HOMETOWN HEADLINES

The "city" a few minutes north of here is considering chickens. 

Our "city" already has considered chickens and decided long ago 

they were pets as long as a maximum of 5 are kept and are not

permitted to run at large.

Lack of snow has put our big Snowfest back in the freezer.

But that's okay.  The snow plows can be put to use

pushing spilled, and therefore mashed, potatoes off the highway.

IMAGINATION SETS IN

I’ve set a goal for myself to do more drawing and also to 

become more familiar with my watercolor pencils, 

since they are very portable and useful in sketching situations.

 Using this book by Bert Dodson as a guideline

I’ve done some pencil and pen sketches.

 The author encourages stretching the truth.

Making the familiar strange invites

the viewer to see things in a new way.

Since I'm more of an illustrator than and artist;

I’ve put together a series to dramatize a song written in 1970 

by a father for his young son.  

I’ve put my own twist on it, but then,

 that’s what imagination is all about.

 Wikipedia says, “The song's lyrics, filled with colorful, dream-like imagery,

 led some to believe that the song was about drugs.”  

The article continues--the author “has stated in interviews 

that the song was actually written for his then three-year old son, Josh.”

Can you name that tune?

THIN ICE

The days are getting colder. Yes.

Bugs are dying by the truckload! 

Ha ha ha! Good riddance to ‘em all! - 

Calvin and Hobbes

 No one can look at a pine tree in winter 

without knowing that spring will come again in due time.

Frank Bolles

 I like these cold, gray winter days.  Days like these let you savor a bad mood.  

Calvin and Hobbes

 The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches.

 E. E. Cummings

 Nature chose for a tool, not the earthquake or lightning to rend and split asunder,

 not the stormy torrent or eroding rain, but the tender snow-flowers

 noiselessly falling through unnumbered centuries.

John Muir 

 The problem with winter sports is that

 – follow me closely here – 

they generally take place in winter. 

Dave Barry

I used to be Snow White, but I drifted. 

Mae West

 I must say, the stinging snow makes your cheeks look positively radiant.

Calvin and Hobbes

 I should be doing my homework now. 

But the way I see it, playing in the snow is a lot more important. 

Out here I'm learning skills that I can apply throughout the rest of my life

 - procrastinating and rationalizing.

Calvin and Hobbes

ZOMBIES CAN DANCE

When I went for a walk early this morning there was a thin layer 

of snow just covering the icy streets.  The sand trucks were out 

putting down a layer of grit to add traction to the intersections.

Walking is really tricky in these conditions.  

You never know when you're going to take a step and suddenly go flying.

Even the neighbor's cat was walking carefully.  

The campus zombies on their way to class looked like they were dancing on marbles.  

I would have laughed at them but I was too busy trying to keep my own feet under me.

I made it home safely unless you count the two steps I took through the ice 

in a gutter which resulted in cold wet feet.

Maybe the zombies were just doing a snow dance.