Holidays, Holidays

Working at the library is rewarding and fun. And nothing is as rewarding and fun as combining cartooning with library work! I've been running the cartoon club going on 8 years and I've had some terrific kids as members and this group is especially good and enthusiastic. We met this past Monday and for this meeting I had them draw cartoon holiday cards. Once they had drawn them up I made them each a few copies so they could send them out to family and friends. I wish I'd snagged a couple of the copies, but the class went by so fast they all took them home. For every meeting I draw up samples of what we'll be doing for that class. I drew up a sample holiday card and ended up really liking it, so,here it is. First the original which is on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper that gets folded up.
                               

             Now, colored and as a story:

                       
                        
Another group I started and have been running for almost 8 years is the Adult Writers' Group. They are a varied and multi-talented bunch which includes a singer/songwriter, memoirists and poets. I really enjoy them and wanted to do something special so I came up with the idea of asking them to e-mail me holiday and winter poems and stories and collecting them into a little book. Our Director liked the idea and had the covers copied at Staples so they would be in color. The group meets Monday and everyone will get a copy. Here's the cover. I wanted it to look handmade and with a sort of 50's vibe.

                                            front

   

                                            back
I'll be looking forward to Monday when everyone gets a copy. Maybe I'll bake some cookies to take in. After all...nothing says holiday more than some great writing and a plate of home baked cookies!

Squirrel Pin: An Object of Desire Love Story

Happy Thanksgiving with Pie(s)

Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday around here. Nico's home. There's food. And pies. Waaay too many pies.

            (Nico: have mixer/will travel)
You could put just about anything in a crust and it is sure to taste better.

In the spirit of giving and sharing I am happy to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving cartoons from the past and a recent one, too. So, have a fabulous day with family, friends and pussycats.

And don't forget, after the parade (we love balloons and Broadway!) and before the meal to engage in the annual traditional viewing of the classic "Muppet Family Christmas"...

Then get lots of rest ... for part II of the great American Thanksgiving weekend: 

 

Live and Let Live Horse Farm

Besides being a full time cartoonist I'm also the Adult Program Coordinator at the Goodwin Library which is really fun and allows me to bring interesting speakers and programs to the library. And nothing is better than when I can run a program and also help an animal rescue organization, like when we helped the Loki Wolf Refuge by putting on Night of the Wolves.
So, on Wednesday, Nov. 10th, Live and Let Live Farm Horse Shelter Executive Director Teresa Paradis will come to the Goodwin Library to give a presentation. I came across their site while doing program research online and since I LOVE horses I called them up and they agreed to come.
Last Sunday, my friend (and the library's Assistant Director) Tami LaRock and I took a trip out to the shelter so I could see what it was like and be able to do a better job of presenting them. We were really impressed by how beautiful and well cared for all the horses were. Many horses come from homes where the owner may be out of work and can't afford to keep them. This seems to be a problem all over the country. They also took in Premarin horses and their foals. Talk about a horror story! One beautiful paint horse we met, Vanessa, was a former Premarin mare. She is now blind. It may not have anything to do with her previous sad life, but it does make you wonder. She shares a corral with a sighted companion.
 If you live in New Hampshire, and are a horse person, be sure to check out Live and Let Live Farm's website. Visit when you have a chance. There is a great tour of the whole place every Sunday at 2:30. And they are always looking for volunteers. And don't forget,  if you can, please make a donation. They are doing wonderful work. Now, here are some more photos from the trip:

                        Me and Deputy

        Tami and a couple of very nice horses

 
                               A view of the farm
                   

 You can sponsor a horse and many people do. You can pick out a particular horse and then work with it so either that person or someone else will adopt it.
                      
This is Vanessa the former Premarin mare.

                                 Coconut

This is Jack the Beanstalk, a very beautiful and big former race horse. If you click on his name you'll see a full image of him.

So, that was a short photo tour of Live and Let Live Farm. Hope you enjoyed it! When you go to their website be sure to go to the page of all the horses for adoption and there will be descriptions of the horses in these photos.

Happy Halloween!

                    
I love Halloween. I've done a lot of Halloween cartoons so I thought I'd post a trick or treat selection from the last couple of years. After all, cartoons are better for your teeth than candy!

On another note, for a good scary time check out the classy horror magazine Shroud who also publish some great original horror titles. We hosted them at the library and I was very impressed by how beautifully done these are.

And don't forget tomorrow AMC premieres "The Walking Dead". Here's an amazingly embedded trailer to get you ready:


And remember... as  they say at Hill House "No one will hear you... in the dark...in the night... no one will hear you screeeeeeeeeeam!"
Happy Halloween!

Scary Stuff

 When I moved to NH I used to run a film society at the house. This was before everyone had VCRs. We used to chip in and rent a projector and rent 16 MM movies like "the Producers" .
Since I've been working at the library I really wanted to start a movie group for grown-ups and our Friends finally bought us a license! And we got an LCD projector. All systems go (with a few minor glitches) and the Farmington Film Society was born. We showed "The Book of Eli". Great film. I wanted to show "the Road" as it didn't play in our area (I saw it in Boston), the book won a Pulitzer, etc. but our licensing company wanted an extra $100.00 to show it, I've no clue why, so we settled for Denzel, who is always a captivating actor, and there's a road in this one that looks like the same one Viggo trod on.
Then I got the OK to show a movie in October, as the patrons who came to "Book of Eli" asked to see something scary for Halloween.
When I think "scary" there is one film that stands out, to me, as the mother of all scary films and which many filmmakers have tried to imitate including a pretty bad remake. I'm talking the 1963 "The Haunting" based on the very creepy "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson. I saw the movie when it came out and was creeped out and disturbed by it at a young age and every time I see it I have pretty much the same reaction. Here, once again, through the miracle of embedding and Youtube is the original trailer for the movie:


I guess they give a lot away in the trailer, which is too bad, if you haven't seen it already. Anyway, with Netflix and on  demand audiences (our patrons) have seen pretty much everything so its hard to find something different to get them out in the evening and into the library. Two film buffs I know are both planning to come and both have seen it multiple times, so I'm hoping for a good turn-out.
If you haven't seen it before be sure to put it in your cue or come on down to the Goodwin Library. We promise to leave the light on in the hall.

Gwyneth

Gwyneth has a new movie coming out in which she plays a country singer. Isn't that great news? Those of us who love the movie "Duets" and have seen her sing that song "Rain Forests Must Die" (or something like that) on an old Saturday Night Live know what a terrific talent and good singer she is. And, honestly, is there anyone more adorable than Gwyneth? (Well, maybe Nico). Let's have a look through the miracle of Youtube embedding at some of her greatest roles:

 Sliding Doors is one of those movies that can stand repeat viewings because it is funny, poignant, and just a really good story of what might have been had one taken a different path, so we really get two Gwyneths for the price of one. Good deal! Plus John Hannah as an attractive leading man. Take a look:


Now, let's take a look at her very famous duet with Huey Lewis singing "Cruisin'" in Duets:

And here's the trailer for "Country Strong" where we will get to see Gwyneth singing and playing a country singer trying to re-start her career.

Sounds like it will be right up there with "Nashville" and "The Thing Called Love" two of my all time favorites. Maybe we'll look at those two movies on another blog.
But to wrap up all things Gwyneth, here is a link to GOOP, her lifestyles online newsletter: GOOP
a link to her Academy Award win for "Shakespeare In Love" (sorry, can't embed this):Gwyneth Academy Award
And a final look at her in full charm mode in Emma: