Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for flowers

A Bit of Everything

June 5, 2013 at 9:47 am by Claudia

wildrose

Wild roses are everywhere on this property. Normally, they are a pain in the tush because they grow with abandon and have thorns. Normally, I curse them. But for a week or two in the spring, they bloom and everywhere I look there are billowy tufts of tiny white flowers. And for that week or two, I bless them.

Delicate. Beautiful.

Yesterday was simply gorgeous with temperatures in the seventies and a gentle breeze. I was a bit down, still am, so I comforted myself with time on the porch and the funky patio. I listened to the sound of the birds – I so wish I could identify all the different chirps and calls – and watched them flit and fly all over the property. I heard a woodpecker up in the catalpa. In fact, I hear him now. But every time I tiptoed to the tree, that little bugger took off. He knew I wanted a photo of him.

I heard the cicadas, but only for about 30 seconds here and there. Cicadas have to compete with the noise of traffic on our busy country road. I am still finding some newly emerged cicadas here and there on the property.

housefrombackforty

A view of the house from the back forty.

backforty

Part of the back forty.

I sat on the porch glider and looked at my gardening journal. I don’t keep it up like I did when I first established this garden seven years ago, but reading it helps me to realize how far the gardens have come. I am reminded about the plants that thrived here and the plants that mysteriously failed or simply disappeared. More on that in another post. I read my current Deborah Crombie mystery. And this girl kept me company:

scoutexploring

She spends an awful lot of time sniffing here and there. Her nose reminds me that other critters pass through this porch: cats, chipmunks, squirrels, bunnies, mice.

prettygirl

That face. I absolutely adore that face.

By now I think you know that I am more than a bit uncomfortable with the whole idea of tooting my own horn. Fortunately, I don’t suffer from that little malady when it comes to my husband. I briefly mentioned yesterday that his new album is available for download on his website. Don has a website that covers both his acting career and his music. I have a website for my professional work. (And you thought you knew everything about me!) Anyway. His new album, Out Beyond the Breakers, was recorded in our friend Rob’s incredible studio while Don was working in San Diego earlier this year. It consists of 14 new songs. If you’re interested, you can download them individually or as an album.

Some of my favorites?

  • Don’t Tell Me Heart
  • I’ve Got a Love (makes me cry)
  • Adios New York
  • Say It Twice
  • Guess I Still Get Crazy
  • She Saves Me

No pressure. Since many of you have told me how much you like his music, I thought I’d share this with you. If you’re interested, click on the link and then click on Music/Shop on his homepage. While you’re there you can see some photos of him in various acting roles and read a bit more about him. He’s an interesting guy, that husband of mine.

This is shaping up to be a long post! Since they are here for such a short time, more peony photos:

peonymania

antonpeony

pinkbeauty

Love to you all on this Wednesday.

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Filed Under: cottage, Don, flowers, garden, Peonies, porch, Scout 32 Comments

On the Road: Fresh Flowers

May 5, 2013 at 8:15 am by Claudia

alstrobud

My number one rule for an extended stay out of town: Buy some fresh flowers for your hotel room or apartment.

If I’m out of town for more than a few days, this rule goes into effect. Let’s face it, housing can be fairly nondescript and impersonal. Hotels do their best to make you feel welcome, but they’ve been designed for mass appeal; likewise, this guest artist housing here in Hartford. All the necessary items are provided: dishes, pans, desk, television, sofa, coffee maker, bed, dresser. The bathroom is nice and large. I can hook up to the internet. I’m grateful for all that has been provided.

But it ain’t home. I can, however, do my best to make it cozier. You’ve seen my quilts and books and sewing machine and of course, Wayfrum, Little Lamb and Maggie Rabbit. These little touches from home put my stamp on an impersonal apartment.

tulips

Flowers? Number one necessity. On Friday morning, I grabbed the car that three of us are sharing and drove to Trader Joe’s. I needed some food and I needed some flowers. TJ’s prices can’t be beat, so I treated myself to two bouquets. These yellow tulips provide a wonderful, cheery splash of color. I have yellow tulips in the ground at home that will bloom while I am away (again) so I thought these were an appropriate choice. I’m getting my tulips one way or another!

tulipsinvase

I brought my pink hobnail vase with me but the wonderful thing about actor housing is that there are always vases around. Actors get flowers for opening night. They keep them in the dressing room or their apartment. When they leave town, they usually don’t want to transport a glass vase. Hence, the 3 or 4 vases I found here in the apartment.

Lucky me!

pinkvasewithflowers

I had to grab some alstromeria while I was at Trader Joe’s. I love alstromeria because it lasts a long time, so I get lots of bang for my buck.

Ah. I can’t tell you how happy I was to get fresh flowers for this space. Happier than I was buying the groceries I needed. Flowers make all the difference in the world.

We’ve had some long days of rehearsal lately. The show has been blocked and I’ve finished my one-on-one sessions with the actors for the time being. Now, Darko is working through each act of the play, fine-tuning the movements of the actors, making sure they are clear about what is happening in each moment and that the speaking of the text supports that. I am by his side, ready to jump up if needed and clarify what needs to happen from my point-of-view. At the end of the day yesterday, we ran Act Two. At the end of the day today, we will run Act One. I take lots of notes and then come home and write up each actor’s notes on a separate piece of paper, which I then, in turn, pass out to them at the next day’s rehearsal.

Next week there will be lots of run-throughs and at the end of that week, we move onstage. I can’t believe how quickly the rehearsal process is going!

Happy Sunday.

signature2

Filed Under: flowers, On The Road 17 Comments

Getting Ready

April 16, 2013 at 7:53 am by Claudia

Be sure to check out my Poise Feminine Wellness Line Review. If you leave a comment you can be entered for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card! Just click here.

Thank you so much for all the great comments on the quilt. It is far from perfect, but I love it. One thing that finishing this quilt has accomplished is to get me excited to start another one – which I will do once I get to Hartford. This next quilt will not be queen sized, however!

I’m in the midst of making lists, running errands and getting ready to pack tomorrow for the trip to Hartford on Thursday. Between books to read, craft supplies, a sewing machine (still to be determined), my iron, all my reference books and script, clothes and food, computer, camera and lenses – yikes – you see what I’m up against. But five weeks is a long time. And I’m a nester. Fortunately, Trader Joe’s is on the way to Hartford – we’ll stop there for food and some fresh flowers. This time I’m taking the pink hobnail vase along with me. A touch of home. And fresh flowers. All this stuff will have to be carted over to the apartments when I move there at the end of the month which only makes things more complicated.

Some signs of new growth in a spring that has been a long time coming:

daylily

Day Lilies

hyacinth

My miracle hyacinths

hydrangea

Climbing Hydrangea

lilac

Lilac

poppy

Poppy

It is April 16th and it looks like it should be March 16th out there in the garden. I’ll miss the tulips blooming and perhaps the lilacs. I plan on coming home for a few days right after the first of May, so that I can mulch, plant seeds and fill my pots with flowers, none of which I can do at the moment. It’s been too darned cold. I haven’t touched the porch yet. Did I mention it’s been cold? Yesterday, in the late afternoon, it finally seemed like spring. I could smell it in the air. But now I’m under a deadline and I don’t have the time to do much more outside. Ah well. It is what it is.

Don will be back tomorrow with the final installment of his Prague series. For all of you who have suggested he start a blog: he has started a couple of blogs in the past but it’s just not his thing. He gets bored. And yes, he is a wonderful writer. I’m always trying to get him to write a novel. If you want to see and hear his writing at its best, listen to the incredible lyrics he writes for his songs. He’s a poet, my husband. That he is.

My heart is heavy for my beloved Boston. Such heartbreak, such a senseless act.

Happy Tuesday.

signature2

 

Filed Under: Boston, Don, flowers, garden, Hartford 16 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.

Thanks for stopping by.

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Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

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