Whimsical - Fantastic - Playful - Mischievous - SOS no. 73

   

Those of you who know me have probably read some or all of my previous posts about my Princey-Poo-Poo! 

Although I wholeheartedly believe in rescuing dogs from animal shelters, Prince was purchased from a poodle breeder due to my husband's allergic reaction to most other dog breeds.

Prince was acquired during the pandemic; during a time when my mental state was faltering from having to isolate, wear. masks, social distance, teach remotely from home, and all the other "fly-the-plane-while-building-it" shenanigans.

I chose to feature Prince as "WHIMSICAL" after I looked up synonyms for the word.

1. I think Prince is absolutely FANTASTIC. He brings so much JOY to our home. I love him very much; probably too much. He is spoiled, and he knows it.

 2. Prince definitely fits the definition for PLAYFUL. No one can escape playing fetch with him. He is relentless when he wants you to take the toy. He can be a bully, if necessary, if you take too long, forcing you to take the toy. Once you accept his invitation to play, he has the patience of Job and a death stare as he waits for you to throw the toy.

3. Prince can be just as MISCHIEVOUS as a child. He sneaks  around unheard and unseen to get into things that he knows are a NO-NO!

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. 

If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. 

#sosmagic

Catch Phrases - #SOS71

Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog

/’kaCH,frāz/ noun: a well-known sentence or phrase

1. "I am an Education Professional." - This statement was borrowed from a radio personality, who sometimes flubbed what she was trying to say. She would emphatically state, "I am a communication professional"; then, perfectly restate that which she had previously flubbed.  I liked it so much I adapted it my profession. I use it to remind myself that I am fully capable of handling all the craziness of being a teacher right now.

2. I follow #1 with "and I can do hard things." This one has been a mantra of. mine for very long time, thanks to Jennifer Laffin, creator of Teach Write, LLC. Both statements together are my 1-2-PUNCH for combatting the doubt that easily and often seeps in, as well as the feelings of being overwhelmed when "IT ALL" seems to never end; when I have more to do than the amount of time I perceive to have to get it done. 

 

Trees - #SOS - Sharing Our Stories

SOS - Sharing Our Stories

 

Fire Dragon Maple             Chinese Pistache   

This invitation to write about trees made me reflect on my current experience. We recently planted two new trees in our front yard, after having two cedar-like trees removed.

The cedar trees had been planted by the original builders/owners of our home over 14 years ago. They had grown very tall and wide, and begun to restrict the amount of sunlight the lawn underneath their branches received.  They were also very messy trees that left feather-like foliage and sap-filled pods all over our yard.

Since the two new trees have been planted, I have had to learn how to care for them. Trees are very expensive. You may not be aware, if you have not had to purchase trees before. So, I have had to be very careful and fully aware of when and how much to water the trees, as well as how to mix the twice-per-month seaweed treatment.

As an educator, I consider myself, a lifelong learner. I have always attributed that characteristic to continuously learning and staying on top of my craft as a teacher. 

As a new tree owner, I now know (have learned) a bit about trees...a topic that has never been an interest of mine. But, since I have no plans to purchase more trees, I am applying what I have learned to ensure I don't kill these.