Was at our Orlando Remembered meeting on Wednesday. Here are sketches I made during the meeting. Below is a photo of some of the gang during our meeting. From right to left: Chariman Bill Milligan, Bob Buck, Betty Bandy, Hillis Bandy, Robert Serros, Claude Hunter, Claude H. Wolfe and Steve Rajtar.

Found out late Friday that my friend Bob Bass died last Sunday. Bob is part of an extensive Florida family carrying the name Bass. I learned of his death by one of his extended family members, William Morgan, during the setting up for the 2012 Pine Castle Pioneer Days. Also there were two other extended family members of both William and Bob. William and the other two had really only heard of Bob and weren't familiar with his writing or interest in Florida history. Interesting in that they, like Bob, molded Florida history in their lives. William is in charge of Pine Castle Pioneer Days and the other two ladies are historical re-enactors. History must run through the blood of the Bass Family.

Bob floored me when he showed up at First Friday in Lakeland last December 1st where I was setup for a Swampy's Florida display. He had just gotten out of one of his trips to the hospital two days before and apparently snuck out of his house to say Hello! We spoke of Florida and he passed along his newest writing about fishing. It was terrific to see him and felt honored that he came out so soon after being in the hospital, knowing he was still on he medical battlefield.

Above is a photo of him in one of The General Store's rocking chairs with his newest publication (Which he was so kind to sign and pass along to me and I have proudly in my Florida collection of autographed books), Swampy and coloring books.

I was planning to watercolor an illustration that night and was just setting up to do just that. Because of Bob passing by and his book's subject of bass, I did the illustration below.

Bob wrote on all sorts of subjects but mostly about the outdoors and more specifically about fishing and steamboats in Florida. Because of his writings he has left us with a living history of himself and his family that will help others better know the Florida he loved.

Attended the Orlando Remembered meeting on the 18th. Above are sketches. Page 1 is of Bob Buck and Betty Bandy. The second page has Steve Rajtar, Leon Handley, Grace Chewning, Joy Wallace Dickinson and Hillis Bandy.

Below is a sneak peek at the meeting!

Our Chairman, Bill Milligan, and secretary, Grace Chewning, discuss Orlando Remembered business.

My last Christmas visits had me a bit closer to home and a chance to see lots of Christmas lights. Above are lights in Leesburg at Venetian Gardens and in Downtown Ocala. I just wish I would think more of taking photos when passing along Christmas cards. Something to work on next year!

After nearly 30 years got the opportunity to meet with a classmate in high school, Steve Brewster. He was also a fellow artist at the time. Now he lives in Gainesville. One of his hobbies is showing old horror movies on Blog.TV. You can tune in here on Saturday nights to see Steve in action.

Steve also has a mutual interest in cartoon toys and has his own collection. I did a drawing of him during the meeting.

Below is another classmate, James Holding and his wife, Susan. Though, James was a few years younger than me as we went to through school. I tutored cartooning  with James when he was attending Robert E. Lee Jr. High School.

James still cartoons to compliment a business he is in as a biblical apologist. You can see much, much more on his site by clicking here. Click here to see some of his animated spots on YouTube.

The annual Christmas Eve visit to, my dear friend, Lucile Fair, is always fun. A month before her 104th birthday and she is as full of energy as ever.

Started the day at the Junior’s Diner near Audubon Park in Orlando having breakfast with, cartoonist, Charles Treadwell; former Orlando Sentinel editorial cartoonist and comics historian, Jim Ivey and, long time friend of Jim and I, Craig Zablo. Pens and paper got drawn all over. There’s Craig with a drawing I drew.

I made a number of stops along the way. Here’s cousin Martha Bisplinghoff and, friend, Shawn Anderson.

Later met with a bunch of friends back in Audubon Park. The plan was to meet at Stardust Video there, but when I had called them about a group gathering, they failed to mention they were basically closing the palce for an in-house play. Above it Rich Scott, James Saunders, Ken Culotta and Cindy Mackey.

Above is Robert Baurle and Ken Culotta and the Christmas tree at O’Stromboli, where some us went across from Stardust Video. Also, above, are some excellent cookies given to me by Rich and Cindy. They are home made by Cindy. Thanks, Cindy!

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!!!

Here’s a page depicting discussions our Socrates Cafe group had at Chelsea Coffee Company on Tuesday.

I attended Presidency 5 on September 22nd and 23rd at and near the Orange County Convention Center. The gathering is of Republicans from all 67 counties in Florida, along with delegates who participate in a straw ballot to determine who the state is supporting for the presidency on the G.O.P. side.

I found myself wearing many hats during my time there which was okey dokey with me. Manning the information booth at the Rosen Plaza for a few hours for the Florida Federated Republican Women, of which I am an associate member, had me making use of my extensive knowledge of the area. On the 23rd I went onto the main concourse of the Orange County Convention Center and helped out in the Herman Cain campaign booth folding t-shirts and making tickets for an event the night of the 23rd, which I’ll detail further in Part 2.

The sketches above are from day 1, the 22nd. Below is a view of the concourse at the convention center from one point in both directions. This is at the end of the day and we were closing down. The night before this area was filled with people waiting to get into the Presidential debate.

For a short while I drew caricatures for the Florida Federated Republican Women. This is George Mann, who is a multi-generation Florida native whose family has been in the cattle business for over a century in Florida. He also is a Cracker storyteller.

On the left is Ann Archer (with her daughter Pam Archer) who is the longest serving on the Florida Executive Committee. At this point over 60 years. She was at one time in Dade County. On the right is the first black woman to serve on the Dade County Republican Executive Committee. I introduced these two and they shared stories of their times in Dade County.

During our annual National cartoonists Society Florida Chapter meeting, legendary comic book artist, Jose Delbo, and I like to take a sheet of paper and trade it back and forth adding to it. I added Bat Hound to Jose’s Batman above.

Since our theme was circus due to John Ringling’s influence in our meeting location, Sarasota, Florida, I started with a clown and Jose added Batman’s body.

I started with Batman this time and Jose squeezed a horse underneath him.

Met with my old friend Greg Gray very late Saturday night at a Denny’s. Put a sheet of 11″ x 14″ paper in between us and a handful of pens. Each of us drew on either side. So above it right side up and below is upside down!

Been attending meetings in the past couple weeks. Here are sketches form Orlando Remembered (above), an executive Republican meeting (image 2) and the Marion County Springs Festival meeting (bottom).