Tag: Dick Evans

DRIVEWAY SALT… OH, DEER!

At Big Boy Restaurant the other day, we were discussing the different merits of snow and ice removal for driveways and sidewalks.  There was an upcoming blizzard warning… something you don’t take lightly in Northern Michigan.

Just before the conversation switched to keeping driveways and sidewalks safe, we were talking about the mild winter and the impact on the deer population.  Deer seemed to be everywhere and when someone mentioned using salt on the driveway, in my mind, I saw an image of deer coming to the driveway for a “deer-lick”. Continue reading DRIVEWAY SALT… OH, DEER!

WINNING THE DOOR PRIZE… Does anyone ever win a door?

I was at an event a couple of years ago and they put a lot of emphasis on the drawing for a door prize.

What’s a cartoonist supposed to do?… Just let it go?  So I drew it.

Then, I wondered what I would do with a door if I won it.  Fortunately, I didn’t win… I never do.

And, you know what else I learned?  They lied… nobody got a door!  A bunch of people won a lot of stuff… but, no doors.  Everybody seemed okay with the way it worked out so I decided not to call the authorities and report it.  They were probably in on it anyway…

 

 

 

Elf-On-The-Shelf…Timmy had a plan…

Grand-children at Christmas bring new meaning… to a lot of things.

I remember playing the “Naughty or Nice” card with my son to control behavior around Christmas.  It never seemed to work more than about two weeks out.  I think that is when the pressure begins for a kid.

Recently, on the day after Thanksgiving, my four year old grandson Jack gave me the finger to the lips signal and pointed upward.  It took me a couple of seconds to figure out what he was being so secretive about.  And then, I saw it… There, lurking on the shelf, was the dreaded “ELF-ON-THE-SHELF”!  I had heard about him, but before Thanksgiving, knowing the “Elf-on-the-shelf” was on his way apparently didn’t seem to be much of a threat. 

That all changed the day after Thanksgiving… Each morning Jack would come downstairs and warily look around until he located his nemesis.  Apparently, that pesky elf was a tricky little fellow and could appear almost anywhere.  Jack never made a move until he had located him.  You never could be too careful when it came to the Elf-on-the-shelf.

Jack is a pretty sharp little guy and has already figured out that the elf stays in the same place all day.  I’m guessing it’s just a matter of time before Jack figures out the elf doesn’t move his head, his eyes fixed in one direction.  Once he notices that, his little sister is in trouble…  There’s only so much self-control possible in a four year old!

The cartoon idea came one day when I was thinking about Jack and his attempts to outwit the Elf-on-the-shelf.  Jack is a thinker and usually plans before he goes into action.  I tried to portray one of the options Jack might decide on… I changed the name to protect the identity of the perpetrator.  You never can be too careful, you know.  I caught that elf looking at ME the other day!  I need to teach Jack about Duct Tape…

 

 

Bah Humbug! A Christmas post… with a twist.

I paint rocks… among other art ventures.  Over the years I have painted hundreds of rocks with “Smiley Faces” and given them to friends and business associates.

One of the rocks was given to a friend, Jeff, to display on his counter at Shoreline Center for Healing.  The idea  was to create a friendly atmosphere of  positive vibes.  What better message for a Healing Center?

Jeff was telling me he has a friend that jokes about having a bad day and hitting someone with the smiley rock to take out his frustrations.  The idea of getting hit with a smiley rock conjured up all kinds of images… mostly conflicting.  The cartoon portrays the mixture of emotions we all experience during the Holiday Season.

I think we have all had the symbolic feeling of being hit with a smiley rock during the Holidays.  The everyday stresses of many emotions can highlight the conflict we all have at one time or another.  “It’s supposed to be a happy time… why am I so stressed out?” 

Maybe I should start painting smiley faces on foam.  It could serve as a great Holiday stress reliever when you throw it at someone.  What do you think?  Trade in your “Pet Rock” (remember them?) for a “Pet Foam Smiley Rock”…and get rid of your stress at the same time!  Try it out by throwing it at your Legislator… Come to think of it,  I’ve got a better idea…use the Smiley Rock.

 

HARK! THE HAROLD’S ANGELS SING…

This is a re-run of a cartoon I drew in 1990.  I was reminded of it when I was in New York City over Thanksgiving and saw a guy wearing a “sandwich board” advertising a local restaurant.

“Olde English” is interesting.  Did anyone actually say, “Hark”?  Is it an early form of “Look”?  Does anyone actually care?…

The first version of the cartoon came about when I heard “Hark, the Herald Angels sing” on the car radio and saw a sign in a tent-like formation that reminded me of sandwich boards.  To this day, I almost never see a sandwich board type sign without thinking of “Harold’s Angels”… and, by association, Christmas.  Maybe, with a little luck, you will now have the same association when you see a sandwich board.

So… if you happen to be standing on a street corner, near a sandwich board sign, don’t be surprised if the person next to you breaks out into an enthusiastic rendition of “Hark, the Herald Angels sing!”.  It’s just a matter of time…