Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Adventures in NYC

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I’ve just arrived back at my hotel after a long day: a dress rehearsal followed by a preview performance that went very well. I missed the first half of the Oscars but will be able to catch the last part of the show. Did you know I’m working with an Oscar winner in this play? F. Murray Abraham – who won for his brilliant performance in Amadeus. I even got to see and hold his Oscar the other day – boy, it is heavy!

I’m staying in the South Street Seaport area, in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. I can see one of the towers from my window. I’m a block from the East River and a few blocks from Wall Street and Ground Zero. This morning I grabbed some time before rehearsal to take some photos for you:

The magnificent Brooklyn Bridge.
Clipper Ships at South Street Seaport.
Ground Zero. The World Trade Center Site where new buildings are being erected and work was being done even on Sunday.

This cross is made from beams found in the ruins of the World Trade Center. This is its temporary home – it will be installed in the Memorial Museum when it is finished.

This church, St. Paul’s Chapel, sits directly across from what was the World Trade Center. It is the oldest colonial church still standing in Manhattan. George Washington worshiped there and it provided continuous care to all the workers at the Ground Zero Site.

Tomorrow is my day off and I plan to visit a few of my favorite places – and I will have my camera in hand. Hope you had a great weekend.

Riley, Rehearsals, Skunks & Studios

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:: This is Riley looking longingly at the stairs, hoping that Dad will soon come down from his office. Riley loves his Dad. If he hears a sound coming from that general direction, he snaps to attention, all big brown eyes and tail wag. Riley’s favorite time of day is when Dad starts to prepare dinner. About 6 pm, he starts nagging. Then little whimpers. Then the pacing. He keeps this up until Don makes his move toward the kitchen. When that happens, this guy with bad hips practically leaps up the 2 steps leading into the living room from the den and trots into the kitchen.

Right now, as I write this, he is pacing back and forth, trying to see up the stairs. That’s because Don was just down here in the den and now has gone upstairs again. Soon he will begin worrying about when I am going to feed him. As if it just might not happen for the first time ever.

:: Last night we went to sleep with the delightful pungent smell of skunk throughout the house. This morning the smell is gone, thank goodness. When we looked outside, we could see tracks in the snow leading to our porch. Skunk tracks. All this, however, is a breeze compared to our skunk adventures when we were living in San Diego. Back then, they routinely got under our house and let loose with a smell that permeated everything in the house for days. Clothes, doorknobs – you name it. I lived in fear that I smelled like skunk. We tried everything to get rid of them. Nothing worked. And you know me well enough to know I would never consent to having them killed. No way. The little devils were very smart. We set out Hav-a-Heart traps and they never fell for the bait.

So last night, though annoying, was a breeze.

:: Yesterday was the last day in the rehearsal space. Now the cast moves onstage for tech rehearsals. I will be traveling into the city on Saturday for an 8 day stay while we are in the dress rehearsal/preview stage. I’ll be very busy with the play, but I will try to get out and about for some photo opportunities. It should be fun!

:: Thank you for all the wonderful comments about Don’s CD. I know some of you have downloaded the songs and others have written to request an autographed copy of the CD. We are very grateful for your support!

:: And thank you for all the lovely congratulations on my little studio’s appearance in Studios. I’m very happy. Another article to be framed!

Have a great day, my friends.

Studios

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Just a little reminder that Studios magazine comes out this week. It isn’t in my Barnes & Noble yet, but I did see it in a magazine shop in Manhattan. I thought I’d give you a peek at the first page. I wrote the article (I guess I have a magazine writing credit now!) and took the photos. Husband took the one of me. There are photos of my bookcase and the vintage cabinet I added recently, as well as some fabric in one of my Chinese nesting baskets. Sadly, Letitia had to be moved out of this shot or she would have blocked the view of the sewing nook. She was upset until she realized that she really needs her own article – why share the spotlight?

Some of you have sweetly written to tell me that you now have a copy of the magazine. I’m so glad you like my little feature. Thank you dear friends, as always, for your generous well-wishes and support. What would I do without you? What would I do without blogging? Quite frankly, I wouldn’t have been featured in Romantic Homes or Studios if I hadn’t started this blog 3 years ago. 3 years ago this past week, as a matter of fact. My blog anniversary was on February 17th. Well over 600 posts later, I love blogging more than ever. The generosity and kindness I have found in this blogging world fills me with gratitude. Would I have kept tweaking my studio without the daily inspiration I get from all of you? I doubt it. And so many of the treasures that fill that space were gifts from you.

Isn’t it wonderful to have a group of friends that are right there for you? Who aren’t bored when you want to show something wonderful you’ve found at a flea market? Who love to see photos of your home and garden? Who don’t mind (or at least are polite enough not to say so) seeing endless photos of your pets? Who get you? I tell you all: you inspire me to try new things, to be daring, to take a chance, to see the beauty that surrounds me, to be a better photographer and writer – and to share it all with you.

Thank you.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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