Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Flora and Fauna Around MHC

September 6, 2010 at 10:26 am by Claudia


Do you see the dark brown clump of leaves in the center of this photo? This morning, I let Scout outside and she took off like a bat out of hell because she thought these leaves were a bunny rabbit. Granted, they were outside the ‘corral’ where bunnies often can be found munching. She did the same thing 2 more times. The irony is that on the other side of the fence on the far side of the corral there was a real bunny, cottontail and all, munching on the grass. Scout was oblivious.

Let’s take a little tour of the grounds:


These are the honey bees that live in our Catalpa tree. They appear every year and never bother us. This year, there are more than ever – I’ve never seen so many. No colony collapse here and that’s good news.


Goldenrod is appearing all over on the edge of our property. Beautiful…but ah-choo!


The bees sure like it.


I think this might be purple loosestrife. It’s pretty and is not invasive in our yard, thank goodness. Do you see the heart shape?


Poke Weed – its growing everywhere. The birds love it.


Stitching update: I’m finding this very relaxing and goodness knows I need some of that right now. I took a cue from Rebecca Ringquist, who uses a piece of fabric to back the sampler. So I added a piece of the fabric shown and then added to strips to the sides. I might add more or I might add some lace or crochet on the top and bottom. We’ll see.

Autumn is almost here. I’m more than a bit sad to see summer leave, probably because I missed spring and part of summer here at the cottage. The crisp, cool air the last few mornings and the spiders appearing with regularity inside the cottage tell me it’s time to say goodbye to Summer 2010. I hope you’re enjoying summer’s last hurrah!

NOTE: Garden of Daisies just left a comment that enlightened me. Goldenrod is often confused with Ragweed as a cause of allergies. But it is Ragweed, not Goldenrod that is the culprit. I can breathe easier – thanks!

Filed Under: embroidery, garden, nature 26 Comments

Crooked Blinds & a Little Trip

September 5, 2010 at 8:12 am by Claudia


:: Do you ever have mornings like this? I come downstairs every morning, greet the doggies, let them out, start the coffee. I open the blinds in the den and the living room. Then I tackle the roman blinds in the kitchen. I try my darndest to get them straight and I finish – absolutely sure that they look perfect. And then I see this.

Drat.

:: The other day, husband and I took a little drive to a town on the Hudson River. We used to visit this charming town a lot when we lived further south, but rarely get there nowadays.

The view as we parked our car.


I love this stone archway with a pot at the top of the arch which is right on Main Street. And this little bench is next to it.


Husband remarked that people’s backsides were a lot smaller when this was built. Sad but true.

On the way back to the car, we always pass this abandoned gas station.


The pump is a perfect Jadeite green, isn’t it? And the brand name of the gas? Flying A Gasoline. I wonder if I could spirit this away in the dead of night… I want it.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday weekend. We awoke to cool, crisp air this morning. I think I detect a bit of autumn in the air!

Filed Under: kitchen, On The Road 24 Comments

A Wondrous Surprise in the Mail

September 2, 2010 at 8:07 am by Claudia

I am blessed. Yes, I am. I have wonderful friends that I’ve known from the age of 4 and friends I have been lucky enough to meet in recent years. One very special friend is Lori, the owner of Vignettes. Lori is kind, generous, funny, beautiful inside and out, and incredibly talented. I have rhapsodized about Vignettes in many posts over the past 2 years and if I could beam myself up I would be there today. Nothing, I mean nothing, I have seen anywhere else comes close to the wondrous enchantment of that shop.

Lori sent me a message last week saying she had put something in the mail for me – a little care package from Vignettes and her that she thought would make me smile. Yesterday, it arrived in my mailbox. (Our rural mail carrier, also named Lori, always gives a toot on her horn when she leaves a package down by our mailbox – isn’t that sweet? As soon as I heard it, I was hightailing it on down there.)


The wreath adorned the package, which I forgot to take a picture of in my excitement. Lori sent this wonderful handmade card in which she wrote some lovely words to me and mentioned that she couldn’t bear to think of my sheep all alone without a pal (I’d seen some vintage putz sheep in the shop) and here was a “friend all dressed up in Vignettes’ finery.”

Just wait. This was also in the package:


Isn’t this beautiful? The lovely sentiment, the sweet cottage, the beautiful trim around the frame? I am already searching for the perfect place for it in our cottage. Are you ready for a sheep arrayed in the best Vignettes’ finery?


Take a minute to collect yourself.

Gasp… Swoon…no words are adequate to describe what Lori had Karen Lampard of Cafe Paperie create for me. In fact, my gasp as I unwrapped this could be heard throughout the cottage. Look at the detail: the hat and the rose, the saddlebags trimmed with a button and the sign ‘Vignettes or Bust’, the flowers, the bell, the decorations around each hoof. Oh. my. goodness.


Double swoon! An Eiffel Tower pendant.

Could there be a cuter rear view? Every little detail is perfection.

I am humbled by this. This isn’t a swap or my birthday. This is just because. I told my husband that I couldn’t believe anyone would take the time to make something like this for me. That lovely Lori remembered the sheep and then went the extra mile to envision all this fabulous finery is truly incredible. I still can’t take it all in. As you well know, it is rare when I am speechless. But I was. I’m still having trouble finding the right words to express my gratitude and awe. Thank you, Karen. Thank you, dearest Lori. I am so grateful for the gift of your friendship. I miss you terribly.******************************************************************

In other news: I have the giveaway winners, chosen through random.org.

First, the winner of a copy of HotHouse Flower:

Number 5 – Caseymini! I’ll send you an email, but if you see this first, drop me a line with your address and I will forward it on to TLC Book Tours who will forward it to the publisher.

Second, the winner of the CSN Giveaway:

Number 61 – Meeyeehere aka Rachel. Rachel, I will forward your email address on to CSN and they will contact you.

Congratulations to the winners!

Filed Under: gifts, giveaway, Vignettes 39 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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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

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