I’m a little late to Sparky’s wake, 2016. There’s been a lot online the past couple of weeks as Charles Schulz was memorialized again on the 16th anniversary of his death. I drew this cartoon 10 years ago, at this same time of year. I don’t have a lot of Schulz stories, but I have a few. The National Cartoonist Society held its 1988 annual convention, highlighted by the Reuben Awards, in San Francisco. One evening, United Media hosted a private dinner for its talent, great and small. That included Schulz and me, respectively. Of course, he attracted a knot of youngsters such as myself, basking in his aura. He was praising one of his favorite cartoonists, James Thurber.
“Why,” he asked in a Socratic manner, “were Thurber’s cartoons good?” There were several eager guesses from others. Because they were simple. Because they were different. I thought to myself, “Because they were funny.” No sooner had the thought died than the old master explained, “Because they were funny.” Honest! I did think that! I just wish I’d said it out loud.
46 responses to “The Kite-Eating Tree”
Thusly…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xToQ4cIHkk
Severe damage in Pensacola. Minor in Santa Rosa, Walton. Don’t really know about points east due to halfa** media coverage. A tornado was spotted in Panama City or was that an early spring breaker demonstrating his skill at autodefenestration?
Prayers for all under the gun of those storms. Jean, aren’t you near that area? Hunker down.
Anonymous Jackie:
I had completely forgotten about water exercise – thanks for the reminder!
Strip of 02.24.16:
That’s pretty close to how I like to annoy my own Janis.
Enough said.
Good morning Villagers….
Love the above retro…I still have the Sunday Peanut comic paper that carried the last strip. Maybe someday I’ll have it framed.
It is soggy, wet, windy, and cold here, but no snow….yet. Since we live in the farthest SE corner of the county, we are lucky to get any gravel put on these muddy county roads…I feel like a stepchild.
Rick, job well done on your visit from the doctor…keep up the good job you’re doing.
Jean, that chicken video was the first link I clicked on when getting here…..just wasn’t quite awake enough for that, but I was by the time it ended 🙂 Love the chicks, though
Jerry, thanks, my mind just couldn’t remember Tippy’s name and I remember why he is called Tippy…..the tips of his ears are black or they white…..drawing another blank here. (the mind, it’s a terrible thing to waste)
Pray all is well with our southern Villagers from last night’s storms.
ya’ll have a blessed day
GR 😉 we can be…just for one day….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjBQKIOb-w
Jerry in FL, here’s what’s in our news this morning: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/02/tornado_in_pensacola_leaves_mu.html#incart_river_home
Thanks for the picture Mark. The worst damage is, I think, a short walk from my ex’s house where I used to live. From what I’ve seen on tv there are apartment buildings that are not just destroyed but gone. Somehow there are no known fatalities in Pensacola. Our power never went out and I’m not aware of any problems around here but I am approx. 40 miles east of Pensacola.
And now for the next round of rewrite that headline. The headline from today’s Orlando Sentinel: Blind entrepreneur sees potential in chocolate business.
Those are not the apartments that I thought it was and they are a bit further north. The thing about a tornado is that a house can be destroyed and the house next door is undamaged.
It looks like Debbe will be getting snow today.
Just visited Baltimore: http://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org/peregrine-falcon-webcam
When I first got there, totally socked in, no peregrine at the site. Only thing you could tell through the fog was it was darker looking down than straight ahead. Now, that flatiron-like bldg. shows through. Falcons are not necessarily flying; there are 30 or so ledges below this one, and other bldgs. and water tanks around. Wonder if they can hunt in fog, or whether it may even be an advantage. Anyway, interesting site. Peace,
[Will repost if JJ changes site soon.]
Have not looked to see what weather lies out in Duck Dynasty parking lot outside my window. It seemed to have rained periodically off and on during night. Dickens doesn’t seem anxious to get up. I have been lying here dozing and listening to piano music on Pandora. Love that, it has become my white noise.
Ran my bath water last night and suddenly remembered why this was considered the “wrong side” of the river to live on. My bath water was only slightly less brown than my iced tea I drink and no amount of Calgon milk bath would raise a bubble. You can’t drink it either. Of course the second reason, the paper mill smell, wafts across the river too if wind direction is wrong.
So why did this side end up the “right side” and eclipse the old money on opposite bank?
Jackie and All Villagers,
Thanks for the concern. We had a good bit of rain and some wind here in Big BR, LA, but I haven’t heard of any big damage or injuries. There were some tornadoes reported East and South of us but none here. Today it’s damp and cool. Warm weather is coming.
God bless us every one.
Rick, water exercise is great, the resistance against the action seems to double the effort. I use water weights too which of course are floats that increase that.
Ghost, until I get discharged by my cardiologist I was supposed to not get my heart rate at rapid rate or breathing hard. They said mild walking and stretching exercises. I think staying out of pool had to do with possible infections?
The hospital discharge papers said my surgeon would tell me when I could have sex again. He hasn’t said a word?
GR6: Thanks. I saved the URL for leisure perusing [= when I should be attending to 1M other tasks; maybe only 1m.] emb
http://thatispriceless.blogspot.com/
I don’t see any needles; she’s not knitting, she’s sewing. NB: All of this guys women, and most since the Pre-Raphaelites, are built like today’s ‘ideals’. Peace,
emb, click on the painting, and then click a second time when it appears in the black background. It will enlarge greatly and you can see both the needle in the raised hand and the thread attached to it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stitching_the_Standard
Jackie, weather for Monroe: http://www.wunderground.com/q/zmw:71201.1.99999
emb: There’s a little more action on the Savannah owl cam – http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/46/Great_Horned_Owls/ – and not just because it’s windy. First hatch is in progress.
Debbe:
Thanks!