Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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“For There’s a Change in the Weather…”

November 20, 2016 at 9:47 am by Claudia

11-20-cottagelivingroom

Do you recognize those lyrics in the post title? Or am I the only one who remembers that kind of thing?

For there’s a change in the weather, there’s a change in the sea,
So from now on there’ll be a change in me.
My walk will be different, my talk and my name,
Nothing about me is going to be the same.
I’m going to change my way of living if that ain’t enough,
Then I’ll change the way I strut my stuff,
Cause nobody wants you when you’re old and gray.
There’ll be some changes made today, there’ll be some changes made.

There was a “change in the weather” last night and today we’re having blustery winds and snow showers. Our warmer than normal weather has moved on. Now I have to figure out which plants on the porch to try saving and which to let go. There’s only so much room here in the cottage and I have to remember that Don will be in charge when I’m in Hartford. That translates to: I don’t want to overwhelm him and I’m a little nervous about presenting him with a complicated watering schedule.

11-20-chimneyandpothos

We finally removed the window air conditioners and stowed them in the shed. Now I will have to do some porch sorting and move the cushions and pots back in the shed for the winter. Sometime this week, I think.

11-20-scoutpawprint

I had a dream last night in which Scoutie was walking toward me to tell me that her water dish was empty. Right after the dream, I woke up.

11-20-gallerywall

There’s nothing like taking a picture of a gallery wall to show you that the frames need straightening!

Nothing exciting to report today, my friends. Don’s out at the moment getting a copy of the Sunday New York Times. In the current climate in which freedom of the press is being threatened, think about subscribing to a newspaper, if you don’t already. Since we live upstate of NYC where buying the print version of the Times is more expensive, a daily subscription would be prohibitive. But I think we’re going to subscribe to the weekend editions of the Times – Friday through Sunday. I might subscribe to the digital version of The Washington Post, as well. Whatever your choice, newspapers need our financial support now more than ever. As do magazines like Newsweek and Time  and Mother Jones, where investigative journalism is the thing they do best.

I’m going to do that today.

11-20-sunset

Last night’s sunset. If you look closely, you can see Don down by the street, iPhone camera in hand.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: cottage, media 36 Comments

More Chatty on Wednesday

October 26, 2016 at 9:56 am by Claudia

• I saw a bluebird drinking out of the birdbath the other day. I never see bluebirds around here except in the fall or early winter. I didn’t have time to take a picture. Then I saw our resident bluejay chasing 3 or 4 bluebirds away. (Maybe they’re on their way to warmer climes?)

10-26-bluebird

This is the best I could do. He was a long way off, so I used my zoom lens. Trust me, he’s a bluebird. Or she. I love bluebirds and I see them so rarely!

That darned bluejay was chasing lots of birds away, the bugger. I was upstairs at one point, sitting at my desk, and I heard a loud squawking. He was right outside my window, talking to me!

• This is what it looked like around here last night:

10-26-flowerfreeze

I had to bring in all the plants from the porch as the temperature was going down to 31°. Tonight? 28°. I would have left them inside for the day, but the guy was coming from the alarm company, so we had to move them all back outside. Back inside tonight. Since the overnight temps will warm up to the forties after tonight, I’m hanging on to these plants as long as I can.

I covered up the barrels of geraniums with sheets. And this morning, I hacked through the ice in the birdbath so the birdies can get a drink. I am still seeing robins and finches and cardinals (they hang around all winter) and the bluejay, of course. The other day, my sweet mourning dove was drinking from the birdbath.

10-26-ididhaveitplates

• I hadn’t lost my mind! Look what I found among the books on my bookshelves – Plates.

Gosh, I love these books. I also forgot to mention another favorite magazine, also no longer available: Flea Market Style. It came out quarterly. I’ve been looking through some back issues that I saved. I really miss it. Another sob.

10-26-studio

• This was my Instagram post yesterday. And it still looks like this today! I’m dining on oatmeal and raisins with some apple cider, syrup and tahini added. Mmmm! And of course, you can see my favorite coffee mug.

• Alarm problem solved. The repairman replaced the sensor.

10-26-sunset

• Finally, last night’s sunset. Beautiful.

Someone who lives in this house with me is preparing a guest post for the blog. I won’t say who. It will be up tomorrow or Friday.

Happy Wednesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: birds, flowers, media, studio 41 Comments

Butterflies, Spiders and Morning Glories

September 20, 2016 at 9:40 am by Claudia

We’re in a fairly humid stretch here in the Hudson Valley – I thought those days were past, silly me! And we’re due for some very warm temperatures for the rest of the week. Oh, September, you fickle month, you!

A big chunk of time was spent in the waiting room of the car dealership yesterday. Oh, how I wanted to escape! The television was on – turned to the NYC Fox affiliate – as news was breaking about the capture of the man who was behind the bombs in the city and in New Jersey. I was happy to know he’d been caught, of course, but I had to listen to endless filler as the anchors ‘guessed’ and ‘supposed’ to fill time until they actually knew the facts. When an ‘ex-FBI agent’ got on the horn and decided to use his questionable expertise to attack Democrats and Obama when the breaking news had nothing to do with them; and said something like ‘they let this guy in this country,’ when in actuality, he immigrated with his family at the age of seven, I had to get up and move far, far away. Too many people with a political agenda spouting off when they don’t know what they’re talking about.

Another reason I don’t watch that crap at home. Being a captive audience did not make me happy. Fortunately, just after I moved, a woman asked one of the staff to change the channel. To Seinfeld. Sigh of relief.

9-20-butterfly1

A great spangled fritillary on the butterfly bush yesterday afternoon.

And this guy spun a complex web that extended from the porch railing to the gutter.

9-20-spider1

The black and yellow garden spider. You can see that he’d caught his prey and was protecting it. I saw a little gnat caught in the web, over on the edge, so I freed it. That didn’t make my spider friend happy, but I figured he had enough food for dinner.

He promptly moved very quickly to the edge of his web, presumably to guard against intruders.

9-20-spider2

Don came out to take a look. These guys are fascinating. I usually see them in the garden or down by the culvert. They spin this complicated web, with that seam you can see in the first photo, and then take it all down again rather quickly. I checked this morning. It’s gone.

If you’re squeamish, sorry! But really, you’re looking at a photo. Not the real thing!

Morning Glories to soothe the soul:

9-20-mgs

9-20-mgs2

They’re still blooming!

Louise Penny’s beloved husband, Michael, passed away yesterday after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Louise and Michael showed us what true love is throughout this challenge, with a steadfast devotion that was unending as they made this journey together. May he rest in peace.

Happy Tuesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: butterfly, flowers, garden, media, morning glory, spider 26 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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The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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