Mockingbird Hill Cottage

The David phlox is blooming all over the big garden bed, with more yet to open. Yesterday, I was outside and the breeze activated the intoxicating scent of those flowers.

It is the prettiest time in the gardens.

I worked outside for a while yesterday, pruning the brambles and the elm seedlings that pop up in the garden. I’m allergic to elms – if I touch a leaf, I get a welt on my skin – so I donned a long-sleeved flannel shirt and pruned a lot of it. I also got rid of several other seedlings that have staked a claim in the garden beds. After working there for a bit, Papa and Mama Catbird had had their fill of my proximity to the nest. One of them repeatedly gave the warning call, the other gave a warning cheep, not unlike what I hear from robins.

They were not happy with me. I finally gave up; there was one elm on the other side of the porch railing from the hydrangea where the nest is, and I figured that would be too stressful for the birds.

I checked on Mama this morning. She’s patiently sitting on the nest.

A monarch was dining on the coneflowers and then landed on the burning bush.

We saw the most amazing thing yesterday morning. I happened to be in the kitchen. I looked out the window over the sink and there was a wild turkey (I hadn’t seen one on the property for a long time.) I could see 4 babies with her. I told Don to “get over here quickly!” As we watched her walk through the wild grass in the direction of the Dude in the secret garden, we were amazed as we counted 12 babies! 12 little darlings wending their way through the tall grass and following mom as she walked on the stepping stones that go up to the back forty. It was such a gift to see them! She was rather majestic and the babies were adorable. (They’re called poults.)

I tell you, it’s all in the timing. I just happened to be there at the right time.

Lily, Holly, and Pru in the roombox.

I found the perfect place to get light-filled pictures of the interior of the box. See the green showing through the windows? That’s a wall in our upstairs half bath. I carried an old 50s-era step stool from the studio into the bathroom, then carefully placed the room box on the seat. The morning light was perfect. That half bath is so tiny that I had to sit on the toilet seat to get the photo. But it’s perfect. We have so many things in our house and it’s small, so it’s almost impossible to get a picture of this roombox without something that has nothing to do with the ‘scene’ showing through the windows.

This was the roombox when I first got it. There were stairs going up to a loft, but I never really got into doing anything with it. After starting to collect Blythes, I got the idea to repurpose the box for them, so I removed the stairs and loft. It was marketed as the Lori Loft and I got it for about $40 from Target. It’s basically made of foam board. (In the past, I’ve also been known to  use it as a stash for some of my handbags.)

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.