Mockingbird Hill Cottage — Page 268 — Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Reading, Maeve, and the House

May 19, 2022 at 10:05 am by Claudia

A quick shot of the house as I walked back up the driveway after retrieving the mail.

Yesterday was a low-key day here at the cottage. I had plans to go outside and do a lot of minor chores on the property. But then…I realized that I was tired, my eyes stung, and allergies were making me feel congested and drowsy. So, I didn’t do any of that. I stayed indoors, read, and did laundry – well, actually, Don did the laundry. I helped on the folding end. He was tired from mowing the day before. We just hung out and it was very peaceful.

I’m just about a hundred pages away from the end of Something to Hide by Elizabeth George. I forgot what a great storyteller she is. Not only that, but she weaves an intricate plot beautifully, always character driven and underscored with great empathy and humanity. I may have to pull one of her previous books out of my TBR pile because I’m definitely in an Elizabeth George mood. I’ve read many, many of her books over the years, but drifted away from them recently. I’m back.

I decided I needed a companion yesterday.

Little Maeve stuck by my side.

Sometimes I just have to muss up her hair:

I love her tiny little freckles.

Okay. I’m running a bit late today.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Leaves

May 18, 2022 at 8:47 am by Claudia

The catalpa is leafing out. When it’s finished, these leaves will dwarf the leaves of every other tree on the property, save the other catalpas (at least 5 of them) off in the woods. They’re huge and heart-shaped.

This morning, I stood in the doorway taking this photo, not realizing until I’d finished that there was a bunny right by my car. We’ve seen a bunny on the other side of the window over the kitchen sink, and now we’ve seen this one. They might be one and the same. This is good news. We love bunnies and we’ve missed them. Don’s overenthusiastic efforts to establish new trails in the woods a few years ago led to a lack of cover for them. Those areas are slowly reverting to what they were and now we’re seeing bunnies again. So far this morning – chipmunks, squirrels, and bunnies. Yesterday, I saw the groundhog dining in the corral.

I set up the easel for painting yesterday and I was, once again, disappointed in my efforts. Just as happened the first time I attempted to paint, my work looked childlike and just plain bad. It’s like I’ve lost my mojo. Maybe I was meant to have a one-time spurt, like I did last year, and that’s it. I’ll try once more, but yesterday’s attempt was very depressing.

We’re having two coolish days and then we’re supposed to have two very hot days on the weekend. Just as I suspected, we had very little spring and we’re going to go directly to summer. But boy, is it lovely today!

Currently on page 349 of 687 in Something to Hide by Elizabeth George. I’m loving it.

Other than that, we’re hanging in there. I’m going to water my seeds and the porch plants and soak in the beautiful day.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Wildflowers and Storms

May 17, 2022 at 8:42 am by Claudia

These tiny little wildflowers (fleabane) are popping up all over the place. I usually let wildflowers live wherever they decide to show themselves. I don’t yank them until they’ve gone to seed. Of course, going to seed means that even more of them will pop up next year. I have SO many forget-me-nots, more than ever. They are in the memorial garden bed, in between the cracks of the funky patio pavers, by the birdbath, next to and in all the flower beds. They sort of drive me buggy and all of them are the result of a few seeds that were sent to me several years ago, which I planted in the corner of one bed. If I’d only known!

So on one hand, the messiness of them popping up everywhere drives me crazy. But on the other hand, this will never be a neat and pristine property. We’re too close to the woods and to the wildness of nature. We do not have a suburban lawn. And we do not have neat little garden beds. It’s impossible. It doesn’t suit where we live. I also love a slightly overgrown garden, so there’s that, too.

Right now the funky patio is covered with wildflowers. Same for the birdbath area and the memorial garden. If some wildflower is going to get in the way of something I purposely planted, then I’ll pull it. But only then.

Oh, we had some insane storms over the past two days. One on Sunday and two yesterday. The craziest was late in the day yesterday and I was alone here at the time. Don had run into the neighboring town to get his hair trimmed. While he was gone, the storm rolled- ‘roared’ would be a better word – in. The rain was coming in EVERY window in the house. When the storm hit, I heard a big bang and I wondered if a transformer had been hit. The winds were frighteningly strong, and the thunder and lightning was nonstop. We briefly lost power again, but it came back on almost immediately. The sump pump was on overdrive. I could hear the sirens of emergency vehicles.

Needless to say I was nervous, but all is well. Our trees are intact. The house is safe. I don’t think we had any hail, but I know neighboring communities did. It’s much cooler today and the oppressive humidity has left. The front lawn needs mowing but it’s still too wet, so we’ll wait until tomorrow.

I made a shelf for the interior of the mini fridge. As I said on IG, the egg nog is past its expiration date, and the leftovers in that container are probably funky. Time for a shopping trip.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Reading, Maeve, and the House

Leaves

Wildflowers and Storms

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Archives