Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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Flowers and a Little Housekeeping

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Late summer garden. It’s sort of a mess, though I did do some weeding the other day. Truth is, it’s so hot and humid this week that I couldn’t weed if I tried. I just turned the A/C on at 9:30 this morning, which is far earlier than usual.

Tomorrow I leave for Las Vegas, quite early in the morning. So I won’t be posting. I’ll try to post while I’m there. If I can’t, I’ll be posting on Instagram. If you don’t have an IG account, you can come to the blog and click on the Instagram link on the right sidebar and it will take you to my account.

I know I’ve said this before, but I have to say it again because it still keeps happening. For those of you who get my blog post via email, please understand that if you ‘reply’ via that post, I am unable to respond. Those posts are sent via a special email address that is just for the posts. Not for correspondence. I’ve had people get upset with me about that in the past, even though I remind everyone about this at least 3 or 4 times a year. Go figure.

If you want to write me, come to the blog. You can click on the title of the post in the email version and it will take you to the blog. Personally, I’d rather  you did that as clicking on the blog gives me the ad income necessary to support this blog. (You get it for free, but it isn’t free for me.) Once you get here, go to the top of the right sidebar and you’ll see an envelope icon. Click on it. An email form will appear.

Easy.

I say this because a reader wrote me the other day via the email blog post asking how she could find the post I wrote about Bookmobiles. Again…the sidebar. There is a box on the sidebar that says ‘Search.’ Type in ‘Bookmobile’ and it should come up. There may be more than one post referencing them, just look for the post that has Bookmobile in the title.

Okay. Here’s a picture of Don and me taken by one of my former students last week.

It’s a bit blurry, but at this point in my life, blurry is a blessing, you know? Anyway, we like it.

I’m a lucky girl having that man as my life partner.

I’ll see you when I see you – in the next couple of days, most likely.

Happy Tuesday.

A Good Day

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Well, this was alarming.

Mother Nature: I’m happy that it’s cooler right now, but don’t assume that means I’m ready for Fall. I will be soon, but please don’t rush me. Okay?

Yesterday was a strange and good day. Don drove down to New Jersey to buy more film for his Crown Graphic camera. Fuji has stopped making it and, consequently, it’s getting more expensive. There are photographers who swear by it – and it’s really true, there’s nothing anywhere near the quality of this film for polaroid photography – and they hoard it knowing that the supply is finite. There’s someone out there trying to develop an alternative and we have our fingers crossed that he succeeds.

Anyway, on the way back he called me with the news that he had booked the job he auditioned for last week. It’s a small role, just a day’s work, but it’s significant because it’s the first job he’s booked since Margaritaville. He needed that. We were celebrating when an email came up on my laptop from the Anastasia National Tour asking if I was available to coach a couple of actors next week – in Las Vegas, no less.

So, while I was talking to Don about the job he just booked, I booked a job myself!

Good news for the Hill-Sparks household.

I’ll be jetting off to Las Vegas next Wednesday and I’ll return on Saturday. Crazy, right?

It’s always a good day when two freelancers book a job. In the 25 years we’ve been together, we’ve never booked jobs on the same day.

Just saw our pair of mourning doves. One is looking for food on the ground, the other is sitting on the edge of the birdbath. They were there yesterday evening, as well.

Okay. I got a late start this morning, then I had a phone call with Darko, and I’m just now getting to the blog!

Happy Wednesday.

 

Deconstructed

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You might have seen this on Instagram yesterday.

My dear husband had been watering the plants for me while I rested my back. He tends to be overzealous with the water. The day before yesterday, I felt ready to water the porch plants once more (Don was in the city.)

I immediately noticed a large amount of water on top of the former kitchen island. And some of that water had run down the front of the piece. I ran for some paper towels and quickly realized that the water had probably been there for a couple of days, resulting in the veneer warping – both on top of the cabinet and on the drawer fronts.

I was actually pretty calm about it since I knew the veneers were problematical given the fact that this piece is now outside on the porch. The sides of the cabinet had already shown some evidence of warping. I grabbed a screwdriver to separate the two drawers (which had expanded due to the water) and then I started peeling the veneer.

Current status.

There’s more to do. Frankly, I had already envisioned getting rid of the veneer, which has been troublesome from the beginning – way back when I first painted this formerly dark sideboard. When it was still in the kitchen, I pondered taking the top down to the raw wood. But then Stella came and all of that was shelved.

The whole thing needs a new paint job and some weather proofing. Whether I keep it two-toned or paint it all white again is the question. So far, the cupboard doors are fine. I may peel the veneer on the sides of the cabinet.

Don, having been told of his overwatering mistake, said: “I like it better this way.” (I’m sure he does.)

I’m not averse to it either. It gives it some texture. And I like chippy things, which, given the current condition of the sideboard, is putting it mildly.

This will be a good Autumn Project.

Maybe Don is just trying to keep me busy.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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