Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for gardening

Wednesday (Some Days I Just Can’t Think of a Title)

May 4, 2022 at 8:56 am by Claudia

Late last night, I closed the comments on yesterday’s post. The whole point of being pro-choice is just that. My choice as to what I can do with my body. Your choice, as well. One comment was judgmental and, in a moment in time when emotions are understandably running high, we don’t need that. I do my best to make this a safe place.

Anyway – years ago I gave up debating this subject with anyone who holds an opposing view. It’s fruitless. While I respect those views, I draw the line at someone imposing them on me, and I really draw the line at the government/courts legislating what should be a personal choice.

Really? We can’t tell you to wear a mask but you can tell me what I can and can’t do with my body? Shove it.

So we won’t debate this here. I am not going to get into it other than what I just wrote, as I spent most of the day yesterday working outside for hours in order to fight off the anxiety I was feeling. And yes, the rage, which I had to work through during the course of the day.

That’s why I had her by my side in the morning:

I went to the nursery and purchased some more plants for my pots, then came back home and potted for hours, walking back and forth with plants and heavy pots, lugging a heavy bag of potting soil, sweeping the porch and the shed floor. Then Don and I mowed the front lawn because it had grown by leaps and bounds and we have rain today and Friday. It would have been that much harder to mow later in the week. By the end of the day, I’d worked up a sweat and had a lot of exercise. I’d flushed out the emotional toxins. Then I took a nap.

I’m also using the Calm app, by the way. I’ve been using it daily for about two weeks and it really helps me meditate. That helped enormously.

By the way, we spoke to our neighbor while we were mowing. Mr. Pickens, the rooster, just fell over one day and died. She doesn’t know if it was a heart attack or something he ate, but he died of natural causes and not from the attack of a predator. We miss his loony call, unlike any other rooster I’ve ever heard. He really protected the other chickens. We were very fond of him.

Rest in Peace, Mr. P.

We’re taking it easy today.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, flowers, gardening 28 Comments

May

May 1, 2022 at 8:53 am by Claudia

It’s May. Finally.

We had some light frost last night, but we’re in the clear from here on in. It’s another lovely sunny day – tomorrow will bring rain – so I’m going to take advantage of it and do some potting. I need to see some flowers on my porch!

I managed to clean out the remaining garden beds yesterday, so that’s done. Such a relief to have completed that task – there’s much more to do around here, of course, including another round of mowing. This time, it will be all of the property, including the back forty. But we’ll do that in stages this week.

Betsy, I’m going to take your advice and wait and see if the Annabelle hydrangea comes back. I so hope it does. That section of the garden, which is the area on the far side of the porch, has the hydrangea, a big, overgrown spirea, and a rose bush that has been driving me crazy for years. The spirea has started leafing out, but there’s a whole section of it that’s damaged from the same snowfall that damaged the hydrangea. If I was Monty Don, I’d probably take it all out and start again, but I’m on a budget and I can’t quite give up on things at this point, even though it doesn’t look very attractive over there.

Hostas are coming out of the ground, as are day lilies, peonies, Solomon’s Seal, sedum, and clematis. The lilacs are in bud. I’ll take a picture of them today.

So today will be the day that I try out my little potting area in the shed. I’m anxious to see how it goes – will it be easier than working on the porch? Or just different? I’ll let you know.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: flowers, garden, gardening 18 Comments

Dare I Call It A Potting Shed?

April 21, 2022 at 8:37 am by Claudia

A few weeks back, Don came home with something in the back of his car. He found it on the side of the road and thought that it might be something I could use for potting my plants. Since it is fairly lightweight, I quickly realized it was a no-go for the porch. We get a lot of wind.

But, we were about to wash the walls and the floor in the shed and once we rearranged things, I was pretty sure I knew where it would go. And yesterday, it all started to take shape.

His discovery alongside the road? The utility tub.

You know, Don amazes me sometimes. That he would see this and immediately think of me, gardening, and potting plants just boggles my mind! I was surprised when I first saw it, but I must admit, my mind immediately started thinking about what I could do with it.

For now, this is the way this potting area looks. What I would love to find eventually is an old workbench of some kind to place on the right of the tub. But this will definitely do in the meantime. The garden tools, snow shovels, rakes, etc., are on the opposite side of the shed.

We’re doing a little ‘decoration’ as well. Some antique locks and hinges are on display on the back wall. I’ll take a picture of that area soon. It’s still a shed, but dang if isn’t a lot more spacious than I thought it was.

I’ve had the shelf for a long time. It used to be on the wall in my studio when it was under the skylight. It’s not the strongest piece, but it could definitely hold packs of seeds and a few tools. I’d also love to find some really cheap framed prints of flowers and botanicals. Nothing too precious, of course, because it is, after all, a shed.

Before we rented the dumpster this shed was so full of stuff that we could barely get in there. I would have to crawl over things to find my pots.

You have no idea.

That’s why I keep marveling at how spacious it is in there!

By the way, we have no water access in the shed, but Don urged me to put the faucet on the sink ‘for the look of the thing.’

Isn’t it neat? I have my own little potting shed!

I’m going move the trash can that holds my potting soil to the shed. It’s currently on the porch. But first, I have to buy some fresh potting soil and some plants – I haven’t done any of that yet because it’s been too cold. But, as of today, freezing nighttime temperatures are a thing of the past, so I can finally get going.

Today, I’m going to start clearing out the garden beds – my first pass.

We worked outside for about 2 – 3 hours yesterday and we were tired. So we’re being very careful to pace ourselves. But, boy, is it wonderful to be outside again.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden, gardening 28 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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