Water, in all its forms, is interesting to depict. Owing to its reflective nature, it often is best represented by negative space. A lake can be understood simply by drawing a line of trees on the far shore. Snow, as on the coats in the last panel, is “drawn” with the mere absence of dark. But to me the more interesting thing about this cartoon from two years ago is the tracks in the snow. Arlo and Janis always walk single file, as they do above in Panel 4, because it’s conducive to dialog and to the camera’s point of view—at least I think so. It’s the same reason people on TV so often sit on the same side of the breakfast table (as do Arlo and Janis, now that I think of it). Anyway, the tracks in the snow were left by two people walking side by side, and for much the same reason they walk single file. Side-by-side tracks better fit the format of visual storytelling. Artistic license! Don’t sit down without it.
228 responses to “Snow Fun”
That’s wonderful and much older sideburns. Seniority of rule.
Ghost, I just got off phone with Debbie who will of course be with you during your friend’s services, as I am sure will others here. She agreed that you will not be alone. We would be there on either side of you if we could, holding your hands.
She assured me over and over that those you loved will meet her in heaven and greet her with love and welcome. She believes this with all her heart.
Please keep in touch here. You are much loved, like a spirit who inhabits our hearts. Isn’t that what spirits are supposed to do? Ghosts?
Jerry, I never realized how bad those Florida storms (that aren’t hurricanes) could be till a friend who has lived down there for a decade described them in detail to me. Wow! Are you a Floridian born and bred? If not, what was the biggest weather challenge where you used to live?
Sideburns, your low is almost my high today here in Michigan. We’re experiencing our January thaw, which sometimes waits till February to show up. I hope you manage to gain a little more weight and warm up. It really does help.
Ghost, thank you for keeping us in your thoughts; you are in ours.
Thinking of the caregiving Debbe is doing now, too. I was my Mom’s sole caregiver her last nine years. Sometimes only prayer and the certainty that time brings change can get you through.
Debbe is doing better herself where she is. She is gaining weight she needs and finding peace and tranquility. She has no phone, no computer, no tablet. She is lonely and she misses us.
I would send her one but she’d have no Internet server where she is. Anyone have ideas? She would like to communicate. She also has no car. Ideas?
As an only child I knew I would take care of my mother in her last year’s and I am so glad I did. Mike was an only child, his adopted sister left the family long ago and was estranged, so we took care of his mom her last year’s but in retirement and nursing homes. I did much as Mike disliked his mother.
There is a wonderful essay on this by Irma Bombeck in one of her books. I will find it and post here.
Jimmy, I notice Arlo requires a checklist, for what a Luddite does by accident. Nice.
Heads up. Two lengthy posts inbound. Mark’s has precedence, only because it was written earlier.
Sorry for the interruption.
If any do not want bible references, please skip this message. I wanted to respond to Mark, who gave guidance.
Mark, I am more comfortable comparing gospels than remembering the finer points of Pauline letters, so I did need to reference 2Tim2:23. Knowing it was to Timothy gave me a heads up. It is my habit to read in context, building to a quotation. That is why I’ll generally refer to chapters. I have met many cherry pickers, unwilling to read more than suggested. So I hope you understand when I admit v.22 can be a bit of a sticking point, and distracts from v.23. Continuing on, vv24-26 gave me guidance as well.
It is one of the confusing aspects of Saul now Paul, where his message reads differently depending on occasion. His advice in Eph6:10-20 is a bit more imperative. [laying aside questions of authorship]
I have been faulted for this, but in discussions I will tend to leave Paul’s advice, worthy as it is, and resort to gospel. If I can reference a red-letter edition, for someone to read themselves, sometimes they will return, eagerly sharing thoughts on the next parable. [must add, I am discussing real-world interactions, nothing refers to any villager]
Sheepishly realizing while I type, I just did the exact same thing. Posting anyway, for humor.
emb, that is regrettable, I did not intend for you to leave. But I will not visit a place where I or others are treated in your manner. I was in fact prepared to view this blog as a suburb of the dark side, and simply enjoy Jimmy’s work without reading further. I may still do so, but I’m not given to martyr-hood. It may turn out the village will be relieved of both our presence.
I do know that dealing with you has interrupted at least four different exchanges I would like to have had, and those moments have passed. Recovering them would be tedious in this format.
To be clear your post is not satisfactory. If Morphy were not a borrowed name, I would be pursuing legal action, this is an interstate public display. Be clear, public defamation must be stopped. In that way you are correct, weasel and other descriptives could have been worded better. I regret they were the kindest forms I had available to me at the time. I need improvement here. That is a limited apology, directly to you, emb.
I would point out, I was describing your actions, not stating you were in fact a lesser mammal. If any can illustrate to me how emb’s words can be read as he claims, I would be interested. And give presumptive thanks for your efforts. I will at least check for that.
Morphy you fascinate me with your layman’s knowledge. I have a friend in your neck of the woods who studies the zbible and Christian religions most seriously and knowledgeably.
Biblical quotes do not bother me so much as preaching does. Man preaches through words what he believes, it is called witnessing I believe. I find it tedious for whatever gods and spirits exist, I found long ago.
Change of topic, the Chinese laundry is back in operation, as boring as I find that, I must do it. Dinner is ready, those pork chops disintegrated in the slow cooker (with the tangy tomato sauce). The wide noodles are ready, the cooked baby carrots, the southern green beans with potatoes and cornbread.
Comfort food. Tomorrow it is eggplant stuffing with roasted chicken and salads, veggies.
I have metamorphosised into my mother totally.
From FB: https://scontent.fden3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s480x480/15977968_1841307019424095_271732954259891773_n.jpg?oh=052915466d7ddcaff8789afb8aaadfb4&oe=5905FFCF
Love it!
https://scontent.fden3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16195465_1365696083495244_5147878194177099018_n.png?oh=d3bd8e01f63d5270817ee9c503e2a960&oe=592298E4
funny
Related to today’s strip: https://scontent.fden3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p480x480/16195230_1366042353460617_1714682531468311080_n.jpg?oh=1cff851e1661eec758efd5d210a927cc&oe=59098CAB
Good ones! That rock is in New Zealand isn’t it?
emb is correct about the 10,000 years verse of Amazing Grace. Chris Tomlin wrote a wonderful version of it and explained it in a video. Here is the song by Chris. (I’ve sung it, but Chris is SO much better!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I
The last verse in his version was:
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow.
The Sun forbear to shine
But God, who called me here below
Will be forever mine, will be forever mine
You are forever mine.
Smigz, I read once that the Golden Rule was a part of nearly every religion. I would guess that some folks follow it better than others!
It was foggy and 45°-48° here so I went for another long walk. Last week I walked 13 and signed up for a marathon and this week I was able to get 15 miles in. Doctor is ok with it as he wants me to keep moving! No pain, although my feet hurt a little bit. It is exhilarating. Tiring, but well worth it.
This song is for Ghost and any of us who need comforting tonight. This is one of my favorite musicians playing one of my favorite guitar pieces, Julian Bream playing Recuerdos de LA Alhambra by Francisco Tarriego.
https://youtu.be/EczdMiHySlc
The grief and sadness of loss echos from the strings, mixed with love and beautiful memories. There is hope and joy for perhaps returning I think for it is not a depressing song, but one of great longing and desire for a time, place, person. Listen to the strings talk.
Something you may not have heard, Amazing Grace in Cherokee.
https://youtu.be/hA0b4eZTlrA
I live in the heart of the Indian Nation. My town Eufaula is the capital of the Choctaw. The Cherokee capital is Tahlequah to the north of me. Many of my doctors have been there and I love the city. Our tribes have been here longer than have we, the non-Native residents.
It’s bedtime in NH — good night to my friends in the Village. Sleep well. Dearest Ghost, you are much in my thoughts. You have the courage to get through the next few days and we know you can do it.
Jackie, I too wish we could do something for Debbe. She must miss her cat (cats?) terribly, and all her things at home. At least she has peace and quiet. Please give her my best love when you talk to her again. Love to you too, you are a remarkable woman.
Thank you Miss Charlotte. Yes, I would send her a phone or a tablet to use but she would not have a cell phone service or an Internet server and without those the phones would be of no use.
Just read the most remarkable essay by one of the women in the women’s March about why she marched for those who could not. Her point was that the upper class to middle class women who opposed knew no one outside their personal circles. Think about what we take for granted.
Cars, health insurance, comfortable lives, phones, computers, modern homes, conveniences, take those away and could we even cope? I doubt it.
I could live without most of the things you mentioned. Once upon a time I’d have been comfortable in a cabin as long as I had good books and lighting. But take away my heart medicines, and I’d be bedridden within a few days, probably dead within a year, definitely dead once my CRT-D battery depleted.
Trucker you and I are from a group who are much more resilient than the SUV driving soccer mom’s the author was addressing. I didn’t give background of her essay. It was a response to a particular Facebook post going around today.
The author nailed it because I know the friends of mine who posted it. They don’t even know women who don’t have it all because they are “beneath” them, not part of their social experience.
To Ghost, sending you strength and courage and peace for today. You will be guided by the love you have for your friend I know but you need support for you too. Stop every once in awhile and just breath and empty your mind.
Just breath and slow everything down.
Good morning, all. I’m feeling somewhat better today, although in this case “better” is definitely a relative term.
Again, my sincere thanks to all who have offered expressions of concern and support. Rest assured, those have been of great comfort to me.
More later.
I haven’t driven a rig since my SCA, yet I still have dreams about trucking at least once a week. Last night I had two of them… in one of them my wife was upset with me because I was trying to park it in our backyard which is physically impossible in real life (trees, fences, property lines, etc.). The dream about taking it through a truck wash was much nicer.
Sorry, Ghost, but I never found or even dreamed about a cleaning crew in orange, crocheted bikinis… All the big chains my company had me use had only all-male crews; the office staff was almost always all female. I guess being sopping wet and dirty for hours doesn’t appeal to women.
Of course, being sopping wet and dirty for hours around someone besides overweight truckers might appeal to some. 😉
Trucker I have not owned a flower shop for thirty years (although I worked in them, sold to them and stayed involved with shows until about ten years ago)
I dream about flower shops all the time. Nightmares or reality? Hard to say!
Perhaps a “Bikini Carwash” might be a good retirement investment for me, TR.
Actually, some years ago a local carwash had an all-female staff. (Why does that sound familiar?) But not bikini-clad, which in some of the cases was fortunate (Bless Their Hearts™). A few of them, however, did do justice to their work “uniforms” of (very) cut-off jeans and t-shirts, especially when their labors caused their t-shirts to get moist. (Apologies to anyone offended by that word.)