Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Sleep (Or Lack Thereof) and Books

September 17, 2019 at 10:28 am by Claudia

Tuesday in the Hudson Valley. A sunny day, no rain, temps in the seventies.

I can’t complain.

Oh lord, did I have a weird night last night. It was one of those nights where I wasn’t sure if I was sleeping or not. Have you ever had one of those? It seems like you’re in some in-between state; not sleeping and not awake. I do know that I feel very tired this morning, so I can’t have slept all that much. This happens rarely, thank goodness, but its a surreal experience. I finally gave up and got out of bed at 5:30, which threw off Don’s morning rhythm. He’s usually up before me, but this time I trailed him downstairs.

Funny how we have our daily rhythms. Don is up for at least an hour before me, usually, and by the time I get up, he’s read for an hour, had his coffee, and upon hearing me come downstairs, proceeds to make mine. I have my rhythms as well, and you’ll sometimes hear one of us saying to the other, “You realize you’re throwing my rhythm off, don’t you?”  Or, when the day requires an early trip into Manhattan, for example, we’ll comment that the whole day’s rhythm has been thrown off.

That happens to everyone, but maybe even more so as you get older and have more time on your hands. There was a time when my days were incapable of having a rhythm because my schedule changed so much from day to day and I just went with it.

But now I’m older and, boy, do I love the pattern and structure of my days. So does Don.

I happened to glance up yesterday and saw these little dots of light (from the blinds) all over the den. Sort of magical!

I’ve started a new book, The Woman in the Window  by A. J. Finn. It’s a mystery that I’ve had on my shelf for well over a year. So far it’s quite good and I’m intrigued. I finished The Feral Detective  by Jonathan Lethem this morning. It was one of the books I picked up at Oblong Books last week. Excellent read; very modern, post-2016 election (with references to the shock and unreality of that day), edgy, and surreal. It’s a mystery. I liked it very much. It’s also interesting to see That Man referred to in a work of fiction. But then again, he deals in fiction, so I guess it’s appropriate.

I plan to lay low (not enough sleep) and read.

That’s it. That’s my plan for the day.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: books, Don, reading 28 Comments

Mini Pottery on the Move

September 16, 2019 at 9:48 am by Claudia

The same day that I moved the bulletin board (see yesterday’s post) I took down the little shelf where I displayed my mini pottery. It was too crowded, everything was jammed together. So I moved my little collection to this shelf in our bedroom, which had previously displayed egg cups.

Every piece has a little breathing room now.

And the wall where the bulletin board hangs is much less crowded. The visual clutter had been starting to get on my nerves! I don’t spend much time up in the office at the moment, but that will change once it gets colder. I’ll get back to my rescued dollhouse, which has been patiently waiting for me since Spring arrived.

Next Saturday, I plan to drive to the Hartford area and attend the annual miniature show put on by the IGMA (International Guild of Miniature Artisans.) I’ve found some great pieces there in the past. I’m on a budget this year, so I can only buy a few modestly priced items, but the main objective is to go and be inspired. It’s also the only show relatively close to my home. There’s a huge show every year in Philadelphia, but I believe it’s in November, and I never seem to be able to get there for whatever reason.

This is a more modestly sized show which suits me fine.

Hold onto your hats…this is grocery shopping day! Whoo hoo!

That’s all the excitement on our plate today.

Don had a pretty good day at the Farmers Market, though it was hot out there and yellow jackets kept flying around all the produce, annoying everyone.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: collecting, miniatures, pottery 14 Comments

A Lazy Sunday

September 15, 2019 at 10:27 am by Claudia

The skies were overcast and it rained much of the day yesterday. So I took some pictures up in the office.

Oh, Sir Ian! Thank you for one of the best experiences on our trip last year. I will always remember your performance.

We finished watching The Worricker Trilogy  last night. David Hare, the award-winning playwright, wrote the screenplay and directed it as well and I can’t imagine a smarter, more engrossing series. To watch something that doesn’t dumb down the writing, but, instead, expects the audience to be intelligent and quick and writes with that in mind, is so satisfying. Many of my favorite actors made appearances; Bill Nighy, Helena Bonham-Carter, Rachel Weisz, Michael Gambon, Judy Davis, Christopher Walken, Ralph Fiennes, and more. (I had the privilege of watching Michael Gambon on stage in London about 15 years ago – in Pinter’s The Caretaker – and I was stunned by his performance. In addition, he has a gorgeous voice that is like thick caramel, and voices are everything to me.) Hare has written strong female characters for this series; women who have and are in power, and it’s so refreshing to see.

Obviously, I recommend it highly. It’s on Amazon Prime.

I moved the bulletin board a month or so ago and ‘redid’ it.  It’s a wee bit neater now.

Today, Don is taking portraits at the Farmers Market. I’m washing sheets and doing various chores around the house.

And I’m reading, of course.

During the past couple of days, I’ve started to see the trees begin to change color. It’s just a tinge, a muted color change, but it’s happening. Not that I want to go there yet, but I wonder when we’ll have our first frost? Sometimes it comes in early October, when my morning glories are in full bloom. Fingers crossed that it holds off a big longer this year.

It’s a nicely lazy Sunday and I plan to enjoy it.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: life 12 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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Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

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