Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for garden

Monarchs & Flowers

October 11, 2017 at 8:06 am by Claudia

This Monarch has been hanging around off and on for the past week. There may be two of them; I thought I saw another one in the distance yesterday. I love Monarch butterflies and as I said on Instagram, I’m not sure if these Monarchs come from our milkweed or if they’re passing through on their way to warmer climes. I’m simply happy they’re here and that I have flowers still in bloom that they like. They’re not interested in morning glories, but they love the geraniums and the zinnias.

I feel a special spiritual connection to them.

In the meantime, the bees do  love the morning glories!

I wonder what that little bug is? Such distinctive markings! The bee just ignored the bug and climbed right in the center of the morning glory.

My unofficial count today (from inside the kitchen) of morning glories is 32 in the memorial garden. I have yet to count the blooms in the chicken wire fence garden.

The hollyhock is still going strong. What a winner this one is! Beautiful.

Today: recycling, and an overdue oil change. And some errands, of course – when aren’t there errands?

Don’s got sinus problems or a cold. He’s stuffed up and isn’t feeling tip-top, but he’s hanging in there. As he said, “Better this week than next!” – ’cause I’m headed to New Orleans next week! I have a lot to accomplish before I leave next Thursday. Chop! Chop!

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: butterfly, flowers, garden, monarch butterfly 26 Comments

Blooms, Weather and Leaf Peepers

October 7, 2017 at 9:44 am by Claudia

Oh, Claudia, ye of little faith, this morning glory that you were sure was a dud, all leaves and no flowers, has bloomed prolifically. Today’s count: at least 30. What an amazing surprise from Mother Nature. Every morning I wake up and peek out the bedroom window to see how many flowers have opened. While everything else is dying back, these beauties are more than making up for it.

Another bee diving into the center of the flower.

Well. Don is supposed to fly to New Orleans tomorrow and, as you must know by now, a hurricane is headed there tonight and tomorrow morning.

Hmmm.

Many of the actors are now flying on Monday instead of Sunday. Don and a group of actors who need to be there at the start of the tech rehearsals for the show (which start on Monday) are another story. Last I heard, one of the producers was thinking of flying them down later in the day tomorrow on her private jet (!!!) But it’s all up in the air now.

Never dull, is it?

I’m checking in on the weather but staying away from the Weather Channel hype, because they drive me crazy. Does anyone watch the show where they have a set that looks like a bar? I think it’s Weather Underground. Really? You need a set that looks like you’re hanging out in your basement?

Just show us the maps and give us the weather. Don and I laugh every time we see that set.

I did end up driving north and I bought a few things at my favorite natural foods store and at Home Goods (I’ll show you tomorrow.) But I’m still a bit tired after Wednesday and I forgot my vow at this time of year: Don’t drive anywhere other than the grocery store on a Friday or a Saturday or a Sunday. It’s Fall. Leaf Peepers are everywhere. Our local farmsteads are packed with visitors sampling the cider and the cider donuts and picking pumpkins. The amount of traffic is, to say the least, annoying.

I made the mistake of thinking that a couple of hours between 12 and 2 or so would be pre-the weekend craziness.

It wasn’t.

So I’m staying home and doing some work in the house, but mostly reading and enjoying my little bolthole.

Did I show you the dishtowel I found in Manhattan last weekend? I posted it on IG but if you missed it, here it is. It’s perfect.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: Don, Escape to Margaritaville, flowers, garden, morning glory 36 Comments

A Pat On The Back

October 5, 2017 at 8:52 am by Claudia

There are at least 30, if not more, morning glories in bloom this morning. A wonderful way to start the day. Gosh, they are glorious! Aptly named. It’s going to be warmish here today and I plan on sitting outside on the funky patio, where I can get my fill of them.

I am feeling more than a bit of relief today as I had some major dental work done yesterday and I made it through the whole thing without Don by my side. I have what must be bordering on a phobia about the dentist. I get so fearful that it almost incapacitates me. But I knew I had to go as something happened over the weekend that made an appointment a necessity. I called them on Monday. My appointment was yesterday at 3:00. In the meantime, I was in stress mode, trying to calm down, meditating, praying, and finally, trusting. Normally, Don would go with me, but obviously he couldn’t. But that guy was ‘by my side’ via texts and phone calls all day long.

The whole thing was made a bit more stressful when I realized a bridge was closed that I normally crossed to get to the office and I followed the detour, all the while looking at the clock, and got lost. I finally called the receptionist and she guided me there, but I was 15 minutes late.

Fortunately, I have the kindest, most compassionate, and non-judgmental dentist I could ever hope to have and his practice is only 10 minutes away from our house – on a normal day. He was wonderful and I ended up having a few things taken care of and he even made me laugh. Bless him. Then he told me how proud he was of me and that he wished Don had been there to see it. Such a lovely man.

When it was all done, I had to drive to the pharmacy to pick up two prescriptions, find some soft food to eat – I hadn’t been eating much for the past few days – and I was so tired and exhausted that I felt like a wet noodle.

Today, I’m allowing myself to feel proud that I did it without Don there by my side. I’m giving myself a pat on the back. I’m okay. Tired, but okay. Today is for taking it easy.

In the midst of the waiting yesterday, I hung this:

We decided we didn’t like the look of it above Stella – the yellow doesn’t mix well with the yellow we have on the walls. So it’s been sitting on a table until yesterday, when I decided I needed to make a decision. I like it here. I’m not sure what I’m going to put there, if anything, but I like that cheery yellow and red display piece hanging above my desk.

I had to move the calendar to the left, which necessitated another ‘hanging’ decision.

Early morning, darkish picture, but I brought the other Maxfield Parrish, “Pierrot’s Serenade” downstairs and hung it under “Dinky Bird.” They should be together, don’t you think?

So I did  accomplish something other than forcing myself to go to the dentist yesterday.

Now, with the dentist stress over with, I feel like I can allow myself to get excited about my upcoming trip to New Orleans. And about 10 days after that, my trip to Chicago. More road trip adventures ahead.

Happy Thursday.

Filed Under: flowers, garden, life, Maxfield Parrish 54 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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