Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for flowers

Thursday

May 18, 2023 at 8:46 am by Claudia

Well, we carted all the plant pots inside for the night – I think there were 19 of them. Don carried the heavy pots from the secret garden. Anyway, it did go down to 31 degrees last night – or rather, this morning at 6 am. I’m glad we did it. That should be it until October. After I finish this post, I’ll start moving them back outside.

Some mowing today, I think. Certainly for the secret garden and the lilac side of the lawn. We are getting rain all day Saturday, which is very welcome, as there is a fire watch because it’s so dry. It amazes me how quickly things can change. It was only a few weeks ago that I was worried about trying to get all the grass mowed between endless rainfall. Don couldn’t do it because of his hand. The rivers were raging, there was flooding. And now, we’re too dry.

I miss my robins.

We finally got the ladder out and grabbed the trailer birdhouse for some cleaning. I dumped all of the old nest material and cleaned the inside. Don placed it back in its little niche in the big maple tree. Something is keeping the carolina wrens from moving back in, so maybe a clean house will help.

I gave Maeve a neck joint last year, but her head has always been a little loose, so I took it apart and tried to figure out the problem. Lo and behold, I think I did. It’s much better now. That called for a fresh outfit and some boots and late afternoon photo session on the porch.

Gosh, she’s photogenic.

That’s it, my friends. It’s cold right now, but it’s sunny.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, flowers, garden, life 37 Comments

More Lilacs

May 5, 2023 at 9:03 am by Claudia

While we still can:

Taken the day before yesterday. The scent is heavenly, we have more blossoms this year than ever. Now, if I could just see them on a sunny day. Sun? Where are you?

Yes, today – the day where we were finally going to have no rain – will be rainy in the afternoon. I am over it.

Come Sunday, the temperatures will hit the seventies and, boy, are we ready.

I have to run to the grocery store this morning and then I’m going to try to do some mowing and pruning. Fingers crossed.

Shhhh! I have to say this quietly: I am really ready for the removal of Don’s bandage so I no longer have to cook and do everything around here. He did help make the entree last night, which is a step in the right direction. And I was grateful, believe me. I think he was happy doing something, as well. If I’m frustrated, he must be three times as frustrated. Anyway, here’s to Monday!

The other day when I was mowing, the robins were giving me warning chirps the entire time. Even when I was rather far away from them. So have the babies been hatched? I’m not sure. Because I don’t want to upset them too much, I end up racing through any mowing that occurs near the shed. It’s exhausting.

The honey bees are back as well, constantly flying around the opening in the catalpa tree.

For those of you who missed it, Brenda left a comment on yesterday’s post, which I copied and added to my post. You can scroll down to read it. I’m relieved to have heard from her. Writing comments, for some reason, is difficult for her right now. When she’s ready, she’ll share more. Or not. I’m just very happy to have heard from her.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: flowers 17 Comments

Lilacs and a Don Update

April 29, 2023 at 8:34 am by Claudia

I managed a quick check-in with the lilacs yesterday.

It’s going to rain all day today and tomorrow so no work outside, but I will most likely pot up the impatiens I purchased the other day from the relative dryness of the porch.

Yesterday. I woke up at 4 am and couldn’t get back to sleep. Don woke up about a half hour later. We didn’t have to be awake that early, but there you go. We had to be at the surgery to check in by 8:15. Don has told me how massive this Orthopedic practice is and it sure is. It’s huge! There’s the main practice and then there’s a physical therapy practice and a separate surgery center. They are incredibly organized, as well.

We checked in at the Surgery Center and shortly after that Don was whisked away to the OR. I got text updates throughout. I knew when he entered pre-op, when he was actually having the surgery, and when he was in post-op. Then I got a call from a nurse who told me when to drive to a separate entrance to pick him up. He had decided he didn’t want to go fully under and was just going to have a local, but a discussion with the anesthesiologist changed his mind and he went for a light kind of twilight. As they were having him change beds to be rolled into surgery, he went under and stayed under until he woke up in recovery.

I, of course, had envisioned him sitting on the end of an examination table as the doctor did a relatively quick bit of surgery and I couldn’t have been more wrong! But it went well. We drove back home, stopping at the grocery store to pick up a few things including extra-strength Tylenol. The pain killer they prescribed can be addictive, and Don doesn’t want to take that.

He hadn’t been able to eat or drink since midnight and was starving. I made him coffee and breakfast when we got back home and he proceeded to eat all day long like someone who had been deprived of food for days.

Anyway, his thumb was numb for most of the day. But late last night, the pain kicked in, so he’s taking that Tylenol. This morning, he seems okay. Not a lot of pain yet and since he’s used to enduring pain in that hand, he has a high tolerance for it.

Now, he has to take it easy for a week or so and we’ll see how this progresses.

All in all, a long day, but we’re so glad the surgery is over. Now, healing begins.

I expressed my worries about Deb in Phoenix and Brenda. I wrote to both of them the other day. I heard back from Deb and her comment is on Thursday’s post. So glad to hear from her. I have not heard from Brenda, which isn’t like her. Let’s keep sending positive thoughts her way and hopefully, at some point, I’ll get an update.

Thanks for all of your positive thoughts and prayers. We’re going to take it easy this weekend. Last night, Don said, “It will be a couple of days before I can drive.” I looked at him and said, “You cannot drive for a week.” He looked stunned. Then he said “Well, I can ride along, right?”

“Yes.”

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Filed Under: Don, flowers 48 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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