Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for garden

Heading Back

September 6, 2017 at 9:06 am by Claudia

There are splashes of yellow all over the property. Goldenrod, a staple of late summer, is blooming. How can I not smile when I see this cheery yellow?

However, today is a dark and rainy day here. We had storms last night. Not necessarily the best weather in which to travel back to Hartford, but there you go. We’re going to go out for breakfast before I head back to CT.

It’s been so lovely being home that I feel like I have to force myself to get in the car and turn it toward points east. I don’t want to leave. Don and I are feeling the sadness that impending separation brings. I figured it out yesterday: by the end of the year we will have spent 9 months apart. Nine months. That, my friends, is a hazard of our profession. But it’s easier to handle when you’re young and eager and ready to go anywhere to work. It’s much tougher at this point in our lives.

Anyway.

Stella is a dream. She cooks evenly. I know it will sound silly, but the baked potatoes we had (twice) were the most evenly baked we’d ever had. The texture was smooth as silk and they were delicious. As were the biscuits. As were all the entrees Don cooked on the stovetop. Oh my goodness. What a difference gas makes! And what a difference Stella makes.

This morning I walked over to her and hugged her. I love her. I love her in our home. I never get tired of looking at her. I never will. I have absolutely no regrets. Investing in Stella was the best thing we’ve done in a long time.

Another sign of impending autumn – Sedum Autumn Joy.

Hurricane Irma is a juggernaut and we are worried about her impact on so many island dwellers and the state of Florida, where so many are in her path, including my sister and her family. Please stay safe. I know many of my readers live in Florida and I urge you to evacuate if you are told to.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: Don, flowers, garden, kitchen, Mockingbird Hill Cottage, O'keefe and Merritt, Stella 31 Comments

Fading & Changing

September 5, 2017 at 8:26 am by Claudia

It’s still summer. But the signs of autumn are definitely here in the Hudson Valley. Leaves are turning color on the maple. The light is different. The mornings and evenings are cooler. The school bus came today to pick up the kids across the road.

The apple orchards have their signs everywhere. We will soon be seeing weekends full of leaf-peepers. Sigh.

I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer and I won’t, officially, until September 22nd.

Nevertheless, I walked around the gardens yesterday to see what flowers are fading and/or changing.

The brown-eyed susans are still going strong.

The coneflowers are fading. But I find this stage equally beautiful.

Goodness, this hollyhock is blooming like crazy! Stunning.

The limelight hydrangea is turning pink. There’s a little spider to the left of center that I didn’t see at the time I took this picture.

I did see this stick bug, however. These guys fascinate me. Remember the pair that I found mating last year on my front porch gate?

Today, some errands. Some more laundry. Some time with my husband before I have to leave tomorrow and he has to leave on Sunday. Another sigh. Changes are on the horizon, and quite frankly, we don’t like changes that involve us being apart. We like and are grateful for the work, but the separation part of it is not at all easy.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: autumn, flowers, garden 28 Comments

Monday

August 21, 2017 at 8:50 am by Claudia

Weeding turned into a big job yesterday, as they had taken over big swaths of the garden beds, so that took up a great deal of my time. And then I weed whacked. So I didn’t get around to the de-greasing, which I’ll tackle today.

Look how tall our butterfly bush is!

And these coneflowers are so tall and top-heavy that I have to keep propping them up against the trellis. The gardens are still thriving but I can see subtle signs of autumn’s pending arrival. There are leaves on the porch and in the gardens – there was one in the birdbath yesterday that had turned orange. Yikes. I’m not ready for that yet. Summer is my favorite season now that I’ve been living and gardening here for almost 12 years. August 30th is the twelfth anniversary of our move to the cottage.

Our girl starts her journey today. The shipper is picking her up at Antique Stove Heaven. We’re very excited!

I’m debating whether to drive back tonight or tomorrow morning. I don’t technically have to be at rehearsal tomorrow, but I’ll certainly stop by for a while and watch as Darko stages the second part of the play. We have limited rehearsal time and I need to be there as much as possible. As I have to buy groceries, I’m thinking that driving back tonight is the better option. After all, I’ll be back home on Monday to (hopefully) see our girl in her new home.

We watched Holiday last night on TCM. I’d seen it before but Don hadn’t. Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant – it doesn’t get much better than that!

Our new stove will be named Stella, by the way, in honor of her journey to us commencing on the same day as the eclipse. Stella means star and the sun is a star. And she will be the star of our home. We’re waiting for you, Stella!

All right, my friends, I have to go. I have much to do today. If you’re watching the Eclipse, have fun!

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden, O'keefe and Merritt 35 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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