Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Wednesday’s Forecast: More Rain

July 25, 2018 at 9:51 am by Claudia

Rain, rain, and more rain!

That’s the news here. There are breaks in the rain throughout the day, but rain is the theme here in the Hudson Valley.

I ventured outside in the afternoon to water the plants on the porch and check on the gardens. I ended up doing some work in the garden because, at the time, the sun was behind a cloud and I thought it would be okay.

Yikes, it was unbelievably hot and humid! I started cutting back the catmint plants because I’d had that on my mind for a while and I had just finished watching an episode of Gardener’s World where Monty Don was cutting back his catmint. If Monty is doing it, I need to be doing it. I’m glad I did something  outside, but I was so drenched with sweat afterwards that I had to take my second shower of the day.

The Far Side Garden (above) is quite lush at the moment.

As is the bed next to the porch – which is full of hostas and coneflowers and sedum.

I thought you’d like to see a picture of Sam, happily resting after chasing his ball.

Love that boy.

This is the pond that is on their property. It’s quite lovely. Eventually, Rick and Doug are going to build a gazebo there. Won’t that be lovely?

Don had a wonderful session with Louis Mendes on Monday. Louis is a true teacher and mentor and Don was very energized and excited when he came back home. They worked together for about 3 hours. Don has learned that when you’re standing next to Louis on any New York street, person after person is going to stop to look at Louis and the camera and ask, “Are you Louis Mendes?” It’s amazing. He’s amazing. He gave Don assignments, as well. Homework!

I’m in the ‘thinking and not even planning yet’ stage of the dollhouse. I have several ideas for the look of the outside and I’ve not settled on one yet. I’m gathering photos and ideas from the internet.

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: Don, flowers, friends, garden, photography 34 Comments

Steam

July 24, 2018 at 9:07 am by Claudia

Boy, is it steamy here! It’s unbelievably humid. And it’s rainy. Yesterday, I spent some time with Rick at our local nursery and we felt as if we were in the Amazon Rain Forest! The windows are steamed up. My camera lens gets foggy as soon as I go outside. All day long.

Needless to say, we’re staying inside.

We’re getting a lot of rain. I got caught in a big downpour yesterday. It was the kind of downpour that only seems to happen in the summer; out of nowhere, suddenly you’re in the middle of a torrential downpour, where you dare not exit the car until it stops, or you have to duck under an awning, or run inside a store.

I snuck outside in the early evening to take some photos, all the while, wiping off my foggy lens. We have three zinnias in bloom now.

I started cleaning the inside of the dollhouse yesterday. The previous owner glued down the carpet and the kitchen floor. Let’s just say they used a lot of glue. Overly generous amounts of glue. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pry  that glue off the floors and the seams between the walls and the floors. Not sure yet how to do it without damaging the floors – I’ll have to do some research. Thank goodness for the internet!

I also cleaned up my desk. I hadn’t been spending much time in the office over the past few months so it needed some work and I tried to ‘arrange’ Don’s bags of show souvenirs and gifts from the producers that were everywhere. He has yet to sort it all out and I needed to forge a path to the window and the air conditioner.

I’m so enjoying my reread of A Gentleman in Moscow. It’s so beautifully written, so evocative of a certain time in history. The characters are wonderful; for me, they’re like old friends. You know that feeling when you crack open a beloved book to allow yourself the pleasure of reading it again and you read the first page and your shoulders drop and you sigh with happiness?

That’s what I’m feeling.

Before I forget:

My friend Melanie, a longtime reader of this blog, sent me this sticker and magnet.

I love them! The magnet is currently on the refrigerator, but I’m wondering if I might put it in my car…hmmm. Thanks so much, Melanie!

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: books, dollhouse, flowers, garden 47 Comments

Flowers and Books

July 22, 2018 at 9:07 am by Claudia

The geranium that I overwinter every year had me thinking it wouldn’t bloom this summer, but it fooled me again. It’s a small plant, certainly not lush in its growth, but we have a deal now. I take her inside every November and she lives on the floor in the living room. And then I take her outside in the spring.

I mowed the back forty yesterday. Today it’s raining. It started raining overnight. We need it. I am shocked by how low the rivers are. I think we’re due for more rain and storms tomorrow, as well.

And I don’t have to water the gardens! Maybe a few of the porch plants, but that’s it.

I hope you’re not tiring of coneflower photos, because I love taking photos of them. Each one is different. I never tire of capturing their beauty.

This hydrangea – one of the Endless Summer hydrangeas – is blooming. It’s in the Memorial Garden. I got it several years ago through a blog opportunity and I love it, but it remains petite. I don’t know why. My other hydrangeas – the Annabelle and Limelight – are tall and cover quite an expanse of real estate. This one? Nope. I don’t think I have the original tag and I’m now wondering if it’s supposed to be this small. It sure is pretty.

The liatris is just starting to flower.

These books are new to the cottage. I ordered The Pottery Gardener  and Jacob’s Room is Full of Books  from Book Depository in England. And I found Tovah Martin’s latest book, The Garden in Every Sense and Season, at our local bookstore the other day when Don was taking pictures right outside the front door.

The Pottery Gardener is Arthur Parkinson. He created a garden at Emma Bridgewater’s factory and it has become quite famous. I follow him on Instagram. I think – as best I can tell from his latest IG posts – that he has just left that position. He’s young and loves chickens and ducks and flowers.

Jacob’s Room is Full of Books  is by Susan Hill. It’s about reading and favorite books and I love books about books.

Tovah Martin lives in Connecticut. She’s a longtime writer about gardens and flowers and houseplants and I love anything she writes.

I’m also rereading A Gentleman in Moscow  by Amor Towles. I’ve been thinking of it a lot lately. In fact, just the other day it came up in a conversation with Don and I went on and on about its virtues, its beauty, and how much I loved it. So I’m reading it again for the sheer pleasure of it.

The plant in the photo was in Don’s apartment in the city. Now it lives on the coffee table in the den.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: books, flowers, garden 32 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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