Cannas, Cannas, Cannas

Yesterday, I noticed that my cannas were in full bloom and the sun made them sparkle and shine. I have red and a beautiful salmon pink that a friend gave me. I had to take a picture and share it with you all. Let me tell you how this beautiful corner came about.

Last year Daniel, my nephew, helped me make some much needed improvements to my backyard flower beds. He removed an ugly, crooked bush and a small tree. Boy, did it make a change in the appearance of the back yard. I now had some open space that could be used for more flowers!

Daniel helped me transplant my cannas and "Whalla", instant beauty. He couldn't believe how fast this plant grew. Not only does it grow fast and bloom all summer, it has a tendency to multiply by the hundreds. It is a wonderful plant to share with neighbors and friends. It is also a good plant to grow along a fence line for privacy.

Auntie Phiss

Nesting Time

Spring is definitely here when you hear the baby birds chirpping for their worms. Dad use to say "Little baby birds, chirpping and burpping, and eating dirty worms." At least I think it use to go that way. Too long ago. I love the Blue Jay, Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Dove, and Hummingbird....well, all of them!





Anyway, I love to see the birds building their nests, raise their young, and watch them fly away. I was lucky to get to see a really pretty bird while in New Mexico. Hope and I were shopping downtown and she heard a beautiful bird song. She located the bird towards the top of the building. The bird was beautiful! We had no idea what kind it was.





We later stopped at a nursery to get some plants to take back home that we had seen out and about. She wanted the "smoke plant" and I wanted a "torch plant". Sounds like we had become "fire bugs". While leaving the nursery...I couldn't believe it! In an empty hanging basket was a bird couple getting nesting material....OUR BIRDS! I need to get my brother Danny to figure out what kind of bird this is.

I hope that I get to experience plenty of bird activity this year. If you will put out bits of colored yarn in your yard, you just might be able to located bird nests more easily. Look in your rose bushes, on the ledges of your roofing, and cubby holes for your baby birds. Put out bird houses and maybe, just maybe, a bird will use it.


Good Luck,

Birding Phiss

Blank Page

I am afraid that I am a blank page like many of my precious students. Not sure where to go or how to go about it. Therefore, I will just sit back and listen to my new CD "Faryl". She is an amazing singer from Britain's Got Talent. She didn't win....but she is a winner anyway.

Now about my precious students and their blank pages. You would be surprised at how many pages come up blank! 1) IDK (I don't know) 2) I didn't see that (turn over the page) 3) How do you do this (Duh, it's matching) 4) What do we do? (I just told you!) 5) Can't use my notes? I'll fail! (study?)

Now, why do I come home at night with a blank page? I look like my Promethean Board turned off. It's called conditioning. Repetitive exposure. I'm getting more and more like my students. I am learning disabled. I transpose numbers. Don't have a pen. Lost my notebook. What page?Yep, I am a blank page...but loving it.

:) Phiss Auntie (oops did I transpose?)

Artist In The Family

We have been blessed to have several artists in our family. The artistic ability started with my Grandma Nelon. She was a self-taught artist that concentrated on landscapes. Her abilities were amazing. She then had two grandsons that were pretty amazing--Randal Searcy and Blake Nelon. In fact, Randal Searcy was so good that TCU offered him a full scholarship with a teaching position upon completion! TCU declared that he was the only person who could draw a house by started with the door knob. He was truly a great. However, he turned down the offer. Art was not a choice of career, only a wonderful pass time for Randal. We now have another artist in the family--a great grandson by the name of Daniel Wright. He also has an amazing talent. He can draw on paper and in dirt! He also has the skill to produce fabulous handbags, wallets, etc.

I am proud of you Daniel!

Auntie Phiss

Dazzling In Red

The tropical hibiscus is a stunning performer for the avid gardener. The great thing about this plant is that it doesn't require a green thumb to put on a show. This plant does well in a large pot with watering and fertilizer (Miracle Grow). If you forget to water it and it looks droopy, simply drench it with water and "whalla" it perks back up. It may drop a few leaves; however, the plant is OK. The tree variety (especially the braided trunks) are great for the flower bed. It gives the yard a rich and stunning look.

The plant comes in the most vibrant colors ranging from blood red, white, bubblegum pink, pale pink, bright yellow, and my favorite--salmon. The blooms can be single or double. I prefer the single because the colors appear more brilliant. The blooms, however, only last one day. But so what! The plant continues to bloom until the fall.

Gardening with Phiss

Street Urchin Turns Princess

Coming home from church one Sunday morning, I saw a tiny white parakeet in the middle of Park Street. I straddled the bird with my car, turned around, and parked on the other side of the boulevard. I dashed across the grass and squatted down in the middle of the street to rescue the tiny bird. The bird would quickly flutter a few inches out of my reach, yet always staying in the street! I tried a couple of times and could never quite reach her.

An idea burst into my head and I stood put, billowed out my full skirt, dropped in over the bird, and quickly squatted down again. My skirt covered the bird and I reached under my skirt with my hands (all of this out in the middle of the street) and captured the bird. I looked up and by then two cars were stopped. I know they must of wondered, "What idiot is this? and what is this idiot doing?" I looked up, smiled, pulled out the bird, and showed them.

I made it back to my car with the tiny bird and handed her over to Dad. The bird let him have it! I wasn't able to find the owner; therefore, I went to Pet Smart and bought the needed supplies for our street urchin. I named her Princess Billie after a dear friend of mine. We have now had this sweet little bird for three years and we just love her chirpping and watching her play with her toys.

Phiss

Wiggle Woody

Woody is an adorable doxie that I was fortunate enough to get via a friend. He is a beautiful chestnut brown with the biggest amber eyes that you can drown in. When I come home, he is so excited and wiggles all over his body so fast that he looks like a bowl of brown jello. It is amazing!

Woody is appropriately name because he would bring in bits of tree limbs and gnaw on them in the house. That isn't the only thing he has brought into the house! He is an expert hunter that boy is. It is unreal. He has already killed two squirrels and two birds that I am aware of. Luckily Hope saw him through the kitchen window getting ready to drag a squirrel into the house. She yelled and he "dropped and ran." He just doesn't understand why I am not proud of his abilities.

In spite of all of this, he is a loveable boy. I wouldn't give him up for anything.

Phiss loves Woody

Dog With An Attitude

Enoch is our middle doxie. He is the one with an enormous attitude. It doesn't matter what size or what kind of dog comes around he is going to be the "big cheese". You have to really watch him when you go walking. He wants to growl and attack all the dogs. I was walking in front of our house when I saw a big dog scrambling down the street and Enoch was chasing him! Once he tried to attack a pit bull. Duh?

Enoch has also been the sickly one of the bunch. He is also the only one we "bought". (go figure) He is one expensive dog. The vet told me that dapples have a tendency to have health problems because of the breeding to get the dapple look. Enoch is now on allergy shots and he has lost hair growth. We thought we might lose him when he had trouble with his back. Meds worked on him and he is back to his spunky self. He must have cage rest for 2/3 hours a day if possible.

I love this little fiesty fellow. He is my little kisser and singer of the three. He loves his toys and will bring them to me to play. If one doesn't work, he will bring another! What a guy.

Phiss

Cracking Pecans

Jacob is our oldest dachshund. He showed up at my brother's rent house and we took him into our home. We were unable to find the owner and adopted him. At first Jacob was scared to be left alone. He would tear up the environment to get out of his confinement when we left. He tore up my niece's bathroom, my brother's blinds, and scraped the paint off of my bathroom door! He would bounce and move a pet taxi. His nickname is Houdini because of his ability to sneak away. We finally had our backyard "Jacob proofed" with concrete!

He has turned out to be a wonderful pet for my dad. (see previous photo) He is a wonderful watch dog. He hears the slightest sound. I feel so safe with him here in the house. No one can get near without us knowing about it. He likes chasing squirrels, taking walks, and cracking pecans. He cracked and ate so many pecans that he tore up his stomach and had to go to the vet. We wouldn't take anything for this regal dog.

Phiss and Jacob

Stormy Thistle

This stormy weather is great! I love storms...yes I am weird. Don't get me wrong, I don't like hail or tornados. Large "crackling" thunder also shakes my nerves. While on vacation in New Mexico, we had some cloudy days up in the mountains.

Hope and I went on our walk and the sky was cloudy and a storm looked like it was coming in. I stopped to take a picture of a thistle (weed) that was a pretty purple. I stooped underneath it and snapped the picture facing up into the storm. I was amazed at how unique the picture came out. Almost like it wasn't real! I promise...it is real!

Decide for yourself!

Phiss

Hummingbird Delight

Last summer Hopie was able to join Dad and myself on a vacation to New Mexico. Needless it was a trip of all trips! Between the land of nothing to the next town, I ran out of gas! We waited about 3 1/2 hours for AAA to show up....they never did. Finally a man and his wife insisted on helping us. Dad did so well during this horrible wait. Unfortunately Hopie acquired one of her terrible headaches.

Once we arrived, it was a beautiful place up in the mountains. Hummingbirds came and fed right out of our hand! We put out a feeder and what a delicious treat to watch these amazing birds. Hopie and I would take walks and have a good time talking and looking at the environment.

Hope you enjoy the picture of our wonderful vacation!

Phiss

Dad and the Boys

Dad seemed to be doing better today. He actually went outside twice today and walked around. I watched him to make sure he was OK. He just mosied (?) around looking at the plants. He wanted zinnias, so bought him twelve and planted them in pots all around the flower beds.

He loves "Da Boys" and they are good company for him. He especially likes Jacob. He is the oldest of the boys and Dad babies him. He will get him and hold him like a baby. Dad would be lost without his dogs.

Therefore, if you don't like dogs, dog hairs, barking, wet kisses, and paw prints.....well, I guess you will just have to endure, call or read my new blog.

Dachshunds Rule!

Phiss and the boys

Swine Flu Kung Fu

Swine Flu has caused we teachers to fly the coop! The lady that watches dad during the day new about my school closing before I did! I wouldn't have known if she hadn't called me. So much for communications!

I learned the next morning that if you wanted to get anything out of your room that you had until 9:00. Vanquished, ostracized, removed from my private corner. My little world has been turned into a showcase for Mr. Clean! We will probably need 5 inches of gauze over our noses to mask the fumes of destruction. We dare those little pieces of virus to hang around our school!

Until I return, I promise to enjoy my days off (it will only make it harder next year to stay at school in May). Needless to say my boys are enjoying me being home and my flower beds will be cleaner! Hope you like one of my spring flowers.

Phiss and the boys

I'm Old and Slow

WOW!

I finally found my way back to the "compose" page to try this again. Not sure why my posts are not automatically showing up. I am going to try and post a picture of the "boys" for you. Hope it works. I am slow, but I will keep blabbing until I get this thing whipped.

Phiss and the boys

Up and Running I Think

Greetings and Salutations,

I am trying to get up and running on this blog thing. I have been reading the blogs of my two wonderful nieces and thought I would give it a try. (Not going to tell you how many times I have started over and deleted). I am hoping to post my "exciting" events at school, antics of my three doxies, and pictures of my garden.

Until I get this all sorted out....bye

Phiss and the boys