The saga of the dollhouse photos continues. Today is the deadline, so whatever I’ve come up with will have to do, I guess. When I look at all the photos, including many close-ups, I’m struck by how many things I would do differently, that don’t look professionally finished.
The crop tool is a wonderful invention, isn’t it? I’ve sure been appreciating it lately.
I’ll be sorting through them this morning and then sending them on to the editor of the magazine.
Fingers crossed.
The phlox is still going strong. Not only does it smell heavenly, it’s a real workhorse in the garden. And it self-seeds!
I have to go into NYC on Thursday and on another day (can’t remember the date) next week. I’m helping an old friend with a new project he’s producing, which is a one-man show about C. S. Lewis. Thank goodness for old friends who extend an offer for some work! Normally, I would be in Hartford right now working on Shakespeare, as early fall is its usual slot in the season. But this year, it’s not scheduled to start rehearsals until right after Christmas because the theater is being renovated. Totally understandable.
First of all, that means I have to be in Hartford in the winter. Yuck. But more importantly, I’m missing out on badly needed income that I’ve come to count on at this time of year and that’s been stressful.
Ah well. That’ll teach me!
So, my friend’s offer of two days of work is very welcome indeed. And I haven’t been in the city for a while…I’d say I’ll get a cupcake when I’m there, but I’m on a diet. Hopefully, there will not be a Magnolia Bakery nearby to tempt me with its scrumptiousness.
This shot of a hollyhock turned out to be rather Impressionistic in style. The hollyhock is also still blooming.
The newish car has to be inspected this week. The oldish car needs to get two new tires, and then I can renew the registration.
Hopefully, that will be the end of the car chronicles for a while.
Happy Tuesday.
Have fun in NYC! I have always wanted to go in the winter so I could see Rockefeller Square all dressed up for Christmas. I have only seen pictures, but it must be breath-taking.
Have a wonderful day.
Hugs,
Deb
We went there last year and it was beautiful, Debbie.
I always feel a bit envious of your trips to NYC. Such an exciting place to be. The C.S. Lewis show would be wonderful to see.
It’s still being developed, so it will be fun to see how it changes and grows.
Sounds like a busy week. The days seem to fly by, always so much to do. Take care, Doris
They sure do go by quickly, Doris!
I have only been to NYC once in the 70’s. I would love to go again. Enjoy your day. Hugs, Linda
You, too! Have a great day, Linda.
So glad you have the opportunity for some work coming up :) but yes you will be in the thick of the snow season come Christmas time. Congrats on the new magazine spread…..can’t wait to see it.
The dollhouse is more popular than my house, Dawn!
Your phlox is beautiful! Since I did so well following your advice on the lime lights…..next year maybe I’ll be trying some phlox! I have a couple of blank spaces I’d like to fill in. Exciting news about the dollhouse…hope it all works out for you. I haven’t been to NYC since the 60’s…think it’s changed a little since then? ;)
Yes, it’s changed. Good in some ways, not so good, in others. Times Square is full of chain stores and chain restaurants and I find it depressing. I like it much more several decades ago! I do everything I can to avoid it when I’m in the city.
Oh that’s interesting! When I was there, I remember Times Square being a red light district…my parents told me as we drove through. We were there for the 1964 World’s Fair! ;)
Yes, it was a red light district of sorts, along with all the wonderful Broadway theaters. Personally, I liked it better that way. It could be a bit nervous making, but if you were there to see a play, there were tons of people around doing the same thing. Now, it might as well be a Mall. All the things that made Times Square unlike any other place seem to have disappeared.
How exciting to get to go into NYC for a day or so. I hope to go there some day. Your flower photos are gorgeous.
Have a great week.
Judy
You too, my friend. I hope we can catch up with a nice long phone call very soon!
Claudia, I forgot to mention this yesterday. I was watching TCM Monday am and they were showing an interview Robert Osbourne did with Peter O’Toole a couple of years back at the TCM Film Festival. At one point Robert asked if he’d ever had a mentor or someone in his life who was a critical influence on his career, and Peter said oh yes. It was a British actor I’d never heard of before, someone 20 or so years older, that he’d met while working at the Old Vic. Apparently before beginning work on “Lawrence of Arabia” David Lean asked Peter to recommend someone as a dialect/voice coach, and Peter chose his mentor friend – then talked about how important the “voice” was to everything the actor did. “Your voice is 99% of the role…” or words to that effect. And that the voice has to be right, and how important good coaching was to a production of any kind – theater, TV, movies. Thought of you the whole time. You be proud, girl… :>)
Ah, thank you, Janet! Gosh, I loved Peter O’Toole.
And now you know he would have been a fan of yours too! Hope you get a chance to see that interview at some point. Maybe it’s on YouTube?
I’m going to check it out. It might be on TCM On Demand, as well. I’d love to see it!
Glad for you that there is a bit of work to do for income. Car maintenance can get expensive. I had a minor problem on my Prius…a warning light stayed on when it shouldn’t…cost me $400 to get it fixed. Arghhh, now I have to bring in the other car, and I know it will need a brake job.
You have my sympathy, Wendy! I understand. And we need our cars, don’t we?
You certainly have gotten a lot of pleasure out of your free hollyhock…Will you be visiting the big bookstore on your trip to the city…I guess not having income at a time when you are used to having it could really hurt the pocketbook…Good luck with the car inspections…
I thought about visiting either the Strand or The Mysterious Bookshop, but I can’t afford to buy any books at the moment. Thus, it would be frustrating!
Your flowers are always so beautiful. We don’t have car inspections in Oregon … I’m kind of glad because the time for things like that ALWAYS come about at the worst time for me financially.
You’re not kidding! I’m obviously so grateful for the car my dad has given us, but all of the car expenses are coming at a tough time for us. Still, we’re deeply grateful!
Maybe NYC next week will be lovely…’autumn in New York’ (there’s even a song about it; I think Sinatra sang it well!).
I can’t concentrate on anything but getting my mind off the oppressive heat in SoCalif. It was 97 degrees (F) before noon and this is on the heels of weeks (months) of 90s. We just can’t catch a break here; there’s no let up. Excessive heat warning for the next several days. I’m SO sick of it. I long to turn on the oven and slow-cook a nice meal or even have the feel of a blanket wrapped around me at bedtime. It seems like it’s Fall everywhere else in the world but never here! I can’t even decorate with any of my fave September/October things…just not in the mood when it’s ‘hot summer’ all the time.
Flood us with your terrific changing-season photos soon…falling leaves I’d love to see!
Can’t help you there. It’s 94 here today and it’s been in the nineties for the past few days. Fall is not here yet, not by a longshot! We won’t really see any changing leaves until well into September/early October. So it’s not Fall everywhere else in the world…at least not yet!
Well, thanks for giving me some perspective!
Hey, we all need some perspective at times! xoxo
So exciting about the new magazine!! Have you mentioned it to Caroline??
I am still enjoying my flowers as well. The pictures are appreciated, also. Too soon we won’t have them to gaze upon, and it will be replaced with that other awful stuff. (And I don’t mean the fallen leaves!!)
Extra work is always a good thing. Going away in the winter (unless it is heading South) doesn’t sound real appealing, but we do what we must!
Every day they tell us tomorrow the humidity will break and it will be much cooler…and every day it dawns another hot & humid day. But, as we know, it could certainly be much worse. Hope your day was a lovely and productive one!!
Caroline doesn’t know yet. Too soon to tell her. I think it’s going to be in the January issue, which is a long way off!
94 degrees here today, Chris. But I’m afraid to complain too much or I might get a pay-back come wintertime!
Oh, how I love the scent of phlox! White phlox seems to be especially sweet, especially in the evening. I have one called “David” that I inherited with the house.
Isn’t it something, how some plants outlive, by years, decades, even, those who planted them? I like to think that someone will enjoy the trees, shrubs and perennials that I chose for this garden well into the century. A star magnolia, which was about four feet tall when planted, is now taller than this two-story house and provides wonderful, deep shade all summer. I hope that the next occupant will appreciate it.
Thank you for the luscious images, Claudia.
That phlox in the photos is also David phlox, Nancy. Your magnolia sounds gorgeous!
I hope whoever lives here at some point in the future appreciates flowers and gardening.
Good luck with the cars, Claudia. Wishing you smoother sailing than I had. I just put four new tires on and had to have the front left bearing replaced. The front right bearing was replaced about 6 months ago.
And I hear you about the work. Being self-employed is not easy. My work has been down at least 50% this year.
Beautiful photos from your garden. My phlox don’t get enough sun and are well past their prime.
I’m sure your doll house photos are beautiful. We are our own worst critics I think.
Have a great week,
Donna
I had to have a bearing replaced a while back. It’s endless, isn’t it?
Well, I sent the photos in and I hope they’re okay! I am determined to master this dollhouse photography challenge.
Hi Claudia :)
Good luck on your magazine article on the dollhouse. It’s certainly worthy of it.
I loved seeing the pictures of flowers in your garden. I need to see if phlox will grow here. It’s beautiful.
Thank you for stopping by for a visit. It’s so nice to hear from an old friend :)
xo,
rue
Phlox is wonderful and a beautiful addition to any garden – hopefully it will thrive in your Arizona climate.
So glad you’re back blogging, Rue.