Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Don’s Day

June 24, 2023 at 8:58 am by Claudia

Birthday boy!

Let me tell you – and I know you know this already – this man is the best human being it has been my honor to know. The fact that I get to live my life with him is a gift beyond measure.

I’ve nothing new to add because I’ve said it already, but I can and will say how thankful I am for him. Every day.

Here’s to a blessed year ahead my love, with work opportunities and creative inspiration and love, love, love.

Happy Birthday, dear heart.

And Happy Birthday to my not-so-little Z!

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: Don 30 Comments

The Path to the Burrow

June 23, 2023 at 8:50 am by Claudia

If you head to the secret garden from the side door, you’ll see a rain barrel just around the corner to the left and several step stones that lead you from the back of the house into the garden. If you want to head to the back forty, you walk in front of the two chairs, then take a slight right, where there are more step stones leading up a slight hill.

That’s exactly what our not-so-little-anymore groundhog babies do. I’ve seen Buddy cross from the tree to the gate, go through the gate and then turn that corner by the rain barrel and head for the step stones. It’s so adorable. Once he’s gone up that little hill, he stays close to the bushes, etc., on the left and then disappears into the underbrush. I walked up there yesterday and I saw a baby near the entrance to their burrow. He quickly disappeared. (We cleared out that area a few years back and that’s when we discovered the burrow. I think there were 2 holes. So in the interest of the safety of the groundhogs, we’ve let that area get a bit overgrown to provide cover.) I think the burrow leads to our neighbor’s shed, which is about 15 feet away from this entrance.

Rain is due today. It never made an appearance yesterday.

Someone has a birthday tomorrow so I’m going to try making a card for him today. We’ll see what I come up with!

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: groundhogs, secret garden 16 Comments

Blooms

June 22, 2023 at 8:38 am by Claudia

Rain is headed our way at some point today, though maybe not as much as predicted. Nevertheless, we should be getting rain over the course of the next four days. To all of you who are desperate for rain, I send a prayer up that rain will soon be on its way to you. I’ve been there, and it’s very stressful.

It was very sunny when I took this. It’s so hard for me to capture the beauty of this area once everything starts blooming. I don’t know why. The spirea is blooming, the hydrangeas are starting to turn white, the roses are really taking off this year, and the clematis is in the last of its bloom. We mowed the front lawn yesterday and I was so taken by the flowers! I don’t always get around to the front of the house, especially since the critters are demanding my attention on the side of the house. That’s not really brown in the lawn, it’s the grass trimmings that turn brown. It’s pretty green out there right now.

The other rose opened yesterday morning. So lush and beautiful! I only wish they lasted longer, but within a few hours, the look of the flower changes dramatically and it starts to decline. So I have to run out there and get a picture in the early morning hours.

We’re off to buy groceries this morning. Exciting, right? Actually, it is – there’s very little food left in the house. We hope to beat the rain.

Meanwhile, the birds are singing. The other day, I walked up on the trails that run through our little patch of woods and the bird song up there was incredible. So much more intense than what I hear down by the house. It was magical.

And those robins that I wrote about the other day? I was right. They either fledged that morning or the day before. We’ve had three bird nests this year; two at the shed and one in the burning bush. And of course, baby groundhogs as well. And baby rabbits, but I have no idea where that warren is. I’m sure there are a lot more nests on the property, these are just the ones I could see.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden, roses 22 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.

Thanks for stopping by.

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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.’

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