Possum Christmas

Saturday, December 25, 2010 - Christmas Day

Clan Speck gathered at the farm this evening for our Christmas celebration. There were 16 folks this year and food for 50.

The evening was enjoyable and uneventful - until we were about to leave. Hubby was locking up the garage when he saw a nekkid tail disappear around the mower, then into the well pump alcove. He found two teenaged possums huddled there, bedding down for the night.

The alarm was sounded and the whole house emptied to see the critters and to take photos. Much ewwwwing and squealing ensued.

I learned that if you poke a possum with the handle of a leaf rake he will curl up in a ball and "play possum." You can pick him up and tote him away by the tail. Learn something new every day.

The possum pair were relocated to the edge of the woods via tail (by two of the Brothers Speck, not Hubby.)

The farm dogs didn't seem interested in chasing them, didn't even bother to sniff them as they were being toted away. Those farm dogs are worthless as critter chasers! They were probably sharing their dog food with the possums.

The possums will probably find their way back to the doghouse and spend the night there. Good Grief!

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Process notes:
The critter drawn here does not resemble an Arkansas possum in the least. Please don't get the impression we have some genetically altered possum species living here.

The title of this entry in my journal reads "POSSOM CHRITMAS." The spellchecker on my Pentel Pocket Brush Pen was broken. Managed to fix Christmas digitally. Gave up on trying to fix all the possoms. I *knew* that didn't look right.

Wrapping Paper

Friday, December 24, 2010 - Christmas Eve

Actually it is 3:00 AM Christmas Day. I should go to bed but I'm not at all tired. I've cooked all day for tomorrow's family gathering while Hubby played golf. I was happy not to have him underfoot all day.

He and his golf buddies came in from the course and shed man-smells in my living room for 2-3 hours while making lewd comments* about women golfers on TV. (eyeroll) Why do they revert to junior high locker room mentality when they run in packs???

Realized I hadn't wrapped the gifts for the nieces so I dug out an old but unopened roll of wrapping paper. There's no telling how long I've had this. It had the cutest peeping characters on it. Had to draw.

I have to get up in just a few hours but do I brush my teeth and put on my jammies? No! I pull out the watercolor palette and the waterbrush.

I'll probably pay for the lack of sleep tomorrow.

Sigh.

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*"Grrrr...She can grip my club like that any time she wants."

Decorate!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010 - Finally got the house decorated for Christmas today. Better late than never I guess.

I've been wanting to draw these decorations since I pulled them from their box two weeks ago. Yes, I procrastinate.

I love the solemn little snowman. He's my favorite.

A Christmas Story

Saturday, December 18, 2010 - Went to see the holiday lights contest at Mr. Hotdog & Cindy Lou's campsite. Took the hayride tour to see the whole campground, ate a processed hamburger, and drank some hot chocolate that really hit the spot.

The light competition was really fierce this year. The most imaginative display was a lighted canoe adrift on a pond of blue lights.

Mr. Hotdog and Cindy Lou had "A Christmas Story" as a theme, complete with the leg lamp and Red Ryder BB gun. They made a perfect fireplace from a cardboard box and even had fortune cookies in a hubcap.

They won third place. Plans are already being made for next year's competition.

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Process notes: I drew all this from memory. Last year I tried drawing in the darkness out there and decided *that* was for the birds. I could barely see my sketchbook. This year I merely took copious mental notes and drew when I got home.

Holiday Greetings!

Happy Holidays to you folks out there with shining eyes and rosy cheeks who revel in the holiday spirit. For you I have a holiday wreath:



And for you folks who would rather just skip on over to January, I know how you feel. For you I have a deliciously evil snowman who has watched waaaaay to much Home Shopping Network with jingle bell music:



I was having a little Sharpie moment last night.

Hubby said he didn't think the snowman looked evil. I think he actually looks like a psychotic mass-murderer crackhead snowman, but what do I know??? He's kinda giving me nightmares.

4th of July!

Got a little carried away with those stripes...there were 15 original colonies, right?

Fantastic Fourth!

Journaling:

1.) Classic car show with Mr. Hotdog, Cindy Lou and Pooter 2.

2.) Saw some cool little remote control airplanes. They fly 80 MPH. Local air shows every Sunday 1:00 to 4:00.

3.) Then lunch - bacon, eggs and toast with a Belgian waffle for dessert.

4.) Then naps.

5.) Drove to the state line to see a historic monument. Turned out to be a hulking piece of concrete deep in the woods in the middle of nowhere surrounded by a swarm of mosquitoes. Took some photos to draw later.

6.) Then to Spearsville, Louisiana to eat at Hollis Seafood - boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, stuffed crab, frog legs, and a cinnamon roll with ice cream for dessert.

7.) Made it home in time to see the fireworks show at the stadium. The show was timed to some cheesy patriotic music on one of the local radio stations.

After reviewing my dietary choices for today, it's easy to see why Southerners are overweight and die young of heart disease. Oy Vey. I'm so full I hurt. Shall waddle myself off to bed.

RE: Cheesy patriotic music...If I never hear Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" again it will be too soon.