Travelled to Dade City, Florida, for the bi-monthly Pasco County Historical Society meeting, of which I’m a member. Being a bit buried in work at the moment knew I had to get some work done while there. So, during, guest speaker, Susan NcManus’ talk I did scribble some work out!

Weekly Wednesday morning meeting with Tom Orr and John Horrighs, both of the opposite party, talkin’ politics, non-fiction books about Mencken & G.B.S., Civil War re-enactors, the old Tampa Q Morning Zoo, current Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, Muhammad Ali’s pranks near Disney World, and the beginning of construction of the University of Miami.

Feel free to chime in about your memories of any of these.

Early Friday morning we had our #Christmas gathering with, our friend and cartooning legend, 94 year old Jim Ivey in Kissimmee. It was a fun time for all to spend any amount of time with the trail blazing Jim Ivey.

The photo is of me in a guevera shirt that I’ve seen Jim wear for over 40 years and a cigar that Jim is known to still smoke plenty of.

In the center is, long time friend, one time poker player with Jim and organizer of the gathering, Craig Zablo. Thank you, Craig!!!!

Many thanks to the King Corona Cigars and Cafe in Ybor City for helping me be in costume for the Jim gathering and picking out the best cigar for a 94 year old. 🙂 He Loved the cigar and apparently will be a Christmas treat for him.

By the way, the cigar I’m holding is a special Rough Rider cigar made for the Rough Rider organization in Tampa. Those are exclusively available at the King Corona Cigar shop. I had to get one for my Floridana collection! 🙂

Finished watercoloring all 13 of these while in Clearwater tonight. Thank you very much, AE Sabo, for your fellowship and assistance getting these done!

Next: A Friday morning Christmas visit near Kissimmee with 94 year old Mr. Prunes and Macaroons, hisself, Mr. Jim Ivey!

I’ve been bopping around Alachua County dropping off my Christmas prints. Even got to deliver a Swampy’s Florida award for best Christmas decorations at The Oaks Mall. See the Swampy page about who won that.

Glad to see & greet, “Merry Christmas!”to the folks at the Micanopy Post Office, the Florida Trail Association and these two favorite people, Mary andCharles Steadham.

I’ve worked with Mary and Charles and their Blade Agency for about 30 years. Never better people to know and work with!

Please excuse the photograph. I’m not good at this new “selfie” business…..

The #Christmas card run heading from east Orange County to Longwood, gave me the chance to visit with old friend and comic book artist John Beatty at ACME Comics & Collectibles comic book event. I’m so glad to see John doing so well these recent years! Hope to see him, Mr. Craig Zablo and Mr. James B. Ivey this coming Friday morning for Christmas cheer!

Now on to one of my annual fun events at Dr. Steve Brooks home!

This is me and, my art teacher from Robert E. Lee Junior High School, Mr. Seaman ( as I still only think of him as). He’s known more today as Del Seaman.

Mr. Seaman has an art gallery in Oviedo, Florida, The Artistic Hand Gallery & Studio. We had a great chat and heard a small bit of his Florida experiences since 1953.

As with Gina Taylor yesterday, I leaned Mr. Seaman’s mother skied at Cypress Gardens but, instead of using the Dick Pope skis, used hand crafted skis by a relative. I plans to interview Mr. Seaman in January, too! 🙂

Santa is at Amaduzzi Photo Studio & Gallery – A Life Collection today!

Swampy’s told Santa what h wanted for #Christmas. Ice cream shops everywhere are about to empty their stock.