Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Around the Property

June 2, 2022 at 9:27 am by Claudia

A big, fat bumblebee obligingly stopped long enough for me to get several pictures.

I love bumblebees.

We mowed a heck of a lot yesterday. Not that this is a contest, but I mowed more than Don. That’s only because I started out mowing the corral – without telling him I’d started – and then moved on to the front lawn. Then he joined me and we tag teamed the rest of the lawn and the Secret Garden. We still have to do the back forty but that was enough for the day. Good exercise, satisfying, and a lot of work!

We had lots of rain and thunderstorms later in the day, so we got it done just in time. More rain today and maybe a bit more rain tomorrow.

Came inside, showered, checked for ticks, had some lunch and worked a bit on the puzzle.

Then, a nap in my chair.

I finally did something I’d been thinking about for a long time. I moved the old piece of picket fence from its former position leaning against the shed to the area right outside the kitchen door. We used to have a short section of chicken wire fence there, but we took it down. So there was nothing coming out from the side of the house and connecting to our old gate. It bugged me.

I leaned it up against the fence posts that supported the gate and ran the idea by Don. He loved it.

When I realized it was going to rain and storm, I attached it to the posts with wire.

I’m pleased with the result. Now, the connection of fence to house to gate looks intentional. We have a proper enclosure outside the kitchen door. Such a simple thing and an idea I’ve had for a while. I’m glad it’s done.

I’d love nothing more than to have a picket fence along the edge of the corral so that the memorial garden and chicken wire fence garden backed up to the pickets. But fencing is expensive. This little section is chippy and weathered, as is the gate (which we found on the property,) as is the door frame, which needs to be repainted. I think it suits the look of our place. But I do have to repaint that door frame sometime soon.

I’m enjoying Elizabeth George’s The Punishment She Deserves. I read a big chunk of it this morning. I’m also reading Quiet  (the book about Introverts.)

And we’re watching the new season of Stranger Things, after having finished The Bridge  (our second time watching that series, which is one of the finest I’ve ever seen.)

Okay. Time to go.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Filed Under: bees, books, reading 28 Comments

Wild Roses

June 1, 2022 at 8:53 am by Claudia

Blazing hot yesterday, over twenty degrees cooler today.

I snapped this quickly this morning. It’s my favorite time of year in the Secret Garden; lots of wildflowers everywhere and off in the background, you can see the wild roses beginning to bloom. It needs to be mowed, but my goodness, it’s magical.

We’re going to attempt some mowing today, but it might rain this morning with storms in the afternoon. I’m definitely going to head out to weed after I write this post.

Today would have been my parents’ 76th wedding anniversary. They lived to celebrate 66 years together before my mom passed away. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.

Since it was so hot and humid yesterday, except for watering all of the plants, I stayed inside. I started a jigsaw puzzle, but I was very careful. I worked for 15 minutes at a time, then I’d get up and do something else. Just a little bit of work here and there. I’m very conscious of my back and I immediately correct if I find I’m leaning too far forward.

I couldn’t do any work on the dollhouse as there is no air conditioner in our office. We used to have one, but it died, and we haven’t felt the need to replace it.

I had a little job offer yesterday. My former colleague from Hartford Stage is the new Artistic Director of the Geva Theater Center in Rochester, NY. Or will be soon. She was Darko’s Associate Artistic Director for several years. You might remember that my last coaching job right before lockdown was on her production of Jane Eyre. She is remounting that production (which closed early due to COVID) as her opening production in the new season. So I’ll be doing the dialect coaching. Much of it will be done via Zoom, but I’ll work at least two days in Rochester, presumably for a run-through and a preview. Anyway, it’s a modest amount of money, but we can sure use it. And it’s a job! It will start sometime in August.

Now we need to get Don an acting job. It’s been close to three years since he’s had any work. He needs to act. He needs to know he is still viable at this age. His confidence could use a boost. Cross your fingers for him.

Okay, my friends. I have some work to do outside.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: coaching, secret garden, wildflowers 21 Comments

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.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, dollhouse, Dove Cottage, flowers, Imogen, miniatures 29 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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The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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