Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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A Little Bit of Everything on Monday

March 9, 2015 at 9:53 am by Claudia

3-9 green chair

I’m going to call this the Storybook Chair. It looks like something that would be in an illustration from Hansel and Gretel  or Heidi  or Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Perhaps someday soon the weather will be warm enough for me to add a couple of layers of protection so those wonderfully chippy areas stay just as they are. No more chipping allowed. In the meantime, this coming week promises warmer temperatures and it’s about time!

Yesterday found me outside digging out the gutter extensions at the back of the house from the three feet of snow in which they were buried, which led to the realization that they were filled with ice. That led to several trips back and forth with a kettle of boiling water, which I poured into each extension to melt the ice.

It took a long time. I also grabbed our trusty roof rake and raked some of the snow off the kitchen roof. (After last winter’s adventures with both a rented roof rake, as well as Tina & Noble’s roof rake, we decided to invest in one this year.)

It felt good to be outside doing something other than shoveling. The hint of warmth (this is all relative, of course) in the air was just what I needed.

What else? I washed the slipcover that is on the sofa in the den. Then I spent quite a while wrestling the cushions back in the slipcover, cursing the whole time. I guess I was pretty vocal, as Don finally came to my rescue.

And we watched My Favorite Year  (a gem of a movie) and finished off the 3rd season of House of Cards. Since some of you have yet to watch it, I’ll hold off on any detailed opinion. Don and I have discussed it in great detail, as you can imagine, and we both feel that it wasn’t as good as the previous two seasons. Still good – but not as good. That’s all I’ll say for now.

3-9 P&P sched

Don stood by the Doily Swag Lamp the other day and said: “I really like this.” He’s said that before, but this time he was more specific. He likes the doilies; the airiness that comes from the surface of a crocheted doily, the way the light shines through it.

I put this particular project together three years ago. But Don’s like that. He’ll suddenly ‘see’ something that’s been around for a while as if it’s for the first time. That, in turn, helps me to see it with fresh eyes. Thanks, Don!

I don’t know if you can tell, but the blackboard is now being used to write the times that Dame Scout has taken care of her ‘business.’ Because sometimes, if certain business hasn’t been taken care of, one of us has to get up in the middle of the night to ensure that an accident doesn’t happen. It’s what you do with an older dog, isn’t it? We did it with Riley, too.

She’s a good girl. We don’t ever want her to feel stressed about that sort of thing, though it’s inevitable at times. We just try to make sure that it happens as little as possible.

This time change is throwing me off! I’m getting to my post a bit later than normal. Sorry for the delay, my friends.

Carolyn Marie is the winner of a copy of The Swimmer. Congratulations! I’ve just sent you an email.

By the way. Don got a spammy email from me today and some of you did, too. I think it’s the same idiots that hacked my email in December. They tend to store the list and use it again. Sorry for the inconvenience. Nevertheless, I’ve changed my passwords, just in case.

Of course, it goes without saying, DON’T CLICK ON THE LINK.

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: antiques, DIY, Don, Scout, winter 27 Comments

The Tote Bag & Copyrights (Two Completely Different Topics)

March 8, 2015 at 10:12 am by Claudia

You remember my bag, right?

The one that Don gave me for Christmas? The one I’d been seeking for years? The one that would hold all the things that I use when I’m on the road coaching?

3-8 favorite bag

My recent trip into the city to work and coach put it to its first big test and I am happy to report it passed with flying colors.

I’ve found my perfect bag after 30+ years of searching. It’s never too late, my friends.

When I traveled to the city, I had a small rolling suitcase and this bag. That was it. In the bag?

My laptop
My Kindle
My big old fat wallet
A case full of pencils, pens, and a sharpener
A hardback book
A paperback book with maps of Manhattan
A little case with a mirror, some makeup, lipstick
My cellphone
My earbuds and the chargers for my phone, my laptop charger/cords
My little book with all my passwords and blog information
A brush
A comb
Assorted pieces of paper with info for my trip from Manhattan to Brooklyn
Lunch

Yes, it was heavy, but it worked beautifully. This bag is sturdy and well-constructed. It zips closed, which I found extremely helpful on snowy days in Brooklyn. I use it as an everyday bag, too, but the main reason for getting it was my work.

I LOVE IT.

3-8 favorite bag 2

For those of you who missed the initial post about this bag, it’s from Levenger and it’s the St. Tropez Leather Tote Bag. Right now it’s full price, and for me, that’s too pricey. But it does go on sale. Don got it for me when it was on sale for 40% off and I know some of you also purchased it at that time. It was worth every penny. This baby will last for years.

And now, a little warning for those of you who blog. I belong to a group of bloggers who share information and tips and there was a recent post about copyright infringement. One blogger received a legal notice that she was going to be sued for using an image she found on the web that was copyrighted. In other words, she used a photo that someone else owned the copyright to. She didn’t do it on purpose and was in a panic, as I would be in her situation. In the course of the discussion, others stepped forward with legal information and, in some cases, their own horror stories about copyright law.

I don’t know about you, but I see bloggers pulling photos from elsewhere on the web all of the time. That includes Pinterest, by the way. Unless you have permission in writing, you cannot use photos or graphics other than your own. Simply citing a source won’t do it. You have to have clear permission from the source. There are, apparently, people who scour the web looking for these infringements. That’s what they do. And believe me, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of a registered letter informing you of legal action.

That’s why I never use anyone else’s photos on this blog. I don’t grab photos from other sources in order to do a decorating or DIY post, for example. I don’t grab photos from Pinterest for the same reason. Unless you are willing to write the source for each photo and get permission to use that photo and/or have paid for the use of the photo, you should stop using them. You can’t just cite the source and assume that’s enough.

Okay. I just felt it very important to share that information with you. It’s all too easy to think everything we see on the web is free for the taking. It isn’t.

Last night we watched a little of Dr. Strangelove  and all of Roman Holiday. Sigh. Two of my favorite movies. And today on TCM? One of my all-time favorites, My Favorite Year. It’s a little gem of a movie with a performance by Peter O’Toole that is exquisite.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: blogging, blogging tips, movies 32 Comments

Is There a Garden Somewhere Under All That Snow?

March 7, 2015 at 9:36 am by Claudia

3-7 snow

The beginnings of the Back Forty, taken from the kitchen window. Since the snow is three feet deep, I haven’t explored that area of the property and, except for the tracks of deer, it looks pristine. What I couldn’t capture in this photo was the sparkle and glitter of the snow, which was quite beautiful.

We’re supposed to see temperatures in the forties at the beginning of the week. It will seem so balmy that we might go a bit crazy. Will we been donning shorts while trying to catch some rays? We won’t know what to do with ourselves.

exuberant garden

I just thought I’d take a moment to remind myself of what will be. At some point in the future.

Sometimes it’s necessary. Or one might be tempted to believe he or she is living in Antarctica.

3-7 Scootala

I’m reading a lot, doing the usual chores around the house, listening to music, and taking pictures of Scout, which she finds annoying. She turns her head. But I am persistent. In these moments, she would like me to please go away. Silly Scout. Don’t you know your mother loves nothing more that to take pictures of you?

What are you up to today? Are you having adventures? The snowbound and stir-crazy author of this blog would like to know.

I’m giving away a copy of a book I reviewed yesterday. You only have today or tomorrow to leave a comment in order to be entered, so I’d suggest you get on it! If you snooze, you lose.

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: flowers, garden, Scout, snow 52 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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Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

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