Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Overgrown MHC

June 21, 2011 at 3:12 pm by Claudia

I’m home. We had a rainy spring and our hostas are giant sized. Everything is larger than life, including poison ivy. I didn’t get to our house until 1 am on Monday and even in the dark I could see that husband had, once again, neglected certain areas of our property. He has suffered from lyme disease off and on for a few years now (and at times the lyme has made him very sick indeed) and because he fears getting a tick bite, he doesn’t mow the edges of the yard that border the woods. Of course, I tell him that by not mowing those areas there will be more ticks because they like the long grass. We usually check each other for ticks if we’ve been working in certain areas of the property. Obviously, this becomes impossible when one of us is away. I don’t blame Don for being wary.

This time, the area behind the kitchen is completely out of control. As is part of the dogs’ corral that we sectioned off from the main corral. He “forgot” about it.

He felt guilty. So guilty that he bought a weed wacker yesterday.  I will be the one using it, but at least it’s a form of atonement. And hey, he might use it, too.

Oh, and he had a few yard sales while I was gone and everything he didn’t sell is still on the porch. The same porch where I love to sit in the summer, where I go to look at the lovely bluestones and the potted plants and the pretty view.

Insert the sound of a scream here.

I would throttle him save for the fact that I love him dearly and I’m happy to see him again and his birthday is Friday.  And he takes wonderful care of our dogs. And he’s a wonderful person. By the way, it’s a big birthday. More later.

Here’s a mini trip around the garden.

I planted this New Dawn rose bush right before I left. I’m a little hesitant because I think the location isn’t sunny enough. If I can just get it to climb a bit more, the sun will hit it perfectly.

A bee sipping a little nectar from the Spirea.

I planted some yarrow when we first moved here – about 6 years ago. It didn’t last. Today I found some that had reseeded about 15 feet away from the original site.

Another bee on a Jacob’s Ladder bloom.

Here’s another surprise. I planted this Clematis at least 5 years ago. Though it always had a lot of leaves, it never flowered. This year? Pretty purple flowers.

Roses peeking through the porch railing.

Hydrangeas and roses – such a cottagey look.

Riley is a little under the weather – his right hip and leg are bothering him. If you read this blog, you know he has hip problems. We’re watching him closely and giving him Rimadyl. My poor little boy has had a tough time of it, but he seems a little perkier today.

I have lots of weeding to do – everywhere. I did the major yanking and pulling and pruning Monday on 4 hours sleep. Today I mowed. The next few days are supposed to be rainy.

That means I’ll finally have to unpack and work on the inside.

Filed Under: dogs, flowers, garden, Mockingbird Hill Cottage 34 Comments

One Last Post from the Road

June 17, 2011 at 10:14 am by Claudia

This is the Blithe Spirit set. I took this last night as I waited for our second preview performance to begin. We had a full house and lots of laughter. Whew! This space is named the Up-The-Hill Theatre. Believe me – it is up a hill.(I need to get in better shape.) And for most of this theater company’s existence, it has been the only performing space. Surrounded by trees, it springs up seemingly out of nowhere. The audiences here are incredibly loyal and they make an event out of coming to the theater. They picnic and grill and generally have a wonderful time before the show begins.

See? I wasn’t kidding about the name. The newest space is an indoor theater – the Touchstone. It is smaller in size and wonderfully intimate.

I really love the design; almost barn-like and beautiful in its simplicity.

More cows.

One of the now grown-up babies. I see this little one follow his dad around. I don’t know the fate of the others. One day, I saw a cat in the little area in which they hang out. I ran downstairs, shooed it away and immediately worried about the babies. And worried. Until I had to let go and just hope they all made it. Truly, I am not far from being a person who would pitch a tent and act as a sentry to protect the babies from all predators. Ask my husband. I am inches away from being ‘that Bird Lady.’ Feel free to substitute dog, cat, bunny, baby groundhog, chipmunk. They all work.

I’m packing boxes. Making lists. Getting ready to fly home on Sunday.

Filed Under: animals, birds, On The Road, theater 33 Comments

Winding Down

June 15, 2011 at 9:10 am by Claudia

Last night, I watched this movie on my laptop. Pillow Talk has always been one of my favorites and when I saw it on sale for half off at Barnes and Noble, I snapped it up.  Doris Day and Rock Hudson are such fun in this movie.  Everything about Pillow Talk is retro: the shared telephone party line that is a source of conflict, the “it’s okay for a man to sleep around and use women but a good woman must remain virginal” theme, the 60’s sets, the fabulous views of Manhattan, Thelma Ritter’s repeated hangovers from drinking too much. Much of it would be considered terribly un-politically correct nowadays.

But, it’s funny. It makes me laugh. I love the split-screen technique used during all the party line phone calls. I love the sound of horse hoofs hitting the ground with a bit of old Western harmonica thrown in that plays while Rock Hudson is pretending to be a cowboy from Texas. It’s a gem of a movie.

My friend, Bob, who was my boss at Boston University and who recommended me for this job, just arrived in town. So on Monday, the Artistic Director of the theater (who is also the director of Blithe Spirit) invited me to dinner at his home. Bob is staying there while he starts his design work. It was just the four of us: David, his wife, Bob and me. Lots of great conversation and laughter. I had the best time.

Things are winding down here. Today we have an afternoon rehearsal outdoors and in true Blithe Spirit tradition, rain is pouring down at the moment. Looks like an all day rain. Uh oh. I teach this morning and tomorrow morning and then my classes are done. Thursday night we have our second preview performance of Blithe Spirit and then we open on Saturday. Sunday? I pack and fly home. I’m just now letting myself remember my home, the smell of my doggies, Scoutie sitting under my legs in her ‘tunnel,’ Riley’s sweet face, the sound of Don’s guitar, sitting on the porch glider, my (overgrown, I’m absolutely sure) garden, my studio, sitting on the sofa with Don every evening. I let myself think about these things for a brief moment in time.

Soon.

Filed Under: Mockingbird Hill Cottage, movies, On The Road 19 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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