Mockingbird Hill Cottage — Page 260 — Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Flowers, Imogen & Dove Cottage

May 31, 2022 at 9:34 am by Claudia

More clematis this morning. They sure do add a jolt of color to the green of the boxwood.

Hot, hot, hot here today. Tomorrow should be much cooler.

Yesterday morning found me pulling most of the forget-me-nots out of the ground. They were going to seed. I also wanted to clean the edges of the garden beds, so I fetched the lawn mower and mowed in front of the beds so that I could see the rocks that define the beds. Then I pulled anything that interfered with that border. And then, in true Claudia fashion, I also mowed the lilac side of the front lawn.

And then…I was tired. But it felt good to be out there after feeling under the weather for a few days.

Meanwhile, Imogen was on the porch enjoying the flowers.

(I love the cleft in her chin.)

Slowly finishing the front of the dollhouse. There are one or two elements to add, but here is where we are as of today:

I want to age that big pot on the left. The chair arrived in the mail the other day, all the way from Milan. I love the look of these bistro chairs; they remind me very much of the chairs in the Luxembourg gardens. I searched high and low until I found one.

I may make some stepping stones leading to the door. This area was to be a porch on the original house. Most of the porch elements were missing when I found it at the dump and I wasn’t inclined to replace them as I had a different idea of what I wanted it to be. So I’m left with this raised area. I’m going with terraced levels. I’ll probably add some of the ballast that I’ve used on the area just outside the front door on the lower terrace as well. Though, it’s messy and a bit of a pain in the tush.

And then we’ll move on to the Beacon Hill.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Ladybug

May 30, 2022 at 8:21 am by Claudia

I watched this ladybug explore all of the petals on the clematis.

Then, while I was trying to take another picture of her, she took off.

These beauties are blooming in the bed in front of the porch.

I hope you’re having a lovely three-day weekend. Nothing special on our docket for today – we’re just hanging out. We’re starting three very hot days in a row, so part of the day will be spent with the air conditioning on.

But it’s a lovely, sunny morning and I’m going to go yank some of the forget-me-nots that have gone to seed. I’m still feeling a bit under the weather, so I’m not going to overdo it. I promise.

Have a lovely day.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Moving Things Around

May 29, 2022 at 9:08 am by Claudia

The boxwoods as seen from the porch. I was using my big girl camera yesterday morning.

Then this guy appeared and I took his picture:

He’s awfully cute. I might let him stay around.

Then, after a discussion about our work spaces in our shared office, I started to think that switching the work tables might give me a bigger space. As it was, I could barely move around inside my work “cubicle.” But I wanted Don’s input – we usually figure these things out together. He has a good eye.

He came upstairs and we put our heads together. Then we used our muscles and switched the positions of the long stainless steel table and the sewing table (where Dove Cottage sits.) It took a while as the stainless steel work table is awkward to move. Oh, how I wish we had ripped the carpet out of this room and gone with wood floors! But now, with so much stuff in that space, it would be impossible to remove.

Anyway, as you all know, once this kind of thing is started, things have to be cleaned and dusted and rearranged, so I ended being up in the office for more than a few hours while thunderstorms raged outside.

The framed print is something I’ve had for a long time, and recently rediscovered. It’s just propped there temporarily while I try to decide where to hang it. It’s very like one my grandmother had hanging in one of her bedrooms and I stared at it a lot when I was a kid.

Sewing/work table here.

Stainless steel table here. (It’s longer than the sewing table, so by putting it here, the cubicle is lengthened and I have more space in which to work.)

And the other side, complete with full trash can.

We both really like this set up. Don remarked that now, when he enters the room, the Beacon Hill isn’t blocking his view, which it was before. I still have some cleaning and organizing to do. We had to rethink where to put Don’s music equipment and all the other STUFF in there, but so far, so good.

Then we ate lunch and I fell asleep for an hour and a half! Very unlike me. Turns out I’m not feeling tip-top – it’s allergy/sinus related – so I’m going to take it easy today.

Thank you for all the loving comments about my sister. She’s in a much better place. I’m very, very proud of her.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Flowers, Imogen & Dove Cottage

Ladybug

Moving Things Around

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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