Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for Riley

The Arrangement

August 14, 2016 at 9:56 am by Claudia

The heat index hit 109 degrees yesterday. Heck, it might have hit 110, but I can only vouch for the temp when I clicked on the weather app on my phone. The same today.

I will be so happy to see the last of this – maybe tomorrow or Tuesday? I’m not sure, but I do know that the grass is too long, the weeds are too many, and we’re sick of staying inside because there is an “excessive heat warning.”

We did decide on the placement for the watercolor of Scout, as well as the pencil sketch. Don and I tend to make these decisions together as the placement of beloved items, whether we’re talking about furniture or wall art, is important to both of us. We decided we wanted her in the living room, a room we spend a fair amount of time in. As it turns out, she’s looking down on her favorite place to sleep, which seems fitting.

8-14 closeup

As Don said, she’s protecting us.

Looking at her, we think one word: Joy. I also love the fact that the turntable, the albums, the name of the Parrish, which is “Pierrot’s Serenade,” not to mention the piano to the right – all represent music which is so important to us and was a big part of our life with Scout. When she was younger, every time we put on some music and started dancing, she would want to join in. She’d get up on her hind legs and we’d hold her paws and all three of us would dance.

8-14 newarrangement1

(We love the light streaming in these windows, but it does make taking pictures a somewhat frustrating task!)

Previously, the Maxfield Parrish was the only piece hanging here. We thought we’d hang the watercolor here, move the Parrish, and maybe hang the pencil sketch on the stairway gallery wall. But then we played around with possibilities for the Parrish, which is very special to me and not something I want to hide away, so we went with the Parrish and the watercolor. That seemed a bit off, so I grabbed the pencil sketch and then we knew we had a winner. The arrangement also takes the focus off the alarm pad and the thermostat, which is just fine with me.

8-14 newarrangementwithchair

We also played with hanging the Parrish next to the Aquitania, but that gorgeous lithograph shouldn’t have any competition in its place above the piano. It needs to be the star.

8-14 sideview

8-14 chair

Just had to get a shot of our newest find. I love, love, love this chair. And it’s so comfortable!

8-14 intokitchen

I wish a magazine photographer would come in here and take some pictures. Not so much because I’m craving a magazine feature (I sincerely doubt that this house is ‘magazine-worthy’) but it would be so great to have some photos that were taken by someone who knows what he/she is doing! Wouldn’t that be nice?

What were we doing while all of this was going on?

8-14 kennyrankin

Listening to some Kenny Rankin – one of our favorite albums.

I know there’s a lot of focus on Scout, because we lost her most recently. But I’d love to get a good photo of Winston to enlarge and hang; difficult because he had a black coat and I didn’t have a good camera then, so our photos aren’t the best. And I’m going to find a place for this photo – my favorite one of Riley and Scout:

scoutandriley

I framed this and it’s in our bedroom. But I’d also like it down here in the living room. We need Riley with us, too. Dear Riley, who also loved music. Whenever I played the piano, he would come over and plop himself down. It soothed him. And both Riley and Winston loved it when Don played the guitar.

I’ll work on that.

Oh, by the way, I woke up early this morning and after I snuggled up to Don, I went back to sleep whereupon I dreamed I was Michael Phelp’s girlfriend.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: decorating, living room, Riley, Scout 46 Comments

Memories and Missing

July 14, 2016 at 10:08 am by Claudia

This will be a quickly-put-together post, my friends. I had a somewhat sleepless and frustrating night, eventually nodding off sometime before dawn, so I didn’t get out of bed until 9 and I’m barely functioning as I wait for the coffee to kick in!

I just couldn’t turn my brain off; some worries floating around in there, but mostly snatches of songs from Anastasia  playing over and over, along with memories of our dogs. I couldn’t stop thinking of Winston and Riley and Scout. I guess my mind didn’t want to let go of them. Then this morning, as I tried to go back to sleep once more, memories of living in Cambridge and teaching at Boston University.

A very strange night.

7-14 purpledaylilies

More of these gorgeous daylilies. There are two plants in the side garden bed. This one just started blooming yesterday.

7-14 milkweedbybigbed

This is the first time that milkweed has popped up in the front yard. This one is right by the stone edging of the big garden bed. Maybe, oh please, I’ll see a caterpillar?

7-14 sedumbugs

The spirea has finished blooming for the most part, but there are a few valiant blooms popping up her and there. The teeny tiny bugs seem to like this one.

I miss our dogs. And Scout has been on my mind daily, but especially during the past week. I can recreate the scent of her head when I would lean down to kiss her. I can feel the texture of her coat. I remember the quirky things she did. I really miss taking pictures of her. She was so much a part of this blog that I sometimes feel part of the life of the blog has died. And, of course, though Don and I get along famously and love being together, the cottage seems empty. Scoutie was the heart and soul of this place.

We are not ready to adopt another dog, so please don’t suggest it, my friends. We’ll know when it’s time. We want to travel a bit in the next year. We want to make sure we’re ready when it is  time to adopt. And our hearts are still broken. It’s only been five months since she left us.

Damn. Life has been very hard for the past couple of years and the shadow of loss is there all the time. It just takes over every once and a while.

Happy Thursday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: flowers, garden, Riley, Scout 52 Comments

My Girl

February 11, 2016 at 9:31 am by Claudia

scoutpouncing

scoutheart

gorgeousscoutie

donandscout

wed-scoutie

scout1

scout&me

scoutieonsofa

scoutie

scoutandriley

Scoutbokeh1

scout3

That’s all I can give you today.

I’m just trying to get through the day right now and do my work to the best of my ability.

The tears are never far from the surface.

Thank you for your loving support. Words fail me. Thank you.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Tagged With: ScoutFiled Under: Riley, Scout 156 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.

Thanks for stopping by.

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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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