Good morning!
It’s currently sunny outside! Huzzah! We’re expecting snow squalls later in the day, so I don’t expect it to last, but I’m grateful that it is sunny now.
Okay. The gorgeous John Derian puzzle is finished:
This was taken late in the day yesterday. It’s my favorite, so far, of all the puzzles I’ve put together.
Enclosed in the box was a small print version of this puzzle. If I frame anything, I’ll frame that. I’ve never framed the puzzles I vowed to frame last year and now, months later, I realize I have no desire to. I now realize that idea is unrealistic – at least, for me. We already have a lot of art on our walls and there’s not room for large framed puzzles. So, it’s about enjoying the process, letting it sit on the kitchen table for a few days in all its glory, and then taking it apart.
On Inauguration day, two packages arrived in the mail. The long-lost package from Spain arrived! In it is the work of Sofia of Twelve Times More Teeny on Etsy.
Aren’t they beautiful? I have some of Sofia’s work in Hummingbird Cottage and I knew I wanted to order from her again. These will go in the hutch in the English Cottage aka Dove Cottage.
And speaking of Hummingbird Cottage, the grand dame of all my dollhouses, Caroline was thrilled to get a new table and chairs for the kitchen. You’ve seen the table, but here are the chairs.
In consultation with Caroline, a decision was made to order chairs with higher backs, a French Country look. I like these much better than the smaller chairs that were here previously. I have yet to style this table but I will. These are from an Etsy shop called Tiny Dwelling. Lovely work – and the owner of the shop has a lot of interesting items in stock.
And yesterday, the dollhouse wallpaper finally arrived! So I will be upstairs in the studio working on the dollhouse this afternoon.
Housekeeping note: I’ll be brief, because I’ve said this many times before. I had a comment from a Trumper yesterday. You can see it on yesterday’s post. Before I saw it (I had been working on the puzzle) other readers saw it and challenged that commenter. And a few of you replied to that comment later in the day. Anyway, I responded. You responded.
You know the rules. Anyone supporting that man and his administration is not welcome here. Period. I would not welcome that person in my home. And MHC is also my home. I’ve left the comment up, but I’ve blocked her. And I’ll continue to do that when necessary. Thankfully, it happens rarely.
I can do that because it’s my blog. A personal blog owned by me.
Also: someone left a comment a couple of weeks ago suggesting what I should and should not write about (this concerned politics.) She mentioned that I might be concerned about ‘offending my readers,’ which, in reality, meant her.
The obvious answer: No, it doesn’t concern me. I am a careful writer and work hard to be articulate and honest. but I’m not in this for numbers or lots of followers. This is my blog. I pay for it. I maintain it. You get to read it for free. I’ve been writing it for almost 13 years. It has always been about my life and that includes my opinions. You can disagree with me, which this person did, and for the most part I will leave the comment up and respond to it, unless the commenter attacks me or says something so offensive that it has to be deleted.
I don’t tell other bloggers what to post. During the course of my many years of blogging, I learned very early on that imposing my opinions on other bloggers about their subject matter was not a good idea. (And I have strong opinions!) If I don’t like someone’s content, I can (and do) move on. But I don’t tell them what they should and shouldn’t post, whether on a blog or on Instagram. Neither should anyone presume to tell me what I should and shouldn’t write about here.
I don’t take kindly to it.
I see that all the time on IG. People peg accounts as purely about decorating or books or whatever and when that the account holder speaks out about an issue, they are offended and say “I don’t come to this account for (fill in the blank).”
Oh, you’re telling that person what they can and can’t post? That they have to be what you want them to be? I think not.
Okay. I have to reiterate these things at times. But I promise not to do it too often. (I’m not sure I succeeded at being brief.)
Moving on.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
Hello,
I have said it before and I will continue to say it. You are a terrific writer, you express yourself so well with words. I admire you so much.
I am so happy and can breath again with intelligent and compassionate people in charge of this country. I still worry …
Take Care,
Kaye
Park City, UT
I do, too. But Don and I made the decision last night to stay away from what Jessica Yellin calls “the noise” and just read updates from Biden and the Press Secretary. We don’t want to lose this feeling of happiness.
Thanks for your support, Kaye.
Stay safe.
You always find the best miniatures sellers. I can’t wait to see the long awaited wallpaper.
I posted an Instagram story with a picture of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden being sworn in to the tune of “Oh Happy Day” and immediately lost followers. My version of housekeeping! Ha!
A breath of fresh air, I call it!
Good for you, Andrea.
Stay safe.
Yes, I support your decision to block who you want and write what you want to write. It is your blog and it is a fine blog too!
I must admit I wish there was a way we could reach out to these people that are so deluded by 4 years of lies from the conman. But I realize that some of them were already filled with hate and that is what drew them to him and others are too angry to see truth right now. I am sad that we still have this hate and division in our country. I hope time will heal someday. Peace!
I tried that five years ago. It didn’t work. There is a cult mentality there and whatever deprogramming is needed I freely admit I’m not up to.
Very sad.
Stay safe, Ellen.
Yes, you are right! Thanks for your blog, Claudia!
xoxo
Well said
I don’t read blogs who bash Biden…no big deal…if others don’t want to read a blogger then they should not. Your blog is honest and we love it…goodbye T followers…how a woman can follow him…no comment…
I don’t know. I’ll never understand. But thank you for your support, Brenda.
Stay safe.
Don’t change anything! You’re a great writer (you could write a great book, I’m quite sure) and your community of “besties” loves your blog. Those awful haters are just trying to infiltrate. Adios, haters, you’re not welcome here! From your friend you’ve never met, Chris
Adios, not-amigos!
Thanks so much, Chris.
Stay safe!
I have not seen the comment on your previous post, but I will go back and read it when I’m done here.
I posted two things on my IG account on inauguration day and immediately lost six followers. It made me laugh and I thought “good riddance then!”
A couple of months ago, I had a blogger “friend” (I didn’t know her well) privately message me on Facebook and question something I had posted. She didn’t think I worded the post well and that other people might take it the wrong way and be offended. Sound familiar?! She actually told me how I should have worded the post. This was her second offense on my FB page, too. Before that, she attacked a dear friend of mine on one of her comments and was quite nasty about it. Needless to say, I unfriended and blocked this woman.
It is sunny again here today (hooray!) BUT it is way too cold. It’s -3 here right now with the wind chill. Glad I don’t have any errands to run today. Snow coming our way this weekend. Depending on how it tracks, we may get a lot on Sunday.
It sounds very familiar! I cannot fathom doing that. It’s your Facebook account, it’s your Instagram. Sigh.
Hope you don’t get too much snow, Melanie!
Stay safe.
Claudia, I am a devoted fan of your blog. I went back and read that woman’s comments,
from yesterday. It was a disturbing read. I have several family members who feel this
way about the ex-President, and it has split our family. I don’t think that our relationships
will ever be the same. It makes me so sad…..
I think that many families have suffered like yours, Susan. It’s heartbreaking.
Hang in there and stay safe!
Bravo! Lets not give head space to disturbing unproductive voices.
ceci
Thanks, Ceci.
Stay safe!
Such beautiful mini’s. I always enjoy the doll house posts and updates. The puzzle is so pretty and enjoying it and then letting it go is part of my life style now. Too many things so I’m treasuring the one’s I love the most and can handle in my small home. I am having to let go of a few ‘friendships’ because of support for OM. I can’t and won’t and don’t have too. You always stay true to yourself and that is why I will always follow you. I’m not shy about sharing my opinions and yes if I lose people then they weren’t suppose to be in my life in the first place.
Exactly. You don’t have to. Good for you for being true to yourself and your beliefs, Linda.
I suppose they would say they’re being true to their beliefs, as well. And they are. I just don’t choose to have them in my life.
Stay safe, Linda.
I am so glad you will block her and others who do the same. That seems to be the strongest and smartest way to handle such things. It truly does show, as you said, that this is your residence, and it is the very same setting as is your home.
The Repubs are still doing some stupid things, and some of those things make me nervous. McConnell still seemingly attempting to be the Majority Leader, and people with guns in the Captiol are just 2 things that immediately come to mind, and are rather bothersome to me…… but what do I know? Along with that, the Repubs in my state are working very hard to kill the State Mask Mandate. (Robin Vos is beyond an idiot.) I assume this is to show that deplorable, gross, horrible, uneducated base they love so much how tough they are. Nevermind how many residents of the state they kill because of it. Obviously they who get sick/ die are the weak, so the loss isn’t that great in their estimation, I guess.
Very cold here! Snow most of the weekend. Good reading time lies ahead! Take care.
The guns in the Capitol thing makes me angry. They’re trying to show that they’re tough. Nancy has instituted big fines – $5000 for the first offense, $10,000 for the second. I think they should also be ejected from the floor.
I’m sorry about what is going on in your state, Chris.
Stay safe!
I love your blog! The puzzle is absolutely beautiful! I love seeing your miniature photos too. You find the cutest things. I would love to see more photos of the inside of your house. Maybe you have them somewhere and I missed them. It just looks so cozy and exactly my type of decorating! Also, I agree with not letting the OM be any part of your blog!! Stay safe!
The inside of the dollhouse? There are plenty of photos in the navigation bar of all the dollhouses. If you mean my house, since I post every day, there are tons of them on the blog, Deb.
Stay safe!
Claudia, i went back to read the comment to which you referred above. Wow… I know you don’t need my opinion (!), but I support your decision to block the commenter. Yes, this is your blog, your personal safe space that you choose to share wit us. Over the past four plus years, I opened your current post and feel it’s a bit of sanity and truth. And now that you are working on another dollhouse, I’m also enjoying the vicarious peeks into the miniaturist’s world.
Thanks so much for your support, Wendy!
Stay safe.
I went back to read yesterdays comments…wowza!
Great job by everyone who responded to her.
And…Yay for the doll house stuff! Can’t wait to see the progress.
We still have much to be concerned about in our country, but at least we have grown-ups in charge.
I have hope that the vaccination program will scale up and in a few months we will see the results. Brighter days ahead!
Stay safe
I think it will. We’re willing to be patient and wait.
Stay safe, Marilyn!
Bravo, Claudia for all you are. I’ve been quietly reading and sharing your posts with my significant other. I think you and Don are kindred spirits to Rick and me. I just wanted to add my own favorite from yesterday. Dr. Fauci yesterday said that in this White House, if you don’t know something, you just say so. No making stuff up allowed. How utterly refreshing after 4 years of hearing lie after lie after lie….
I saw that! He must be so relieved!
Stay safe Debra!
First off…that puzzle is beautiful!
Second,y, I’m glad you blocked that person. I had read what she said yesterday, and she reminded me of a cousin of mine. And there’s just no reasoning with people like that. They are of one mind only, and until he who shall remain nameless, has been brought up on charges, those people will not change their thinking. And even that is a big IF. (Personal opinion obviously.) I have not spoken to my cousin in two years. He refers to me as the “liberal in Madison.” I title I hold in high esteem!
Cold but beautiful day here…snow this weekend. Stay safe! ;)
One mind and added to that, a refusal to see themselves as anything but a victim. I’ve been called all sorts of names by readers of this blog and on IG. I’m tough. I can handle it. But I’m not going to give one inch on racism and misogyny, etc.
Anyway, Liberal in Madison, I appreciate you!
Stay safe.
Well said. Surely one of the reasons the whole world is in a bit of a mess is that we seem to have lost the ability to discuss and disagree respectfully. It is one of the core values I know (because I see it in action) I instilled in my daughter: I don’t have to agree with you, but I do have to listen and do you the courtesy of respect.
Sermon over! I love those chairs!
It is next to impossible to reason with the opposing side in this current political climate. I tried at the beginning. So did many of my friends. Hopefully, we can someday get back to talking about policy in a healthy way. We used to be able to do that.
Thanks, Denise.
Stay safe.
Here’s a zany idea, why not include in your header “A trump Free Zone” and maybe add a disclaimer on your sidebar making it clear trump supporters are not welcome with a very clear warning should they ever dare bother to comment in opposition to your opinions, that whey will be censored and blocked. This would go a long way to stopping so munch angst.
What a marvelous thing to put in place-a warning so those 74+million trumpsters wouldn’t even consider bothering you.
Then again, I do wonder if your paying advertisers share your same belief that every single one of those 74 million voters do indeed 100% support racism, xenophobia, sexual assault, children in cages lying, corruption, misogyny etc.
When I was in grade school and saw for the first time several classmates putting ketchup on their boloney sandwiches I thought what a bunch of weirdos! When I was young, I thought and acted young. As an adult, I might still be hard-pressed to put ketchup on my boloney sandwich but now consider those that do to have open and accepting epicurean tastes.
I wonder, do we have any right to expect even one of the 74 million trumpsters to meet in the middle for the good of our country if we have no intentions of doing so ourselves?
Maybe its time for a little introspection along with a whole lot of “letting it go”. Please don’t be too quick to beat my chops folks, its just all this angst is exhausting. I’m exhausted. And I still want to look at dollhouses, plants, good reads, lots of collections of “stuff” and maybe even get over my dislike of coffee and try a cupa-is it Pete’s Roast??????????? Then again, maybe I will just stick to my favorite standby of a tumbler of ice water. Does this make me singular?
I have a warning at the bottom of my blog that says anything I find offensive will be deleted. That’s all I will do about that.
There is no ‘meeting in the middle’ about children in cages, racism, oppression, lies, etc. Sorry. When this all started I tried to reason with them in comments on this blog. The commenters refused to listen. They refused to be anything but rude.
If someone supports Trump, then they support all of that. If they don’t support those things, they shouldn’t be supporting Trump. See? Easy.
I don’t write my blog for my advertisers and I earn very little from the ads. But really, you honestly think I would tailor my posts for advertisers? You ARE kidding, right? I hope I misunderstood you and that this is a joke. If not, you truly don’t understand who I am.
But thanks for the snarky comment. Quite illuminating.
Stay safe.
Gorgeous puzzle, Claudia. That must have been quite an exercise in patience putting together all of those white pieces!
Your dollhouse is coming along beautifully. I appreciate you sharing the Etsy shops you have purchased from. The little details you have carefully selected truly tell a story.
Did you see the message behind Dr Biden’s floral embroidered evening dress? The thoughtful, kind example she is setting is so welcome. What a contrast to the coat Melania wore to the border. Shameful.
Oh, and about that Trumper yesterday, sigh. I have extended family who sound just like her. The common thread among them in my experience is poor health and lack of education. As for the former clients I have who also voted red down the ticket, they are simply selfish human beings who do not want to share wealth and certainly not with people that don’t look or sound like them. YUCK.
Your snowy weather sounds cozy. I remember how magical it felt while living in Ithaca when the sun would suddenly peek through the heavy grey and remind you there is a bright blue sky up there! We have had a sunny and warm winter so far. I’ll share a picture of my roses in stories on Instagram later today. We finally have a winter storm coming in with highs of mid 50’s expected for the next week along with rain. My brother lives further inland and is expecting snow!
Have a nice weekend, Claudia! Stay safe!
Christy
I didn’t see that, Christy. I’ll have to check that out. Love the Bidens.
It isn’t snowy here at the moment, but it IS cold! I think the readers in Iowa and Wisconsin are going to get snow today and tomorrow.
I do miss my garden and envy you yours, Christy!
Stay safe.
A common thread of poor health and lack of education?
OK, lack of education isn’t something we can do about — and if education didn’t “take” before, it is unlikely to do so now.
But poor health — I never understood why they opposed Obamacare in that case.
Hooray the beautiful things arrived!! Good timing.
They did. Finally!
Thanks, Nora.
Stay safe!
I made a comment
Please no more
On the site yesterday
I thought it would appear after that atrocious message by that person…it did not
I do NOT mean no more from you or our co readers
Goodness heavens
Those people have selective memories who are against Biden…
I understood what you meant, Brenda.
xo
Oh, it’s a f***ing bot.
Yes. I’m just discovering that. I’ll block.
There is not a lot I can add to the incident of the commenter that others haven’t said. I don’t understand that point of view but even if I did, to take it to someone’s blog in that way is completely out of line. I had to go back and read it yesterday — it posted after I had visited — but I really appreciated the comments that followed. With Marmelade Gypsy I decided a long time ago that I couldn’t be just “one kind” of blog. There are many I visit like that and I enjoy them. But I have too many passions to just write about art or cooking or tablescapes or home or travel. (And to be honest, not enough income to do any of those the way one-topic bloggers do. Mine is just life — it may be like my recent more musing post or about an exhibit or something I do. Or feel. And I feel those who visit regularly are like “family” in a way. Someone we have let into our life. And if they are respectful and disagree with something, that’s one thing. But there is a line never to cross. What you said — perfect.
I love your new plates. I suspect that since they arrived on glorious inauguration day, that whenever you look at them, in whichever cottage, you will think of the day they arrive and how that has changed our world. I hope so!
I’ve discovered two more comments with the same text, Jeanie. They’re bots, most of them coming from Canadian IP addresses. Interesting, right?
Thanks so much for your support.
Stay safe.