Above is the mysterious Marie who asked me to create the caricature she’s holding. I did the whole thing at Bubbalou’s Bar-B-Que in Altamonte Springs, Florida. Look for a post about it on Swampy’s Florida next week. The restaurant was a great meeting place to get the artwork done and for good food.

  Here I am in the midst of getting the caricature done.

Headed out to Brevard County on Saturday, December 10th, and got all sorts of things done! First, got to drop off some Christmas cards to folks in the area and visit and camp out over at, my friend, Jim Fern’s house (Thanks, Jim) the night before which better prepared me for this busy day.

Went up Merritt Island to it’s northern point for the Sams House Open House. The homes and area was well decorated for Christmas and activities for everyone were everywhere.

The Sams House is part of the Pine Island Conservation area and is the earliest still standing home in Brevard County. It’s pine log construction has withstood many a hurricane since it’s 1875 construction and be well maintained today. The Sams family built a newer home at the site in the 1950s. Both are open for touring with a guide or can be self guided with interpretive exhibits. Yes, this was a Swampy’s Florida stop for me. Thanks to Ray Osbourne, local Brevard County historic advocate, for giving me the heads up about this event!

My next stop was in Palm Bay at The Shack Restaurant where I met with Fay Brewer, her daughter and art teacher friend, Janene. Fay’s daughter had a school assignment to interview a cartoonist and I was the subject. At the end of the interview, I created a drawing illustrating things Fay’s daughter likes to do, which I’m holding in the photo above.

I wrapped the day drawing a plethora of individuals at a corporate event in Melbourne for five hours non-stop. See the photos below. I later returned to Jim Fern’s home ready for rest!!!

Terisa Glover and I had a blast in Tarpon Springs Sunday while doing research for an upcoming Swampy’s Florida coloring book. Above and below are a couple sketches done during the trip. Unfortunately, a trip to Ozona, Florida found that one of my favorite Bar-B-Q places, the Ozona Pig, was closed for the day. Sooooo, it’s a trip across the street to Molly Goodheads for fish food. Because of that the drawings ensued.

Earlier in the day we teed off in Tarpon Springs and was welcomed by the sign below. I figured it meant ‘Beware of Hurricane Ahead’.

It’s fried shrimp time at Hella’s Restaurant! Wanna see what Swampy had? Check out Swampy’s Florida Sunday.

Penny for your thoughts? Getting a scrunched official Tarpon Springs penny.

For those who know the story, Sunday, the 5th, is also Taylor’s 19th birthday. I had my annual banana split at a restaurant in downtown Tarpon Springs in honor of his birthday. These folks don’t usually make banana splits, but did an excellent job!

The comic strip, Beetle Bailey, turned 60 years old today and some cartoonists on Facebook drew their version of Beetle. Here’s mine.

I drew this at Reececliff Restaurant in Lakeland, Florida, while lunching with my friend, Jeremy Buchanon.

We continued the International Movable Feast at the Claddagh Cottage Irish Pub in Orlando. Friends Sarah Butler, James Saunders, Robert Baurle and Allen Currin delved into a bit o’ Irish vittles. Great food! Most go for the bar apparently, but this place has a tasty Irish stew!

Above is a sketch of an area of the pub.

Met friends Robert Baurle, James Saunders and Dena Wild at Cypriana’s Greek Restaurant in Casselberry, Florida. Great food and great company!

Made a trip into Longwood, Florida, to Polonia Polish Restaurant to get with long time friends: Sarah Butler St. Gregory, her husband, David, their children and James Saunders. Below is a photo of us all, minus David, who took the photo. Sorry about the glowing eyes!

Above is a sketch of a bottle of some sort of liquor that I didn’t take note of. Oops! A shelf of the bottles were in Polonia.

I made a pit stop at ABC Pizza for dinner last Wednesday night in Zypherhills. The sketch above is of part of the interior. The building was once a Biff Burger changed over twice to be an ABC Pizza. More Sunday on Swampy’s Florida!

I had always hoped for another reunion of Alexander Scott and Kelly Robinson, but apparently that won’t happen. Robert Culp, 79, died today after a fall in a park. I can only hope he might really be Bill Maxwell and the little green guys got him and swapped bodies…or… something like that.

Here’s more about Robert Culp’s death.

Below is an autograph I was fortunate to get many, many years ago.

Sorry to post this so late! I’ll just dash off the goings  on:

Took off to join fellow cartoonists to entertain soldiers in San Antonio, Texas, on January 20th. One picture above is a sketch I drew of a lady on the plane.

I met with my cousin Jan and she took me and her children to The Bharmacy. Pharmacy and soda fountain at night. Bar at night.

The USO picked us up at the hotel early the next morning and got us to the Center for the Intrepid and the Brook Army Medical Center. The artists included Jeff Bacon, Jeff Keane, Milburn Taylor, David Mowder, Rick Kirkman, Rob Harrell, Bill Hinds and me. Above are photos of some of our great soldiers that were drawn by me.  All 8 of us artists also signed large cards to be presented later. Above are photos of the artists drawing away. We wrapped up with dinner.

The next morning, Jan picked me up and I got to tour the architecture of Downtown San Antonio. Above are photos of that.

Here are a few of the folks at the Suncoast Inkslingers Holiday wing-ding: Kurt Wright, John Stevens, Jim Fern and Ann E. Sabo. It was held at The Captain’s Italian Restaurant in Safety Harbor. Below is Dan Smith, caricaturist extraordinaire.