Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for garden

Welcoming My Prodigal Plants

May 23, 2014 at 8:47 am by Claudia

tulipfromabove

I have three graceful pale yellow tulips in the yard. They have the most wonderful scent. They’re particularly beautiful this year, but I can see they are starting their inevitable decline. This was shot yesterday, in between thunderstorms.

Nature is the best designer, don’t you think?

We had a doozy of a late-in-the-afternoon thunderstorm, by the way. Lights flickering, thunder, lightning, wind, torrential rain. We sat on the porch and watched it rage around us. That brings back memories of my childhood, where we often sought refuge from a storm on our porch. We’d sit there, with little drops of rain occasionally hitting us, watching the fireworks that are part of a thunderstorm, trying to see how long we could outlast the rain that would inevitably start to cover more and more of the porch until it was impossible to remain outside any longer.

I love a summer thunderstorm…though it’s not summer yet, officially. It felt like it yesterday.

The gorgeous bridal wreath spirea has blossomed.

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bridalwreathspirea2

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Perfection.

I feel like a mom who is welcoming the return of her prodigal plants. “Welcome back,” I say. They’ve been gone for a long time. One by one, they return. The winter was especially tough. A mammoth tree limb fell in the middle of the large garden bed last September. Yet after all of that, here they are, willing to come back and be a part of the family once more.

I should be standing on the porch, my hair in a bun, an apron tied around my waist, eyes peeled on the horizon, waiting for any sign; a leaf, a bud, a blossom. It could be a painting in the style of Andrew Wyeth or Norman Rockwell.

Awaiting the Return of the Prodigal Plants. That’s the title.

Thank you for your kind words and wise advice yesterday. Treasures you are, all of you.

Happy Friday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: flowers, garden, nature 40 Comments

Rambling

May 17, 2014 at 9:28 am by Claudia

waterdropsonhosta

I just realized the other day that this is the first time I have been home for an entire spring since 2008. Starting in 2009, I was away all or most of the spring on coaching jobs. The good news? I am really enjoying the opportunity to watch everything grow instead of witnessing it via the occasional photo Don would send my way. I love spring.

The bad news? I need work.

Ah well. I’m choosing to be grateful.

We had very heavy rain all day yesterday with high humidity. It was bit tropical-rainforest-y around here. Today the sun is out and it’s a bit cooler. We’re hoping to take another trail walk later in the day.

daffs

Oh pretty daffodils, I love you. Of the two kinds of daffs on this property, this one is my favorite. I love the white flower with that delicate yellow and orange center.

biggesthosta

Our biggest hosta is well on its way to filling this bed – which it will, believe me.

I need to weed. I haven’t put down any mulch since I’m on a strict budget. That means I’m going to have to weed a lot more. Some of the garden beds will eventually be full of perennials and weeds will disappear, but right now, as they are filling in and filling out, I have to be ruthless.

Or not.

lilacbush

The little lilac bush that could. I planted this a few years back and it’s growing, for sure, but very slowly.

clematis

The clematis has taken off this year and is winding its way around the porch railings.

Oh right. I need to clean the porch railings – a job I really don’t look forward to.

The catalpa, usually the last of our trees to leaf out, has tiny leaves now. The shag hickory has leaves. The maples are fully leafed out (now I’m wondering – is that a legitimate term?) as are the ashes and the black walnuts and the elms and the oaks. Don and I sometimes consider counting all the trees on this property. We have a lot of trees. And here’s a question: if one counts the trees, are saplings part of the count? Or just fully grown adult trees?

Where does one draw the line?

The other day, I was once again wrangling with the brambles (you can see the evidence of the battle on my hands) and was clearing some from an area near the woods. As I cleared out a bunch of the stuff that had been strangling some bushes, I noticed a young tree with blossoms on it.

dogwood

Hold on there…we have a little dogwood tree! I had no idea! It’s sort of blocked by another tree and unless I’m right down there in the thick of things, I can’t see it. It’s so pretty!

There are always surprises on this property.

Thursday was a bit hard for me as the mail arrived and I saw an envelope from my dad. I knew it was coming, but I realize now that I really wasn’t prepared to see Mom’s death certificate.

What can I say? It’s so final.

More tears.

I’m off to explore what’s happening out in the gardens.

By the way, a book I recently reviewed and loved, The Moon Sisters, is on sale right now (eBook/Kindle version) on Amazon for $1.99 through May 25th. That’s a great deal for a wonderful book! If you missed the review, you can find it here. So if you didn’t win the giveaway and have it on your list of books to read (and if you use eBooks) hop on over and buy it!

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden, spring, trees 15 Comments

Let’s Take A Walk

May 14, 2014 at 8:36 am by Claudia

Let’s take a little walk around the property and see what’s growing and blooming in this late-to-get-going Spring.

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The wild honeysuckle that grows all over this property is blooming, much to the delight of the bee population.

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The climbing hydrangea that I planted about 6 years ago is taking over the shed. It’s supposed to start blooming after 4 or 5 years but nary a bloom has been sighted.

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Until now. I couldn’t believe my eyes. In fact, I had just finished a sentence that included the words, “I guess this will never bloom,” when I saw these. Only two, but who cares? A small victory.

wlilacs

The lilacs have bloomed. I walk over to that side of the driveway several times a day and inhale. What a glorious scent.

wfield

Our woods open up to this big field, which is owned by my fellow blogger Breida and her husband. I walk through our woods daily and always take a moment to stand and gaze out at this vista.

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To the left is the back of our neighbor’s property. He’s been busy stacking enough wood to last him through the apocalypse. Check out his beautiful lilac bush.

wwhiteflowerstree

This tree is on the edge of my other neighbor’s property, which also abuts Breida’s field. Isn’t it pretty?

wquince

The flowering quince is still blooming.

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My delicate yellow tulips are open. These were planted long before we moved here, as were the daffodils and a couple of the hostas and sedum.

wedbiggardenbed

The big garden bed on April 30th.

Wgardenview

On May 7th.

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And on May 13th. As you can see, the trees have really filled in, there’s green everywhere, and the perennials are much bigger.

I planted lots of morning glory seeds the other day, as well as zinnias. I haven’t filled my barrels or my galvanized planter with flowers yet – my budget is very, very tight – and I haven’t bought any hanging plants for the porch. Those things will have to wait a bit. Waaah! I want them now!

whihoparking

When my friend Heidi’s shop (which was called Hi Ho Home Market) closed, she gave me one of her signs, which we have placed in front of the birdbath – right where we park our car. Sort of perfect for the funky patio area, don’t you think? We love signs and if they can be used with a sense of humor, all the better.

wtowelsdh

I made some towels for the dollhouse bathroom by using baby washcloths, a tip I picked up somewhere on the Internet. I think they look neat but they’re too bulky at the moment. I’m going to trim them down a bit.

Today I have to mail off all the items I made for the swap. I spent most of yesterday morning wrapping each item and figuring out how to pack everything so that nothing is damaged. Can’t wait to see what everyone else has created!

Happy Wednesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: dollhouse, flowers, garden, spring, trees 41 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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