On the road all day from Boca Raton south to Miami, west through the Everglades and Big Cypress, north to Punta Gorda and then much further north home. Learned and took photos of tons, but did nearly no drawin’!

Except when I dropped off the painting from yesterday to Ismo (That’s his name!) at Florida Atlantic University. He wants to pitch me to the college for a project. But he didn’t get drawn at the wedding party Saturday night. So I scribbled the attached with a Flair pen.

By the way, though Ismo is from another country, he loves hiking our Florida trails and his reading sets his pace!

Been on the road all day exploring Palm Beach, Broward, Dade and Monroe Counties. I’m pooped! Still miles to go!

Stopped in Everglades City for a wee rest at the Island Cafe for ice cream and dip into the Royal Castle burgers I got earlier.
Probably not a lotta folks you know who’ll combine the Everglades City and Miami.

#Inktober #7

Inked with a Kuretake brush on Crescent board and painted with watercolor. — in Coconut Creek, Florida.

#Inktober #3

Swampy becomes part of the swan colony along Lake Morton in Lakeland!

Terisa Glover suggested Lake Morton, a home to dozens and dozens of swans and other birds and critters that live along the shores of the lake in Lakeland, Florida.

#Inktober #2

Swampy’s Florida at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach​.

Swampy and the gang encounter the ghost of Gamble Rogers!

Feel free to list Florida locations you’d like to see me draw the gang at for Inktober!

Melanie King​ recommended Flagler Beach where the Gamble Rogers park is part. The park is named for Gamble Rogers, one of Florida’s great folk troubadours. Through his music and story telling he created Oklawaha County and a slew of characters that inhabited the fictitious area of Florida he created.

Gamble died where the park is trying to save a young person drowning. Unfortunately, Gamble died a hero.

Gamble’s music is a bit hard to come by these days. As is so much of Florida folk.
One reliable place to find it is at my friend Peter B. Gallagher​’s Florida FOLK SHOW​ on WMNF radio and online.
Peter also has weekly live Florida folk in St Petersburg on Tuesday night. Check the page to learn more.

I have video of the artwork being inked I’ll post later.

#Inktober #1

I’m starting on time this year! Let’s see if I can make all 31 days. It will be tough. i have an extremely busy month ahead.Many of these will be from the road.

I figured this year to have my Swampy’s Florida characters be a part of the illustrations. But I want to include you all, too!

Ruling Passion by Reginald Hill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Author Reginald Hill tosses one of his main characters into the witness role of a murder and has fun working out his character in the role and as a member of law enforcement. I believe Hill handles this well and better fleshes out his character Pascoe and his girlfriend. There’s another active set of mysteries also brewing that pitches character Pascoe back and forth from mystery to mystery. Seems to me Hill could’ve worked that part out much better. Hill makes it all confusing with little effort to establishing setting from one to the other.

Set more to the side is the second of Hill’s duo, Dalziel, who is relegated to humorous sidekick. Dalziel does help with wrap up, but still more a minor role.

The writing is excellent. Especially with characters. The settings are so-so. The plotting should have been reworked.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 5 out of ten points.

View all my reviews

Attended a grand opening event this morning with a bunch of friends. That’s Donna Wilson and her husband and school board candidate Ed Wilson, Marion County historian Judy Delk, me and Morrey Deen, who’s done more for our military veterans than can be counted!