Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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A Beautiful Sunday

May 2, 2022 at 9:08 am by Claudia

Yesterday was a beautiful day; sunny and in the mid-sixties.

We were busy.

First time using the potting area in the shed! Note: I potted some urns by the porch as I didn’t want to carry them all the way to the shed. But everything else? In the shed. I’m starting to look at everything on the porch that I’ve stashed there out of necessity in the past; broken bits of pots for potting, tools, a big rubbermaid tote that I kept under the picnic table and I’m realizing that all of it can go in the shed!

We also mowed the corral and the back forty in the middle of my ongoing potting of plants.

We also saw a huge hawk in one of our maple trees – right by the corral. I ran inside the house to get my telephoto lens. This guy wasn’t budging, even though we tried to shoo him away. They’re around here more often lately because of the chickens next door. – I’ve often chased them off. In the middle of all of this, I realized I hadn’t heard the rooster next door for a long time. I wonder if he was taken by a hawk? I’m afraid to ask. This is one of the reasons I won’t keep chickens. Too many predators. Too much heartbreak.

Hawk flying away. Finally. Since he was in silhouette, I can’t be sure, but I think he’s a Northern Goshawk. They have that white eyebrow marking. His wing span was massive.

Side note, we’ve also seen a Bald Eagle recently, hanging out near the river.

After we finished our chores, I took a shower and then we traveled several hundred feet down our road, made a left turn, and visited the Taco Truck. We recently learned that about its existence and that it would be parked by the Old Grist Mill across the road on a daily basis. We were thinking that we’d buy something to help them out because surely not that many people would know of their location. We were wrong. There was a long line of people ordering and while we were in line, a group of bikers roared up the road and also got in line.

Delicious food which we ate while sitting on one of the decks right outside the Mill – one that not many people know about. We know because we live across the road and sometimes walk around the grounds.

This was our view:

Water flowing under the now unused mill and the river. If you walked out of the upper right corner of the photo and crossed the road diagonally, you would arrive at our cottage.

Also yesterday:

Our first groundhog sighting. This guy seems to be living in the tunnels under the big maple. Or maybe he was just hanging out there, which often happens. He’s on the smallish side, but I’m betting he’s the one who ate the tulip and is nibbling on some hosta leaves.

It was so beautiful that I wandered around the property and took some photos with both of my big girl cameras.

A baby crabapple right by the maple on the far side of the porch, near our property line.

Working outside, potting, feeling the warmth of the sun, doing a bit of mowing – that’s my happy place. I felt my shoulders drop for the first time in a long time. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time.

We will be taking it easy today as it’s raining.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: animals, birds, flowers, garden, groundhogs 31 Comments

May

May 1, 2022 at 8:53 am by Claudia

It’s May. Finally.

We had some light frost last night, but we’re in the clear from here on in. It’s another lovely sunny day – tomorrow will bring rain – so I’m going to take advantage of it and do some potting. I need to see some flowers on my porch!

I managed to clean out the remaining garden beds yesterday, so that’s done. Such a relief to have completed that task – there’s much more to do around here, of course, including another round of mowing. This time, it will be all of the property, including the back forty. But we’ll do that in stages this week.

Betsy, I’m going to take your advice and wait and see if the Annabelle hydrangea comes back. I so hope it does. That section of the garden, which is the area on the far side of the porch, has the hydrangea, a big, overgrown spirea, and a rose bush that has been driving me crazy for years. The spirea has started leafing out, but there’s a whole section of it that’s damaged from the same snowfall that damaged the hydrangea. If I was Monty Don, I’d probably take it all out and start again, but I’m on a budget and I can’t quite give up on things at this point, even though it doesn’t look very attractive over there.

Hostas are coming out of the ground, as are day lilies, peonies, Solomon’s Seal, sedum, and clematis. The lilacs are in bud. I’ll take a picture of them today.

So today will be the day that I try out my little potting area in the shed. I’m anxious to see how it goes – will it be easier than working on the porch? Or just different? I’ll let you know.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: flowers, garden, gardening 18 Comments

Wind and Blooms

April 30, 2022 at 9:13 am by Claudia

Yesterday, eager to get outside and get some work done, I ventured out – tools in hand – after running an errand. But the wind CAME BACK (for the 3rd day in a row.) So there wasn’t much I could do but snip a few stalks left over from last year and prune a lot of the brambles, which resulted in several encounters with thorns.

After cleaning up (and giving up,) I came in the house and cleaned all my tiny wounds, took a shower, put a topical antibiotic on two of the nastier wounds, and stayed in the rest of the day. The wind is hard on my allergies so I end up feeling very, very tired and stuffed up – even though I was wearing sunglasses and a mask.

We have one more night of lows in the thirties and then I think we’ll have turned a corner.

I took these photos with very strong winds whipping the branches back and forth. I wanted to show you my favorite crabapple blossoms. They’re on a tree down by the road.

I love the deep rose and pale pinks.

Of course, I had to hack my way through brambles to get these pictures.

We visited our local nursery and purchased some plants and potting soil, but I had to stash them in the living room because of the winds. They’ll stay inside until tomorrow and then I’ll start potting. Today, I’m going to clear out more of the beds. So far, it looks relatively wind-free out there. I’m on a very strict budget this year so I’m cutting back on the amount of flowers I buy. I’ll try to make it look lush around here with less.

I think my big Annabelle hydrangea has died. At least, the bulk of it. Last year, we had a big freeze/snow event that really did a number on it. It did bloom, but not nearly as much as it usually does. I’m waiting to see if it’s just late in developing leaves, but a couple of offshoots of the main plant are already leafing out, as is the limelight hydrangea. So I may have to get in there and dig it up. Makes me very sad.

Okay. I finished the Michael Connelly yesterday and started the new Susan Hill – but it’s taking me a while to adjust to her very different style, most likely because my attention is scattered.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: flowers 10 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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