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You are here: Home / Archives for flowers

Deer, Flowers & The Girls

July 1, 2022 at 9:12 am by Claudia

To add to the loss of the tree, the deer have been particularly voracious this year. They’ve eaten the buds on countless coneflowers, every bud on my favorite day lily, and several buds on the black-eyed susans. I tend to forget to spray them with the deer repellent recipe, thinking, for some reason, that I don’t need to do it yet. That’s on me. Anyway, I mixed a batch of it the other day and sprayed everything. We’re due for rain and thunderstorms tomorrow, so I’ll make a new batch on Sunday.

It’s very depressing, but I didn’t notice it until Tuesday – the same day we lost the tree – and I was so upset about the tree that it didn’t hit me quite as hard as it would normally.

Then the Supreme Court crap. This week has – may I say it? – SUCKED.

So I’ve played with the girls every day, dressing one per day in a new outfit, trying to remain sane. It really does help! I’m almost 70 years old and I’m rediscovering dolls – who’d have thought? If I’ve learned anything over the past 5 years or so, it’s that we find peace and respite where we can.

Plus, these girls are displayed directly in front of me here in the den, so I get to see them every day. Pure pleasure.

First up on Wednesday was Madeleine (same dress but with the addition of a bow) –

Heavens, she’s lovely!

And yesterday, Pippa got a new look:

We took her hair out of the barrette.

Both girls have a little cleft in their chins. Adorable.

I think I’m going to dress Miss Imogen today.

It’s going to be very hot today – in the 90s.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, deer, flowers, Madeleine, Pippa 30 Comments

Flowers and Wren

June 27, 2022 at 7:11 am by Claudia

I finally bought a couple of calibrachoa plants to put in this urn, which had been sitting on the porch filled with nothing but dry old soil. There were very few plants left at the nursery, but this pink color seemed just right.

I used my new weed trimmer yesterday and it’s looking much better around here. You know I always say the we live ”on the edge of wild” – so I have to keep after all the weeds that appear near the edges of garden beds and stepping stones and the funky patio and…

Then I decided to mow the corral which soon turned into mowing the back forty. All of this took place fairly early in the morning, but not too early for the sound of the weed trimmer to disturb our neighbors. I knew it was going to be very hot and humid later in the day. All of the weed trimming and mowing was completed by 11 am. Today we have rain – a nice gentle rain that sounds lovely as I sit here writing this post. The temperatures will be back down in the high seventies and low eighties.

I’m writing this very early as I have a zoom meeting at 9 am, which means I have to get going earlier than usual.

Wren was the subject of yesterday’s photo session. Something, I’m not sure what, has piqued their interest.

I do love staging these little scenes. I suppose it’s like the theater in a way. Makes sense! And it’s sure nice to be able to shoot photographs outdoors.

We’re watching Borgen  every night. It’s on Netflix. It’s a Danish series about politics, which I would normally avoid, but this series is so gripping and well done on every level, that it’s as compelling as a crime show or mystery. The original series ran for 3 seasons. A newer edition of Borgen  is also now available.

And that’s it for today, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: flowers, wren 20 Comments

Tuesday Thoughts

June 21, 2022 at 9:27 am by Claudia

The rose on day three.

I did more work outside yesterday, running out for some more pine bark mulch before I did more and more weed pulling. Then I topped it all off with said mulch.

By that time, my back was complaining, so I began the long process of moving things to the unofficial compost pile and doing some general clean up.

The Dude, who seems to function as our own particular Buddha, is pleased.

That pine bark mulch is a bit too big, so I’ll add some shredded mulch to the mixture. But for the next few days – it’s going to rain here – this should be fine. Note to self: next year, clean up of this area in the early, early spring, then replenish the mulch. It was so overgrown there that I briefly forgot that Don had added stepping stones.

There’s more weeding to be done and lots of pruning, but Mother Nature has given me an excuse to rest up a bit before I get back to it.

We are looking forward to today’s hearing. I just read that there will be two more hearings next week. Bring ’em on!

As you well know, there have been several (now former) readers of this blog who have defended he-who-shall-not-be -named. Some comments left here were vile, as I have sadly come to expect from his supporters. Seems to go with the territory. In most cases, I blocked them. My home, my choice. What I find interesting is that before His Evilness emerged to run for President, the comments  left on this blog by these people were normal, everyday observances. Nothing in those words could have prepared me for the odious underside that emerged. The words, “wolves in sheep’s clothing” come to mind. I guess this is on my mind because I recently read a comment from one of those people on another blog and realized that I could never think of that person in the same way again.

I fear for our country, for our democracy.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden 52 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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