Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Soggy Monday

September 11, 2023 at 8:44 am by Claudia

Hickory nuts from our shag (or Shagbark ) hickory  – nicknamed Junior. Junior was a baby when we first moved here. A sapling. His father, one of the four magnificent trees in our front yard that we fell in love with when we first saw the property, mysteriously died several years ago. We have no idea why. We also had to take down our weeping willow, which was one of the trees that sold me on the house, because its roots had invaded our septic system. Now, there are only two of those four trees left – the catalpa and the maple.

Junior started producing nuts a few years back. Between Junior and several black walnut trees on the property, we have a lot of nuts on the ground. (Some might say that there are two nuts living in the house, as well.)

They’ve really weighed down the lower branches this season.

It rained over the weekend and rained all night long – torrential rain. More to come later today and on Wednesday. Sigh. I wish I could describe how waterlogged this property is. After I finish this post, I’ll go downstairs to empty the dehumidifier bucket.

Oh, for a cool, crisp and dry autumn!

I am now reading the epilogue of War and Peace. It’s long and rather dry, with Tolstoy talking about war and historians. In my younger days, I would have skipped it, saying I had finished the book. But really, if I skip it, I haven’t finished this book. I’ve just stopped early. So I will finish it, knowing Tolstoy was very wise and that I am sure to glean some gems from his musings.

Then I’ll be done!

That book I reserved from the library – where I am number one in the queue – is still not on its way to me. So maybe I am #1 in line, but the book itself hasn’t been returned yet so it cannot travel to my library. Our branch isn’t open today, so I won’t get an update until tomorrow. Can you tell I’m anxious to read it?

Don just left to grab a few things at the grocery store. I threw all the towels in the wash. I need to find the subject matter for my next painting. Don is writing a new song.

That’s kind of it, my friends. Not at all exciting. We need to work, but there’s nothing on the horizon for me. Darko has two productions coming up, but neither of them need a speech/dialect/acting coach, as far as I can tell.

Don can’t work because of the strike.

In keeping with the theme of the post, we’re going a little bit nuts!

Yes, I know it’s September 11th. I’ve talked about it many times over the years, so I’ll leave it at that. At some point, repeating what has been said before is unnecessary. We all know.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: books, reading, trees 33 Comments

Mei, Spiders & A Question

September 9, 2023 at 9:08 am by Claudia

Okay. My first question – maybe my only question: Has anyone had the RSV vaccine yet? If so, how was it? They recommend getting it in September, so we’re contemplating doing that. At the same time, I’m masking now whenever I go out, so maybe I don’t have to worry?

Interestingly, after a stretch of time where weren’t masking, I’ve had to work hard to persuade Don to mask. He’s so used to not doing it. And he wasn’t really reading the information about the new variant or the numbers of people getting Covid. I kept mentioning all the people I knew who had it for the first time after 3 years of avoiding it. He would sort of wave me off because I think he didn’t want to deal with that reality. But he’s masking now. Obviously, when he has a gig, he won’t wear a mask while performing.

This will be our future, I think. A new variant every year. All thanks to those who insisted on not wearing a mask. Who thought only of themselves and not the greater good.

I have yet to pick a new subject to paint, I’ll force myself to make a choice today.

My favorite spider, weaving his web down by the road. He was in my main garden bed a couple of weeks ago – that’s a first.

Big news on the doll front, Mei has bangs.

An online Blythe friend suggested it. Her gorgeous angora hair is very fine and flyaway and it’s always been hard to keep it out of her face. I thought about it yesterday, talked to Don about it, and then….I just did it. I also trimmed the length of her hair about a 1/4 of an inch. I liked it very much, but then, when we were sitting on the sofa, I could see her with her eyes in this position “looking” at me. Was she angry? Was she saying “What did you do??” And ,as I reminded Don, they’re not going to grow back.

This morning, though, I looked at her and had no qualms about cutting them. I really like the way they frame her face. And her hair is much easier to handle.

That’s it. I’m so, so close to the end of  War and Peace! I think I’ll get there this weekend.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, Mei 53 Comments

What I’m Waiting For From The Library

September 8, 2023 at 9:00 am by Claudia

Well. We’ve had high heat and humidity for the past few days – a bit more of that today. Yesterday, it ‘felt’ like 99°. In the early evening, we had a huge thunderstorm. Very fierce, windy – the kind where I had to run out on the porch to retrieve some things that were blowing around. I got soaked.

We’re getting more of this stormy weather for at least 5 or 6 days. Oh goodie! More rain! (I’m being sarcastic here.)

I am ready for cool, crisp fall days. Because we’ve had excessive rain this year, the colors won’t be as vivid. But I don’t drive up  to this area for the fall colors. I live here. I just want the dreadful summer we had to disappear. This is a not my normal response because I usually want to hang on to summer as long as possible.

I mowed the back forty yesterday morning, trying to get it done before the heat became unbearable. We hadn’t mowed that section yet and I knew that rain was headed our way. I got in a little exercise, which is good, and it’s done. The whole cycle will begin again after the rains leave. One thing about a summer of constant rain: the grass has stayed very green. But the other side to that? We have to keep mowing. Usually, by this time of year, the growth of the grass has slowed up considerably.

Not this year!

I guess the positive in all of that is that I’m getting exercise.

I have about 150 pages left in War and Peace. I didn’t read it first thing this morning like I usually do because I woke up at 5 am for the second day in a row and I was feeling it. But I’ll read some more later. I’ll miss that daily ritual. Next year’s readalong is the Cromwell trilogy by Hilary Mantel. I’m really looking forward to that.

I have 8 books on hold at the library. Four of them haven’t been published yet, but they will be published in the next couple of months. I’m learning that readers in my area are on top of upcoming books and reserve them way ahead of time. I need to sharpen my game!

So, here’s a list of what I’ve reserved:

The Close  by Jane Casey (an Irish/British crime writer – I love her books.) I’m currently in #1 position in the queue. Fingers crossed it arrives at my library soon. Today would be nice.

None of this is True  by Lisa Jewell. I mistakenly reserved the large print edition, so I reserved the standard edition as well, but truth be told, the large print edition will get to me much sooner, so I’ll go with that. #3 in the large print queue, #159 in the standard print queue.

The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons  by Karen Smirnoff. This is the newest book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. Since Stieg Larsson, the original author, died several years ago, the series has been continued via a couple of authors. They’ve done a very good job of honoring Larsson’s characters and writing style. This one has had very good reviews. #4 in the queue and let me tell you, this queue has moved quickly!

The Secret Hours  by Mick Herron. A stand alone spy novel by the author of the Slow Horses series (which I’ve raved about on this blog.) It’s coming out on September 12th. #12 in the queue.

The Running Grave – a Cormoran Strike Novel  by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling.) Coming out on September 26th. #23 in the queue.

The Last Devil to Die  by Richard Osman – the next book in the Thursday Night Murder Club series. Coming out on September 20th. #34 in the queue.

Resurrection Walk  by Michael Connelly – the newest book in the Lincoln Lawyer series. Coming out November 7th. His books almost always come out in November. #157 in the queue.

Tom Lake  by Anne Patchett. Recently published and #181 in the queue.

There you have it.

In the meantime, I’m rereading the second book in The Deptford Trilogy – The Manticore.

I’m obsessed with this list and check it more than once during the day.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday,

Filed Under: books, reading 16 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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