Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Hydrating

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I’ve already watered – around 6:30 am – and I’m sweating. Yesterday, our heat index was 103°. Today, it will reach 105°. It’s unbearable out there. And in here, because when you have several days of this stuff, it builds up in the house. Our big window a/c unit could barely keep up with it yesterday. Same with the bedroom unit. And both are usually more than up to the task.

By early yesterday afternoon, I had painted and Don had worked up in the studio and we were resting with the a/c on. It was as if we were both drugged. We could barely keep our eyes open.

I had a strong memory flash this morning as I was filling up the watering can. When I lived in Philadelphia in grad school, I shared an apartment one year with my friend Carolyn. We didn’t have and couldn’t afford a window a/c unit. During the summers, I would do temp work in Philadelphia. Carolyn would go home to California. Philadelphia is not unlike Washington DC when it comes to crushing humidity. I would get up in the morning to get ready for work and after 5 minutes, I was already sweating. Work, of course, offered a bit of a refuge as it was air conditioned, but lord, by the time I reached home at the end of the day, I was drenched. I would take a shower and then, using the three fans that I owned, I’d sit on the bed in my underwear with one fan on my right, another on my left, and one facing me – all of them turned on full blast. And that was my station for the rest of the evening.

That’s what this feels like. It should break on Thursday, but in the meantime, my brain is mush.

This painting I’m currently working on is taking a bit of time – partly because I can only work for a short time every day, but mostly because it’s difficult. At the end of a session, I’m greatly encouraged; then after a break I look at it more critically and realize there are several elements I didn’t get right. And so it goes. It’s all a learning experience and I have much to learn!

Other than the above, there’s nothing new. We’re hanging in there. The birthday celebration has come and gone. The apple pie has been eaten. Prodigious amounts of water are being consumed.

I know it’s very hot in many places. If you are in one of them, hang in there. Stay hydrated.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Flowers And A Guitar

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The coneflowers are emerging – most of them still green, but here and there, the petals are turning purple. Since they self-seed, I have more and more every year. This year, especially, I see the increase. Since – to me – they are one of those quintessential cottage garden flowers, I’m fine with that.’

And my new clematis, which I planted in the bed under the living room window has produced a lovely flower.

Well, I never got around to painting yesterday because the technician from our security company never showed up. We had a window from 12 – 4 so I decided not to paint because I didn’t want to be disrupted by his arrival. But, in the end, he was delayed and after waiting until 4:30, we called to ask them about the delay, so I could have painted, darn it! Obviously, the technician had run over in his appointments, but then they wanted us to have yet another window from 5 – 8 and Don said no. So it will be next Friday instead. This, by the way, is for some sort of upgrade they  want to do (in the middle of a pandemic no less) not for anything we requested. So I get a bit peeved when our time is wasted.

Anyway. I’m going to paint today.

I did a lot of weeding yesterday, lots of laundry, made some phone calls that I’d been putting off, paid some bills – so I accomplished a lot. Painting today will be my reward.

One of Don’s birthday presents was a very modestly priced bass guitar. (He asked for one.)

I have to say I think it’s so cool that a 70 year old guy got a bass guitar for his birthday. Don just gets cooler every year.

We are now at 8 guitars, two ukuleles, a mandolin, two desks, two additional work surfaces, a dollhouse, a dollhouse kit, two file cabinets, a china cabinet, a big old chair from the 40s, a plant stand, an old bench, a cart full of paints, and a French cabinet – all in the office/studio. It’s somewhat artfully arranged, but let’s face it, it’s packed.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Storms, Routers & Flowers

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The sun is finally shining this morning after big storms on Monday and rain all day yesterday. Monday night’s thunderstorms seemed to go on forever with lightning lighting up the sky constantly. It was stunning, a light show flashing all over the sky.

It’s much cooler this morning and the humidity has left.

Now I have to figure out why one of the ‘nodes’ to my router isn’t working. The node is the extension we use in the kitchen to get better coverage. I’m not in the mood for that, but I’m the one who follows through with most of the tech stuff around here and Don is recycling this morning. So right after I hit ‘publish’ I’ll give them a call.

I’m also running a few birthday errands today, as the big day is tomorrow. I have the presents, I just need some wrapping paper and candles and a card. I think I may venture into Target for the first time in over a year!

Back to the storm. Like clockwork, the minute the hydrangeas are in full bloom, rain pummels them down. The same thing usually happens with peonies.  I hope they can lift themselves up again, but I find I’m at the point where my reaction is, “Whatever.”  I can’t control everything around here, not by a long shot, so I’m slowly learning to let go. Slowly. I do like to be in control, or at least, think  I’m in control.

I’m reading Maigret and the Informer  by Georges Simenon. I love the Maigret books and they’re fairly quick reads, only about 150 pages or so. I needed something to read while I was waiting for the next Elly Griffiths to arrive and, happily, I discovered it in my TBR pile. I think I purchased it at Oblong Books on that first day we went out after being fully vaccinated.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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