Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

Friday Thoughts

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• Having a hard time dealing with the world; so much heartbreak and loss and wanton destruction. Having a hard time dealing with Americans who actually support Putin, though they would never say it in so many words. Having a hard time dealing with those who tried to overthrow our government and would willingly try to do the same thing again. Having a hard time dealing with liars and cheats and would-be fascists.

I could go on but that’s enough for today.

I feel like I’m on a tightrope, constantly trying to face and fight against the harsh realities of our world but, at the same time, trying escape those realities. Does that make sense? I’m sure many of you feel the same way.

Don and I talk about this all the time. Do we tune out? Well, the reality is that we try, but, ultimately, we can’t. Nor should we.

• Rest in Peace to Robert Morse. I loved his work as an actor and he will always be the definitive and first J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. It was a brilliant performance in a show that swept the Tony Awards and won the Pulitzer Prize. Years later he would win another Tony for Tru, a one-man show about Truman Capote. We didn’t watch Mad Men, but I’ve seen the clip of his final appearance on that show, singing The Best Things in Life are Free. It’s simply lovely and bittersweet, given the fact that we’ve lost him.

Don and I had a conversation about him a week or so ago, talking about how much we loved his work and how much we loved How to Succeed. Don knew him from his Los Angeles days and always said what a nice guy he was.

I listened to the brilliant “I Believe in You” on a continuous loop yesterday.

• We did some more work outside yesterday – pacing ourselves, of course. My back was getting a bit sore after a couple of hours, so as soon as I felt a twinge, I stopped. Tomorrow, we’ll mow the lawn for the first time. Today, I’ll cut down some of the stalks that I left for the birds over the winter. Time to do some more cleanup.

We got the cushions out yesterday. I tightened the screws on the Adirondack chairs. My budget for flowers is going to be much less than usual, so I’m spending some time thinking about just what I want in my pots. The gardens themselves are perennial gardens so, after 16 years of gardening here, I don’t really need to add anything to them.

We’ve had so much wind lately – every day. I swear it gets windier here every year.

Okay. Time to go.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

Dare I Call It A Potting Shed?

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A few weeks back, Don came home with something in the back of his car. He found it on the side of the road and thought that it might be something I could use for potting my plants. Since it is fairly lightweight, I quickly realized it was a no-go for the porch. We get a lot of wind.

But, we were about to wash the walls and the floor in the shed and once we rearranged things, I was pretty sure I knew where it would go. And yesterday, it all started to take shape.

His discovery alongside the road? The utility tub.

You know, Don amazes me sometimes. That he would see this and immediately think of me, gardening, and potting plants just boggles my mind! I was surprised when I first saw it, but I must admit, my mind immediately started thinking about what I could do with it.

For now, this is the way this potting area looks. What I would love to find eventually is an old workbench of some kind to place on the right of the tub. But this will definitely do in the meantime. The garden tools, snow shovels, rakes, etc., are on the opposite side of the shed.

We’re doing a little ‘decoration’ as well. Some antique locks and hinges are on display on the back wall. I’ll take a picture of that area soon. It’s still a shed, but dang if isn’t a lot more spacious than I thought it was.

I’ve had the shelf for a long time. It used to be on the wall in my studio when it was under the skylight. It’s not the strongest piece, but it could definitely hold packs of seeds and a few tools. I’d also love to find some really cheap framed prints of flowers and botanicals. Nothing too precious, of course, because it is, after all, a shed.

Before we rented the dumpster this shed was so full of stuff that we could barely get in there. I would have to crawl over things to find my pots.

You have no idea.

That’s why I keep marveling at how spacious it is in there!

By the way, we have no water access in the shed, but Don urged me to put the faucet on the sink ‘for the look of the thing.’

Isn’t it neat? I have my own little potting shed!

I’m going move the trash can that holds my potting soil to the shed. It’s currently on the porch. But first, I have to buy some fresh potting soil and some plants – I haven’t done any of that yet because it’s been too cold. But, as of today, freezing nighttime temperatures are a thing of the past, so I can finally get going.

Today, I’m going to start clearing out the garden beds – my first pass.

We worked outside for about 2 – 3 hours yesterday and we were tired. So we’re being very careful to pace ourselves. But, boy, is it wonderful to be outside again.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Upstairs in the Cottage

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I happened to look up at just the right time. This is the schefflera that is across the room on the sideboard.

I added a Wallace Nutting to this wall in the den.

And here’s a view of the hall upstairs, where I used to have my studio. It’s changed a great deal since then.

These days, Don’s dresser is in the niche under the skylight. We added the framed posters that we rediscovered when we had the big shed clean out. On the left near the dresser is a reprint of a London Underground poster – The Playgoer Travels Underground. It’s very Twenties/ArtDeco – a period I’ve always been drawn to. I bought it in London in 1991. On the right, a poster I’ve had even longer – since the late Seventies. It’s from a production of The Mikado that was done at the Stratford Festival in Canada. As I played Katisha in a production of The Mikado  many years ago, I wanted to see Stratford’s production and it was brilliant. It’s faded a bit over the years, but the graphic design remains incredibly striking. I distinctly remember getting both of these framed during the first year I lived in San Diego, when I could finally afford it.

That bookshelf is a vintage and handmade find. I bought it about 4 or 5 years ago at a local antique shop. It holds all my vintage children books, some of which were my mom’s, and my vintage Nancy Drew collection. My dad’s lead Model-T car is there, as well as a train car he made many years later.

I’ve obviously never seen a shelf like this one – it’s truly one-of-a-kind. This young girl – Martha Jane – seems to be dressed up in a nurse’s uniform.

The pine piece functions as our linen closet since we have none. You can’t see the stacks of books that are piled on top of it – all of them read by Don or me. My dress form is to the right of that, as well as a couple of tripods and my vintage wire laundry basket.

Today we’re going to do some initial work outside. Since it’s going down to 32 degrees tonight, I’m not going to start uncovering the garden beds until tomorrow when the danger of a freeze is gone for good.

Such a late spring this year!

But I’m really ready to get the glider and chair cushions out of the closet under the stairs (currently hidden by the egg cup cubby,) do some more sorting in the shed, move the vintage wrought iron chairs back to the Secret Garden – that kind of thing.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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