Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Post Season Chores and a Wonderful Read

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Yesterday consisted of lots of work outdoors, emptying pots and transporting them to the shed. (There are a few I have left there because, incredibly, they’re still blooming.) Don came out to help. We moved things around in the shed, Don swept it out, we reorganized a few things, the Adirondack chairs moved to the shed. Don moved the heavy vintage pots from the Secret Garden to the porch. Then I rearranged things on the porch, bringing all the outdoor furniture that sits on the Funky Patio and in the Secret Garden to the porch for the winter. Today, I’ll wipe off the cushions and store them under the staircase. Don will take that opportunity to swap out a guitar (we keep some of his guitars stored there.)

Because my back and our knees are a bit sore, we’ll get our tree tomorrow. But it felt good to finally tackle that job. Oh, I think I’ll hang our outdoor Christmas lights today, as well.

And start a puzzle.

Harper is modeling a dress from Miss Milupka, a mother/daughter team that sells the most magical dresses. The daughter lives in NYC, her mom is in Poland. This package came directly from her mom in Poland. I love, love it. I hadn’t decided which girl was going to model it, but then it hit me – it had to be Harper.

I’ll show you the cubbies and ‘wallpaper’ on Friday.

I have to take a moment to say how much I loved this novel. And I mean LOVED. I finished it yesterday and cannot get the characters out of my head. I want to keep them there, even to the point of not starting another novel. This is my first Patchett – for some reason, I haven’t read her work before – and I’m delighted by her beautiful writing style. It flows effortlessly. She’s what I call a ‘plot weaver extraordinaire.’ That is no easy task. There were some surprises; at least for this reader. Get it. Buy it. Check it out from your library like I did. I had to wait a long time for my place in the queue to come up and it was worth the wait. Thank you, Ann Patchett, for one of the best reads of 2023.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Monday: Errands and the Shed

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After heavy rain all day yesterday, a little bit of sun is most welcome. Both of us were running errands yesterday and it was a soggy mess. But I have to mail another Etsy purchase today, so I had to get supplies. It was one week ago that I first went to Target and found some neat little Christmas things while I was picking up packing supplies.They were gone as of yesterday. Most of the Christmas lights are gone, as well. The little sweaters? Gone. The sweet little deer? Gone. I saw one little parka ornament, but since Kathy sent me some from her Target, I didn’t need to buy it. (Well, to be frank, I don’t need to buy any of those ornaments, but they’re cute and they’re cheap!) I was amazed, as always, that by December 3rd, most everything has been picked over.

Came home, packed the vase I’m sending out today, and then I read for quite a while. Don made an apple pie. We watched 42nd Street  last night.

Today, I’m off to the Post Office, then the yearly clean up of the porch begins. Time to dump out the contents of the pots, and begin to move them all into the shed for the winter. The shed needs sweeping, the snow blower and lawnmower need to exchange places and I need to find the bin that holds the bedroom a/c unit. The cushions on the chairs and the glider also have to be brough inside.

This will be accomplished over the course of a few days. Don will help with the heavy stuff. When I’m done, I’ll hang the Christmas lights from the porch railings. I can’t wait – those lights are such a cheery sight out here on a road with no street lights. That’s why I leave them up for a couple of months beyond Christmas. They’re a little beacon of light to those passing by.

We’re going to get our tree on Wednesday or Thursday.

I decorated the girls’ cubbies by adding some cheery scrapbook paper to the rear wall in each cubby. They’re all different and I’ll show you some time this week, but today I decided to treat those of you who might be less than entranced by the girls a day off.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Fog, Christmas Decorating, and the Shop

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This morning. It rained yesterday and this morning was quite foggy. I love a foggy morning!

We still haven’t taken the a/c units out of the windows, but we’ll do that this week. And it’s time to clean up the porch, empty the pots, rearrange a bit of the shed and store everything for the winter. So that’s the agenda for this week, along with getting our Christmas tree and hanging lights on the porch.

We already have our gifts and have opened them, of course, but that will not make a whit of difference as to celebrating Christmas. Lights, ornaments, decorated dollhouses, girls in Christmas sweaters, and Christmas music playing on the radio – all of it is joyous and also, in the best way possible, an escape from the world. And we need that right now. For a month or so, we can do our best to let go of worries and just be. I am fully onboard.

Today, I’m going to dust the dollhouse interiors and do some decorating.

Blythe Headquarters is also undergoing a subtle transformation:

The trees and the little deer are from Target. You an’t beat that store for inexpensive but tasteful decorations. Each shelf has a its own Christmas tree.

I sent off another package yesterday to a buyer who purchased two of my McCoy pieces. Got back home, knowing there wouldn’t be any more sales for a bit, only to get a message from Etsy later in the day that I’d sold another McCoy vase. So I have to go out tomorrow to get more packing material. With pottery, you have to be very careful. Everything needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap and then the box needs to be filled with padding and paper. I need more tissue paper, brown paper, and a couple more boxes.

I’m grateful for the sales, of course. I added a few items yesterday that are non-McCoy; a rare Susie Cooper demitasse set, a large Roseville vase which is exquisite but a bit too big for my cabinet, two antique hatpin holders (they’re gorgeous but have been hidden away in my china cabinet) and – oh yes – one McCoy planter in aqua.

The Roseville is rather expensive because it’s large and in excellent condition; the Susie Cooper pattern used in the demitasse set is on display at the V & A museum in London. If they don’t sell, I’m okay with that.

Anyway, shopkeeper Claudia is taking the day off today to indulge in play.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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