Illustration Friday: Strong

Putting up three re-posts in honor of my old friend Blackie, who had to be put down a couple of weeks back due to a cancerous tumor. Some of you may remember these posts from previous years, when I used our adopted SPCA mutt as a model for some of the IF topics.

I'm using the 'Superhero' illo as a submission for 'Strong', but I'm also including two others I did of Blackie... one for 'Chair' and another for 'Portrait.'

He was a good friend that we had the pleasure of hosting in our house for fifteen years. He was completely deaf the last few years, and that tumor crippled him the last couple of months, but he never lost his wag or his good spirit, even on his last day. The veterinarian agreed that the cancer had finally spread to his lungs (his breathing had become labored), and an operation for a dog his age was out of the question. He was truly strong to the end.

Peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Celebrate

Our little corner of the world has suffered from a couple of years of drought, so I celebrate the rain that has visited us these past few weeks. The wind and the wet really hurt the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (the corporate descendant of Bing Crosby's Clambake), but the weather has always been iffy for that tournament anyway... always a gamble.

We're about up to normal, year-to-date, but that still doesn't get us out of the dry woods. 

So to all you fair-weather fans, let us have our day in the showers. Peace to all, and don't forget your galoshes.

Illustration Friday: Resolve

There's a worthy organization that can be found at www.resolveuganda.org. Go to that site. I'll let it speak more ably than I can.

Peace to all, and especially to the troubled lands in Africa.

Illustration Friday- Clandestine

Stereotypical cloak and dagger, Spy vs. Spy stuff comes to mind when I think of the word 'clandestine.' Dark alleys, microfilm, and the like.

This past year has been somewhat of a drag for my household, which is why I haven't been posting to Illustration Friday... too many time-consuming unpleasantries. But we still count our blessings, which are many, no matter what comes our way.

Here's to a better New Year. Peace to all, and keep your eyes open for shady characters. 

Illustration Friday: Memories

Upon graduating from college, I gave myself a present of a then state of the art sound system. A Pioneer turntable, a Concept tuner, Cerwin-Vega speakers, and a Pioneer cassette deck (replacing my old eight-track tape player)... all perched on a cinder block entertainment center. Sitting above the bakery in my rented room ($40 a month... whatta deal), music was a much bigger part of my life in those days.

Peace to all, and stay clear of the melancholy blues.

Illustration Friday: Rude Teen

Yeah, this is my submission for Rude... what's that? Oh, crud. Guess I didn't read the subject carefully enough... Oh, well, it is what it is.

Peace to everyone, and keep your routines rude-free.

Illustration Friday: Foggy

You are just a dreamer,
and I am just a dream.
You could have been
anyone to me.
Before that moment
you touched my lips
That perfect feeling
when time just slips
Away between us
on our foggy trip.

You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye.
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer
where the feeling stays.
I want to love you but
I'm getting blown away.

From 'Like A Hurricane,' words and music by Neil Young

The illustration is based on a photo by a San Francisco Chronicle photographer, name unknown to me.

Peace to all, and keep your wheels on the road side of the fog line.