saturday.

The B List: Birds, Bees, and Bunnies

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I waxed rhapsodic about gardening the other day. But I’m wondering…the weather has been so extremely hot here for the past several days, have we already reached that part of the summer where we simply do all we can to keep the plants from wilting? I’m sure I’m not alone in my worry about the heat’s effect on my plants – especially the potted ones. I feel like I’m constantly filling and refilling the watering can in order to give those plants a good soaking. Have we gone into maintenance mode?

That pair of finches? I think they hang out in one of my hanging plants after dark. The other evening when it was almost, but not quite dark, I ran out to water the hanging plants. As I drew near, a bird flew out of the pot. Then as I lifted the can and started to water, another one startled me and flew right past my nose! I checked and there’s not a nest but they’re definitely camping out. No more watering at night. I’m sure I really startled them.

The birdbath continues to be the community pool. There’s almost constant activity there, especially during these oh-so-hot days. If left to my own devices, I could spend all day watching them. And the bunnies. I see one little one outside my kitchen window every day. And the bigger ones hang out in the back forty or near the shed. They freeze when they see the dogs. (I don’t blame them.)

You remember that Riley has been waking me up at 5:30 am because he’s thirsty and/or needs to pee? Well, he’s stopped doing that, but the irony is that I’m still waking up at 5:30. Like clockwork. Seriously sleep-deprived here.

Don and I have officially been together for 18 years – we met on the Fourth of July. And there were fireworks.

The winner of a copy of Darkness All Around is Missy Max. Send me an email with your address and I’ll forward it to the folks at TLC Book Tours. Congratulations!

Happy Thursday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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