Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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What Are You Reading?

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Yesterday, we mowed, tag-team style; the front lawn and the secret garden. We wanted to get it done before afternoon thunderstorms hit us today. Like some of you in the midwest, next week we will also be suffering through 5 days of temperatures in the mid-nineties. I am not looking forward to that. The week will become about watering everything in the gardens twice a day. And staying indoors in the a/c. Currently, we’re having temps in the mid-eighties, which is plenty hot enough for me.

No time to snap a picture outside yesterday, so here is one from last week – Lucy and Bertie watching me mow the corral:

I just picked up a book from the library, Sarah Perry’s latest, Enlightenment. I’m a big fan of her books and I hope to start it today. I tried to finish The Poppy War  by R. F. Kuang, a book I started a while back but put aside as I read all the Daniel Silva books I had missed. I am a fan of Kuang’s as well. She wrote Babel  and Yellowface, both books I really enjoyed. The Poppy War is part of trilogy that she wrote several years ago. I think she’s a fabulous writer, but I just couldn’t connect with this one. So, Enlightenment  it is.

Which leads me to the question: What are you reading?

Do tell!

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Life, Lately

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It’s been just plain crazy around here over the past few weeks. An ant invasion, poison ivy, my hand injury and now, 1) Don’s shoulder is bothering him and very painful, so I’m doing my best to help him out, 2) after bringing home his car and using it over the weekend for 2 gigs, one of which was many miles away, with no trouble at all, the drive indicator is blinking, indicating trouble with the transmission or problems with the computer, 3) the internet has been out off and on all morning, so I’m going to try to grab some ‘on’ time to post this, 4) in the next week, I have to pay the fee to keep this blog going for one more year, and it’s higher than ever.

We have put out a lot of money for car repairs lately and we don’t have much more money on hand. So, we’re praying and trying to stay positive. But it isn’t always easy. Yesterday I was in a panic mode. Today, I’m calmer.

But I’m definitely feeling overwhelmed.

The clematis blooms, which normally face the street, are showing themselves on the porch, as well. I love that. A little peek-a-boo surprise.

Another Mucha puzzle completed. I worked a lot on it yesterday because I was trying to keep my worry from taking over, so I gave myself a task. If you don’t know French, these are the names for the seasons: winter, spring, summer, and autumn.

No puzzles on tap at the moment.

Mabel on the porch. I wasn’t connecting with her lately and I realized it was because the dress she was wearing didn’t work for her. So I changed the dress and she’s looking sassy again.

I’ve finished the latest Anthony Horowitz and now I’m reading The English Girl  by Daniel Silva, which I suspect I may have already read. We’ll see. If I have, I’ll still finish it, but I’ll also know that I’m all caught up. He has a new book in this series coming out this summer. I really enjoy the Anthony Horowitz mysteries, however, they’re so cleverly conceived that I sometimes feel distanced from the story, if that makes sense. That’s okay. I admire his skill and his ability to juggle a complex plot.

As far as what I have on my hold list at the library; the newest Sarah Perry, Enlightenment, which comes out in June, the newest James Lee Burke, Clete, which also comes out in June, and then the newest Silva, A Death in Cornwall, which will be published in July. I’ve got to pad that list even more by researching upcoming new books by favorite authors. Never want to run out of reading material!

Maybe it’s time to get out the oil paints?

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Buttercups

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I love the appearance of  buttercups on our lawn. Usually, they are concentrated on the lilac side of the front lawn, but this year, I’ve found them scattered around the property. They’re so cheery and delicate. Like dandelions, they pop right back after being mowed.

Eventually, they’ll fade away until next year, but I sure like seeing them.

No rain today. And…maybe no rain for the next five days! Shocker! Don’s gig went well last night and now he can take it easy for the rest of the weekend. I have started another puzzle. It’s slightly annoying; the pieces are harder than usual, almost plastic-feeling, though they’re not plastic. And on the back of each piece is a letter, which I suppose corresponds to whatever section of the puzzle the piece belongs to (awkward sentence!) I use up a lot of mental energy trying to ignore those letters because I don’t want any help at all.

I’ll probably weed a bit today, do some laundry – that kind of thing. And I’m deeply into The Instruments of Darkness, by John Connolly – it’s getting to the point in the reading process where I will soon be unable to put it down. In fact, I had to force myself to put it down to write this post! He is a wonderful, wonderful writer.

I hope you enjoy your weekend, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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