Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for jigsaw puzzles

Day Seventy-Two

May 24, 2020 at 9:42 am by Claudia

We had the best day yesterday. It rained all day long, but it was a gentle rain. The windows were open, the sound of the rain was lovely, I worked on my puzzle – and got a lot of it done – and – oh yes, I forgot – the haircuts.

Don drove over to Rick and Doug’s to pick up the necessary equipment. He already knew all the information as to the guard settings. He’s an actor. Actors get haircuts, sometimes on set, sometimes for a play, sometimes on the road. He wrote down those settings a long time ago and carried them in his wallet because he knew he’d need them.

When he came back we watched a video that was extremely helpful, dragged a stool into the bathroom, and I started cutting his hair. I was a bit hesitant at first, but I quickly decided to just go for it. Don’s hair, I discovered, grows in several different directions, which makes the process more complicated. It’s not perfect by any means. There’s one tiny bare batch by his ear, for example, but all in all, I was pleased and Don was even more pleased.

Before (you know Don just had to stage this photograph) –

And after:

A little ‘product’ doesn’t hurt, either.

He cut my hair, as well. It’s was just a bit uneven at the sides, but I tweaked it and it feels so much better! He took off at least four inches. It had become way too long. Thank you, husband!

We were quite proud of ourselves! There will be no divorce court, it seems.

The puzzle:

I finished the dark buildings, much of the scene on the terrace, and some of the figures to the right. And I found three pieces that I was convinced were lost or not included. As in a lot of puzzles, especially this impressionist painting, the actual piece didn’t look like I had envisioned it. But when inserted, it made sense.

We had vowed to take it easy yesterday, but we ended up not taking it easy. So today, we are following through with that vow.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: jigsaw puzzles, social distancing 46 Comments

Day Sixty-Seven

May 19, 2020 at 9:29 am by Claudia

Slow going. But I like the challenge. Since it’s Van Gogh, it’s basically little puzzle pieces consisting of brush strokes. That makes it both maddening and beautiful.

We did a lot of work outside yesterday. Don keeps carving paths into the wooded part of the back forty. I sowed seeds – this year will be a bit of a crap shoot because I normally add top soil before I sow the seeds. I don’t have top soil this year, so I sowed them directly into our rocky soil. Maybe I’ll get flowers…and maybe I won’t. I hope I get a few!

I also mowed part of the corral, an area next to the shed, and the other side of the front yard where the lilacs are. It’s looking so green out there. Now, when I sit in the den and look out the window toward the shed, all I see is green.

Yesterday, I happened to look out the kitchen window and saw a pileated woodpecker on one of the logs. I called Don over to the window and as we were watching, another  pileated woodpecker appeared. Since we were trying to take a photo/video from inside the kitchen, the picture is blurry – really, it’s just pixels – but you can at least see them both. A pair of pileated woodpeckers!

I got this frame from a video Don shot. It was amazing watching them. They were really hammering on this old wood. They’re so big and gorgeous. I think it’s the first time Don has seen one.

I’m taking it easy today.

Stay safe.

Filed Under: birds, jigsaw puzzles, social distancing 33 Comments

Day Sixty-One

May 13, 2020 at 9:33 am by Claudia

I’m sitting here, once again surrounded by plants, as there was a freeze warning for last night and there’s one for tonight. I contemplated attempting to use a tarp to protect the big potted plants, but ended up bringing everything in for two days. And then we’ll be done. Poor Don, lugging those heavy pots yet again. First thing tomorrow after moving plants back outside? A trip to the nursery, which I planned on making 2 1/2 weeks ago, but then all the cold weather started and I realized I couldn’t finish planting my pots/buying more potting soil until this bizarre weather pattern had ended.

I long to sit on the glider on the porch and it looks like that will happen soon. Of course, we’ll get warmer weather but we’re also getting rain, so there’s that.

We worked outside yesterday. It was windy – when isn’t it, these days? Don did a lot of trimming of brambles and cleared another space. I returned to pruning the boxwood. It really took a beating this winter and I’m not sure why. I know they’ve had ‘box blight’ in England and I sure hope it isn’t headed this way. The four boxwoods that we have in front of the house were the very first things we planted when we moved here in 2005. It was the beginning of September so I didn’t want to do anything to the garden bed, but we did create a bed in front of the house where we installed four tiny boxwoods. They’re a lot bigger now!

Very slow going. It’s a real challenge, this one. Sometimes I sit here for a few hours and work at it. Sometimes, I just stroll by and add a piece.

We watched The Third Man  last night, one of our favorite movies. There was only one problem – we were so tuckered out that we kept falling asleep. I couldn’t wait to go to bed!

It’s cold out there, but beautifully sunny. Hang in there, plants – less than 24 hours to go!

Stay safe.

Filed Under: flowers, garden, jigsaw puzzles, social distancing 30 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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