2012 Art

Zoey Catherine

- God wanted a lovely Zoey flower to make His garden

in Heaven glow with her beauty and so took her to be with Him forever!




                    Why can't we all just get along?

When you "Cross the eyes and dot the T's" - it can make for blurry vision! Or, as the Hatfields and McCoys might say, "There is only one side - not two that matters!" But, as Jack Nicholson's character said in the movie, Mars Attacks, "Why can't we all just get along?" Of course he was immediately fried by the Martians. We all have very hard problems, and we have to work on them together or we'll never solve them! We are all so different! Shouldn't that make for an interesting relationship? We can learn so much from each other! Isn't it time that we uncrossed our eyes and didn't dot our T's? Or am I heading in the wrong direction?

        What is behind my back & why am I smiling?

I've got a smile on my face! You don't know why do you! Curious? You should be! Maybe I'm holding something behind my back. Maybe I don't have anything back there. But, it could be something very special! Of course, it might not be anything special at all. Curious, though, aren't you! Is it a key to all of the questions that you've asked that might hold all of the answers about your future? Perhaps it is just what you've always wanted. Well, whatever it is - I'm going to give it to you! So, close your eyes and hold out your hands!!

Wade on his Grandpa's shoulder!

To see the glory and wonder of this world through the eyes of a child, to know the love of caring parents and grandparents, and to spend your life never failing to honor our God - this is the path to true happiness, love, and joy! In the Bible Mark 10:15 Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kindgom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."

Trying out for the Opera!

I told my friends that I was thinking about trying out for the Opera! I could tell by the amazed looks on their faces that they totally agreed with me!!! After all I am a great singer!!! But, I just can't figure out if I should try out for the Troll Opera or the Elephant Opera as was suggested by a friend for some reason. One wise friend suggested that I try out for the "Horse Opera" as a horse. I'm not sure what he meant by that, but I'll check into it! I'm sure my friends know what I need to do, but I also know that some people just can't carry a tune! If I only had a manager like Elvis did then I just know that I could make it big in this world!!!! So watch me while I strike a pose and belt out a tune from the inner-most parts of my heart!!! La La La La! Toodle dee do!!!! Doodle Dee Dee!!!! (cough! cough! hack! hack!) Wait!! Let me start again!

Too Many Conversations at Once!

It certainly is possible to try and carry on a lot of conversations at the same time!  After all, you can play against multiple people at many different tables at one outing in Chess.  But, it certainly is terrible to discover that after talking for a considerable amount of time that no one is listening or caring about what you are saying...  That's when you need to stop and think if what you are saying really is important or can make a difference in anything that needs to be changed on this planet!  Sometimes we just try and talk to too many people at once, and soon forgot what the main point was of the conversation.  But don't despair!!!  At least we know that Big Brother is listening...!

My friend Tom Clancy 1946 - 2010

My Friend, and I'm glad he was!

Tom was a great friend and a wonderful person to know! He served his country during the Vietnam war. He was a great tennis player and tennis instructor. He also helped instruct a local high school tennis team during his spare time. He made those that knew him happy to be around him! If you needed anything, he would be happy to help out! He was always smiling and that smile would warm your heart!

--------------------------

Thunkin'

I was just sitting and wondering about many different things. Well, at least the things that my poor, little brain can think about anyway. As in the song by Jefferson Airplane, "Thunk!" "Well, I thunk and thunk, but thinking ain't doin' me no good. Thinkin' ain't doin' me no good. Thinkin' ain't doin' me no good people. Well I thunk and I thunk couldn't think of anything better. I tried and I tried. Tryin' ain't doin' me no good..." But until I can understand just what it is that I'm thunkin' about, I'll just here on this pipe and dream. I wonder where this pipe leads? Is that something that I should wonder about?? Maybe I'm just thinking about the wrong things!!!



Thuffalumpkins!
Sometimes Thuffalumpkins "thuff " just a little too hard and that upsets the order of things.  Nature just doesn't like to be changed or messed with in any way!  When you see a Thuffalumpkin with his eyes all shiny and bright but not focused on any one particular thing; then you'd better step aside for quite a distance as there is just no telling where he'll "thuff " again!!!  You'll know that it's time to quickly move when you hear this noise coming out of his clenched teeth, "Snirl!", "Snirl!", "Snirl!"  Oh! Oh!  He's got that look in his eye, and I think I hear that strange noise!!!!  Run!!!! Run!!!!  Run for your life !!!!!!

--------------------------------------




Redville!
Welcome to Redville where you have a much better chance of surviving if you blend in!

Of course, if you are very small you do stand a good chance of getting stepped on even if

others are trying carefully to avoid squashing you.  But, should you be a color that everyone

deems to be offensive then you might get squashed on purpose....  So in other words!  Try to blend in!  Life is like that!  But, I am more like a "sore thumb" than anything else!

---------------------------------------



I'm Craving the Patella!
I just heard about this exciting food that is new to me!!  I had overheard so many discussions on how good it was that I must try it!  Everyone is rushing to the new restaurant to order it!  Patellas sound like a fantastic meal! Must be delicious!  I think I'd like them fried, boiled, steamed, sauteed, or just cooked in any old way!  "First come, first served!" I always say.  And, if everyone else is loving it - then I just know that I will!!!!  Wait!  What?  It's not edible?  Not a food?  The kneecap?  Well then!  I'm turning around and going back to where I came from!!! Come back?         Why?  Paella?  Oh!  I see!  I just put in an extra letter "t!"  And, Paella is good to eat?  It is?  Yummy!  Get out of my way as I want some!  What?  It has squid, rabbits, eels, voles, snails, and octopus in it plus other critters?  Are you sure?  You are?  I think I just lost my appetite... 

                                              ----------------------------------------------




The Nose Knows!
Most of us were finally facing the right direction on this planet for the time that remained before us!  Some say, "That the nose knows!" and because we follow the nose, we know that we are looking forward to a future that will hold much promise.  There were a few obstinate fellows that still didn't get it and chose to believe whatever their party told them no matter how wrong it was.  But, then their olfactory senses just weren't quite up to the task.  The rest of us could easily smell a horrible odor coming through one door and chose the door that we knew contained wonderful munchies.  Our faithful Mr. Nose had led us to the spot where we could all (except for those that wouldn't listen) smell the wonderful smells and we chose to go in the right direction!  We, the smart ones, chose to vote for the correct path out of this mess we've been in.  We knew "Truth could not be found in falsehood" but with their eyes firmly close - the others believed every lie that they were told!  And, there were quite a lot of them!!!!

                                                -------------------------------------------

The Lady of Cofitachequi
Hernando DeSoto's chroniclers described her as "very gratified and charmed, both with
her discretion and her great beauty, which she had in extreme perfection!"  Cofitachequi was a province of the Muskogean-speaking Indian people located in what is now South Carolina in the area bordered by the Santee, Wateree, and Pee Dee rivers. (My own great, great, great grandfather was born in 1761 on the Pee Dee River.)

-----------------------------

To Climb the Golden Mountain!

My friends and I were considering climbing the Golden Mountain.  "There has to be a vast fortune awaiting us at the top!" one friend said.  I was somewhat skeptical.  "All that glitters is not gold!" I said, thinking about the Iron Pyrite that had fooled some of my friends.  I considered adding a few more adages such as "Don't cry over spilt milk!" and "Don't count your eggs before they hatch!"  But, I didn't think those would apply here on this particular problem.  One friend thought that there had to be a lot of gold up there as he said, "Look how much has already flowed down from way up high!"  I thought that there was probably less at the top than at the bottom due to the fact that the mountain seemed to get a lot smaller as it went up, but decided not to comment on that.  The debate went on for awhile.  My friends were so excited that I finally responded with "Ok!" I said, "Let's climb!"  "But what about all of the brain suckers that are floating around up there?" my usually cautious friend said.  "Won't that be kind of dangerous?" he added somewhat scared.  He is the one that always thinks something bad will happen no matter what we try.  Still, he can be talked into anything the rest of us want to do.  So, I know he'll be climbing right up behind us.   The air certainly was thick with those brain eaters, but as they move very slowly I wasn't too worried.  You just have to be careful of their tentacles as they can silently sneak up on you! And, if you aren't careful then .....bah!...bk!.........ppt!....ppt!....!!!!  Too Late!

                                                               -------------------------------




The Dying Swan!

The first act has ended with the swan gracefully bowing low in the center of the stage to thunderous applause. But in truth, as the curtain closed, the swan realized that she was dying for she knew she would never lay eggs again. And realizing that laying eggs was her true purpose in life and not ballet, she refused to rise up from the floor as the knowledge of her life being finished overtook her, and she knew that there was no use in going on with the performance. Or, was she just having a nightmare after having eaten an extra-helping of Baked Alaskan for desert last night? She'll soon wake up and find out! Or, at least I hope so as I do love a happy end

                                  ------------------------------

A new creation!
Learning the rules of life! Learning a new language, the customs, the skills necessary to survive or accomplish as much that is possible in this new existence. Understanding the complications of the world with its many varied ideas and beliefs, and deciding which ones are morally and spiritually conducive to full development in the human experience. Accepting the differences of others without harmful retaliations to them or from them. So much for a baby to learn as he or she grows! But "Baby Steps" are designed for this very purpose. Languages, ideas, beliefs can be more fully understood as time goes by.  Time. It is long. But you are just a newborn and your time can go slow! Sleep, eat, cry, and learn. This time is yours! So, rest and grow for your time has just begun. May God bless you as you go through this life and world!





The Boy in the Amish hat

                                                             ---------------------------------

                            Male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

                         painted with permission by photographer Richard Cronberg

Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)

painted with permission by photographer Richard Cronberg

The Cuban Tody bird!

The first time I saw a photo of this type of bird I thought that I was looking at a piece of candy!  They reminded me of cotton candy that I liked to eat when I was young!!  And I just knew that I had to try and paint this little beauty!!!  This jewel is small but has a large head relative to their body size.  Their nests are tunnels dug into clay-type banks along water.

The Eh Bird

Without ART the EARTH would just be EH! At least that's what the EH bird said

and he must know...

Differentiated Instruction

I wasn't sure what "Differentiated Instruction" meant, but I was at an inservice to learn about it. I think it means that all humans learn in different ways and that everyone needs to be taught in ways that can reach them. But, what makes this theory confusing is that I know we are all different and do learn in different ways, and it certainly would take a lot more time to reach everyone if that were possible... And, haven't we been teaching in that way, anyway, since time began? We lay out the lesson and then try to help those that didn't "get it" the first time. There were a lot of people "texting" during the lecture. I guess they were all learning in a different way. I was "doodling" while I listened. The lady that doesn't like doodlers drawing while she lectures couldn't get close to me to see what I was doing as there were a lot of people in this large room during the lecture. So, I doodled on. I felt "Differentiated" anyway. I don't know how the "texters" felt, but I know that it did make the lecturer mad to see them twiddling their thumbs under the tables. I just wanted to let you know that now I feel that I am truly and fully "A Differentiated Instructor!" Though I may be at odds with the world... And, judging by what's going on is this world - I can see that everyone is either in their own little groups, not paying any attention to the others, or that they may be peering around to see if anything exciting is going on in some other part of the locale... I know that the "Thunkin" guy is still trying to get a clue!

My Soulful Eyes!

Hey There! Say! Can I ask you a question? What did you notice about me first? Was it my colorful, stand-out look or my soulful eyes? Some say that my color coordination draws their gaze to me. Others say that it is my deep, soulful eyes that get their notice. I do know that the ladies love my eyes and long to get lost in them! So which is it? My colorful look or my deep, soulful eyes?



Duets!

Today we have a Double-Feature as our subject is "Duets!" So, please see both episodes listed below! My friend and I decided to try out for the new TV show "Duets!" That is until we learned that we couldn't sing together as a duet but would have to sing with someone famous for a partner. We had planned on singing together as that's what we always do. I can hit the high harmonies as I have a big beak, and my friend can belt out the low parts as he is so close to the ground. We hated to have our performance split up but as the show must go on we decided to sing with whomever the show would give us for a partner. I wondered who it would be? Madonna? Lady Gaga? Finally the producers told us that only one of our team could be in the performance, and which ever one of us did the best job of singing would have as a partner the famous guy with the soulful sighs. I didn't know who that was, but I know that I will soon find out! "Soulful Sighs!" That could be any one of those famous soul singers! Barry White comes to mind... At least I thought the producer said "Soulful Sighs," but he could have said something else. At least I do know that my friend or me will get to perform on stage!

Hey!  That's not Barry White!  Yep!  It's me again!

Swimming on the waters of Uncertainty

I have been swimming on the waters of uncertainty for some time now. How deep are these waters? What is under us? How long can this go on? When will I reach a safe port? I do pray that there will come a time of smooth sailing one happy day in the near future! But, these waters have been roiling in a turbulent manner for some time now. What? What? What is that sound I hear up ahead? Are we coming up to a high waterfall or the edge of the earth? Well, keep a stiff upper beak and full steam ahead!!!

Hanging On For Dear Life!

That's right!!! I am hanging on for dear life, and I can only climb so high! My income isn't sufficient for my monthly bills. In fact my bills are now more than I bring home. At this point I'm trying to hold onto anything I can! I don't mind slipping on out of this world as there are some things that I just shouldn't hold onto here anyway. The modern-day pirates seem to want to steal everything that isn't nailed down or too large to carry off. But, they are of this world.....and I'm not! I'd much rather see "The Pirates that don't do anything!" but they aren't around here even though I could use a few veggies. There are some beings that are completely oblivious to what is going on at this time in our world. But, that will change... I guess I'd be oblivious also if I could float up above everything that is happening and not understand the reality of those below them. But, once the rug is pulled out from under them, when their glass tower crumbles, when their ladder falls, when they take their first bite of Soylent Green and they hit hard on the ground - then they will understand. But, by then it will be far too late to change the ways things are....

Ultimate Crabbiness

Being Crabby is just not an excuse for anything you do that is wrong! So, if you are

going to be that way - then go off and sit by yourself somewhere else! Or, at least move

to Crabbyville and stay there! I do know that sometimes we get on each other's nerves!

But Gee!!! We should still show love to each other, and forgive each other after we've

been upset! There's just too much meanness in the world anyway. I'm going to stay

in Niceville, and if you feel like you can come back to visit, or live there in peaceful

harmony - then by all means come back! I'll be waiting!

Going Up?

I'd say, "Go West Young Man!" but the west has been bulldozed down so much that for me it is unrecognizable as I used to know it. These days everyone has an opinion about which way to go in our human future after we've overcrowded our poor, old planet. No one I know wants to eat Soylent Green so we must find a solution. I once listened to Timothy Leary as he lectured and said, "At this point in our human history we should go up into outer space!" Tim may be dead but "he's on the outside looking in" I'm told. Some will still continue to go west seeking answers until they finally find that they have arrived back at where they started. Though most thought that they knew which way was best; there were still some that just didn't have a clue about directions. There are some that think that they know for sure the right way to go. But, they just won't share their plans with anyone else, and keep what they think is a "secret way" to get where we all need to go hidden from the rest of us! And, those of you that can't point - at least verbally let me know which way is best! I'm just asking for help! That's all!

2012 Annual Birdy Meeting
It was time for the Annual Birdy Meeting. This year's subject was "Global Warming And It's Effect

on the Feathered Population." The majority consensus was that the warming was very good for

almost everyone due to the fact that warm ground led to a very early worm-hunting season. The warming caused the ground to be much softer at this time of the year, and that the soft ground made for a bountiful harvest of worms that had appeared at the surface! The meeting quickly broke up as everyone's appetites were worked up by the continued talk of worms in abundance. The smart alec from last year had been excluded from this year's meeting. But, don't despair for him! He also got a huge meal!

Bullies!

Bullies just can't pick on smaller people. I don't know why that is unless it's some psychological phenomenon that just makes them happier to not get beat up while beating some small guy up. Still, I do know that life will change for them one fine day in the future! I was bullied when I was young. I have been told that my own personal bully has now changed and does know that he was a bully back then. I hope to talk to him one day, and tell him that I forgive him for all of those years of misery! I know that talk will do both of us a world of good! So dude! Be looking for me in the near future! There’s a lot to talk about!!! Do you remember the time you ran me off the road and didn’t come back to see if I was alive or not! You know things like that. I do forgive you though!!!

Time for Happiness!

It is definately time for some happiness! I had suffered for far too long! I know that even if we all smile and feel true joy inside that it won't make prices go down, return the world to a simpler time, give us all a raise, put crooks in jail, make the dishonest honest, or change the world! But, when you have joy in your heart no matter what is around you or happening to you, then you have true happiness indeed! And, isn't it time for "the wolf and the lamb to feed together?" And though I feel as if I have been skating on thin ice for some time - I will not break through!

Happy Hoppies find a place to sit!

Happy Hoppies hop upon tufted, tiny Teesum trees

to view the many characters they must try to please!

Little Tweenie Greenies without arms or mouths

can sniff their way to victory because of their exceptionally long snouts!

Red-horned Flagmurts are scared of nearly everything!

Even of the little Pikeens that can scarcely be seen!

A quiet, reflective Ponkoo bird tries to stay awake.

But with a white-eyed Poully-Moully nearby; he finds it hard to meditate!

Wispy, wankey, Wunkey trees are waving in the breeze!

What other creatures could be hiding nearby

that we will quite possibly never.... ever.... get to see?

Nesting!

Ah!!! Those first quiet days before the eggs hatch, and those little guys are running around all over the place! Stubbing toes, getting boo-boos, falling in holes, getting stung by bees and wasps, eating dirt and getting sick, falling off tri-cycles, falling off bicycles, falling off roller-skates, falling on stairs, falling over furniture, yelling at me and calling me bad names, then apologizing and doing the same thing all over again the next day. So, for now I just say, "AH!!!!!!!" as I know that all too soon the peaceful times will be over.

Hollering!
I thought that I was a tenor and would sing loudly for all to hear! But, a friend said I was a little flat and that I might be a baritone. I tried that, but then he said that it seemed my singing was way off kilter no matter what level I tried. So all of my yapping was about nothing as I learned that I am actually not really special at all in the music field! And, it seems that my singing is so very off key.....that I should keep my mouth firmly closed. The friend said maybe I could get a job scaring cats off fences with my voice. Well, at least I'll have a job suited to my abilities!!

I'm #1!!!!!

I got my teaching evaluation scores today! Well, I got my average anyway. A solid one point something! Where 4 is the best and .... wait!!! 1 is the worst? That means I'm a terrible teacher?? I have always gotten a high score until this evaluation!!! Does this mean that I'm just doing a horrible job at the end of my career??? Last year my evaluator told me that I was great teacher!!! How could I become so bad in one year??   I could say, "There's no where to go but up, but I feel I can go even lower!" I thought I was doing a great job during the evaluation! We were doing a "Community Service Project" for Krogers to give out to Senior Citizens for Christmas by decorating paper sacks with Santas, trees, Angels, snowflakes, and other things having to do with Christmas. "You didn't write a rubric and 1.1 on the board so I have to give you a low grade!" he said. "You mean it doesn't matter how great a job I did unless I write a few words and some numbers on the board!" I said. "That's right!" he said. So, I now know that I am just a horrible teacher..... Still the joy on the faces and in the hearts of the students must count for something..... What about creating a love for art in them? Doesn't that matter? "No!" he said, "It only matters if you write numbers on a board." 

I like to stack rocks!

Some people love chocolate, or as we often say, "PLC!" which means "People love chocolate!"

I don't care for white chocolate or dark chocolate very much. I prefer the milk chocolate kind.
But, really! The thing I like the most is to stack up rocks and make them balance! That really
doesn't have anything to do with chocolate, but I wanted to work chocolate into the conversation
somehow!

Presuming

Dr. Livingstone I presumed, but I had presumed too much! It was just some guy checking on his

rock piles to make sure no one had disturbed them in any way... Seeing such a glare on his face I
quickly knew that it was time for me to depart for other areas. There was still a lot of the planet
to explore and I could tell that I was not wanted in this particular land! Well, there are a lot of rocks
on this world, and surely someone won't mind if I inspect their stacks!

Controlling the tongue!
The tongue is such an unruly member of the body! I'm trying to learn to put my hand over

my mouth to keep my prattling tongue from doing what it seems to want to do most naturally.

I quite often find myself saying more than I should. And!! Sometimes even if it is the truth,

I need to hold my tongue as it might hurt someone's feelings to speak what is true. I used to

tell everything I heard! That was until I heard something about myself that just wasn't true!

So now I am trying to learn to control that "most difficult-to-handle muscle!" It's not easy.

It wants to run away on it's own. I do need some self control with it. Being a "tale-bearer"

can make one look very ugly! BUT!! It is far better to know that you have your foot in your

mouth than to have your foot in your mouth and not know it!!!!!

Kicking, Bobbling and Wobbling!

These balancing guys - will they fall over or just wobble when I give them a very hard shove? We'll soon find out!!!! Maybe the next time they'll think twice before having their Wobbling and Bobbling convention right next to where the "Super-Hard, Board-Breaking Kickers" are having their annual meeting! I just can't help myself! It's ingrained into me! And we love to kick things!!! I'm sorry, but I just can't stop myself! I've got that gleam in my eye I get just before I kick something!!! So step back and see what happens!!! If the Bobblers get back up, then good for them!!!

A Loud Commotion!

Whatever it was that caused that loud commotion; it sure made us all turn and look in that  direction! I wondered if the Dinosaurs may have had a similar experience just after the asteroid hit.  Or, is it just that we've been hearing soooooooooooo many political folks running for office for

tooooooooooooooooo many months and yakking up the airwaves that their noise is just too loud?

That actually would make me want to look in an entirely different direction as they all say "They

are going to make everything better if we just give them some more money!" Well, when I've

heard that too much, I just turn the radio or TV to another channel. So! You guys quit talking,

and show us some results!!! Anyway...... I don't have any more money!!!!

It was Vacation Time but strange things have happened!

"My friend!" I said, "I think we have taken a wrong turn!" It was definitely getting very crowded. It had become so crowded that it had become very hard to walk! I'd say, "We're not in Kansas anymore, but we've never taken a vacation in Kansas." We could turn around and go back the way we came, but the way out seems to have closed. No sand! No sun! No waves! No beach! I've been on beaches where it was hard to even find a place to lay down a beach towel, but this place doesn't even have that much space!
 

Moving on the best we can!

Yes! The going has been tough and slow, but maybe we are finally, finally going to pick up some speed! Of course, a downhill slope might help us to get going so much faster! A steep hill always helped with my 1970 VW bug! Why once I got up to 90 mph in my bug going down a long hill! Going slowly seems to take forever! And, forever does take a long, long time! But, for those that don't move - they may find themselves stuck in time..... forgotten..... or lost in some meaningless place! So, let's get moving!!!

Mr. Quackers goes for a walk.
On this walk he observes a very strange phenomenon. Some smaller creatures are pulling in their many legs and floating up into the atmosphere. “Very unusual!” he thought. I at first thought that some of them had too many legs as compared to the others. But, now I realize that they are pulling in these tiny legs and then are able to soar up into the sky!

Ms. Laura's class and her merry men!
They all came to learn! It was going to be an exciting and wonderful year at school! They all had a lot to learn, and Ms. Laura was here to help them! Some were apprehensive. Some were sleepy. Some were very excited! But, all would learn a valuable lesson in life this fine school year! Some thought that the lessons might be harder than last year's, but all knew that with their larger brains they could learn so much more!

My eggs have been laid!

My eggs have been laid! But, I still must be wary of danger to my little brood for the
time being! Maybe someday in the future after the little ones have left the nest and
are finally on their own that I will be able to relax a little bit. Still I worry! Will my
babies have the normal three wings or inherit a gene like their Great Uncle Jake
had that gave him four wings? Well, whatever..... I just hope that they will have good
manners, respect their elders, and take turns washing the dishes. It would also
be very nice if they would come and visit their poor, old momma from time to time!
Because I know that I will miss them all very much! And, they will learn like I did
that one day they will understand what I went through to get them hatched and out
on their own! Perhaps the "Three Little Pigs" story that I read to them when they were

young will make them know to "Do their work before they go out and play!" I do hope

that all I have taught them will cause their lives to be full and happy ones! And, I do hope

that they will always remember, "I'll love them forever!"

My Well-Behaved Son Billy!
Here I am with my little man! I'm Mr. Smiley and this is my son, Billy! He talks all the time about a
boy in his class at school named Johnny that is always getting in trouble. Everyday Billy tells me about something that Johnny had done that day to get in trouble or cause trouble for the class. Why one day  Johnny broke the fish aquarium and all the fish died on the floor! Another day Johnny cut off little Susy's pigtails! One day Johnny hid all of the textbooks, and it was hard for the teacher to have class! I'm so glad that my little fellow is so well behaved, smart, and kind! One day I ran into my son's teacher at the supermarket and said to her,  "I hear that you have all kinds of trouble out of one of your students named Johnny!" She got a strange look on her face  and said, "I don't have a student named Johnny in my class!" I wonder why she didn't know who he was?  She must just be clueless!

Opera just isn't for everyone!

Unfortunately I found out much too late that my voice wasn't suited for Opera. I should have listened to my husband and sister when I gave them a preview of my singing and they both responded with, "You should try to be at least 1 mile away from anyone when you perform!" I at first thought that they meant that my voice was so powerful that I should be that far away so I wouldn't overwhelm the audience. But, now I know that they just couldn't bring themselves to hurt my feelings by saying, "You are so bad that you shouldn't sing at all!"   I like a "captive audience" but mine just wouldn't stay seated..... Now I know why I was actually seeing musical notes break in half in the air in front of me. I also didn't know that the theatre had s-o-o-o-o many hooks that are used to pull someone off the stage until the dozen or so wrapped around me! This incident reminded me of the time The Sandman pulled someone off the stage at the Apollo using a hook. But, this time I believe all of the "hooks" in the world were brought in to get me off of the stage..... Maybe with a little practice I can make a comeback and give it one more try! That is - after I heal up from all of those nasty hook marks!!!!

Overlooking My Kingdom!

I guess I'm the King as there isn't anyone else here that is qualified to run this place! I have to keep a sharp eye out ahead, but also one eye looking behind me as you never know what could be coming at you from the rear! I've studied the martial arts and am proficient in many aspect of this field! I hope I can protect my citizens if need be! They are a varied group and it is hard to watch all of them. But, I will do the best I can!

Piper

Putting one's best foot forward!

I just had my last PLC and the road ahead is starting to get fairly rough. But, I'm putting

my best foot forward even though that might not be enough! This path already seems to be very crowded with many others that are also trying to traverse this realm. We all seem to be having quite a lot of difficulties in navigating the terrain. I think I'll try leading with  my chin and my best foot forward, and I'll hope that everything will be ok!! I'm sure everything will be fine unless I get hit with a grape of wrath....

Racing Rocks!!! or... Racing on Rocks.... or Racing with Rocks!

Well, I don't mean that if you are racing that it rocks which it does, but I just mean that my friend and me were trying to find different ways to race each other. He's smaller - so we had to find something to ride on to race each other as it wasn't fair to race him on foot as I am so much larger. So, we got a couple of rocks and tried to race on those, but they wouldn't move! Next we went to the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park. But, after sitting on some rocks for a few weeks we realized that we were just wasting our time there as they wouldn't move for us. We knew we needed to find some rocks that had a lot of horsepower or at least some faster rocks that did move. We finally found some rocks; at least we thought they were rocks, and they did have six legs which caused us to think that these guys would really move! But, it turned out that they were very slow and just plodded along. But, we did have fun giving it a try! I think I won by a nose which was ok as my friend gave it his all and did come in second! Bless his heart! Trophies were presented at the end of the race!! Drinks
are on me!!!

My friend Bailey Ann

Resting on the eggs!

Finally a nap! It's about time that I am able to sit quietly without a lot of work to do! It has

been quite awhile since I had any rest! What with the "Build the nest here!" "No! Build it over
there!" "That doesn't look safe! Build it again!" Well, it certainly was a lot of work, but now I am finally able to get some rest! Ah.....! Peace and quiet! "Tap, tap, tap!" "Click, click, click!" "Chip, chip, chip!" "Crack, crack, crack!" "CHEEP, CHEEP, CHEEP!" Well!!! The quiet sure didn't last very long.....

Serving his country in the Air Force

Scared!
I got a big shock just the other day! I do know that at some point in every life we all find something

that scares us. We are all afraid of something or the other at various times. I was frightened of what

I had just seen until I realized that it was just an Elvis impersonator! I did notice that everyone else

in the vicinity had their mouths agape at something they saw that day. So, that makes me feel a little

bit better. Perhaps it's just the way the wind was blowing that day, or the way the sun caused shadows

to appear that scared all of us!

Skating on the Very Thin Ice of Life!
Perhaps I shouldn’t have sharpened my skates so much. Though I do like to keep a keen blade! However having blades that are so sharp might cause me to cut through the very, thin ice of life and fall in! Some might ask, “Why do you go out on ice that is so dangerous?” My reply would be, “I love a sharp skate as it cuts into the ice so much better, and helps me hold onto the surface of life!” Their reply would then be, “But the surface of life is so thin and can break so easily!” “Well!” I would reply, “If the going is going to be tough – then I do need a sharp skate to get through life!” Maybe the Pooka in the background will know what is going to happen to us in our future. I need a Pooka right about now anyway as the ice keeps getting thinner and thinner in my life. Well, anyway…..ever onward!! And, if you need a Pooka just ask Elwood P. Dowd and maybe he can help you find one! Schmoos are also nice to have around but are getting very hard to find! One last thing! If you hear a loud CRACK! - you'd better run!

Something is going on somewhere but just not here!

Something was going on! However, I was clueless about what it was. I'm sure someone will tell me. After all we were all told to come to a certain place on a certain day to witness something special. It was to be "A Super Surprise!" I read on the brochure. One guy standing with us said that maybe it was going to be a "Flash Mob" exhibition. Finally another person offered this opinion, "Maybe we are the Flash Mob and just don't know it." Some of us stood around for quite a few hours expecting to hear "Cut! That's a rap!" but no one ever said a thing to us. There were a few that started to get upset by all the waiting. Others that had more patience still remained with smiles on their faces and showed their best profiles as if we were being recorded. I did notice some restrained laughter that I could barely hear coming from somewhere that I just couldn't figure out. But, I just thought that maybe it was coming from those with the smiles on their faces that were trying very hard to pose in case they were being filmed. Eventually we all gave up and went home. I'm going to watch the local news on tv tonight, and see if there is a report about what was really going on. If someone had jumped out and said, "Smile! You're on Candid Camera!" then I would have understood.

I'm an Accelerated Reader!

Many years ago I was watching TV when Ray Charles came on Saturday Night Live and did a skit called "The Evelyn Woodski Slow-Reading Course" on which he told that he used to burn his fingers before learning how to read slowly. I've wanted to read more quickly with better comprehension and so have flown through the pages of the books that I have read! I can now read quickly but just don't have a very good remembrance of the text! Maybe it's just my bird brain. Please don't give me a test on what I've read as I know there are certainly a lot of books left to read, and I want to read as many as I can! I think I'll stop reading as I found out that everyone has a tale to tell, and I know that I just can't read every story.... Maybe I should write my own story and read that one as I write it! That way I can go slowly and try to understand the story as I write it, and then maybe I can create my own test and pass it! I've just realized that writing in my bird language just might not work in translation to other languages especially since there are so many varied types of beings in my area. I guess the book won't be guaranteed to be a best seller if no one can understand my bird language... Ian Anderson once wrote about knowing what it is like to "Be thick as a brick" and now he's recorded some new music entitled "The Secret Language of Birds." I listened to his CD but he must have used a different dialect than I am used to as I couldn't comprehend any of the words that he used..... I did love the flute sounds however! So, let me try some of my writings on you and see what you think! Here goes! "Chirp, Chirp! Cheep, Cheep! Tweet, Tweet! Twitter, Twitter!" So!! What do you think?? Will my book be great or what!!!!

Steps (Stufen)

As every blossom fades
and all youth sinks into old age,
so every life’s design, each flower of wisdom,
attains its prime and cannot last forever.
The heart must submit itself courageously
to life’s call without a hint of grief,
A magic dwells in each beginning,
protecting us, telling us how to live.

High purposed we shall traverse realm on realm,
cleaving to none as to a home,
the world of spirit wishes not to fetter us
but raise us higher, step by step.
Scarce in some safe accustomed sphere of life
have we establish a house, then we grow lax;
only he who is ready to journey forth
can throw old habits off.

Maybe death’s hour too will send us out new-born
towards undreamed-lands,
maybe life’s call to us will never find an end
Courage my heart, take leave and fare thee well. (Herman Hesse)

however...

a splash of this - a hint of that - that's what makes the world go 'round!  But this is
a favorite poem of Hesse's that I like.

Taking a big step off of the Fiscal Cliff!

Why wait! I'm going to go ahead and take a great big leap off of it!!!!! According to Mr. Charles Montgomery "Monty" Burns the "Fiscal Cliff" is defined simply as this: "Think of the economy as a car and the rich man as the driver. If you don’t give the driver all the money he will drive you over a cliff!" So, why wait! Go ahead and take the first step! So, I'm jumping!!! Look out below!!!