Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Crabapple Blossoms

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In the midst of endless rain, the crabapple blossoms have opened. We have a several crabapple trees around here, most of them younger than this one and all with slightly different blooms. This is always the first tree to flower and it’s right under the catalpa.

It’s so dreary out there, but the forsythia is a vivid yellow and the crabapple is in bloom, and boy, does that help. Both Don and I were lethargic yesterday and so tired of the rain. We want to be doing things outside and there’s much to be done. We’ll get a one day break tomorrow and then more rain on Sunday. HELP!

Also: Don had to take his car to his mechanic – again. We noticed it riding strangely the other day when we were driving back from the grocery store. He was afraid it might be tied to the most recent repair. So he drove it to the mechanic yesterday morning. It’s another thing entirely – the rotor for the right front brakes. It will be costly to repair and, between bills for heating oil, the bill for the last car repair, and the high cost of living, Don decided to hold off on the repair until we have the money. In the meantime, he can use my car. I have to admit, I had a good cry yesterday.

It’s always something. We have had to deal with so many repairs in the past year. I named 2023 The Year of Rain. I might add ‘Repairs’ to that.

Anyway, we both feel a bit down about all of this stuff and we’re working hard to stay positive.

In the meantime, I’m immersed in another Daniel Silva. I think I have 3 more to read until I catch up to where I left off several years ago. Boy, that man can write a spy thriller. His books are routinely 400+ pages and I positively cannot put them down. As I picked up two more at my local library the other day, I felt the need to explain why I’m reading so many Daniel Silva books!

I’m trying to finish the jigsaw puzzle. But I’m at the difficult part – the trees. So, if I manage to fill in 5 pieces a day, I’m doing good.

What else? Some critter is chomping on my garden. No emerging plant is safe. My lone tulip suddenly disappeared from sight. This drives me mad. The daffodils have been left alone, but that’s about it. The culprit is either a deer, a rabbit, or a groundhog.

Cue my frustrated scream.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Buds and Blooms

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Yesterday was a lovely sunny day, so I took a few pictures. Unfortunately, both Don and I were under the weather, so we basically did nothing all day long. We’re due for lots of rain over the next four days – that’s depressing – and a bit of snow on Wednesday night. It will be gone the next morning. But I did get outside on Saturday to do some much needed pruning of some of the bushes. There’s more to be done, but frankly, I was tuckered out. I have to get back in my ‘working outdoors’ shape!

Robins visited the birdbath, some critter has been chomping on my day lilies (grrr!) and there’s lots of bird song every day. And my beloved peepers are especially vocal in the evenings, as well as all night long.

The daffodils on the edge of the woods.

Drat! Both of these photos are a bit blurry.

Anyway, these are crab apple buds. There are also buds on the lilac and the hydrangeas. We lost a few trees up in the woods over the winter – we had such high winds! Lots of branches down as well. I suspect the trees were ash trees – they’ve been weakened by the emerald ash borer. Plus, we’ve had an excess of rain over the course of several months which doesn’t help. Some of the fallen trees we can move ourselves, but at least one or two will need a chainsaw. I also had to move three saplings that fell near the secret garden. Losing trees always makes me sad.

I also had to cut back the limelight hydrangea where it was covering one of the boxwoods. That limelight is huge, so a little cutting back is a good thing. I’m anxious to do more, but the rain will delay any more work until next weekend.

I hope you had a lovely Easter, if you celebrate.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Daffodils and Egg Cups

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Our first fully opened daffodil. Unfortunately, I’m sure it got pummeled by the torrential rain we had all day on Saturday. We got at least two inches, maybe more. My activities that day were accompanied by the sound of the sump pump turning off and on every 3 minutes. It’s still cold, but I think, as of today, there will be no more lows in the 20s. I’ve missed the sound of the peepers, as they hide when it’s too cold. Hopefully, they’ll come out to play in the next couple of days.

We are winding down on our egg cup tour. It will end either on Wednesday or Friday.

I love these so much. They are new cups and were a gift from dear friend and reader, Judy. Aren’t they delightful? They are displayed on the top of the egg cup cubby, along with the next egg cups that I’ll show you.

These are double egg cups in the Harlequin line by Homer Laughlin pottery, the manufacturer who also made Fiesta. For some reason, the turquoise and yellow cups aren’t showing the same band of lines as the other two cups, but they’re there. Something to do with lighting. Anyway, small cup on the bottom, bigger cup on the top. I found two of these cups locally, and reader and friend Margaret sent me the other two when she was remodeling her kitchen.

I truly love that so many of these cups were gifts from readers, my mom, friends, and Scoutie/her dad. They all have a story, either of how I found the cup or how the cup came to me via a gift that arrived in the mail. (You know I love everything having a story.) The egg cup cubby is pretty full, but there’s still some room there and I do keep an eye open for anything that really interests me. But, at this point, it has to REALLY interest me. I have two coming sometime next month from my cousin. I have a few bookmarked on eBay. And I’ve been fighting the urge to take a look around the local shops, but I may give into it this week. Easter is the time when every antique dealer pulls out the egg cups.

It’s sunny today. I’m in the midst of rediscovering the spy novels of Daniel Silva. I read many of them several years ago, but I stopped at some point – I don’t know why. I read about his newest and it happened to be on the shelf at my local library. I forgot how fun they are to read and, most importantly, how engrossing. Right now, I need books that really capture my attention, where the words flow easily and I’m taken along for the ride. I’m working my way backwards to wherever I was when I stopped reading them.

I didn’t get around to answering Saturday’s comments. I hardly ever do that, but I’ve decided that’s okay every once in a long while.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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