Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Stronger

September 9, 2018 at 9:58 am by Claudia

Yesterday, I was putting on my shoes to go outside and retrieve the mail when I saw this:

I ran for my camera. This little one was so sleepy that I was able to step outside and take photographs without disturbing him.

When I purposely made a little noise, I got this:

I remained there for quite a while and then I quietly went back inside. Let him sleep. The mail could come later (it was only a bill anyway.)

Sweet little goldfinch. It’s sort of puffed up. I often see the mourning doves like that, especially when they’re resting.

I’m hanging in there. Thank you for your support. It was an awful day yesterday. Simply awful. But I feel stronger today and I’m slowly putting things in perspective. It’s a lesson I’d rather not have to learn, but learn it I have. It’s not as dire as “Don’t trust anybody” – I’d hate to go through life that way. It’s not my nature.

But “Be wary!” works for me.

I am really, really good at what I do. This I know. This I’ve heard from hundreds and hundreds of people throughout my career. Not only do I have the mastery of my skills, I am compassionate and kind. There’s no better combination. And if this sounds like I’m tooting my horn, I’m not. I’m just calling it as it is. So I’m damned if I’m going to let this crap affect my confidence or my absolute knowledge that I am an excellent coach. As Don, who has been coached by me several times in the past, says, “It’s their loss.” And I can guarantee they’ll feel that loss.

They’re not bad guys. Not at all. They behaved badly.

I’ve definitely learned that I’m expendable. But let’s put this in perspective; I know this has happened to many, many people in all sorts of professions. I’m not special.

Yes, it hurt me deeply. But I am strong.

It’s 63 today – 30 degrees less than it was a couple of days ago. My head is spinning. I did mow yesterday and that helped. I used it to sweat out all my anger. To curse out loud because no one could hear me over the sound of the lawnmower. To concoct emails in my head in which I told them off. That kind of thing. And the good thing is that I got all of that out and now I’m not going to communicate with them at all. That would just be to make me feel better. To teach a lesson. I used to feel the need to do that when I was younger. However, the older I get, the less I am inclined to do that because it’s all about ego. It’s all about feeding my ego when I’m feeling fragile or wronged.

And the lawn looks great, which is a bonus. I also did a bunch of other chores.  And then, having not slept a whole lot the night before, I collapsed. We watched Die Hard  last night, which I haven’t seen in many years, and it was the perfect antidote to my sorrow. You can’t help but be completely engrossed and it’s such a good film!

Today I might mow again or I might just read. And heal.

Thank you, my friends. Your support meant everything to me yesterday. Bless you.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: birds, flowers, garden, life, theater 42 Comments

A Blip

September 8, 2018 at 9:51 am by Claudia

Friends.

I’m in a tough place today so this will be brief. I don’t want to go into details, but I’ve had a 1-2 punch in the past 24 hours in terms of my professional work. I’m feeling a great deal of anger, even some rage, but most of all, sadness and disappointment in those I trusted.

We always think we matter more than we do – at least, in the freelance world of the arts. But we’re really just a blip on the radar. Expendable? Most definitely. I say ‘we’ because Don has run up against this as well.

That’s really all I can say for now. And probably all I will say.

But I’m reeling from it at the moment, so I find it impossible to be chatty. I know you understand.

I’m going to throw myself into mowing the lawn. It will be good to have something physical to do.

More tomorrow.

 

Filed Under: life 78 Comments

Cool!

September 7, 2018 at 10:11 am by Claudia

It’s raining today and the temperature is almost 20 degrees lower than yesterday. Huzzah!

We were so over the heat and humidity of the past 4 or 5 days. Don couldn’t do much photography work, I had to stay in due to allergies – although I obviously went out to water all the plants – so I’m blessing the rain this morning.

I haven’t done anything more on the dollhouse, but I did buy a couple of pieces of mini furniture. I am very picky about chairs and sofas because so many of the ones I see out there are awkward and wrong. The cushions are too big, the pleats at the bottom are way too wide, the pattern on the fabric is too large. They don’t look real. What I find lacking in some dollhouses I see is attention to scale. It’s impossible to get everything exactly to scale, but I really do my best to make everything look real and to have nothing that’s ‘off.’

I’ve had a couple of modern sofas handmade by artisans and I really love them. One of them is in Don’s Studio. The other is in the modern dollhouse that I purchased last year (and have yet to decorate.)

I found one manufacturer that I liked when I was redoing Hummingbird Cottage.

They made this sofa that’s in the den. Perfectly to scale.

Side note: I’ve always been unhappy with that copy of To Kill a Mockingbird  that’s on the table. It’s too big. It looks like a coffee table book instead of a hard cover novel. Note to self: must find one that is in scale. This is an older photo and I’m not even sure if the book is on the table anymore. It may be on the shelf.

And they made this chair in the living room.

Also one of my favorites.

Then I didn’t see their handiwork for a long time and assumed I wouldn’t be able to use them again. Recently, I was on a website and there they were! I ordered this sofa.

Since I’m thinking of an English Cottage look for this little house, I thought this might work. It looks English to me. I also ordered a duplicate of the one in the Hummingbird Cottage den, simply because I love it so much and what if they stop making it, horrors! I need to have another one on hand.

From another source on eBay, I ordered this chair:

Maybe for the bedroom?

I’m not sure. I just liked it and wanted it in my stash.

Realistically, I probably won’t do much of anything on the house until we return from our trip. As the days get chillier, working on the dollhouse will seem more and more appealing.

Change of subject: Have you seen the documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, RBG? It was playing in theaters and is now being aired by CNN (they might be airing it this Sunday, check your listings) and it’s available On Demand/CNN. It’s simply wonderful. I learned so much more about her and, if possible, I’m even more of a fan than I already was. Extraordinary. I recommend it highly.

Okay. It’s Friday. I have to accomplish something around here and it will be in the form of laundry and cleaning.

Happy Friday.

 

 

Filed Under: dollhouse, miniatures 41 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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