Harts Pass No. 426

I have been TERRIBLE about posting to my blog. I started teaching HS/JRH art last year (Sept. 2018) and in my efforts to sort all of that out and  to keep up with the rest of my life and work in general, the blog has been neglected.

I'm 'gonna cheat time and reality and all that and back date pretty much the entire year of comics to the date that they appeared in the paper, but once that New Year's resolution is accomplished I will do my darndest to me a little more regular about updates for 2020.

Cheers and "new" years greetings!

Harts Pass No. 425

Over the last 6 months... or really I guess the last 14, I've been teaching art at my local HS & JRH. After a shocking period of adjustment, I've still been making comics and slowly crafting stories in my spare moments, but my updates to this website have been sorely lacking.

Feeling the end of the XC coaching season here this fall, and feeling like I'll have even a little more time to spend getting caught up on posts and other illustration business. Not anywhere near the mid-winter break just yet (this is from last February!) but I'll aim to be totally caught up again and hopefully more regular about my website by the end of Christmas break :)

A few chronological updates of the comics to come in the next few weeks.

PS I HAVE been making regular use of my @erikbrooksbooks Instagram account, so if you'd like regular updates on the comics thats the best place to go.

Harts Pass No. 424

My wife made a "mix tape" thumb drive for me as a Christmas gift. I'm Sticking With You (Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground) is a favorite. It seemed like a good Valentine's Day prompt for the comic strip, so here you go. 

If you're not already familiar with this quirky and sweet little song -- original release 1969 ?? (as best I can tell) you can get a fuller appreciation via the video below. Enjoy!

Harts Pass No. 423

Reading something over the weekend before the strip about porcupines. Thought that there might be also something to their prickly nature that prevents them from denning together (except in extreme circumstances) but also just like the idea that they might be a little self-conscious. An extended streak of single-digit and low-teen degree temps here in the ever lovely Methow Valley. Any hope of that (going on 3+ weeks now) doing some damage control on the pine bark beetle infestations? Natural history and all of its wonders!

Harts Pass No. 422

Always some little nugget of information or inspiration to help contextualize a comic idea. #GRRR!

Harts Pass No. 421

I did not know Mary Oliver's work until her passing last week. I will seek it out for future days -- in due consideration of how to spend "one wild and precious life." #wolverinewednesdays

Harts Pass No. 420

On this week before Martin Luther King Jr. Day -- remembering out trip to the powerful memorial in D.C. a few springs back.

Harts Pass No. 419

#betterthanbearhugs

Harts Pass No. 418

"Out with the old, in with the new", etc. etc. I'm not really sure that this always works. How about a little institutional knowledge and some common goals/concerns for both the "old" and the "new." Agreed for sure that sometimes we need a fresh start -- and goodness know that I am hopeful for many "new" things to make 2019 a better year, but one thing does lead to another and perhaps an additive rather than subtractive process would be more productive and successful in the long term. But what do I know? Just sayin' #GRRR! #HappyNewYear!

Happy New Year!

Harts Pass No. 417

A little late in getting this on the blog, but Merry Christmas all!

Harts Pass No. 416

More species reintroduction to the North Cascades National Park... and Thor is doing his best impression of righteous indignation -- coupled with a complete and total lack of understanding what is really going on. Sound familiar? Another strip here that did not quite make the deadlines for the paper. Bonus for you if you follow along via the blog or on Instagram. Cheers!

Harts Pass No. 415

And my own lovely daughter IS super enthusiastic about many, many things. It's awesome! Keep it it up kiddo. Your energy and verve are contagious!

Harts Pass No. 414

There's always a Thanksgiving strip. Or at least there has been for the last eight years. True to form of late I was  a little tardy in the posting, but the strip did get done in time for the newspaper deadline! Thanks to all of you who follow the strip. I'm back on a more even keel with posting and look forward to wrapping up the year in style. GRRR!

Harts Pass No. 413

With so many other things going on I have not been keeping up the comic very well. So it goes. I  really do like making these so hopefully my sense of available time changes at least a little bit this week -- although we shall see :) No matter what, I'm very thankful this week for friends and family. And for big hugs and welcome returns after times away that are long or short or anywhere between. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Harts Pass No. 412

You can watch any number of videos on YouTube or read more about it in the Seattle Times, but the relocation of an "exotic" mountain goat population from Washington's Olympic peninsula to the more appropriate setting of the north cascades was one of the more fascinating things to happen this summer. About 350 goats were relocated. The others were unfortunately eliminated by other means.

PS This comic was never published in the Methow Valley News. I drew it a little late, and it seemed less appropriate to send in the following week.

Harts Pass No. 411

So I started teaching art classes at our local high school this fall... and thusly time has been slipping ever-so-quickly through my fingers! My first week of September DID very quickly become the second week of October, and so on and so fourth. The comics are coming back though. Slowly but surely!

Harts Pass No. 410

Hard to ignore the wild fire smoke right now. Both from an "I'm living here" standpoint, and from the fact that for three years running the first several weeks of our fall XC running season (coaching for my part) have been compromised by at least 3-8 days of unhealthy air quality. This is not normal. It is not acceptable. The policy makers of the world need to wake up and pull their hands out of Big Oil and corporate-interest pockets. Its not all supposed to be about money and greed. It should not be a business-first kind of world. They need to start thinking more critically and with long-term vision about the health and well fare of the American people. GRRR!

Harts Pass No. 409

Pretty much how I've been operating of late. There is an outward projection (hopefully calm and collected)... and an internal chaos that hard to ignor. GRRR! #wolverinesarepeopletoo

Harts Pass No. 407 & 408

UHG! The wildfire smoke from Canada and local sources is hitting us HARD! Atmospheric particular matter (PMI) readings in the 400's today -- which is among the highest on the planet right now according to the air quality index listing at PurpleAir.com... We've had intermittent smoke and good/bad days over the two weeks since the first strip, but it has been consistently worse just to our south. The lack of air movement is layering it in all around and there is no real change in site. Stay inside if you can. The wolverines and other critters have far fewer options. GRRR!