Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for garden

Endless Heat

August 4, 2022 at 9:08 am by Claudia

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful comments yesterday!

It’s really just a little blip of an appearance on the screen. A re-emergence from retirement for a brief moment to be of service. But it was fun and unexpected. And most importantly, it was very moving to be in that room, sharing the scene with Jim and Ben, especially. Add in Bill Irwin and Sally Field and there’s the icing on the cake. By the way, Sally and Bill are incredibly kind and nice and funny. On their last day on the set, Bill stopped and told me how happy he was that we got to work together in that scene.

Anyway, on to the realities of this day: a heat advisory, an air quality advisory, and temperatures that will be well over 100 degrees when you add in the humidity. I’ve already been out to hand water all the plants, but of course, there’s only so much I can do. I’ll water again later in the day or early in the evening. We will be in this insane stretch of weather through the weekend.

This has been an awful summer – abnormally high temperatures that would be okay for a day or two, but, instead, stay here for two weeks at a time. Then a slight break, and they’re back again. My plants are suffering, the lawn is brown. It’s just dreadful.

Adding to that are my allergies which are particularly bad in this kind of weather.

Okay. Enough complaining. I have a lot of work to do. But brain fog is not helping me accomplish anything at the moment. All I want to do is sleep. I can see why siestas are so popular!

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden 8 Comments

Is That Rain?

August 1, 2022 at 8:55 am by Claudia

In a shocking turn of events, we actually got a little rain overnight. And not stormy torrential rain, but a gentle rain that might have had time to soak the ground.

We need much, much more, but I’ll happily take it – especially when it means I don’t have to hand water everything, which takes at least an hour and a half.

Let’s keep it coming, Mother Nature!

I have to do some dialect research today. During the next two weeks, I also have to figure out all of my deductions from last year, which will be complicated because I was in NYC for 6 weeks working. The State of NY doesn’t always understand that we sometimes take deductions because we have to move to the city for some of our work. Case in point: Escape to Margaritaville  and now, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies. It’s also involves a lot of paperwork and today I’m going to corral all the receipts, clear my desk, and prep for the work ahead.

I’d much rather be working on my puzzle or playing with dolls or taking photos.

Reminder to self: You’re an adult. These things must be done.

We have a very hot week ahead of us. On Thursday, the temperature is supposed to reach 98°. That’s not counting the humidity which will shoot it up into the 100s. August has never been a favorite month of mine. In Michigan, where I grew up, August was always the month where it got very humid. It also signals the beginning of summer’s end. When I was a kid, that meant going back to school. When I was an adult who was a teacher it meant the same thing. Now that I’m an adult who is a gardener, it means the waning of my gardens.

Not a fan.

Okay, my friends. Happy August, nonetheless.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: flowers, garden, rain 26 Comments

A Slow Sunday Morning

July 31, 2022 at 9:06 am by Claudia

David phlox. It grows very tall and the scent is marvelous. I think I originally planted the white version, but after all these years, it pops up in pink, purple, and white.

I had a nice long FaceTime chat with Mere and Little Z yesterday. Mere is feeling a bit better each day. Z, though seemingly all better, still tested positive as of yesterday. He is getting so big, and my heavens, he’s a beautiful child. He’s also very, very smart and very, very funny. Oh, and “the boys”- dogs Hank and Bear – were also in on the call. Anyway, it was good to see that Meredith was a bit better. All of this happened while Don was away at the Farmers Market, unfortunately, so he missed out.

Currently reading another Mick Herron – London Rules. Truly the most delicious of spy novels, with deadpan humor and edge-of-your-seat action. Herron is brilliant. I think there are two more that I haven’t read. I’m reading them in order and if you decide to read them, you should, too. There is a definite progression with the plots and characters.

I’m headed outside shortly to take some photos of the flowers. This time in the garden is short-lived. I’m already upset that it’s nearly August. It goes so darned quickly, doesn’t it?

Today is my mom’s birthday. She would have been 95. I miss her terribly.

Happy Birthday, mom. I love you.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: flowers, garden, Little Z, Meredith 27 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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