Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Yesterday, we picked out our tree and the whole process was quick and easy. Instead of having to go to a couple of tree lots, we found ours at our favorite local nursery. The whole trip probably took 45 minutes. It’s up and the branches are settling and we’ll add lights today. Then we’ll enjoy the lights for a day and we’ll decorate tomorrow or Sunday.

Side note: Trees are incredibly expensive. Insanely expensive. This one was slightly over $100.

Yes, you’ll say ‘get an artificial tree!” But we have no room to store one and Don has absolutely nixed that idea. We had a chat about it the other day and he will not budge. A real tree means everything to him. I get it. I feel the same way. But hell’s bells, they’re expensive!

I’ve sold two more items from the Etsy shop and the second item will go out in the mail today.

Okay. Photos of the wallpapered cubbies. These are not the best pictures as shooting the interior of these spaces is like shooting a picture in a cave. I’ve tried and tried.

I used scrapbook paper that comes in a large size and pieced it together to fit the cubby. And it’s only on the back wall except for the cubby that has the bed.

Top shelf.

This was already in place – second shelf.

Third shelf.

Fourth shelf.

Fifth shelf.

Bottom shelf – which is truly the darkest and taking a picture involves lying down on the floor.

And then having to get up again.

This is blurry, but it gives you a sense of the whole thing.

I’ll try to get better pictures at some other time.

That pillow is there in case a doll falls. And that has happened. Basket of throws to the left. A very, very big McCoy vase on the right which I’m considering selling, but it’s very heavy and would cost a lot to ship.

A glimpse of the tree on the right.

The den is a notoriously hard place to get a good picture. Windows on three sides, but darkish.

Okay. I’ve messed with this enough.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

After heavy rain all day yesterday, a little bit of sun is most welcome. Both of us were running errands yesterday and it was a soggy mess. But I have to mail another Etsy purchase today, so I had to get supplies. It was one week ago that I first went to Target and found some neat little Christmas things while I was picking up packing supplies.They were gone as of yesterday. Most of the Christmas lights are gone, as well. The little sweaters? Gone. The sweet little deer? Gone. I saw one little parka ornament, but since Kathy sent me some from her Target, I didn’t need to buy it. (Well, to be frank, I don’t need to buy any of those ornaments, but they’re cute and they’re cheap!) I was amazed, as always, that by December 3rd, most everything has been picked over.

Came home, packed the vase I’m sending out today, and then I read for quite a while. Don made an apple pie. We watched 42nd Street  last night.

Today, I’m off to the Post Office, then the yearly clean up of the porch begins. Time to dump out the contents of the pots, and begin to move them all into the shed for the winter. The shed needs sweeping, the snow blower and lawnmower need to exchange places and I need to find the bin that holds the bedroom a/c unit. The cushions on the chairs and the glider also have to be brough inside.

This will be accomplished over the course of a few days. Don will help with the heavy stuff. When I’m done, I’ll hang the Christmas lights from the porch railings. I can’t wait – those lights are such a cheery sight out here on a road with no street lights. That’s why I leave them up for a couple of months beyond Christmas. They’re a little beacon of light to those passing by.

We’re going to get our tree on Wednesday or Thursday.

I decorated the girls’ cubbies by adding some cheery scrapbook paper to the rear wall in each cubby. They’re all different and I’ll show you some time this week, but today I decided to treat those of you who might be less than entranced by the girls a day off.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.