Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / cottage / Perfectly Lovely

Perfectly Lovely

August 4, 2016 at 9:21 am by Claudia

After the heat wave, then three days of rain, yesterday dawned with blue skies and white fluffy clouds and temps in the mid-eighties. All in all, a perfect day for a visit with my best friend! Laural and her husband, Craig, took the train north from Manhattan. We picked them up at the station. First stop: our cottage. It was so important to me to be able to share it with Laural. The gardens looked beautiful (though now that I look closely, they need weeding!) and Laural loved the cottage, both inside and outside.

8-4 garden1

(Taken in the early morning light.)

Then we talked and talked and talked and went to lunch at a Thai restaurant and showed them around a neighboring town, with a quick drive up into the mountains for a view of the Hudson Valley.

And then we talked some more and it soon became time to take them back to the station.

Perfect day with beautiful friends. I’m very grateful.

8-4 bestfriends

Here we are. Friends of almost 52 years. Unbelievable.

8-4 butterflybush

The butterfly bush is right outside our den window, and as I sat on the sofa with Don late in the day, I could see at least two butterflies circling and landing on the blossoms. Beautiful.

8-4 limelight

Don’s in the city today, signing a contract with his commercial agent. I’m taking it easy. All that cleaning and mowing and weed chomping tired me out. It’s a slow morning here at the cottage.

I may not answer yesterday’s comments, if that’s okay with you? But I’ll definitely respond to today’s.

Happy Thursday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: cottage, flowers, friends, garden, Laural 40 Comments

Comments

  1. Doris says

    August 4, 2016 at 9:30 am

    Sounds like a perfect day filled with good memories!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 9:53 am

      It was wonderful, Doris.

      Reply
  2. Linda @ A La Carte says

    August 4, 2016 at 9:35 am

    I am so glad you had such a special day with your best friend! I do love the butterfly bush. We have had butterflies at the Zinnia’s this week!
    hugs,
    Linda

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 9:54 am

      My zinnias have yet to bloom but that will be sometime this month, Linda!

      Reply
  3. Francine says

    August 4, 2016 at 9:37 am

    Hi Claudia! What a nice picture of you and your friend! I can tell you both enjoyed your visit!! There’s nothing like a day with an old friend to make us feel really good!! I am sure your friends enjoyed visiting your cottage and town!! Enjoy your day today!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 9:54 am

      I think they did. We sure loved having them here!

      Reply
  4. Shanna says

    August 4, 2016 at 10:13 am

    I’m glad your visit went well. Love the cute photo of you two.

    p.s. First morning glory bloom today, but it looks as though others are very far in the future.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 11:06 am

      Well, at least you can see one beautiful morning glory, Shanna! Take a picture of it!

      Reply
  5. Janie F. says

    August 4, 2016 at 10:31 am

    I’m so glad your friend was able to visit and see your home and gardens. My best friend is my cousin Rita who is about 8 years younger than me. We text or talk almost everyday. She makes me think, makes me laugh and pushes me when I need it. I wish my husband had a friend that close to him. I think we all need someone to talk to and share things with. I’m glad you have Laural.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 11:07 am

      We do need that, Janie!

      Reply
  6. Vera says

    August 4, 2016 at 10:35 am

    Glad your day was so wonderful Claudia! Enjoy today and relax.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 11:07 am

      I will, Vera. Thank you!

      Reply
  7. Donnamae says

    August 4, 2016 at 11:10 am

    Sounds like an absolutely perfect day with a great friend! Lots of memories were shared I’m sure….as well as new ones made! Enjoy your day of rest! ;)

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 11:29 am

      I will, Donnamae. Thank you!

      Reply
  8. Melanie says

    August 4, 2016 at 11:14 am

    Glad you had such a wonderful time with your best friend. :-)

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 11:30 am

      We’ve been through a lot together and I really love her, Melanie.

      Reply
  9. Betsy says

    August 4, 2016 at 11:27 am

    What a wonderful day for you Claudia. They’re nothing like old friends. They know everything about you and love you anyway!
    Blessings, Betsy

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 11:30 am

      They sure do, Betsy! Thank you!

      Reply
  10. Judy Clark says

    August 4, 2016 at 12:12 pm

    Great to have a special day with a special friend!!

    Judy

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 2:56 pm

      It sure is, Judy!

      Reply
  11. Wendy T says

    August 4, 2016 at 12:29 pm

    Rest relax reflect today after such a wonderful yesterday. Aren’t long-time friends the best, Claudia? So much doesn’t need to be said, few back stories need to be told…just continue to weave through the thread that connects the two of you.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 2:56 pm

      Exactly. Laural and I can pick up after a few months of no contact (we’re both pretty busy) and it’s as if no time has elapsed at all!

      Reply
  12. Nancy Blue Moon says

    August 4, 2016 at 12:31 pm

    I’m so glad that your day went well including the weather…What a great best friends picture!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 2:57 pm

      I sure love it, Nancy!

      Reply
  13. Susan says

    August 4, 2016 at 1:08 pm

    How wonderful to be able to spend time with an old and dear friend. I envy your rain and lower temps. It is miserable here. No rain and very high temps every day with no end in sight. My garden looks miserable, yours is gorgeous!

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 2:58 pm

      You’re where we were a couple of weeks ago. No rain in weeks and temps in the high nineties! It sure is nice to get a break, if only for a couple of days!

      Reply
  14. Chris K in Wisconsin says

    August 4, 2016 at 2:10 pm

    So glad that you had such a wonderful day! And it is nice to have the day after to just think about it and process it all, don’t you think??

    Still SO HOT here. Really getting tired of it, for sure. But there are flowers to look at instead of ice and snow…. so it is still much better than winter. Enjoy your day today!!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 2:59 pm

      It is. It isn’t that hot here today, Chris, and it looks like we’ll stay in the eighties for the next five days. Huzzah! But even if it gets hot, no snow is a good thing.

      Reply
  15. Janet in Rochester says

    August 4, 2016 at 3:36 pm

    What’s this?? Not answering yesterday’s comments?? SHOCKING! How dare you take a day off to visit with friends – instead of tending to OUR needs! Especially when we don’t pay one penny to take advantage of your skills. Why, I am SO deeply offended….. sputter – sputter – sputter!

    Seriously, glad you had such a lovely visit with your old friends, Claudia. Hope you’re making plans for a longer visit soon. And enjoy the rest of your day…. 🌞

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 4, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      I know: very, very selfish of me!

      Thanks so much, Janet!

      Reply
  16. Trudy says

    August 4, 2016 at 5:55 pm

    Best friends are the best! I have had my best friend 43 years. Through happy times and bad we have been there for each other. We live 1 1/2 hours apart, but talk at least once everyday, sometimes more. She is an extension of me.
    Your gardens look beautiful. I do love seeing them.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 5, 2016 at 8:30 am

      Thank you so much, Trudy!

      Reply
  17. Lily says

    August 4, 2016 at 6:10 pm

    Beautiful photos of both your garden and your friendship!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 5, 2016 at 8:31 am

      Thank you, Lily!

      Reply
  18. Nancy in PA says

    August 4, 2016 at 10:20 pm

    That’s such a cute picture of two happy friends.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 5, 2016 at 8:31 am

      Thank you, Nancy!

      Reply
  19. Vicki says

    August 4, 2016 at 11:57 pm

    So nice reading everyone’s comments today and knowing that you had a fantastic visit with your dear friend. These are the moments to cherish!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 5, 2016 at 8:31 am

      They are, indeed, Vicki. Thank you!

      Reply
  20. Sydney says

    August 5, 2016 at 6:15 am

    Lovely picture! Wonderful moments to share!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      August 5, 2016 at 8:32 am

      Thank you, Sydney!

      Reply
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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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