Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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Lilacs

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It’s been unusually warm this week, but it’s going back to normal today. This morning is sunny, the grass is too long (Don has to mow since my hand is still troublesome,) I’ve planted all my pots except for the ones in the secret garden. The warm temps supercharged all the perennials and they’re growing by leaps and bounds. Every day I see the trees leaf out more and more.

My favorite time of year.

Speaking of favorites:

They’re especially lush this year. And the scent!!!

Don loved filming the other day. It went well and he got home at a decent hour, which is a plus. He’s missed working so much. He says it’s like being home again. It’s a world he knows very well. In fact, this year is the 50 year anniversary of his first SAG job.

There is supposed to be one more episode in June. Fingers crossed!

I found out on Wednesday that my mother’s cousin, Jane, died. Jane was one of my favorite people. She was so kind and warm and generous. We often chatted on Facebook. Jane and my mom were both only children, so they thought of each other as sisters. Jane lived a long and full life. She was 90. But it does feel like the connection to my mother’s family is now gone. Rest in Peace, dear Jane,

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Flowers, Working in the Garden, Remembering Mom

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Some flowering quince for you today. That particular bush has more flowers on it this year than I’ve ever seen. It’s quite beautiful (but thorny.) I took photos of the lilac buds and a robin’s egg I found on the driveway, but it was so breezy yesterday that everything was moving, so nothing was in focus.

I found the robin’s egg in the middle of the driveway. It had been dropped and you could see the yoke inside. I suppose some bird stole it. It made me sad.

Also found in the course of raking out the area where the weeping willow used to be: the long missing cap to the gas tank on our lawnmower. We looked and looked for it at the time it went missing and couldn’t find it.  So now we have a replacement should we ever lose the current cap that we had to buy two years ago.

We’ve been working a lot outside, I started cleaning out the area where the weeping willow once stood and, much to my surprise, Don jumped in and really did a great job of getting rid of much of the stump and digging out brambles. I got distracted by our neighbor across the street who came over to say hello after the long winter. Right before that, our next door neighbor drove down his driveway and we said hello to him. It’s always this way – everyone sort of retreats for the winter and then we reemerge in the spring. It was great catching up with Laura. We are so lucky to have them for neighbors.

I’ve been raking out more of the garden beds, trimming brambles/wild roses (which grow alarmingly quickly,) yanking little intruders in the big garden bed. I do a little every day. On Monday, we did too much, and then I did even more yesterday, so today is for rest.

We had below freezing temperatures overnight and will tonight, as well. Then, it looks like we’ll stay on the warmer side. I have yet to do anything on the porch – the only summery thing I’ve done is to add the cushion to the glider. No potted flowers or hanging plants yet and I’m thankful there aren’t or I would have been hauling them inside last night.

Today is the 10th anniversary of my mom’s passing. Ten years. How can that be? I miss her so much.

Love you, Mom.

Stay safe.

Crabapple Blossoms

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In the midst of endless rain, the crabapple blossoms have opened. We have a several crabapple trees around here, most of them younger than this one and all with slightly different blooms. This is always the first tree to flower and it’s right under the catalpa.

It’s so dreary out there, but the forsythia is a vivid yellow and the crabapple is in bloom, and boy, does that help. Both Don and I were lethargic yesterday and so tired of the rain. We want to be doing things outside and there’s much to be done. We’ll get a one day break tomorrow and then more rain on Sunday. HELP!

Also: Don had to take his car to his mechanic – again. We noticed it riding strangely the other day when we were driving back from the grocery store. He was afraid it might be tied to the most recent repair. So he drove it to the mechanic yesterday morning. It’s another thing entirely – the rotor for the right front brakes. It will be costly to repair and, between bills for heating oil, the bill for the last car repair, and the high cost of living, Don decided to hold off on the repair until we have the money. In the meantime, he can use my car. I have to admit, I had a good cry yesterday.

It’s always something. We have had to deal with so many repairs in the past year. I named 2023 The Year of Rain. I might add ‘Repairs’ to that.

Anyway, we both feel a bit down about all of this stuff and we’re working hard to stay positive.

In the meantime, I’m immersed in another Daniel Silva. I think I have 3 more to read until I catch up to where I left off several years ago. Boy, that man can write a spy thriller. His books are routinely 400+ pages and I positively cannot put them down. As I picked up two more at my local library the other day, I felt the need to explain why I’m reading so many Daniel Silva books!

I’m trying to finish the jigsaw puzzle. But I’m at the difficult part – the trees. So, if I manage to fill in 5 pieces a day, I’m doing good.

What else? Some critter is chomping on my garden. No emerging plant is safe. My lone tulip suddenly disappeared from sight. This drives me mad. The daffodils have been left alone, but that’s about it. The culprit is either a deer, a rabbit, or a groundhog.

Cue my frustrated scream.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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