Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Boy! oh Boy!
I haven't posted anything in a long time ... Don't worry , I'm OK. Just busy,busy,busy
I did have a fairly good Holiday season, although it hasn't felt like Christmas in Montana at all !
We haven't had any snow to speek of (I think Denver is stealing it all from us) It rained all Christmas weekend and I was feeling so gloomy that I didn't even play my Christmas Music (I have over 20 Christmas CDS) But I did watch "The Snow Queen" directed by Julian Gibbs version and that was fantastic !
Anyway ... We are planning on having a cookie baking day Saturday to finish the Holidays and to make sure I have enugh goodies to munch on for the next few months, then maybe I can settle in for my winter hibernation and wait for Spring.
There are a couple more "happenings" going on , but I hate to count my chickens before they hatch ... so I'll wait ... well... one thing ... I'll be broadcating (internet radio) through Shoutcast and Jet Audio soon ... probably starting next week. I'll post a blog for more info. next week

Winter wonderland ... this is where I live ... it has been freezing cold up here for a week or longer , but I'm still getting out in it and enjoying the Holiday Season and feeling the warmth of all the Christmas lights !

Elk in the Snow ... this is a painting I did for my Sister Many years ago (Christmas 1989)

thanks for giving day

Over the river and through the woods to my mothers house I go ... All in all I had an OK holiday , I don't get along with my mother very well , But she begged me to go ... after hours of protest, I gave in and went.

The best part of the visit was that she lives up in the mountains (thick forest of pine trees) Waking up in the morning after it had snowed all night was breath-taking, I wish I had remembered my camera. It definately felt like a Holiday sitting in front of the fireplace, looking out the picture window, watching deer (a dow and 3 fawns) nibble grasses they found that wern't covered by the new snow , When I went out to the porch to smoke my stinkin' cigarettes the deer just looked at me, then kept on nibbling only a few feet away from me .. if I had some apples I'm sure they would have eaten out of my hand ... it was a perfect day to kick off the holiday season (next time I'll bring my camera)

My Boy Ben ... turned 30 THIRTY!!! the big 3-0 !!! ... golly how time flies , Happy Birthday Benji !!!

Happy Birthday Jack !!!

this really is becoming a "Birthday Blog" ... lots of Birthdays this time of year.

Well , time sure flies when you're having fun , I can't belive it has been a year since my last Birthday Pizza ... this summer went by too fast , but I did get out a lot and got a lot of excersise and a good tan !
Now I'm settleing down for winter ... I'll listen to a LOT of music and reminisce of the good ol' days, and play online spades with all my wonderful friends from all corners of the world, and hopefully meet some new ones.

It's time to turn on Led Zeppelin, light some insense, and fill up on Reese's peanut butter cups , but not ruin my appetite for pizza !

1965 Birthday ... laughing Jack ! ... smiling Jack ! ... Happy Jack ! ... Jackpot ! ... those are the nicnames I was given early in my life, I loved to laugh and I loved to be tickled ... Thank you ! to all of my friends who keep me happy and keep me laughing ... it's good medicine.

1966 Birthday ... it looks like everyone is enjoying my toys ! ... LOL ... Mom writes; The kids were all in the spirit of the party so they all drew pictures and made paper objects de'arte' and wrapped them up and gave them to Jack , Jack ooohed and aaahhed and I think Jack enjoyed them as much, if not more, then the "bought" presents. ... I think that really discribes my personality, I haven't changed much.

TRICK or TREAT ... a little something I drew for my Nephew Erin ... i guess it's kinda silly

Tired of the same old screams and moans ? ... Rockin' Rudy's is more than just a record store, it's treats for the ears ! (this one is too big for the scanner plus it blead threw the newspaper ... so I almost didn't bother posting it) this was the second advertisement I did for Rudy's . ... I bought the LED ZEPPELIN BOX SET with the money I earned !!! ... a nice treat !!!

Happy Halloween ! ... This is an old one I did for Rockin' Rudy's but couldn't remember if I had posted it yet.

MAREE !!!

Well ... I just got word that it is Maree's Birthday !!!

Maree is another WONDERFUL Australian in Melbourne. My first Aussie friend and one of my first internet friends ... She keeps me company in the wee hours of sleepless insomniatic nights ... She introduced me to the music of Alex Lloyd (thank you thank you thank you) ... She makes me laugh my fu**ing ass off ... I love her with all my heart !!!

There sure are a lot of Birthdays this time of year , I should start a "Happy Birthday" BLOG

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTTY !!!

Proof that Scotty does smile sometimes ... he must be a serious thinker ... it runs in the family.

Scotty at the Fair ... I wonder if this is the same horse that Meaghan was riding 10 years ago ??? (see picture in August 06 Archives)

Homecoming Parade

Saturday morning we had our favorite parade (and biggest) downtown Missoula , for the University football team (THE GRIZZLIES) ... it was a beautiful autumn day ... and a great way to end the summer season .

now , maybe, I'm ready to wind-down and settle in for the winter

I like the colors in this one

she was standing in front of me through most of the parade ... but I still got to see the drummers

Drumming in the morning sun ... there aint nothin' finer

I LOVE DRUMS !!!

Is that MOM ???

Fat ol' men driving little cars ... every parade has them ... every parade needs them.

Scotty ... watching fat ol' men driving little cars in the parade (yesterday morning)

I was messing around with the editing tools and ended up with this ... I like how it looks ... old

Scotty ... bubbleing over with excitement at the Parade !!!

Erin ... (Jill's other son) ... Erin's Birthday was lastweek too and I forgot ... eeeew, I'm a bad uncle !!!

Jill ... at the parade yesterday (She says;"WHAT???")

Jack & Jill (sometime in the 70s) at Yellowstone Nat. Park

Jill and Keito ... She only had him about a month when he got run over by a car (1980) I hope this picture doesn't make you sad, it's such a cute picture

Happy Birthday Jill

It's your Birthday .. Oh yeah! ... It's your Birthday ...

Today is Jill's Birthday , she is my oldest sister and I suppose because of our age difference I didn't get the chance to REALLY know her until we were teenagers, Then we spent a lot of time together and grew very close very quickly ... for as long as I can remember, I have always admired and adored Jill . (as a big sister) She has always been protective of me and looked after me (and she still does) The greatest thing about our relationship is that we have ALWAYS had love and compassion towards each other . I honestly can't recall ever arguing or fighting with Jill , although I'm sure we must have at some time in our lives but I sure can't think of any anger between us .
She was a professional in the Beauty Biz. ... I remember one Thanksgiving, sitting across the table from Jill , being "taken" by her beauty and feeling that my sister must be the most beautiful woman in the world ... she seemed to glow like an angel ... and you know, I think she just might be an angel ... My angel

I love you Jill , Thank you for watching over me .

Butterfly Birthday card I drew but never sent

Jill & Scotty ... it's almost Scotty's Birthday too ... so expect to see some baby pictures next week

HEY !!!

Glamour Photos

Here are a few Glamourous pictures of Jill ... She was/is a professional beautiful lady .. hee hee ... well ... she really is !

Jill ... She glows like an Angel

Jill ... She looks like a movie star !!!

Jill ... Glamour Photo ... She's so pretty !

I thought this was pretty spiffy

Can You Read This......
Olny srmat poelpe can. cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod
aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to
rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy,
it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a
wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist
and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed
it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid
deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling
was ipmorantt!

Red Skies ... we had a lot of wildfires (set by an arsonist) everything looked pretty cool ... like looking at life through a rose colored lens

I've been hanging out with Mike ... he's ALMOST as good looking as me

A River Runs Through It ... missoula

my juorney takes me through a long dark tunnel .. there is bright light at the end ... (a good sign)

going under this neat old bridge ... the timbers smell like hot oil in the mid-day heat

A neat old bridge ... I go under it to continue on my journey

The trail I stroll along follows these tracks from one end of town to the other end of town .. it's a nice walk on sunny days.

Blossoms Blooming Behind Bernice's Bakery

Here are a few pictures

These are a few pictures that I was going to post last month in honor of my Niece's Birthday (Meaghan) ... so ... I'm a little late but I still wanted everyone to see how adorable she was (and still is) although, I don't have any recent photos scanned at the moment, you'll have to take my word for it that she grew up to be a beautiful young lady (I'll post more pictures in the future)

I'm still playing in the sunny sunshiney days and making the most of the (too short) summer season ... I'll try to blog more often and share some of my days with you.

Have a swell day ... and a pleasent tomorrow!

It's time for the Western Montana Fair here in Missoula ... Carnival rides, Rodeo, exhibits of art-crafts projects, cotton candy, corndogs, frybread, etc... and our favorite Norwegian Vickings sausages! YUMMY !

Have a NICE day !

A Birthday card I did for Meaghan (practicing Manga style art) ... I know I'm a month late for getting this posted for her Birthday , better late than never ... right?

Meaghan ... Making a funny face and being a ham for the camera

Meaghan and Erin ... Meaghan was having fun practicing her poses , but I think Erin was bored with the whole thing

Meaghan ... pretty cute and adorable (Erin in the background)

My Niece and Nephew ... I took this picture about 10 years ago when they were little whippersnappers

I'm a LOUSY Blogger !

Lousy or Lazy ... either way, I feel that I should be writing a lot more than what I've been writing these past couple months.
I do have things to talk about, and a couple more Birthdays have passed (my Brother Brrrtt and Nice Niece Meggy) and I didnt post pictures for them or wish them happiness (sorry sorry sorry) ... I guess I've been busy playing in the sun all day and then I'm too tired in the evenings to sit at the computer. It's been averaging 100 degrees every day for a week or so, but I'm still getting out in it and acclimating to the heat, Today was 95 in the shade and it actually felt quite nice !

One thing that I REALLY enjoy are late evening strolls , a nice relaxing journey to the store to get sweets (cinnimon rolls) and coffee ... it's just so nice to be out meeting other people who are out walking and ejoying the fragrance of flower gardens and freshly mowed lawns (people in my neighborhood have beautiful yards, thick with flowers and shrubbery)... Anyway, evening strolls are one of my favorite things to do durring the summer months, next to outside concerts in the park, and farmer's market ... I will have pictures of these events by the end of summer , I'm still old-fashioned , still using 35mm cameras , so I don't have the option to go out photoshooting and download the pictures into the PC , like the special people with digital cameras (place raspberry icon here)

Kitty cat hat ... Here is one for "Meow" just to bring a smile to your day ... I'm a cat lover too!

a wolf ... I know I already posted this one , but I thought I'd put it up again just to keep all my wolves in line

WOLVES ! ... I was writing a letter to Jill (a few years ago) and there was empty space at the top of the letter ... I started to doodle ... after a while the doodles became images of these wolves ... probably one of the best pictures I ever drew of wolves ... funny how things like that happen

A WOLF ! ... this is another picture I drew for my Sister, Jill ... this one is a Birthday card

Dori and Nell ... she is so lovable you just have to grab her and give her a big smooooch !!!