Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Rain

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What happens when your ‘studio’ is in an upstairs hallway with a skylight and no air conditioning and it is over 100 degrees? You only see it as you move as quickly as you can to the air conditioned bedroom. Things get piled up and you can’t even contemplate dealing with them. Any creative ideas remain stuck somewhere in the recesses of your brain.

Your brain turns to mush.

Today, thank goodness, we have rain. Rain, blessed rain. I’ve been worried about the state of the garden, our lawn, and most importantly, our weeping willow. The willow has been dropping leaves at an alarming rate. Willows need a lot of water. I resorted to watering it by hand, although I don’t know if it made any difference. Then I quickly stopped the watering when I remembered that we have a well and that the well could run dry. A quick shift into water conservation mode. We’ve been very careful about our water use the last several days. Though it is just a start, I feel a bit more positive about everything today. I’ve never been happier to see rain.

And you will notice in the photo above that the sky is cloudy. Yes, gorgeously cloudy. We are supposed to have a chance of thunderstorms off and on for the next few days. Bring ’em on!

Comments

  1. I feel your pain! A long awaited rain after a hot dry spell is always welcome. At least you’re home! Love your new dolly too, she’s beautiful!

  3. Yea for rain! I know you and your willow are most grateful. I am currently undergoing a series of eye surgeries, and am loving the cloudy rainy weather we are having. I know it is dampening summer fun for so many others, though. Hope you are able to spend some happy moments in your studio soon!

  4. I will do a rain dance Pinky Swear! No, really it has relented and it 84 degrees right now at 11:57 am. It is supposed to rain here as well. We are so thankful. Guess who will be dancing? hugs…olive

  6. We, too, finally have some rain, though it has now morphed into just really, really think humidity. I won’t complain. Even just a respite from the relentless beating sun would help.

  7. Claudia, I love your study… those colors are so delicious… pink and that teal/robin’s egg blue!

    I’m sorry about the rain. You know, we have lots and lots of rain here, and in June it just didn’t rain at all. The temps were over 100 with this searing heat and a direct almost tropical sun. Our plants nearly languished, but at last, the rains came! I’m so happy that you’re getting rain now. I hope you get plenty to sustain your yard and your well.

    So glad to see you posting, and I’m glad you’re home! Hope Ralphie is adjusting to you not being in CA, but I know two other dogs who are delighted their mother is HOME.

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

  8. I hear ya’!!! We’re facing the 100s pretty much all this week. I try to get as much work as I can done in the a.m. as my room is upstairs. By the afternoon even with the A/C going it’s still too stuffy and miserable to concentrate!

    Enjoy the rain!!

    xxoo

  9. Here in Oregon, we’re coming off a little heatwave combined with no a/c … but I see enough rain all winter that I can wait. :-0 Have a wonderful weekend — you must be thrilled to be back home.

  10. I hope the rain is falling as you read this. We had a huge willow tree at my parent’s home. I have so many memories that involve that tree and so do my children. My dad would weave the branches into bubble wands for them and I put my babies on my shoulders and we would play “car wash” through the branches. I hope your tree will bring you long happy memories too.

  11. Claudia…was that YOU out there dancing in the rain????
    um.
    it sure looked like you.
    ;)
    I hope ya’ll get some relief soon, things cool off, the willow gets a good drink, you can play out in the yard and better yet…I hope you quit bypassing your creative space!!! ;)

    Hello Emma!!! Wow, she was worth the wait!!!
    She now has a beautiful home :)

  12. After our MUCH needed rain yesterday the clouds have passed by. They said rain off and on all week-end, but right now we are not seeing any clouds in the area. Could use a few more soakings.

    Di

  16. We’re still waiting on that rain… sigh. We have the same dilemna too.. well water, parched grass and a thirsty garden.

  18. Hi Claudia,
    It seems as though the weather is the big talk these days. HOT!!!
    It’s miserable here too and I haven’t felt much like doing anything.

    Your little corner will be waiting for you when it cools and I’m sure the creativity will overflow.

    hugs
    Sissie

  19. Sorry I have missed the last few days! I was sad to hear your puppy friend misses you that is sad :( I am glad you are home and yes we have this heat too YUCK! And no rain!!! Lovely gifts form Sue that is a great prize! Very sweet doll she has been loved! I am glad to be back visiting again!
    Hugs, Lisa

  20. I live in Holland and there is a heatwave too in here.
    It rained this evening with thunder and its now a little bit cooler but not much.
    Greetings
    Maria

  21. Claudia, I SO related to this post! Several days ago I went out front to put water in the birdbaths, and I could have sworn it was autumn. There were leaves all over the lawn, like you see in the fall. It was both our birch tree and our hoppa crab tree. It was actually quite alarming. I don’t ever remember that happening before other than in the cool fall weather. We were also blessed with a drenching downpour this afternoon, which considerably cooled the air… Ahhhhhhh… I’m with you, bring them on!… Donna

  22. right…i was so happy to see rain this morning too!! when it’s needed, it is so welcome!!
    it’s super hot upstairs in our house too. so hot. too hot to sleep. the rain helped so much today.
    enjoy your thunderstorms. hopefully more soon next week!
    take care
    s

  24. Oh I hated to hear of your lovely willow dropping leaves! Rain oh the earth is so dry so many places now. What a lovely most beautiful little nook! How precious I am in love with it!

  25. Hi sweetheart! Despite the heat in that sweet cubby, I think it’s an adorable little retreat. So sorry to hear of the drought…I would send you some Texas rain but I think it might dry up before it got to you!

    You are so right about the willow tree. They do need alot of water. We have three huge oak trees, one in the front yard and two in the back but luckily we live right on a greenbelt so we don’t need to water them as much. I am worried about my two little rose bushes though. I have no clue as how to take care of them.

    I’m going to Home Depot tomorrow to participate in a class they have on taking care of roses and magnolia trees. I think I’d better take my note pad and a loaded credit card. I’m sure I’ll have to purchase…things! LOL!

    Deanna :D

  26. Hi Claudia!! I’m SOOOOO glad you’re back home with your hubs and pooches!! I know the heatwave took its toll on your yard, but it sounds like you’re getting rain, so that yard will perk up right away!!!

    I know it must be hot in your little studio…in my old house, my workroom was in a dormer and it was like an oven in the summer and a meat locker in the winter!! However, I was just happy to have a room of “my own” to do my creative thing in….well, until I got too hot or cold, then I’d grab supplies and head to the family room on the main floor! :)

    I know you are so glad to be back…ENJOY!! L, Dana

  27. Okay, now I am concerned about your willow tree. I am thinking that it might be stressed because of the excessive heat and while it may be longing for water, it may need nutrients too. What about a natural based fertilizer for trees and shrubs? Our local feed store (Zamzows) makes a natural based product that I love. But … it’s developed for our soil which is different that yours. Perhaps you have a nursery that produces organic based fertilizers for trees and shrubs. In the meantime, I’ll do a rain dance for you!!

    Love,
    Susan and Bentley
    xxoo

  28. Something very comforting about your blog once again having photos of your home. Time to share a rootbeer float…..Heidi

  29. Your creative space is adorable! All the colors are so cheerful!
    Enjoy your cooler weather…have fun creating. :) It’s still hot here, even though it is overcast.
    ~ Jo :)

  31. Oh Claudia I know what you mean about being soo very happy about the rain. We got a ton- 4inches on Sat which seems to have helped a bit and we’re hoping for more this week as we have a well too and I’m afraid to water.

    Leann

  32. I love your little studio Claudia, I can only imagine the heat makes it hard to do anything!!! Hope there is rain coming!
    I just love your sweet sewing basket!
    Hugs,
    Margaret B

  33. Hi Claudia,
    So glad you got your much needed rain. Did it cool things off? We had nothing but rain all week here and it made it muggy and just plain steamy.
    Loved seeing your creative space again.
    I so hope your tree makes it and survives the heat. We have one we are babying along too.

    Have a wonderful week.
    Hugs, Celestina Marie

  34. Claudia I hope you get relief from the heat and get to get busy creating. We haven’t had the heat yet, but it surely will come. It has been so freakin’ cold here that I have forgotten what the sun feels like. Do you know that I haven’t even thought about shorts yet!!!
    hugs

  35. Hi Claudia,

    I’m glad you’ve made it home safely. I bet it is wonderful to see your fellow, and your sweet pets again.

    We’ve had some very warm weather here lately, but it is cooling down again now. It lasted about a week! LOL! I’m so used to rain here, that I miss it after just a little bit of time, and being a gardener, I know how much you’ve worried about yours. The rain will hopefully soak your garden well. I love a big summer rain after it has been hot. You can almost feel the trees and other plants wiggling their toes and breathing a big sigh of relief.

    xo
    Lena

  36. Get a portable air conditioner as quickly as you can. Our daughter did for her house on SF bay and it works great. Just what you need for those few times it gets too hot.
    xoxo,
    Connie

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