Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Sunsets and Day Lilies

June 5, 2024 at 8:27 am by Claudia

Yesterday evening’s sunset. I’m not usually outside at that time, but I’m glad I was. I did have to run back inside the house for my phone, though. There is something so magical about a sunset.

It’s been in the mid-eighties the last few days. I guess summer is here (though not officially.) It’s a beautiful morning. I’ve come to the conclusion that my gardens are becoming increasingly wild. Though I try to eliminate the stuff that hasn’t been planted there, i.e., tall weeds that look sort of like the things I’ve planted, but really aren’t, it’s a thankless task. And I have to limit my time out there because of allergies and my hand, which is so much better, but still not quite as strong as it will be eventually. I pruned a lot of overgrown brambles/wild roses yesterday and though I made an effort to use my left hand, sometimes that was next-to-impossible. So, I have to make decisions as to what to be anal about and what to let go.

There’s lots of milkweed again this year. It likes to live in the lower right hand corner of the big garden bed, near the driveway. Occasionally, it pops up elsewhere, but the big garden bed has been its choice for the past few years. I remember when it first appeared in the back forty. I never see it there now. Anyway, the flowers are forming on the milkweed now. And I caught a whiff of scent yesterday, looked up, and realized the catalpa is starting to bloom. First week of June, like clockwork.

These day lilies are always the first of my flowers to bloom. This was taken in the evening, so they look a bit more orange than usual. I happened to be outside yesterday when the guy who works for the county was about to come by and cut down everything near the road. I stopped him and asked him if he could please skip our property, explaining that my crabapple had been cut down a couple of years ago and he said ” I remember that. I did it.” He was very low key, extremely nice, and we had a pleasant encounter which ended with me thanking him for being so nice. I now know when to start looking out for him every spring because the machinery is usually parked down the road from us, so I go on alert.

But that’s another chore to be done, I’ll have to weed whack that area.

Don’s sunburn is still hot and painful but it’s slowly improving.

Okay. I have to vacuum and dust and do some work outside.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden 22 Comments

Monday Thoughts

June 3, 2024 at 8:49 am by Claudia

Another Mucha puzzle in progress. It’s rather difficult but I love the challenge.

Don got sunburned on his arms while playing at the Farmer’s Market yesterday. It’s rather painful and we’re using aloe and he has been ordered by yours truly to take it easy today. I am also taking it easy because I did a little too much mowing. But everything is mowed and it looks lovely out there. I need to weed whack but I’ll hold off on that for a couple of days.

We’ve been rewatching Northern Exposure  which – after years of petitions, etc. – is finally available for streaming on Amazon Prime. Oh my goodness, what a deep and mystical series it was, as well as funny, quirky, and heartwarming. I’m enjoying it even more this time around. It’s special to us because it figures in our story. Almost 30 years ago, on our second date, we went out to dinner for Chinese food and came back to my apartment with plans to watch Northern Exposure. It was a Monday, the theater day off. We sat together on the loveseat and, well, we got a little affectionate and didn’t end up seeing the entire episode. So, whatever episode that was, we promise that we’ll  see it this time around.

Yesterday, I had an intense desire to talk to my parents.  I miss them so much. My mom always had the radio on and she tended to listen to what would be called Easy Listening music – that, and standards from the 40s and 50s. Because of that, I know a lot of those pieces very well. Some of the stuff was what we would call ‘elevator music’ but much of it was lush and beautiful and I have a special fondness for it to this day. In fact, even more so as I get older. I miss the days when an instrumental piece could get play on the top 40 pop radio stations, along with The Beatles and The Beach Boys. That just doesn’t happen anymore. Over the years, I have heard certain pieces that take me right back to my mom and her radio and I’ve added them to my play list. Often, when I take a brief nap in the afternoon, I put in my ear buds and play one favorite on repeat. Lately, it’s been Stranger on the Shore  by Acker Bilk. He solos on the clarinet and is accompanied by an orchestra and it’s just beautiful. Oh, how I wished my parents were here, that we were playing a board game in the early evening (like we used to at their home in Northern Michigan) and the radio was on and I could ask my dad what the name of a certain piece was and he would answer Lisbon Antigua by Nelson Riddle and I would think “They know everything  about that era.”

It’s never easy, is it?

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: life 36 Comments

Wild Roses

June 1, 2024 at 8:39 am by Claudia

Some wild roses for you this morning. These are right next to the big maple tree. They’re all over the property and, as I have stated before, 99% of the time I call them brambles and they’re an annoyance. I constantly have to prune them. I’ve been pricked more times than I can count. But they sort of make up for all of that at this time of year.

I mowed a lot yesterday and was exhausted. Pushing the lawnmower with the missing real wheel drive is a pain in the tush, the grass was long, and I’m out of shape after not mowing for 6 weeks. But I mowed! And that’s a good thing!

I’m not ignoring your comments about pitching in for the cost of maintaining the server, which is due this next week. I’m just not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, it would really help out. On the other hand, I’m not entirely comfortable asking for or accepting help. And even if I accepted it, I’m not sure how to do that. Patreon is lovely, but they encourage you to offer special extras to subscribers and I don’t really have anything more to offer than I already write on my blog posts. I’ve looked into tip jars but I’m not sure about that either. Since I decreased the amount of weekly posts, my ad income is next-to-nothing – partly due to blogging 3 days less a week and also just because ad income for bloggers is not even close to what it used to be. The good old days are over. Anyway, I so appreciate your kindness and generosity and I want you to know that.

You are the best.

I have to take a break from news this weekend. Predictably, the far right is protesting the results of the trial. I guess justice is just fine when it involves someone you like. Otherwise, it’s a “tragedy!” “unfair!” an “abuse of power!” – blah, blah, blah. Insane cult members are upset because their con man got caught. You know, I don’t write nearly as much about him as I used to, partly because trolls crawl out of their underground lairs to comment and I have to block them and partly because I don’t want to give him any air whatsoever. He’s sucked enough energy out of all of us the last nine years.

But I will write about it when I feel compelled to because our democracy is at stake. The stakes can’t get any higher.

Okay, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Filed Under: roses 21 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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The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

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