Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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In Which I Talk about Various Things

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This is what I call a “potpourri post.” Do you like that alliteration? Me, too. I have little snippets to share with you, none of them weighty enough to merit their own post. So, I’m tossing them all together. Here we go:

We live in the country but on a very busy – annoyingly busy – road. That’s a whole other post. We are unable to walk the dogs on our road because there is no shoulder and it is too dangerous. So we load them in the car and drive a few hundred feet to a quiet little lane. I walk by this sign frequently but it took my husband to point out the…umm…rather frightening implications here.


Yes, the road is a dead end. It ends at the edge of a local river. But…those are bullet holes, my friends. Need I say more?


After a hot, dry summer, we were graced with lots of rain and I noticed the grass in the back forty was alarmingly overgrown. So I spent the afternoon recently plowing through it with our lawnmower. You can see the edge of the woods that is on our property. A few years back, husband made a couple of paths that cut through the trees. We would often walk through the woods and be transported to a quiet, magical world. I still do sometimes. But we have found out the hard way that ticks live there. Husband has battled Lyme disease, and last spring when I was searching for rocks and clearing out the paths, I had a few encounters with them. So, we tend to avoid the woods…and the paths get overgrown. However, I’m sure I’ll bundle up, plaster myself with bug spray and try to clear them out once again next year.


Why is this here? I just like the photo. My impatiens are still blooming in various pots on the porch, I love the sign that lives on the bench and you can see pieces of the old army cot we found at a yard sale – remember? – and have yet to put together. If I had to hazard a guess I would say that it will not be put together this year. One more thing to pack away in the shed this winter.


I took this photo because the dappled light was so lovely. I was positioned in the dog corral. Don made that sort of temporary patio last year and we added the birdbath and flower barrels. The parking area is just to the left of the barrels. Love, love the sugar maple and the willow. And the porch, of course.

I found this doily roll in an antique shop last year.


The embroidery was so beautiful that I couldn’t resist, although I had no idea what I was going to do with it. The other day, I hit upon an idea.


A perfectly lovely cover for the sewing machine – the roll acts as a weight and the cover stays in place. And the colors fit right in the studio.

That’s the news from around my world on a Thursday morning.

Comments

  1. One of my favorite things to do is to take a day at Random and see what we can see. Your’s is very fun today. Love the Stop Sign with the bullet holes. And the sun in your garden. And the new doilie… wow what a great random day you had.

    Toodles,
    Kate

  2. What a beautiful potpourri post Claudia!
    Loved the sunshine, loved the green grass, loved dreaming of sitting on that wonderful porch of yours, but…I was not loving those ticks in the woods! hahaha

    When we go camping, we go to the dollar store and buy the cheapest white flea and tick collars they have. We put one on each ankle and it keeps us flealess and tickless while we track through woods!

  4. That tree by your patio is gorgeous! Your little patio is wonderful– I absolutely love those chairs!
    That doily roll is so perfect– your colors, too! I love how you repurposed it. That was such a great idea!
    Hugs,
    Jill

  5. You live in such an inspirational spot on the earth, Claudia. I love when you post outdoor pictures…*sigh* REally glad you don’t post pics of the ticks though :)

  6. Yes, I love the word alliteration, lady. I also think the little patio area your hubby laid is darling. Truly, what more area would you need? BUT I’d stay outta th’ woods, chick! I hate ticks…

    Wonderful randomness today.

    xoxo,
    Connie

  12. Oh I love posts like this Claudia, ’cause it feels like I am sitting in your kitchen just chatting at the table with you and hearing about your days. I loved seeing your beautiful property and your back forty. Oh yes, ticks. I hate ’em, almost as much as I hate rattlesnakes. Both can make you very, very sick. Not to mention creep you out. I hope your husband has no long lasting effects from the Lyme’s disease. They can be awful I hear.
    We have a lot of road signs riddled with bullet holes around here too. You would think the teens would have better sense these days. It was such a common sight when I was a teen here. Then you didn’t see much of it for awhile and now I have been noticing a lot more of it lately. But you have to love country life!
    hugs to you sweet friend,

  13. The stop sign is interseting yet ominous. Ticks scare me but Joe gets them on him all the time and he just does not seem to care. Your property is very pretty. hugs♥olive

  15. Your doilie cover looks really cute on your sewing machine. Creative way to use it! I love vintage embroidered pieces!
    Your pots of pink impatiens are so pretty. They are one of my favorite annuals!
    So, they have rednecks with shotguns on the east coast too, huh? Yikes, I hope that sign isn’t too close to your house.
    I suppose there are tradeoffs to living in the country. I’m sorry to hear about your husbands Lymes desease. I hope that he is over it and feeling well. But your place sure looks beautiful!! This suburban girl would LOVE to have some woods bordering her property instead of another house. But no ticks please!

  16. This is a wonderful post to read Claudia, I felt like I was there with you showing me around (now there’s a dream), and telling me little things about how it is to live there – and the pictures are lovely. What a pity there are ticks in the woods because it looks such a pretty place – I think I’d rather take my chances with the snakes down here cos generally they’d rather avoid you whereas ticks are probably really happy to see you!

  17. HI CLAUDIA,
    WE HAVE A LOT OF TICKS IN OUR WOODS TOO.WE GET CERTAIN POWERED STUFF FOR ANIMALS AND SPREAD IT AROUND THEIR PEN, AND THERE ARE NO TICKS. IT WORKS GREAT AND IT IS SAFE. MY SON-IN-LAW PAT GOT LYME DISEASE, HE HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A FEW DAYS, SOMETIMES IT FLARES UP. LOVED YOUR POST, FELT LIKE YOU WERE SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO ME TALKING. HAVE A GREAT DAY. RIZZI

  18. Hi Claudia, Your house and yard pictures are always so lovely that it is hard to imagine a noisy road nearby! Do be careful with the ticks. They are one of the things we deal with in our area too. My Husband and our dog have both had severe multiple cases of Lyme Disease and other tick born illnesses. I used to have the yard and borders sprayed with organic things, but I gave up and–I can’t believe it myself–have the yard sprayed by the Tick Control now. I try not to thing of the effects of that! But, the illness is really more serious than some people realize. On a happier note, I love your little doily roll! That seems to be the perfect use for it! Have a great day. Linda

  20. I was just dusting my little antique Singer featherweight the other day. What a great idea! Now I’ve got to come up with something. Though I adore just looking at the old work horse. You’ve got to watch those ticks. (Need I say…bed bugs?)
    Brenda

  21. hi claudia,

    i positively enjoyed your potpourri post! especially love the photo showing your porch and yard. awesome!

    yeesh about that sign! LOL maybe it’s a warning to ticks!

    xo
    elyse

  23. You are brilliant, yep. I love this potpourri idea so much that I am inspired to do the same thing when all I have to say it a mish mash of random thoughts! Thank you. And yes the sign is pretty creepy, perfect for Halloween!

  25. Hi Claudia,

    I just love your images of home, it’s so “homey”……yes I’m a dork. I love the idea of the doily going over the sewing machine…….great! Have an awesome weekend.

    Hugs,
    Meri

  27. I love posts like these – that’s how my brain works. Jumping from one subject to another. I have to tell my DH to keep up!

    Leann

  30. What a neat post, Claudia! A little bit of this and a little bit of that too. Sorry to hear about the ticks, but think you will indeed be out there again next year as well (knowing you & I’d be the same). I adore your patio and those beautiful trees are so serene! The bullet holes are a bit scary (real scary) remember when I visited a dear friend in AZ and the cactus had bullet holes in them along the freeway, what the heck is with people?
    Oh, and to go back to beauty, love that porch to bits too!
    Happy weekend to you and yours, sweet friend.
    xo~Tracie

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