Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Weather report: Hazy, hot, and humid around here. We installed the A/C units on Wednesday, which ended up being just in the nick of time! Today promises to bring some thunderstorms and then it will rain for a few days – which is why we ended up mowing the front lawn yesterday in the morning heat and humidity. We have to stay ahead of the weather around here.

Poor Don. He books the talent for an outdoor summer concert series north of us. It takes place on the first Friday in June, July, August, and September. Every time, there is rain or a storm in the forecast. He, of course, worries about whether it will impact the concert and the musicians he has booked. Will they move it to a covered venue? Will they notify the public in time? That part of it is always dicey because the powers that be aren’t always on top of it. So we had a talk yesterday about letting the worry go because there’s nothing he can do about it.

He’ll be there to introduce the musicians.

Some of the Dame’s Rocket/wild phlox that grows all over the property at this time of year. And it smells heavenly.

As do the wild roses.

I’m laying low today.

Oh, we watched Cinema Paradiso  last night on TCM. It’s one of our favorite movies and, true to form, we were both crying at the end of the movie. As Don said, it’s really in a class by itself. A beautiful homage to the cinema. I cannot tell you how much I love it. Words aren’t adequate.

Yesterday, I paid for another year of hosting for this blog. I won’t guarantee anything beyond that, but I saved my pennies and we’re good to go until June 2026.

Yes, I know I showed you this on Wednesday, but there is an update: the little dog has been named Twinkle. The girls and animals approve. Hi, Twinkle!

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Yesterday, we walked through our woods after mowing the lilac side of the front lawn. Even in the woods, the wild roses are blooming. It really is another world up there; quieter and peaceful. I tend to forget to walk in the woods, though Don does it all the time. He also plays his guitar up there.

We’re in for a mini heat wave and the question here at the cottage is: how long can we delay installing the A/C units? We got through yesterday and used the box fan in our bedroom window last night and it was comfortable. Will it work tonight? Or will we regret not having installed the A/C? It’s a bit of a pain to install them. Update: I just talked to Don – I think we’ll install them today. Then there’s the impending rain on Friday – Sunday, which means we’d better cut the grass, but there’s an air quality alert for today. Decisions, decisions. And ultimately, I can’t stress over it.

These are the little flowers that are blooming everywhere on the property. Wild roses, brambles – the name changes. Usually they’re a pain in the tush, but for this moment in time, they’re absolutely lovely.

Soon, I’m going to start the face up on the Little Keiko doll head. But now, I think I will have to hold off until next week because of the humidity and rain. The sealant has to be sprayed outside because it can be toxic (I wear protection) but humidity and rain are not friends of this process. So, next week. Darn it!

Nina, Derek, and the little nameless dog. She is so beautiful. She was the girl I picked to bond with yesterday. That’s what I’ve been doing this week. I choose a girl to hang out with and my doll mojo, which has been missing lately, begins to come back. Sophie was first up, then Zoe, then Nina. I haven’t picked today’s girl yet. More coffee is needed first.

I know I should change Nina’s outfit as she’s been wearing it for quite a long time, but I love her in it. So it’s staying a bit longer.

Time for more coffee.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

The rain on Saturday was the result of a Nor’easter and it truly was a deluge. I had to go down to the culvert to clear trash that had rushed ‘downstream.’ There was bubble wrap, styrofoam, a beer can, a plastic bottle. There I was with my yellow slicker on, pulling things out of the water. I eventually put all the crap into a trash bag. I also cleared some reeds that were clogging my neighbors’ pipe. Yesterday, I returned and pulled a lot of weeds that were growing there because they were impeding the movement of the water.

As a reward for my efforts, Phileas made an appearance later in the day.

As you know, my peony bushes are old and tired and one of them is now in the shade because of the shag hickory that grew up and out of the middle of the bush. I know I need to move them but truth be told, by the time autumn comes around, I forget about it. Last year, we had no buds. This year? One. And it’s a beauty! I suspect it will open in a few days because it’s going to be very warm on Tuesday through Thursday.

That means we have to install the A/C units tomorrow.

The brambles are in bloom with tiny little white flowers. I can see that the catalpa is getting ready to flower. Like clockwork, this always happens during the first week of June: peonies, catalpa flowers, and brambles turning into wild roses. It doesn’t matter if it’s been abnormally cold, or abnormally warm. It never happens early or late.

We watched Network  last night. I hadn’t watched it in years. The great Paddy Chayefsky wrote it way back in the 70s as a satire on television and television news and coroporate takeovers of the networks. It has all come true. Everything he wrote about has come true. He saw it all and he was right on the money. Stunningly prescient. I can’t stop thinking about it today.

Happy Monday.

Stay safe.