Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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Wild Roses

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Some wild roses for you this morning. These are right next to the big maple tree. They’re all over the property and, as I have stated before, 99% of the time I call them brambles and they’re an annoyance. I constantly have to prune them. I’ve been pricked more times than I can count. But they sort of make up for all of that at this time of year.

I mowed a lot yesterday and was exhausted. Pushing the lawnmower with the missing real wheel drive is a pain in the tush, the grass was long, and I’m out of shape after not mowing for 6 weeks. But I mowed! And that’s a good thing!

I’m not ignoring your comments about pitching in for the cost of maintaining the server, which is due this next week. I’m just not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, it would really help out. On the other hand, I’m not entirely comfortable asking for or accepting help. And even if I accepted it, I’m not sure how to do that. Patreon is lovely, but they encourage you to offer special extras to subscribers and I don’t really have anything more to offer than I already write on my blog posts. I’ve looked into tip jars but I’m not sure about that either. Since I decreased the amount of weekly posts, my ad income is next-to-nothing – partly due to blogging 3 days less a week and also just because ad income for bloggers is not even close to what it used to be. The good old days are over. Anyway, I so appreciate your kindness and generosity and I want you to know that.

You are the best.

I have to take a break from news this weekend. Predictably, the far right is protesting the results of the trial. I guess justice is just fine when it involves someone you like. Otherwise, it’s a “tragedy!” “unfair!” an “abuse of power!” – blah, blah, blah. Insane cult members are upset because their con man got caught. You know, I don’t write nearly as much about him as I used to, partly because trolls crawl out of their underground lairs to comment and I have to block them and partly because I don’t want to give him any air whatsoever. He’s sucked enough energy out of all of us the last nine years.

But I will write about it when I feel compelled to because our democracy is at stake. The stakes can’t get any higher.

Okay, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Blooms

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Rain is headed our way at some point today, though maybe not as much as predicted. Nevertheless, we should be getting rain over the course of the next four days. To all of you who are desperate for rain, I send a prayer up that rain will soon be on its way to you. I’ve been there, and it’s very stressful.

It was very sunny when I took this. It’s so hard for me to capture the beauty of this area once everything starts blooming. I don’t know why. The spirea is blooming, the hydrangeas are starting to turn white, the roses are really taking off this year, and the clematis is in the last of its bloom. We mowed the front lawn yesterday and I was so taken by the flowers! I don’t always get around to the front of the house, especially since the critters are demanding my attention on the side of the house. That’s not really brown in the lawn, it’s the grass trimmings that turn brown. It’s pretty green out there right now.

The other rose opened yesterday morning. So lush and beautiful! I only wish they lasted longer, but within a few hours, the look of the flower changes dramatically and it starts to decline. So I have to run out there and get a picture in the early morning hours.

We’re off to buy groceries this morning. Exciting, right? Actually, it is – there’s very little food left in the house. We hope to beat the rain.

Meanwhile, the birds are singing. The other day, I walked up on the trails that run through our little patch of woods and the bird song up there was incredible. So much more intense than what I hear down by the house. It was magical.

And those robins that I wrote about the other day? I was right. They either fledged that morning or the day before. We’ve had three bird nests this year; two at the shed and one in the burning bush. And of course, baby groundhogs as well. And baby rabbits, but I have no idea where that warren is. I’m sure there are a lot more nests on the property, these are just the ones I could see.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose

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What a lovely greeting this morning!

This little rose bush usually has just two flower buds, but boy, do they develop into magnificent blossoms! The color is extraordinary. By the way, this bush was a gift from a reader of this blog. It’s in the memorial garden.

It looks like we had a light shower overnight. You can see the water drops on the leaves.

My little Buddy appeared off and on yesterday, eating grass, sitting on a rock, running back under the tree when something frightened him. At one point, I saw him come through the gate and make his way through the secret garden and up the hill on his way to the family’s burrow. I thought: oh, he’s gone for the day. About 30 minutes later, he was back. Unless he was another of the kids. But I’m pretty sure it was Buddy, who likes to hang out here during the day.

Just want him to remain safe. Thankfully, I haven’t seen him go in the direction of the street. He seems to be happy up here.

Over the past three days I did three video tours of the girls. I don’t know why, but I had the idea one day and there you go. I posted them. I thought they might be a dud, but people seemed to really like hearing my voice and learning more about the girls. I simply highlighted a few of the girls each day and shared their stories. Anyway, if you’re at all interested, they’re on my IG Blythe feed which is, after going to instagram: (at symbol)sophieandherpals.

I did a lot of weed whacking yesterday and Don mowed the trails up in the woods. I leave a certain amount of weeds near the funky patio, etc., for the groundhogs and rabbits. Just saw our rabbit – maybe the mama of the baby bunnies? – this morning.

Today, I’m going to start working on reorganizing my office/studio. There’s so much STUFF there: dollhouses, dollhouse supplies, my easel, oil paints, mail, scripts, a mini printer, and on and on. Plus, we just took the kitchen a/c unit out of the closet in our office so I have some space available again. It’s time to be ruthless and sort through everything.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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