Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for Peonies

My Favorite Week

June 9, 2018 at 10:21 am by Claudia

Stop the presses!

It’s my favorite week of the year.

Because:

And because:

And because:

And because:

Not to mention these, which are blooming everywhere:

And these buds on the catalpa tree, which will open this week and fill the property with their glorious scent.

None of which, by the way, I had anything to do with. The wild roses were already established (and they’re invasive,) the peonies were planted long ago by previous home owner, and the catalpa has been here (along with four other catalpas up in the woods) for years and years.

This week, when they all take off and blossom, is my happiest week in the garden. Frothy little white flowers on all the edges of the property, beautiful peonies down by the entrance to the driveway, and beautiful blossoms high up in the catalpa tree.

I texted a photo of a peony to Don last night, with the caption “They’re here!”

It’s also a simply beautiful morning. I’ve been sitting on the glider for about two hours now. I don’t want to leave. So I went inside and grabbed the laptop so I could write today’s post outside. Birds are singing, the bullfrog is doing his thing, cyclists – both bicycle and motorcycle – are passing by.

I’m going to stay out here most of the day. Tomorrow morning, I’m going into the city for a couple of days, returning Tuesday. Since Don’s time there is limited now, I know he wants to lap up all he can, while he can, so I decided I would go to him. Then it will be back home to start the mowing process again. I’m not complaining. I come alive in the spring and summer.

Yesterday, I stopped at my local nursery and picked up a few more plants. I planted some additional coneflowers in the big garden bed because I love them and I know they reseed and will go a long way toward filling up the side of the bed that’s closest to the maple tree. I also bought another hollyhock.

And these, for the vintage plant stand:

More lobelia, which will get bigger and spread and the tendrils will hopefully go between the wires (I’m already training them.) This must be the summer of lobelia: my hanging plants, the pot on the table, which is full of purple and white lobelia, and these newest additions. There’s something romantic about lobelia in this kind of rusty vintage plant stand. I like it.

We’re slowly getting used to ETM closing. But it’s very hard for the cast. No one would know watching it, but the joy has diminished a bit. How could it not? We’re in mourning but time helps ease the pain a bit. I would do anything to protect my husband from this. But I can’t. I can be with him as much as I can, however. Meanwhile, the landlord has begun showing the apartment and that makes Don sad. He really loves that apartment and I know he’d give anything to keep it. If we were wealthy, we’d rent it. But it rents for more than our hefty mortgage payment. The whole thing makes me unbelievably sad. I cry a lot.

Okay. I’m going to hang out here today, along with a little garden work and weed pulling.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: flowers, garden, Peonies, trees 31 Comments

Flowers and a Chimney

June 14, 2017 at 9:28 am by Claudia

There she be! The newly bricked chimney is finished. The metal you see around the top is a cement mold and it will be removed in a week or so. I wanted the bricks to have a faded look and they do.

No more of the blue tarp that has been covering the bricks for at least three years. We had to come up with the money for this job and that took a while and when we were ready to have it done last year, they were already booked through the season. But they put us on their list for this year and we said goodbye to the tarp and it looks normal again up there.

The climbing hydrangea is in bloom. Someday, someday, I hope that it will be completely covered in blooms. I can’t get too close to the hydrangea because that’s where the nest is that Mama Robin is guarding so closely. I did peek in the other day and I saw two little heads peeking out of the nest. But I backed off quickly because I didn’t want to stress Mama.

These roses are making me very happy! Bloom after bloom is opening. My goodness, they’re gorgeous!

The peonies have bloomed (save one – I’ll have to check it today) and are winding down.

The catalpa tree is in full, glorious bloom but it’s so hard to get a good photo of it, partly because it’s a huge tree and partly because the white flowers, which are everywhere, look like little specks. I’ll work on that today. I can assure you, the scent is heavenly.

The remembrance rose is starting to open. My cup of roses runneth over.

Today? It will be warm but not nearly so hot and humid as yesterday, so it’s mowing time. It takes me two days to mow everything and Friday looks like it will be rainy. We never got the predicted thunderstorms yesterday, though there were rumbles of thunder.

I guess I’ll have to water again today!

I’m off to eat some breakfast and get ready to mow.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: birds, cottage, flowers, garden, Peonies, roses 30 Comments

Birds, Buds, Flowers & Parrotheads

May 22, 2017 at 10:06 am by Claudia

Let’s just stop for a moment and take time to honor the favorite flower of yours truly.

They’re on their way. I walked down to the edge of the property to where the peonies were planted years ago by a former owner of the property and there they were: nice fat buds, complete with the requisite ants.

This bud is on the peony bush I should have moved last autumn, but didn’t. It’s under the shag hickory that is growing so tall and using so much energy that the peony can’t compete. But there’s at least one bud this year. I thanked the peony and promised to move it this  fall.

Our other shag hickory, one of the four trees that made us fall in love with this property, inexplicably died a few years ago and the other shag hickory, which was a tiny baby when we moved in is growing by leaps and bounds. Don calls it Hick Jr.

Catmint.

Three poppy buds so far.

I did a lot of work outside yesterday – I’d say I was out there for six hours, off and on. Mulching, moving things around, mulching again, planting, watering…it was a spectacularly beautiful day and I knew it was going to rain today, so I kept at it until I’d finished what I needed to. I felt nicely tired and finally came inside, whereupon I promptly indulged in a cupcake.

Don told me all about the audience they had for Saturday night’s show. It was full of Jimmy Buffett fans, some of them had traveled to La Jolla all the way from Texas. In true “Parrothead” fashion, they partied before the show (a conga line was formed) and they were a fabulous audience! They “got” everything, cheered, sang along, and loved every minute of the show. Don talked to several of them after the show and really loved their joy and enthusiasm. Sort of your dream audience!

Finally, I’ve stopped by the bird nest a few times lately. Right after I found the dead babies, I stayed away for a while. Then a week or so went by and I peeked at it. There was still a trace of the bodies and the unhatched egg remained, but there was also evidence of new nest materials. I thought I was seeing things, but it looked as if the birds had been adding twigs. I checked a few days later – even more twigs. I could still see the blue egg.

Yesterday, this is what I saw:

All traces of the remains and the egg have been completely covered. It looks like they’re going to go for it again. Such resilience!

I had a lovely bit of Face Time with Little Z last night. That boy makes everything magical.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: birds, Don, flowers, garden, Peonies 22 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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