John Nevarez: Happy New Year!!!!

John Nevarez: Happy New Year!!!!

John sometimes posts wonderful linked lists of illustrators...candy for the eyes that I look forward to.

Check out John's December Blogs to Love

Ding Dong...Flowers!

What a wonderful surprise from my Aunt Peg & Uncle Bobbie! Tulips for Christmas!

The plastic is staying on for 12 hours while the freshly cut stems drink up the fortified water—I'm following the instructions to the letter so I can enjoy these beauties for as long as possible!

Thanks Aunt Peg & Uncle Bobbie!

A Christmas Tune

From Stefan G. Bucher and friends.

Warning: Not kid friendly...but hilarious :-D

A Lovely Holiday Break

Door County Sketches

This past weekend I enjoyed a quick trip up to Door County with Dad and Connie. The only mar on the weekend was a cold in my nose. still a very nice trip.


I did a bit of doodling in my Moleskine on the drive up. It was cumulative—a silo here, a tree there.


Dad and Connie went to buy some groceries, and I hung out at the cottage enjoying a little time to sketch the fireplace. Later in the evening, the fireplace was put to good use while the snow fell in the silent woods around us.


A small sketchy still life of items on the mantel.

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Gettin' Me Some Churchin'

As a rule, I have more faith than I have religion. But come Advent, I'm far more likely to go to church. The last couple of weekends, I've walked to church, and I don't like getting there late. As a result, I usually find myself with plenty of time to read the announcements and do some doodling even before the service starts. The Methodist church I've been going to lately has some very pretty detail...much prettier than this sketchy little doodle.

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December Monthly Sketch Project

Gettin' this in just under the wire...

Yearly Tradition Upheld

Every December I meet up with my now friends (former co-workers) in Long Grove for a day of shopping, lunch, more shopping, and drinks to celebrate the season. I've officially decided to call it a Christmas tradition since this was our 12th anniversary of this particular outing. I get together with these folks throughout the course of the year for other fun, but this is the most steadily and completely attended gathering. Pictured above from left: me, Laura, Karen, Joyce and Pam.


There are certain shops we return to every year, and The Olive Tap is definitely one of those. I found this product's flavor highly disturbing and photo worthy. Now I know you're going to tell me it's probably named after (and designed to embody) the flavor of that drink, but come on....


Toward the end of the day we'd experienced some shopper/friend attrition (just for the day), but we did gain one Steve (Joyce's hubby). A wonderful time was had by all!

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And All You Get...

...is this lousy post!

This year I'm only sending out a few Christmas cards.



It's not that I think my family and friends are tired of getting cards from me, but I can email them Irving the Elf and save my quality note writing for the soldiers who aren't neurotically checking their emails every ten seconds.

I hereby give any friends and family reading this dispensation to send any card that was heretofore address to me to:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20307

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