Really bad pun Monday

No Wimbledon for this unfortunate soul.

He's come unstrung

Sorry Mr. Cummings, et. al......the song "She's come undone" simply leaped to mind when I was drawing this little doodle.

Sometimes words DO fail....

We preachers and liturgists try to be 'relevant'. My attempts feel lame most of the time. Maybe I'm just irrelevant. So is there room in genuine community for the 'irrelevant' and the irreverent? I suspect many of us actually yearn for community and to be part of something big whether that's being part of a fan base for FIFA World Cup or something else. Maybe there are other questions we churchy people could be asking....

Let us press on toward our GOAAAALLLLL!
Oh, sorry, just trying for the topical reference. Won't happen again.

How 'bout that?

It's been that sort of winter...spring....summer (at least by the calendar). We're still trying to string together more than one or two bright sunny days in a row. Lately, we've had sun for part of the day and then rain, rain, more rain....I bet the farmers are nervous!

Again?

TBT-Throwback Thursday

This might require a bit of explanation and some back story. Ten years ago I finished a year's clinical residency to prepare for work in spiritual care in a hospital setting. 

   Part of our training consisted of presenting a case study in which we would recount "verbatim" a conversation we had in which we believed there was much to be learned about ourselves and how we relate to people. We would reconstruct the conversation as best we could and would alter some details so ensure the privacy of the person/patient with whom we were conversing. 

   So...sometimes young summer students would be part of our cadre of caregivers learning as they go. Some of them spoke the vernacular of...well....youth! Heading into middle age, I experienced the speech patterns as equal parts amusing and annoying.

circa 2004

Huh...I think I went the long way around to explain this toon. Hope it isn't TOO arcane or esoteric!

Recently, I saw a dog investigating with considerable vigor and rigor a grassy spot near a light pole. Having recently made a joke about my own 'facial recognition software' failing when someone in a car honks at me or waves, I ended up taking a left turn....

Equipped with fecal recognition software

I know--crude and cliche all in one toon. Sorry no refunds today.

Time Warp Tuesday-Is it summer yet?

Circa 1968 or so. I'm sitting far left.

I've always loved summer for a lot of reasons. It used to be that I loved being done with school. For a while I looked forward to going to baseball practice, catching "Lost in Space" on television, going to the swimming pool, and the biggie.... picnics. I love "summer food" like watermelon, corn on the cob, hotdogs and potato salad.
    This picnic table lasted many seasons and until I was in my early twenties, one of my brothers or I had the task of shoring up the hardware and keeping the table and benches together and also adding a coat of stain for the new picnic season.
     Officially it's summer "up here". So far, I suspect Mother Nature didn't get the memo.

A friend of ours is always good for a quip or a reference taken from "old movies", songs, or television programs. As a group convened for a meeting the other night, my clever friend riffed on the word "quorum".

So then, do we have a quarrel?

Then again...there is the line, "Where two or more are gathered, eventually there will be a disagreement."

The Longest Day?

Five years ago today we crossed the border into Canada. Our two mini doxies and we had driven a long way and were anticipating new experiences on this adventure. It's surprising how time seems to rush by. The mind quickly latches onto recollections of the many events, experiences and relationships we've been part of.  

              Really?

Last night we watched a documentary, "Dear Mr. Watterson" that highlighted the work of the creator of "Calvin and Hobbes".  To hear so many artists, scholars, and kids at heart speak about what his work means was inspiring. Mr. Watterson himself doesn't appear in the film as he guards his privacy. Among the things learned....those who draw for newspapers have it very tough...work they are so proud to produce gets schmooshed into a very tiny space (often mis aligned) so as to accommodate advertising flyers and other content. As a fan of "Calvin and Hobbes" I was reminded of the virtuoso quality of the art and writing. Other professional cartoonists say Watterson made it 'hard for the rest of us'. Really. 

!

Things get by us

Actually, he doesn't even get SINGLE entendre

TBT circa 2004

The mosh pit mass never caught on....I'm not sure the joke did either. This toon was drawn about ten years ago...I'm not sure I'd run with this joke again.  I'd totally rethink composition and characters too. Live and learn?

Throwback Thursday

Circa 2005

It's interesting to look at a toon from nine years ago. There might be a trick or two I've picked up. As a tinkerer, I would draw a few things differently today if I were to draw this panel again.

A Study in watercolor

Circa 2013

I remember a philosophy class in which we discussed "chairness". I'm not sure I understood what we were up to at the time. Then there's this watercolor. I still kind of like it yet the lines bother me a bit. Maybe I still don't get chairness.

I'll be back at the place where I found the chair and basket to draw. Maybe I'll take another whack at it if the chair is still in the garden at Wilderness Edge....

Two bits

Before and after--May 31, 2014

I made a deal with myself that when the snow melted I would clean off my face. There was a bit of delay, but the last snow was mid May (it didn't stick) and the snow banks were gone by about May 20. So on the last day of May, I cleaned up. Here are the before and afters. Shave and a haircut....knock knock.

Some grill, others prefer a quicker method for healing a meal

We humans smugly conclude that we're special and distinct because we fabricate and use tools. It seems to me that we have some things to learn about wise development and use of said tools. Recently I saw a video feature on 3 D printing. Early in the technology's ascendancy, someone is developing components for assault rifles. The developer seems to have no compunction about what might happen should everyone have increased access to a weapon. Like I say, maybe we have a lot to learn.

Work? Not Work?

It looks like work to me, but many view grilling as recreation.

Does Skippy know it's a weekend?

Good Ol' Fashioned Values

I came across a pithy quote from 18th century Britain that inspired this toon. Now I can't remember the source! Sorry, 18th century artistocratic pundit guy. Columnist Molly Ivins once remarked that the scion of the Bush dynasty 'was born on third base and thought he had hit a triple". I miss Molly's wit and grit, she was unique.

Throwback Thursday

Late fall 1960, my brothers and me. I'm the one reclining.

I think we've thrown back about as far as we can here without getting into my pre-existence. I once heard someone remark that we don't get upset about not being around before we're born, and then wonder why would we dread not being around again years and years into the future. Hmmm.

I guess it can be done...

Drawn with the opposite hand and with eyes closed

These little experiments get me to loosen up a bit with the drawing. Some might argue that my style is loose enough already or perhaps more loose than one would prefer. Fair enough.

Gimme a break

You might have seen the bumper sticker "Nothing great has been achieved without coffee". Perhaps? I think I'll brew up a cup and see what happens.

We say the darndest things sometimes

The phrase "under false pretenses" intrigues me. The phrase sounds very elegant and grown up. Yet again, is there any such entity as a "true pretense"? That said at the end of the day as we go forward on the same page.....

We recently read "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry", a probing and soulful narrative. At one point the protagonist finds his mind reeling as cliche riddled verbiage washes over him. He wonders why we don't let words have their power to say what we mean. Indeed.