Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for flowers

Sunsets and Day Lilies

June 5, 2024 at 8:27 am by Claudia

Yesterday evening’s sunset. I’m not usually outside at that time, but I’m glad I was. I did have to run back inside the house for my phone, though. There is something so magical about a sunset.

It’s been in the mid-eighties the last few days. I guess summer is here (though not officially.) It’s a beautiful morning. I’ve come to the conclusion that my gardens are becoming increasingly wild. Though I try to eliminate the stuff that hasn’t been planted there, i.e., tall weeds that look sort of like the things I’ve planted, but really aren’t, it’s a thankless task. And I have to limit my time out there because of allergies and my hand, which is so much better, but still not quite as strong as it will be eventually. I pruned a lot of overgrown brambles/wild roses yesterday and though I made an effort to use my left hand, sometimes that was next-to-impossible. So, I have to make decisions as to what to be anal about and what to let go.

There’s lots of milkweed again this year. It likes to live in the lower right hand corner of the big garden bed, near the driveway. Occasionally, it pops up elsewhere, but the big garden bed has been its choice for the past few years. I remember when it first appeared in the back forty. I never see it there now. Anyway, the flowers are forming on the milkweed now. And I caught a whiff of scent yesterday, looked up, and realized the catalpa is starting to bloom. First week of June, like clockwork.

These day lilies are always the first of my flowers to bloom. This was taken in the evening, so they look a bit more orange than usual. I happened to be outside yesterday when the guy who works for the county was about to come by and cut down everything near the road. I stopped him and asked him if he could please skip our property, explaining that my crabapple had been cut down a couple of years ago and he said ” I remember that. I did it.” He was very low key, extremely nice, and we had a pleasant encounter which ended with me thanking him for being so nice. I now know when to start looking out for him every spring because the machinery is usually parked down the road from us, so I go on alert.

But that’s another chore to be done, I’ll have to weed whack that area.

Don’s sunburn is still hot and painful but it’s slowly improving.

Okay. I have to vacuum and dust and do some work outside.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden 22 Comments

Three, Four, Shut the Door

May 31, 2024 at 8:04 am by Claudia

34.

That’s all I need to say.

I never watch television during the day, but lately, during the trial, I’ve occasionally tuned into Nicolle Wallace around 4 pm. So I happened to be watching as they got the news that the verdict was in. I called to Don to “get in here!”

Justice served.

Thank you to DA Alvin Bragg, the magnificent prosecutorial team, and the jury.

Wild phlox alongside the path into the woods.

Hey, I mowed the other day! Whoo hoo! My hand was a bit sore afterward, so I took the day off yesterday. I wrapped it in an ace bandage while mowing and was very careful. Since Don’s shoulder is acting up, it was time for me to get back in the mowing game. It was just what I needed, it pulled me out of my worried state of mind and that’s a good thing. More on tap for today.

We’re holding off on the car until we’re emotionally and financially ready to deal with it. We need a little break from worry. Don has two gigs this weekend but they’re relatively close to us, so he’ll use my car.

Outside the kitchen window. You can see the rear of the dollhouse. These wild beauties won’t last much longer, so I’m taking as many photos of them as I can.

But now, the wild roses are blooming, so there are white blossoms everywhere. And that means the catalpa is not far behind.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Filed Under: dollhouse, flowers, garden 27 Comments

Flowers, Ants, Bunnies, and Books

May 22, 2024 at 9:03 am by Claudia

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.

 

 

Filed Under: books, bunnies, flowers, garden 15 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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