Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Pondering

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Most of the trees are bare now, but some of our young oaks are hanging on to their gorgeous leaves. That may change tonight – we’re going down to 28 degrees. The same for Sunday. The porch plants will make another trip inside the house. Sigh. I know I could let them go at this point, as far as the forecast goes from Monday until November 16, the nighttime temps will be in the forties. So I can have flowers until at least mid-November.

You know me. I can’t let them go if there’s a chance to save them. But I do go a bit crazy with all the plants everywhere.

Don, per usual, is always game to help me transport them.

My lord, these days are dragging by as we head to November 5th. Our goal here at the cottage is to find things to keep us busy and to talk each other down when necessary. So far, so good. We also decided to watch favorite movies for the next few evenings. Last night was Hannah and Her Sisters. We’ve yet to decide on tonight but the theme is ‘comfort.’

I’ve started We Solve Murders, by Richard Osman, and I’m really enjoying it.

A corner of the studio/office/whatever just after I straightened everything up. It’s a wee bit more cluttered now, but only a wee bit. Don has yet to clear off his desk. Ahem! I might take a stab at it today – make some piles of things and dust off the surface.

Maybe I should just call it the studio now? I’m not really doing any coaching prep there. I’m not really doing any coaching at all. Maybe I can just embrace “Studio.” Or maybe it’s just a “Glorified Cubby.” I will ponder that over this weekend while I eat some of Don’s apple pie.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Playing with the Lake House

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Wednesday night’s sunset.

And this is not an exaggeration. We stood outside for the longest time. It was glorious.

I’ve been reading a lot – just finished an Orphan X novel this morning. I’ll start We Solve Murders  by Richard Osman later today. And I’ve been adding some bits to the Lake House, my vintage Cape Cod-style dollhouse.

Yesterday, I spent some time painting an unfinished sink/cupboard unit. I decided to go for a pale shade of yellow because the house is so dark inside. I stained the counter. What I have chosen to call the ‘kitchen’ is so darned small that this is the only thing that will work. It’s the same unit I have in Dove Cottage as the kitchen island. I tested it in the Lake House and when it fit perfectly, I adored another one. It’s been sitting there, woefully unfinished, for over a year.

There it is, next to the massive door hinges. Bless the maker of this sturdy house! I will never change them out.

Anyway, I think it looks pretty good.

You remember that my goal is to make changes that are not permanent. No gluing, no hammering, no painting. This is such a beautiful creation and I am honored to be the new owner. Someone made this with love. It’s solid as a rock. Therefore, my vow has been to leave it intact. The wallpaper in the living room was added to make it less like a black hole. It’s attached with the same tacky stuff I use to secure dollhouse paintings. I could pull it down in a second. I think I’m going to redo it at some point, just to make it neater.

Here’s a peek at the bed I managed to get through the bedroom doorway. I don’t have any covers or quilts for it yet. But it’s finally there!

I added this painting – a miniature Wallace Nutting – given to me by Barbara, I think. I’m going to try another rug here today.

A new painting and chair addition to the kitchen. The paintings and this chair are from my stash.  Actually, so is everything, except for the sink/cupboards.

I want to get a small narrow table with sides that can be raised to make the table bigger. I think it would work well in the kitchen. I spent some time on eBay yesterday searching for one. Nothing yet.

All this has been fun; cleaning the house, rearranging and adding some items, sprucing it up. It’s all cosmetic. It’s a real challenge. At the same time, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Beacon Hill and checking into what elements might have to replaced or adjusted. I have an unused kit from the days when I was thinking about building it myself. I was going to sell it on Craig’s List, but I now know I’m going to have to use some windows and a door and parts of the base.

Okay. Dollhouse(s) update.

Usually time goes by so quickly for us but, I swear, these days heading up to Tuesday are dragging by at an impossibly slow pace. Hang in there, everyone.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Voting, Fog, Books, and Dollhouses

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A foggy morning with a view of the burning bush and a splash of light from the porch light.

It’s supposed to be 75° today and 80° tomorrow. What???  I swear, the weather has been all over the place lately. We did have a light rain for about an hour yesterday but it’s not nearly enough considering how low the rivers are. It is dry, dry, dry here. Hopefully, we’ll see some rain on Monday and Tuesday.

We voted on Monday. There was a line but not a long one and things moved very smoothly. We had a nice conversation with a couple standing behind us – lovely people. It felt so good knowing we’d voted and that our votes have registered. Now, we wait. (Hey, I had no makeup on, but I did wear red lipstick in honor of Kamala.) Her speech last night from the Ellipse was powerful, a well-planned and perfect response to Trump’s January 6th horror show.

Now, we wait.

I had to block another Trumper after Monday’s post. I wouldn’t have them in my home and won’t have them here.  I long for the days that all of us remember, when you could agree to disagree and didn’t have to worry about the other party trying to dismantle our democracy. But there’s no agree to disagree this time (frankly, there wasn’t in 2020, either.)

The washing machine has been repaired. Hallelujah! I still watch it like a hawk; I can’t quite relax yet.

Something wonderful arrived in yesterday’s mail:

What a gorgeous cover!

As is my wont, I will delay reading it. A new book comes every two years now, so I don’t want to quickly breeze through it. I also don’t want to start it with the election niggling away on the edges of my thoughts. It deserves better. But I fully realize some of you might want to read it right away because  of the election – it can take you away to another world.

Anyway, that being said, I have two books from the library to finish and the new Richard Osman, We Solve Murders, is waiting for me to pick up. The Osman will have to be read within 10 days, while the other two books can be renewed. Do you find yourself juggling books that you’ve had on hold? I sure do! And now we add The Grey Wolf  to the mix.

These are quality problems.

I cleaned out the vintage Cape Cod style dollhouse the other day. It had – as dollhouses do – become very dusty. Don remarked that I need to get some lamps because it’s so dark in there. He’s right, so that’s on my list. I managed to move a single “wrought iron” bed into the small bedroom that’s only accessible via the interior doorway. I’ve wondered whether I could do that for about 3 years and I finally took some action. I’m painting a little sink/counter unit – just like the one in Dove Cottage – for the other small room. Still need to fill the shelves on either side of the fireplace but it’s getting there. I’ll take some pictures soon.

Forgot to mention! Ten bluebirds here yesterday,  at least three more today. I guess MHC has passed their test!

Okay.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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