Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Soggy

June 28, 2023 at 8:39 am by Claudia

Rain and rain and thunder and lightning! More this afternoon and then we should have a couple of dry days. Everything looks extremely waterlogged out there. I’m not complaining, but I will be happy to see some relatively clear skies.

Someday.

I know many of you are experience smoke from more fires in Canada. Hang in there.

There’s nothing much to report on today. I tackled a few chores yesterday afternoon, did some laundry, read, and scrolled through social media. Not very exciting! I really want to start in on the office/studio, but it’s too humid in there during the day and until this front moves out, I’ll have to hold off. It’s a big, big job, involving both my little creative space and the inside of the closet. I WILL HAVE TO BE RUTHLESS. In the meantime, the stuff I’ve already pulled out of corners to sort through still hasn’t been sorted. I did do one thing yesterday: I moved the English Cottage (Dove Cottage) off one of my work tables and carried it across the room to the top of the music cabinet that we recently moved upstairs. It’s up out of the way, it looks good, and now I have more surface space.

New jacket and shorts from a seamstress in England. Normally, I wouldn’t have used Mei as a model for this outfit. I don’t know why. Maybe I think colorful clothes work better on another girl? I fought that urge and dressed Mei and I think it really suits her. That jacket has a hood. Never mind that the hood would never fit over a Blythe head! The outfit is beautifully made.

Reading is slow for me lately. My attention is all over the place and it’s hard for me to focus. I’m reading Babel, a book I have been curious about for a while. I got it from the library. It’s long and dense and I have vowed to sit with it this afternoon and polish off a chunk.

We also had a local primary election here yesterday, so we voted, though I don’t think my candidate got the nod. I’ll have to check. The other candidate will never get my vote – long story, but I’ve seen the content of her character and it’s lacking.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, dollhouse, rain 18 Comments

Another Shelf Tour

June 27, 2023 at 8:35 am by Claudia

Goodness. We had thunderstorms all day long yesterday and well into the night, as well. Truly unbelievable! I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that before – they never stopped. We’re due for more this afternoon. Of course, the hydrangeas are no longer erect; they’re drooping. This happens every year. Just as they’re blooming, a torrential rain comes along and no more perky hydrangeas.

Anyway, it was interesting. And rather exhausting as well. We must have had a couple inches of rain. Today and tomorrow will also be rainy and then I think we’ll get a break on Thursday.

A darkish shelf – it’s cloudy out there.

This is the bottom shelf in the pink cabinet which is upstairs in the office.

On the left, a stack of magazines and books in which I was featured. On top of them, my dad’s name plate that used to be on his desk when he worked at Michigan Bell Telephone Co. On top – a dish holding sewing pins, 2 Ladurée boxes from Paris.

Next to that stack, two more Ladurée boxes, and a Santa sitting on top of a bell from Vintage by Crystal.

To the right in the rear of the cabinet – a stack of vintage glove boxes. I love them.

In front of them, four Vintage by Crystal pieces, and a toy we had when Z was a child. We used to hold it up when we were Facetiming with him.

Behind the Vintage by Crystal pieces is my favorite piece of Roseville. It’s very hard to find and it took me a long time to find a a listing that was affordable. You can hardly see it in this rainy day picture, but here’s a better picture:

This is the Cherry Blossom pattern. It came in two different colorways, the other being earth tones. But, heck, you know why I was drawn to this colorway. I love this piece so much and now that I’m looking at this photo, I’m thinking I need to place it in the foreground instead of behind the figurines. I just did a quick search on eBay and I could only find a few pieces listed. This pattern and another pattern – Morning Glory – seem to be rare, so in a pretty affordable Roseville market, they remain pricey. I’ll post a photo of Morning Glory one day. I really love it.

Wait a minute, there should be another bunny in that photo. Where the heck is it? I’ll have to conduct a search.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Filed Under: china and pottery, Roseville pottery 16 Comments

Monday, and It’s Humid

June 26, 2023 at 8:30 am by Claudia

The bee balm is beginning to bloom.

I went outside to take a few pictures yesterday. The humidity was terrible and I felt lethargic so a fresh perspective was in order. After not doing a whole lot for many years, the rose bush in front of the house has taken off like wildfire this year. I’m rather stunned every time I look at it. Gardens and flowers are a mystery when it comes down to it. Some plants always do well. Others disappear from season to season. This rose bush, which I have considered removing in the past, is suddenly huge!

Go figure.

My brain is like mush in this very humid weather. I’ve always had a problem with high humidity, not to mention my allergies going haywire, as well. If you’re allergic to mold and mildew as I am, excess humidity is not your friend.

I saw two of the baby groundhogs yesterday, one of them Buddy. And the rabbit. And a baby bunny this morning.

We’re due for thunderstorms today. It’s in the forecast every day this week. We’ll get rain, which is good, but this particular weather pattern is hanging over us and won’t budge.

So don’t expect profound writing here on the blog. My brain is incapable of it.

Little Z is not so little anymore. He’s 12 and his voice is changing. How did that happen? He’s looking so grown up lately. I think I’ll have to call him “Z” from now on. I’ve never had kids, but I imagine that particular change – of voice – has to be a bit sad for Moms (and Dads). It’s evidence your child is no longer a little kid. And when it’s your last child, as with Mere, it has to be particularly bittersweet.

Okay. I’m already sweating.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden, Little Z 22 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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