Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

  • About MHC
    • Disclosure
  • Dollhouses/Minis
    • Hummingbird Cottage
    • The Studio (Formerly TSP)
    • Dove Cottage
    • The Lake House
    • The Folk Art Dollhouse
    • The Modern Dollhouse
    • The Beacon Hill Dollhouse
    • Dollhouse Source List, Information and Tutorials
  • On the Road
  • Collecting
    • Roseville Pottery
    • McCoy Pottery
    • Egg Cups
    • Bakelite
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy

Roses are for Remembrance

August 31, 2014 at 8:05 am by Claudia

Not long after my mother died, my friend Martha, who blogs at Poetry and a Cup of Tea, told me she was sending me a rose bush called Remember Me in honor of Mom. It arrived while I was away in Chautauqua. After writing to Heirloom Roses, I found out it was okay to keep it in its original container until I got back home. Don dutifully watered it.

After I got home, we found an appropriate place to plant it – near the side gate in a very sunny location. I wasn’t counting on a bloom this year, but lo and behold, a bud appeared.

remembrance rose 1

Then this.

remembrance rose 2

And now this. Gorgeous. It’s quite a large flower. The scent is heavenly.

Thank you, dear Martha. I stood by the bush yesterday and thought of my mother. Your thoughtful gift brought tears to my eyes.

Yesterday morning, I was reading about Monarch Butterflies and their soon-to-be migration south. I lamented that I hadn’t seen one this year.

Later, I went out on the porch and there was a Monarch in the Chicken Wire Fence Garden! I, of course, ran for the camera.

monarch

 

monarch 3

So, so happy to see one! The markings on a Monarch remind me of stained glass.

What a beauty.

Birds and butterflies and critters. They make me smile.

I’m just about to finish The Heist by Daniel Silva. I’m in the can’t-put-it-down stage.

And we watched Dead Poets Society last night. Oh my heart. That movie is so haunting and beautiful. I can’t stop thinking about it. We are friends with Robert Sean Leonard and watching him in this movie, so young and so impossibly heartbreaking and wonderful in that role, made me cry. And then to add in the layer of now, the loss of Robin Williams, so recent and so raw, well, it’s almost overwhelming. I hadn’t seen the movie since it first came out. I’m so glad we watched it.

If you’ve been doing the Christmas Critter Felt Along, scroll down one post for the newest patterns.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: butterfly, roses 30 Comments

New Felt Critters for September

August 30, 2014 at 7:00 pm by Claudia

Dawn and I have been doing this since January. Each month, we’ve given you two new critter patterns. 16 critters so far!

Okay. Last month we made the Cow and the Raccoon, right?

Time to unveil the new critters for September:

christmascritters august

The Beaver and the Butterfly. (The Beaver just might be my favorite so far.)

Once again, I used fabric glue. No time to embroider at the moment, so I’ll add the embroidery later. I’ve used the colors of the Monarch Butterfly, in honor of my first Monarch sighting. I was starting to think I wouldn’t see one!

To Download the Woodland Butterfly, click here.

To download the Woodland Beaver, visit Dawn’s post here.

Have fun!

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: Christmas Critter Felt Along 4 Comments

The Abandoned Toys

August 30, 2014 at 8:59 am by Claudia

old toys

Do you see that plastic container full of dog toys?

Scout hasn’t played with them for a few years. Riley stopped playing with them even before that.

But there they sit. I can’t bring myself to get rid of them. They certainly don’t make for an attractive display. They are directly in front of me as I sit in my blogging chair and there’s no denying their presence. Every once in a while, I contemplate getting rid of them. Or hiding them away somewhere in the house.

Can’t do it.

I suppose it must be what parents feel when they contemplate favorite toys that their children have outgrown. We all know my dogs are my children, so I guess I’m just a typical parent.

I think they’ll stay there for a bit longer.

golden zinnia

I pulled a lot of weeds yesterday. A lot. The gardens are looking a bit cleaner, thank goodness. I pruned a few bushes. It felt good to be working in the garden after my stint indoors.

This weekend? I’m taking it easy. I’m awaiting the newer version of the Hamlet script which should be arriving in the mail today or Tuesday, so work on that is temporarily on hold.

But I have a lot of reading to do for future book reviews and for me. I have some NY Times crossword puzzles that I haven’t touched yet. I have to check up on my dad. I have some old movies to watch with my husband. Maybe a bit of lawn mowing.

mg buds new and old

And some flowers to photograph.

What are your plans for this three-day weekend?

(Last day to enter the giveaway for a copy of The Long Way Home by Louise Penny. If you’re interested, stop by Just Let Me Finish This Page. I pick a winner this evening.)

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: flowers, giveaway, Just Let Me Finish This Page, Scout 33 Comments

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 1233
  • 1234
  • 1235
  • 1236
  • 1237
  • …
  • 1849
  • Next Page »
  • Email
  • Instagram

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.

Thanks for stopping by.

Searching?

The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to browse, read and enjoy. All content is my own; including photos and text. Please do not use anything on this site without permission.

Disclosure/Privacy Policy can be found in the Navigation Bar under ‘About MHC.’

Also, I love receiving comments! I do, however, reserve the right to delete any comment that is in poor taste, offensive or is verging on spam. It’s my blog. If you’re a bot or a troll you’ll be blocked. Thanks!

Archives

All Content © 2008 - 2026 Mockingbird Hill Cottage · Log in