Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for wildflowers

Wild Roses

June 1, 2022 at 8:53 am by Claudia

Blazing hot yesterday, over twenty degrees cooler today.

I snapped this quickly this morning. It’s my favorite time of year in the Secret Garden; lots of wildflowers everywhere and off in the background, you can see the wild roses beginning to bloom. It needs to be mowed, but my goodness, it’s magical.

We’re going to attempt some mowing today, but it might rain this morning with storms in the afternoon. I’m definitely going to head out to weed after I write this post.

Today would have been my parents’ 76th wedding anniversary. They lived to celebrate 66 years together before my mom passed away. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.

Since it was so hot and humid yesterday, except for watering all of the plants, I stayed inside. I started a jigsaw puzzle, but I was very careful. I worked for 15 minutes at a time, then I’d get up and do something else. Just a little bit of work here and there. I’m very conscious of my back and I immediately correct if I find I’m leaning too far forward.

I couldn’t do any work on the dollhouse as there is no air conditioner in our office. We used to have one, but it died, and we haven’t felt the need to replace it.

I had a little job offer yesterday. My former colleague from Hartford Stage is the new Artistic Director of the Geva Theater Center in Rochester, NY. Or will be soon. She was Darko’s Associate Artistic Director for several years. You might remember that my last coaching job right before lockdown was on her production of Jane Eyre. She is remounting that production (which closed early due to COVID) as her opening production in the new season. So I’ll be doing the dialect coaching. Much of it will be done via Zoom, but I’ll work at least two days in Rochester, presumably for a run-through and a preview. Anyway, it’s a modest amount of money, but we can sure use it. And it’s a job! It will start sometime in August.

Now we need to get Don an acting job. It’s been close to three years since he’s had any work. He needs to act. He needs to know he is still viable at this age. His confidence could use a boost. Cross your fingers for him.

Okay, my friends. I have some work to do outside.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: coaching, secret garden, wildflowers 21 Comments

Wildflowers and Egg Cups

May 27, 2022 at 9:56 am by Claudia

Running a little late today! I was awake for several hours in the middle of the night, but, thankfully, I went back to sleep. I slept until 8:30! Unheard of. So I’m inhaling my coffee in order to wake up enough to write a post.

It’s going to rain today – maybe some storms, as well

Boy, this time of the year is so lush and green and wildflowers are everywhere. I have more fleabane and wild phlox than ever before. I walked around the property yesterday and found wild phlox in little pockets where it has never been before. I love that. Mother Nature is establishing little gardens for me that are full of unexpected delights.

I love my home and gardens.

Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking   arrived in yesterday’s mail. I can’t wait to start it. Another jigsaw puzzle also arrived because I just can’t paint at the moment and after the news of the tragedy in Uvalde and, now, the inaction of the police, I am so full of rage and despair that I think a little puzzle action is needed. It calms me. This time, I am going to be very careful with my back.

Yesterday Don and I went on our monthly date for Five Guys french fries. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s such fun. We have great conversations while sitting in the car eating the fries, and we people-watch as well. But first, we visited Barnes & Noble where I found the new issue of Country Living.

A lovely group of egg cups; simply but beautifully staged. In the top row, second from the left, is my Jadeite egg cup. And in the bottom row, third from the left, is my Delft egg cup from Holland. I didn’t think much about it beforehand, but I’m so glad they included it. My mom gave it to me. When she heard I was starting a collection of egg cups, she started looking for them when she was out and about. This was one of her finds. So it is very dear to me.

It’s a full page in the magazine, so I’m pleased. Don wants me to frame it and I think I will.

Today? I’m taking it easy. I have lots of books to read: I’ve currently got three going, which is rare for me.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: Don, egg cups, flowers, garden, wildflowers 28 Comments

Wildflowers and Storms

May 17, 2022 at 8:42 am by Claudia

These tiny little wildflowers (fleabane) are popping up all over the place. I usually let wildflowers live wherever they decide to show themselves. I don’t yank them until they’ve gone to seed. Of course, going to seed means that even more of them will pop up next year. I have SO many forget-me-nots, more than ever. They are in the memorial garden bed, in between the cracks of the funky patio pavers, by the birdbath, next to and in all the flower beds. They sort of drive me buggy and all  of them are the result of a few seeds that were sent to me several years ago, which I planted in the corner of one bed. If I’d only known!

So on one hand, the messiness of them popping up everywhere drives me crazy. But on the other hand, this will never be a neat and pristine property. We’re too close to the woods and to the wildness of nature. We do not have a suburban lawn. And we do not have neat little garden beds. It’s impossible. It doesn’t suit where we live. I also love a slightly overgrown garden, so there’s that, too.

Right now the funky patio is covered with wildflowers. Same for the birdbath area and the memorial garden. If some wildflower is going to get in the way of something I purposely planted, then I’ll pull it. But only then.

Oh, we had some insane storms over the past two days. One on Sunday and two yesterday. The craziest was late in the day yesterday and I was alone here at the time. Don had run into the neighboring town to get his hair trimmed. While he was gone, the storm rolled- ‘roared’ would be a better word – in. The rain was coming in EVERY window in the house. When the storm hit, I heard a big bang and I wondered if a transformer had been hit. The winds were frighteningly strong, and the thunder and lightning was nonstop. We briefly lost power again, but it came back on almost immediately. The sump pump was on overdrive. I could hear the sirens of emergency vehicles.

Needless to say I was nervous, but all is well. Our trees are intact. The house is safe. I don’t think we had any hail, but I know neighboring communities did. It’s much cooler today and the oppressive humidity has left. The front lawn needs mowing but it’s still too wet, so we’ll wait until tomorrow.

I made a shelf for the interior of the mini fridge. As I said on IG, the egg nog is past its expiration date, and the leftovers in that container are probably funky. Time for a shopping trip.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Filed Under: miniatures, wildflowers 19 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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