Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Water Lily, Number 5

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Number 5 is finished, unless I tweak it a bit more today.

Water Lily, one of my favorite pieces. I distinctly remember bidding on it on eBay.

I learn something every time I tackle a painting. I am reminded that I am new to this, so I have to be kind to myself while challenging myself to grow. I love really getting to know these pieces of pottery in a way I didn’t before I studied them in detail. And the result is that I fall in love with them again.

I’m not sure what the next piece will be – I have a lot of small pieces and low-to-the-surface planters, etc., but I think the higher, more vertical pieces are best for these studies – at least, right now.

I sat in the kitchen, sweating, for two hours in order to finish this one yesterday. One more day of this dreadful heat and humidity and then we’re going to get thunderstorms and rain for the next couple of days as the system breaks up and moves out. Our brains are mush. Don put the container of dry brown rice away in the refrigerator instead of the pantry. Whoops. Half the time we don’t know what day it is.

Oh wait a minute…that’s normal for us.

I water around 7 am and keep refilling the birdbath all day. Speaking of birds, yesterday, I noticed a robin up in the branch of the black walnut tree right outside our kitchen. He kept moving around and I thought he might be preening himself.  Today, I looked out there and realized he’s making a nest. I mean it when I say it’s right outside our window. Very close to the house. So this morning we watched him work and work at making his nest. He sort of stamps his feet to tamp down the nest materials and his whole body vibrates. I’m going to take some photos.

Of course, this means we’re eventually in for another round of chirping and attacks. But watching all of this happen is an incredible opportunity, so we’ll put up with it.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Hydrating

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I’ve already watered – around 6:30 am – and I’m sweating. Yesterday, our heat index was 103°. Today, it will reach 105°. It’s unbearable out there. And in here, because when you have several days of this stuff, it builds up in the house. Our big window a/c unit could barely keep up with it yesterday. Same with the bedroom unit. And both are usually more than up to the task.

By early yesterday afternoon, I had painted and Don had worked up in the studio and we were resting with the a/c on. It was as if we were both drugged. We could barely keep our eyes open.

I had a strong memory flash this morning as I was filling up the watering can. When I lived in Philadelphia in grad school, I shared an apartment one year with my friend Carolyn. We didn’t have and couldn’t afford a window a/c unit. During the summers, I would do temp work in Philadelphia. Carolyn would go home to California. Philadelphia is not unlike Washington DC when it comes to crushing humidity. I would get up in the morning to get ready for work and after 5 minutes, I was already sweating. Work, of course, offered a bit of a refuge as it was air conditioned, but lord, by the time I reached home at the end of the day, I was drenched. I would take a shower and then, using the three fans that I owned, I’d sit on the bed in my underwear with one fan on my right, another on my left, and one facing me – all of them turned on full blast. And that was my station for the rest of the evening.

That’s what this feels like. It should break on Thursday, but in the meantime, my brain is mush.

This painting I’m currently working on is taking a bit of time – partly because I can only work for a short time every day, but mostly because it’s difficult. At the end of a session, I’m greatly encouraged; then after a break I look at it more critically and realize there are several elements I didn’t get right. And so it goes. It’s all a learning experience and I have much to learn!

Other than the above, there’s nothing new. We’re hanging in there. The birthday celebration has come and gone. The apple pie has been eaten. Prodigious amounts of water are being consumed.

I know it’s very hot in many places. If you are in one of them, hang in there. Stay hydrated.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Flowers And A Guitar

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The coneflowers are emerging – most of them still green, but here and there, the petals are turning purple. Since they self-seed, I have more and more every year. This year, especially, I see the increase. Since – to me – they are one of those quintessential cottage garden flowers, I’m fine with that.’

And my new clematis, which I planted in the bed under the living room window has produced a lovely flower.

Well, I never got around to painting yesterday because the technician from our security company never showed up. We had a window from 12 – 4 so I decided not to paint because I didn’t want to be disrupted by his arrival. But, in the end, he was delayed and after waiting until 4:30, we called to ask them about the delay, so I could have painted, darn it! Obviously, the technician had run over in his appointments, but then they wanted us to have yet another window from 5 – 8 and Don said no. So it will be next Friday instead. This, by the way, is for some sort of upgrade they  want to do (in the middle of a pandemic no less) not for anything we requested. So I get a bit peeved when our time is wasted.

Anyway. I’m going to paint today.

I did a lot of weeding yesterday, lots of laundry, made some phone calls that I’d been putting off, paid some bills – so I accomplished a lot. Painting today will be my reward.

One of Don’s birthday presents was a very modestly priced bass guitar. (He asked for one.)

I have to say I think it’s so cool that a 70 year old guy got a bass guitar for his birthday. Don just gets cooler every year.

We are now at 8 guitars, two ukuleles, a mandolin, two desks, two additional work surfaces, a dollhouse, a dollhouse kit, two file cabinets, a china cabinet, a big old chair from the 40s, a plant stand, an old bench, a cart full of paints, and a French cabinet – all in the office/studio. It’s somewhat artfully arranged, but let’s face it, it’s packed.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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