Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Hollyhocks and Baby Robins

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Only a few more hollyhock buds to open before we say goodbye for this season. Since hollyhocks are biannual, this one should come back next year.

I’m almost done with my painting – a few more tweaks, then deciding on the background color. It will be done today. I had a nice session at the easel yesterday afternoon.

Today is a gorgeous day! It’s a sunny, coolish morning with flowers blooming everywhere. Don is going to go out and mow the corral area while I’m using his laptop to write my post. I may do some weed whacking or not. We’ll see! Certainly some weed pulling  is in order.

Update on mama robin: We’ve been pretty sure she’s been feeding babies for a few days now. Yesterday afternoon, I happened to be in the bathroom and took a peek at the nest. Perfect timing, as I saw her feeding and I saw open mouths/beaks. It all happened quickly, so I didn’t have time to count them, but there are a least two babies in that nest.

She works so hard. I have not seen or heard papa at all, so she’s doing all of this on her own. In order to test this theory (and I’ve done this a couple of times) I walked outside under the tree where the nest is. Within seconds I heard warning cheeps, but only from one bird who was up in the trees watching my every move. I slowly made my way back to the house and the robin moved from branch to branch making sure I was gone. I turned the corner, but I took a peek in that direction. Still on alert. After quietly going back in the kitchen and walking directly to the window, I saw the bird on another branch, still  on alert. Eventually, it flew to the nest and that’s how I know it was mama. Just to make sure, I tracked her movements as she flew to the ground to get worms for the babies. It’s always mama. I don’t know where papa is, whether something happened to him, whether he’s watching but wants nothing to do with feeding. But imagine how exhausting is for mama to do EVERYTHING. And she is.

I alternate between watching everything and then worrying about everything and then thinking I shouldn’t watch because I worry about everything. It’s always this way with me.

But I’m glad to have the opportunity to watch these little miracles up close.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

Laptop & Robins

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Fortunately, I edited some photos and uploaded them to the blog ahead of time, knowing I might not have access to my photo editing software. And I don’t, because my laptop has been sent in for repair.

First time, by the way, I’ve been in a mall since before lockdown. I don’t like malls – the atmosphere and lighting always makes me feel bleary – so I usually avoid them. Anyway, Charlie, the tech who waited on me, was very helpful. He ran a few tests to eliminate reasons why the “t” key might not be working. Everything checked out as okay. When he looked up the cost of replacing the keyboard it was almost $500. Ummm…no. So we got into a discussion as to whether I should buy a separate keyboard, which seemed like a solution, albeit an awkward one as a laptop is supposed to sit on your lap, that’s why the keyboard is built in. But I was willing to go for it. Then he asked if he could run one more test and he disappeared with it for a while. Turns out the battery and the keyboard are considered one piece and my battery is swelling, which means it should be replaced. And if the battery needs replacing, in addition to the keyboard, I can get that done for half the price. When repairs involve the battery, they send the computer in via ground shipping. So it will take a few days to get there, then – hopefully – they’ll replace the battery/keyboard, and then they’ll ship it back directly to me via air.

I miss my laptop. As you know, I tend to give human qualities to inanimate objects, so I’m absolutely sure it misses me, too. Sob.

Hopefully, I’ll get it back toward the end of next week. If Don didn’t have a laptop, I’d be up a creek.

All that took a big chunk of time, so I didn’t get to my easel yesterday and that makes two days in a row. Today, I am painting.

Pretty sure Mama has some babies in that nest because I see her thrusting her beak down into the nest and I think I saw some food.. We’re going to try to keep an eye on the nest today. Still haven’t seen Papa, but, I admit, I haven’t been watching for any stretch of time.

It’s sunny right now, but we’re due to have storms in the afternoon.

Okay. Have to go!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Flowers, Books, Laptop

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I’ve never seen so many flowers on this particular day lily open at the same time. I happened to walk around the side of the house to this garden bed and what a sight to behold! If only day lilies weren’t day lilies, if you know what I mean. Shouldn’t these beauties be allowed to bloom for a week? Or longer?

Today promises to be sunny and hot, but where will I be? Driving over an hour to the Apple Store to finally take my laptop in. Reminder: the ‘t’ key isn’t working. All this time, I’ve been delaying appointments, either because of the weather or because of my shoulder/neck problems which made me uncomfortable driving. Or because I just wasn’t in the mood. I downloaded photos for the blog via my laptop and then wrote the posts on Don’s laptop. This morning, I downloaded several photos to the blog so I’ll have some available for future posts should I have to leave the laptop for repair – which seems likely. I forget how much I rely on my little computer.

Anyway, this will take up much of the day.

What else is new? I’ve been reading a book on Monet, which I’m enjoying. I’m reading an Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway mystery. We are watching the Swedish version of Wallander and, let me tell you, it is stunningly good. Far better, in my opinion, than the Branagh version. I really like Kenneth Branagh, but Krister Henriksson, who plays Wallander in the Swedish version is brilliant, beyond brilliant – as is the rest of the cast. Henriksson is Wallander. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

We’ve been watching so much Nordic Noir that I now want to visit Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. If only…

I’m not hearing quite as much birdsong in the morning, which always makes me sad. I know it happens every year, but oh, how I miss it. There’s still birdsong, but not nearly enough. I did hear a wren this morning, but it’s now clear that our ‘tenants’ aren’t going to have another brood in our little birdhouse. Mama robin, on the other hand, is still on the nest. I watched her yesterday and I think she was feeding at least one baby, but I can’t swear to it.

Okay. Have to go and start getting ready for the trek.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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