Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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Flowers and a Great Series

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The very hot and humid weather continues. My brain was mush yesterday and I couldn’t get anything accomplished. Took a long nap in the afternoon. I just don’t do well in this kind of weather. Supposedly, there are possible storms this afternoon. Right now, it’s not too bad out there so I might grab some time to finish mowing the front lawn.

Just, but not fully, opened. I love, love, love my coneflowers.

The coneflowers on the far side of the house are huge this year. I’ll try to grab a photo of them today.

I sowed a lot of zinnia seeds in the galvanized tub that sits on the funky patio. (Where I caught a groundhog trying to eat the leaves and had to move it up on top of the wooden bench.) My first bud has appeared.

There are far more zinnias than there should be in this little tub, but I don’t care. I’m not going to thin them out. What happens, happens – which has become my mantra this summer after dealing with deer, bunnies, and groundhogs. Though to be far, the bunnies haven’t been in the garden beds. They stick to the grass. If only their fellow creatures could follow their example.

We discovered a series that we love. We’re very much late to the party because it is currently on Season 6! I don’t know why we missed out on it until now. It’s called Black Mirror. Have any of you watched it? It’s an anthology series out of Great Britain and each episode is a stand-alone drama. To quote from the blurb about it: It is a “contemporary reworking of The Twilight Zone with stories that tap into the collective unease about the modern world, particularly regarding both intended and unintended consequences of new technologies and the effect they have on society and individuals.” The actors are terrific, the stories completely compelling, beautifully produced, and let me tell you, after each episode Don and I are immediately immersed in a deep conversation about what we’ve just seen. EXCELLENT. I recommend it highly.

Okay. I’m going to try to get out there early today. Maybe I can push that mower despite the struggle with the front wheel drive.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Heat, Humidity, and Stuff

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We have another air quality alert for today. It’s because of the level of ozone in the air. It’s not due to wildfires. It is VERY humid out there and it’s going to reach 91 today. So. We’ll have to stay indoors – or at least, I will. Yesterday’s work in high humidity did a number on my allergies/sinus. Note: our crack local forecasters say it IS due to wildfire smoke.

I worked outside yesterday – weed whacking, pulling weeds in the garden beds, and mowing. About halfway through the mowing the front lawn, the lawnmower became difficult to handle and the front wheel drive that makes it easy to propel wasn’t working. I was already dripping with sweat. Don came out and took over and he, too, found it very difficult. So we didn’t finish the lawn. The lawnmower works, it’s just very hard to propel it around our big patch of lawn. We have to mow some more and I thought I’d tackle it slowly this morning – a bit at a time – but then I learned about the Air Quality warning, so I’ll have to wait on that.

Lawnmower not working right. Washing machine is leaking a bit. Just had to replace the air conditioner. The usual ‘everything happening all at once.’

It’s worrisome. So I keep on giving myself chores and activities throughout the day. Thinking can be my worst enemy.

Oh, and the groundhogs. Remember when I said they ‘mostly behave’ yesterday? I was wrong. They were climbing up on top of the bin lids that make a little barrier between them and the big garden bed yesterday, and I discovered one of them on the porch and sure enough, the blooms on the calibrachoa in the planter were GONE. Clearly, they view the porch as an extension of the grass and garden. I was not happy. All planters that were on the porch floor are now on top of the picnic table.

I told Don I miss the time when they were more timid. Big sigh.

The balloon flowers are opening in the memorial garden. I chose it because the name of this particular balloon flower is Sentimental Balloon Flower. You can see the flower in its initial balloon shape at the bottom of the photo and one that has just opened at the top.

More coneflowers are opening up, rain and storms are coming tomorrow.

I’m already sweating, so I’m going to turn the a/c on.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Bunnies and Coneflowers

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Thank you for your lovely messages yesterday. They sure warmed our hearts!

We had a lovely and relatively quiet day. We talked a lot; about the day we met, about our lives now, and later in the day – about social media and our desire to spend less time there. We’re going to change things up a bit, turning off our phones, etc. during most of the day. Once I do my morning check in, and write the blog, I’ll turn it off and use that time to read, to paint, to garden, or – like today – to mow before it gets too hot.

A baby bunny. As far as I can tell, there are two of them. Last night, as it grew dark outside, we could see the two of them playing and chasing each other.

Groundhog update: It looks like three of the babies are now in residence under the tree. They’ve moved back in. I wish they’d stay up in the back forty with mom but perhaps this is the time they make the move and establish their own home. Mostly, they behave. But occasionally, I have to make my presence known.

Don’s off to recycle. I’m going to write this post and have some breakfast – then I’ll weed whack/mow.

They’re here:

The coneflowers are starting to emerge in their pinky goodness. The white coneflowers in the big garden bed have already opened. I’ve decided that this is my favorite time here – when the scads of coneflowers all over the property bloom. The garden feels the most ‘cottagey’ then.

Soon, butterflies will appear because they love coneflowers. Yay! I’ve only seen a couple of eastern swallowtails and that was early in the season when there were no flowers so they didn’t linger.

It’s very hot and humid this week, which means work outside has to happen in the morning before it becomes unbearable out there. Thank goodness for the new a/c in the kitchen. Just in time.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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