Punxsutawney Phyllis — Opera Star!

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082342040X copyMy friend, the clever, creative, and fun-loving author Susanna Leonard Hill, has decided that we need a little fun in the midst of this wicked winter. Not only is Susanna all the adjectives aforementioned, but she is the creative spirit behind PUNXSUTAWNEY PHYLLIS, Girl Weather Prognosticator Extraordinaire.

As you’ve probably noticed, it’s nearly Groundhog Day, the day when Phyllis (and others of her ilk) take a look outside and declare whether there will be an early spring, or six more weeks of winter. As a child, I never quite understood that, because where I live, having ONLY six more weeks of winter would be an early spring!

Anyway, it’s time for Phyllis to prognosticate, and Susanna has dreamed up a fun way to prepare our furry friend for her prognostifying. Prognostificating? Um, predicting the weather. We’re having a Fun Fashion Show for Phyllis! Bloggers here, there, and everywhere, are creating outfits for Phyllis to wear, and scenarios in which she would wear them. To find links to all the entries in the fashion show, click that Fun Fashion Show link above.

Click on the magic words to see how I envision Phyllis for Groundhog Day 2014:

May I present Punxsutawney Phyllis — OPERA STAR!!!

Opera Phyllis on Stage copy

Phyllis wants you to know that her snowshovel, shield and helmet are made of real silver, er, tinfoil, and her dress is made of leftover theatre curtain material. As Great Granny Groundhog always said, “Waste not, want not.” (Great Granny was rather given to cliches.) That’s a music stand in front of her, by the way.

If you’d like a better look at her opera costume, here’s a close-up:

Opera Phyllis Closeup

If, by some mischance, you have never read the delightful picture book Punxsutawney Phyllis, I urge you to do so! If you have children, dash to your local bookstore, and share it with them on February 2nd, National Phyllis Day, I mean Groundhog Day. If your local bookstore doesn’t have it, may I suggest ordering it from Merritt Bookstore in New York’s Hudson Valley? It is an independent bookstore that goes out of its way to do wonderful things for people and authors.

Happy Groundhog Day! May Spring come early. Please?

41 thoughts on “Punxsutawney Phyllis — Opera Star!”

  3. Susanna Leonard Hill

    LOVE this post, Beth, because you are so funny and say such nice things about Phyllis, and LOVE Phyllis the Opera Star! How did you know that she has been LONGING for a Viking helmet??? She will be singing your praises all the way until NEXT Groundhog Day 🙂 Thank you so much for joining in the fun with your Operatic Phyllis! 🙂

    1. Beth

      Thanks so much for your delightfully enthusiastic response, Susanna! This was such fun to do. As soon as I thought of it, I could hardly wait to put it together. I wish the tinfoil showed up better in the photo — it looks a lot more metallic in person.

  4. Patricia Nozell

    Presuming she’ll be singing in the key of G, Beth? What a clever ensemble & setting for Phyllis – I’ll have to listen the next time I pass a groundhog!

  17. Penny Parker Klostermann

    This is too precious for words! Phyllis looks fantastic. The snowshovel, shield and helmet are adorable!!!
    I saw this earlier in the week when I got notification of your post.I am making my way back through the entries today to comment! The entries are so cute!

  18. Sue

    Well, being that Phyllis is ready to sing, I hope she sings the snow away, bringing back sunny skies and warm weather. Winter has worn out its welcome. I have never been to an opera, but I am guessing Phyllis sings in loud soprano, a position more coveted than first soprano.

    1. Beth

      Thanks, Meg! I hoped the saying would have that effect on people! 😉

      The stage is left over from a series of teaser posts I did in September 2012 before a series of posts about The Great American Mousical.

  23. Vivian Kirkfield

    La-la-la-la!
    Stunning, Beth! Phyllis will certainly be the star of the show…a true diva! Great post, by the way…lovely of you to give Merritt Bookstore a shout-out.:)

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