Mockingbird Hill Cottage — Page 378 — Mockingbird Hill Cottage

The First Attempt

May 12, 2021 at 9:45 am by Claudia

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to jump in and give oil painting a try. I printed out several photos from my photo library – landscapes I thought might work – set up my little studio on the kitchen table, and jumped in.

It ain’t easy and I have much to learn.

But I’m fairly pleased with the result, considering that I have never painted in this form. Furniture for the dollhouse? Yes. Furniture for my real house? Yes. But that’s it.

I’m forcing myself share this process as I explore this entirely new world. I posted this on IG as well.

This is a scene in the English countryside, from a photo taken when Don and I were on the train heading to Edinburgh.

Don, who is my biggest supporter, was raving about it. I think he had no idea what I might or might not come up with! He thinks I can do anything, God bless him.

I didn’t know it, but he was sneaking around taking photos of me while I was painting.

I am aware that my palette is messy. Other painters seem to be much more organized than I was this first time out! I changed some elements of the photo, and not necessarily on purpose. I was simply allowing myself to be and discover.

The studio annex – in the kitchen. The kitchen gets the best light in the house. Our studio upstairs doesn’t really get any good light until late in the afternoon. Luckily, Don loves seeing creative works-in-progress in the kitchen. I don’t know if you remember, but my very first dollhouse rehab took place entirely in this kitchen.

I stashed some of my supplies in the old soda crate. If this new endeavor sticks, I’ll buy a tabletop easel, but for now, this little box/easel seems to work fine.

And, at the end of the day as we were doing the dinner dishes, who should appear but Alan, our UPS driver, with a big box containing my dad’s paintbox! It’s musty smelling and one of the compartments has a bottle of linseed oil that leaked decades ago and is now a permanent part of the box. I’m thrilled it’s here. I’ll take some photos of it today. It was too dark last night.

Okay. I have to add some top soil, sow some seeds, water the indoor plants, and do some weeding. That involves going to the shed, which is right next to the robin’s nest, and the protective dad keeps yelling at us and chases us all the way back to the house.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Introverts, Unite!

May 11, 2021 at 9:43 am by Claudia

The hanging plants that I get every year – scaevola. I love the flowers, but even more importantly, they last from spring to the first frost. So I don’t have to invest in more flowers if spring blossoms die out.

Today is sunny. Thank goodness. Yesterday was very cloudy and gray and rather depressing. Both Don and I ran errands – he in the morning, me in the afternoon. I found it all exhausting. I went to another nursery south of us where I get my mulch. I also dropped into Barnes & Noble to buy a couple of magazines (it was deserted) and then quickly into Michael’s to grab a couple of items. All three stores are within a hundred feet of each other. Just down the street is Target and a new BJs (our Costco equivalent) which just opened this year. I plan on joining BJs but I didn’t have it in me to do it yesterday. Anyway, that was the first time I visited that area in over a year!

Don’s errand involved this:

He got his first haircut that didn’t require my services, thank heavens. His hair was really long and he looks so much lighter (and younger) this way. Whoo hoo! His stylist’s salon (she owns it) requires masks, they take your temperature before you come in – they have a good protocol in place.

Right after I finish this, we have to tape two auditions. Then I’ll go outside and start sowing seeds.

Thanks so much for your comments on yesterday’s post! I read many of them to Don. He is becoming more comfortable with the knowledge that he is much more of an introvert than we thought. We are both in the theater. We have spent our lives surrounded by lots of people, lots of activity, with people who are ‘on’ much of the time. We have been those people who are ‘on,’ as we’re both performers at heart. Every day and night involved rehearsals and performances and audiences and crew members and required so much energy and so much social interaction – constantly. And we’ve been doing it for over 50 years. Yes, it’s wonderful and stimulating and we both dealt with it much more easily when we were younger and full of piss and vinegar. Both of us are known for being funny. And we are. We’re also witty. So we can juggle that kind of repartee with the best of them. But being on all the time takes its toll.

Now? Quiet. Peace. Working on our terms. We talked about it again this morning. Where do we draw the line going forward?

For those of you who are introverts: There is nothing ‘wrong’ with you. You don’t have to apologize for anything. If someone else doesn’t get it, that’s his/her problem, not yours. You set your boundaries and if those boundaries are scoffed at…don’t let yourself feel one iota of guilt. I say this to myself as much as to you.

If you haven’t read all the comments, I urge you to.

I’m so happy you’re here.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

On Being an Introvert

May 10, 2021 at 10:44 am by Claudia

The Secret Garden, which is very soggy this morning as we had rain all night long. It’s stopped now, but it’s gloomy outside, save for a brief glimpse of sun earlier this morning. And it’s cold. Once we get through the next 3 or 4 days, I think the temperatures should be back to normal.

I’m currently soaking my morning glory and moonflower seeds before I sow them tomorrow or the next day. I’m late this year. It’s either been too cold or too rainy. Or I forget to soak them, even though I wrote it down in my planner for three days in a row.

Some thoughts on being an introvert:

I don’t know why it took me so long to get there, but it’s really only relatively recently that I have accepted that I am an introvert. In the past, I’ve said things like, “I need a lot of alone time.” Or, “I’m a bit of a loner.” Or what’s on the sidebar of this blog, “I am a solitary person who is chatty.” All true. But, perhaps because I work in a very social atmosphere when I’m coaching, and I’m perfectly capable of dealing with a lot of people, either in the classroom or in a rehearsal room – even at a party – I never quite realized that I’m a true introvert. All those things: teaching, coaching, doing the rounds at a party, leave me feeling exhausted. I cannot wait to get back to my cottage, or my hotel room, or my temporary apartment. Quiet. Peace.

I think I’ve become even more of an introvert in recent years. Don and I have had countless conversations about lockdown and the lessons we’ve learned and what we want to keep in our daily lives going forward. Now, Don is more of an extrovert, but even he wants more quiet, more peace, less ‘people.’ I certainly do. What’s that saying? The best word is ‘cancelled.’ That means I don’t have to go out, don’t have to use my energy to be charming, don’t have to talk, talk, talk. It’s a strange thing. I can do it, and it can be extremely satisfying, and I love my friends and colleagues and students. Nevertheless, it is often exhausting. I suspect – in fact, I know – there are many introverts in the theater. Many actors are introverts at heart.

So we are faced with the world beginning to open up again. How do I navigate it? One thing that growing older has brought – at least for me – is an acceptance of who I am. Not only an acceptance, but a refusal to feel guilty about being an introvert. There’s nothing wrong with it. Friends who are very social have made me feel guilty for wanting to stay home. I’ve allowed that. I’ve always felt I had to apologize for it. And frankly, that pisses me off. Why should I be made to feel ‘less than’ because I don’t want to be out and about all the time? The short answer: I shouldn’t, and my reaction is entirely up to me. So I will move forward being kind but firm about my need for solitude, yet not being entirely unsocial, if that makes sense. No more guilt.

I’m 68 years old and I’ve finally accepted who I am.

I’m very grateful that Don has always understood that about me. He’s never pushed me. Indeed, he’s becoming a mix of extrovert/introvert, if there’s such a thing.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Introvert or extrovert?

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

The First Attempt

Introverts, Unite!

On Being an Introvert

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Archives