Harts Pass No. 342

OK, one more springtime edition of Harts Pass :)

Harts Pass No. 341

This is the comic from last week... when we were on Spring Break in California. And the photo below is of the snow in the air on Monday morning, April 10th :) To be fair, the yard was still covering in 4-6 inches of snow when we left, so for the springishly minded the situation is actually improving. As my first-ever book editor used to say, onward and upward!

Harts Pass No. 340

So traditions have their groundhogs as prognosticators of Spring. But here in the Methow... when the marmots hit the sunny rocks (just FINALLY emerging from the snow this year) then you know that we're really getting close!

Spring School Visits in Tonasket, Washington!

So this is what it looks like on a March 24th afternoon when you drive from Tonasket back to Winthrop, WA... and we're four weeks into the track season too :) A really nice visit with the 4th graders at Tonasket Elementary -- and they just wrapped up a week of making their very own books with help from the UW Pipeline Project and the "Alternative Spring Break" program (read a little bit below or follow the link.) Anyway, the kids were great and the program seems like a fantastic way to get UW kids out n' about into all different corners of the state. Thanks to all!

Harts Pass No. 339

It's March Madness... and with Sweet Sixteen appearances for both the Wisconsin Badgers AND the Michigan Wolverines, the mustelids are tearing up the courts. And hopefully they still will be later this week. GRRR!

Harts Pass No. 338

The comment period on the proposed grizzly bear reintroduction is wrapping up this week. As per usual with this sort of study, there are choices -- and a "goldilocks principle" certainly at work. A lot of space in the North Cascades, and a probable chance of success for the work, but nothing is ever certain and these big 'ol bears DO indeed deserve a good hard look and due consideration!

PS The comic this week was equally inspired by The Oatmeal's call for public comments: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2017/03/15/a-proposal-to-bring-back-grizzlies-just-got-a-funny-boost/?utm_term=.c89da2732da0

I submitted this cartoon along with a few more thoughts in prose. GRRR!

Harts Pass No. 337

I wrote this on Tuesday, and sure enough we woke up to 5 inches of new snow on Friday morning! Sunny and 40 degrees on the way, so just a little more patience sun worshipers :)

School Visits Galore!

For the last two weeks I've been trekking all over Washington State - plus a virtual visit to South Carolina! SO much fun to share what I do with these students, and thank you such much to everyone (students, teachers, staff, PTAs and PTOs) at Lee, Cascade, Pioneer, Whiteside, and Sunnycrest for making it all so great. A special thanks to the kids for drawing with me and for putting so much attention to line, texture, and detail into all of the AWESOME Gator drawings!!

Harts Pass No. 336

So... the North Cascades might make a great spot for grizzly bear reintroductions, eh? The main challenge though might be in convincing Canadian bears to immigrate to the States, ya know?

Happy Book Birthday!

Yesterday was the publication date for my first board book project, If I Were a Whale by Shelley Gill - and published by Sasquatch books. You can order your copy right here or ask for it at your local bookstore!

Harts Pass No. 335

I usually wait until Thursday to post these - just to make sure that the print edition of the Methow Valley News is already in your hot little hands. That being said, the Valentine's Day edition deserves to be posted just a little closer to the mark :) A couple of WIP doodles from the sketchbook as well. Enjoy!

Harts Pass No. 334

Surely I'm not the first to equate our President pro-tempore (as in "one who serves in the absence of someone superior) with a T. Rex, but the tiny hands and irrational and tempormental lashing about are too hard to pass up. 

Recounted here through the words of a young kit reading aloud from her dino book before bed... its the allegorical nature of the beast that is giving us parental types many nightmares indeed!

Harts Pass No. 333

Animals are smart -- and they act on instinct #stongertogether

Harts Pass No. 332

It goes without saying...

Harts Pass No. 331

You know how that powdery snow is really hard to pack together into snowballs?? You just keep trying. Yep, that's what I'm talkin' about here. Straight up and totally transparent as per usual. GRRR!

Harts Pass No. 330

Pure and simple: I need to keep some distance from the daily news barrage. I'll keep up on things for sure, but via small and measured doses and not so much in reaction to repeatedly crazy things...

Harts Pass No. 329

Warm thoughts for COLD days. And perhaps the pine bark beetle population will die off as well!

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 310 - 12.23.16

And for Christmas eve... I have always liked the quiet contemplation of Silent Night - of something vast and large brought down to a small and intimate instance. We're an entire world full of connected community these days, people. Look for the common thread. Slow it down. Consider. Peace out!

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 309 - 12.23.16

Another celebratory post card today -- for all things winter, polar, and Arctic! Happy Friday world and Merry Christmas! #wearethearctic #saveourseaice #snow #wintersolstice #merrychristmas

Harts Pass No. 328

I mean the snow was already falling here in Winthrop, WA... but last night it finally FELL!!! Nothing too crazy just yet, but the skiing was grand this afternoon and we'll be gliding for weeks to come! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at Harts Pass Comics!

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 308 - 12.21.16

A little bear hug dance to celebrate both the new protections for Arctic waters AND the winter solstice! #wearethearctic #saveourseaice #keepitintheground #grrr

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 307 - 12.20.16

Today the President banned off-shore drilling in large portions of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans! In similar news, a large crowd of studied and stoic polar bears formed an ursine wall at the boundaries of Alaska's coastal plain. Good work Obama. Good work bears! #wearethearctic #saveourseaice #keepitintheground #advocate for #climateaction #climatechangeisreal #grrr

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 306 - 12.19.16

"Electoral College Monday..."

I'll try to get a little more optimistic and festive for my final 9 cards of the project, but the Russian hack/"messing around with" of our elections/news cycle is disturbing. The last time I checked, big oil and the Russian oligarchy could pretty much care less about jobs for working class Americans, so the joke is pretty much on all of us - and sadly our political process. Its even more unfortunate that the president-elects is so scared of having his win questioned in any way that he reacts as he does, and it does NOT bode well for the next four years. I hope that the president-elect is held justly accountable for his assorted partnerships and deals. Someone else will have to actually rise up and fight for the little guy and all of the groups and issues soon to be marginalized by this new administration.

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 305 - 12.16.16

... oh, and embarrassing or not as it may be to have a spelling error in your casual but dedicated communications to the President (see PPBpc No. 304 - and I'm sure that it's not the first time!) I'll leave you for the week with "SEND IT NO. 2 - Nordic style!" Dig in. Go big! And for the Obama family en route to Hawaii - Mele Kalikimaka.

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 304 - 12.16.16

A humble admission here: I spelled the President's first name wrong on my last post card! "Blush" To wit, my apology post card. As an Erik with a 'k' I'm pretty comfortable with people spelling my name wrong -- but it does seem a little more embarrassing when you write to the President and you've already written him about 300 times. So it goes kids. This kind of stuff happens to the best of us. Do your best. Be as careful as you can - but sometimes fall victim to your enthusiasm :) Onward and upward!

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 303 - 12.15.16

"Stay informed. Write letters or make phone calls on behalf of an issue that you care about."

- President of the United States, Barack Obama

Harts Pass No. 327

The constituent at Harts Pass is absolutely sure it will NEVER be happy with the President-elect. So apologies in advance if you tire of our thinly veiled attempts at political commentary. There will also be sarcasm... and at times wolverine-centric comical rage. GRRR!

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 302 - 12.14.16

"Send it!" 

I know that there are political reasons to consider -- delicate balances of 100 year-old established practice for executive actions vs things that might be under a microscope and undone by the President elect and/or a more "united" legislative and executive branch -- but given the legion of fossil fuel/big oil/climate skeptic folks that we've now lined up in all manner of essential places... President Obama just needs to SEND IT! Go big and slap some executive order packing-tape-bubble-wrap-steel-caged protection all over the place before he steps out of office. The new regime is going to shred it all to pieces anyway -- so they might as well give them more to shred. With more blockades and hurdles to clear, there might still be something left (maybe) in another 2-4 years when we can tip the scales back in a favorable direction. I really hate the fact that pretty much making easy money in traditional ways (once again and ALWAYS the 1% and not really anyone else) prevents us from moving creatively ahead with a clean energy economy and other decisions that could literally change the world... #wearethearctic #saveourseaice #keepitintheground

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 301 - 12.13.16

I took today's quote from an article about this past year's 'truly unprecedented' Arctic warming trend. You can read the full article about NOAA's climate report card over on theverge.com #wearethearctic

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 300 - 12.12.16

Down in San Diego visiting some old college friends this past weekend. A little running, a little spectating (watching the Footlocker Nationals XC race at Balboa Park), and some fine catching up all around. Glad to have this bunch in my life -- and hopeful to see what we all can accomplish in the next 20 years. We're younger still than we sometimes feel Fellahs -- GRRR!

Harts Pass No. 326

Snow job: (noun) definition - a strong effort to make someone believe something by saying things that are not true or sincere.

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 299 - 12.8.16

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 298 - 12.7.16

My daughter loves winter, and I used to nicely tease her about becoming a polar bear scientist so that she could save the species. Sadly, I wish that someone had been telling ME that when I was a kid, because the timing might have been a little more right... anyway, education is key no matter how you slice it. Science. Math. Music. Art. Work for it. Study. Connect the dots... #wearethearctic

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 297 - 12.6.16

And then there's this... and you won't find me digging up quotes from too many other Presidents.

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 296 - 12.6.16

Monday, December 6, 2016 marked the 56th anniversary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Much thanks to the trailblazing efforts of National Park Service planner George Collins, biologist Lowell Sumner, and naturalists/conservationists, Olaus and Mardy Murie #wearethearctic

On the drawing "table" :)

For the last few weeks I've been slowly but surely making progress on a mural for the newest incarnation of our local bookstore -- congrats @trailsendbooks :) Its BIG, so you can't even see the life-sized polar bear and penguin over in the "arctic annex" of this photo, but its also bright and colorful and hopefully a nice complement to the kid's section in the great new space - hooray! Washington authors and illustrators be sure to reach out to Trails End to sign stock or schedule a reading when you find yourself headed to Winthrop. Summer and winter are the busier season's for sure, but they are really hoping to parlay the new space into bigger and better author events and excellent bookstore activities all year 'round. Happy holidays!

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 295 - 12.3.16

At last the weekend... and snow plus colder weather on the way as well! #wearethearctic

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 294 - 12.2.16

It's a chess game now... try to think six moves ahead. #wearethearctic #protectourpubliclands #grrr!

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 293 - 12.1.16

For Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA). You've done admirable work in support of the environment through California's Desert Protection Act and many other things -- and the recent national monument designations are a true gift to both the people of California and to the nation as a whole. And just as you recognize that California deserts are far more than a desolate and uncommon ecosystem - that they are a landscape of the West and an "icon of our cultural heritage" - I hope that you will grant the same to the as yet unspoiled wilderness of Alaska's coastal plain. Please help to support Senate bill s.2341 and a Wilderness designation for the "1002." We are at a tipping point for decisive and legitimate actions on climate and clean power solutions. Removing drilling rights from this fragile and important place is a responsibility that we must enact for the sake of future generations. Thank you! #wearethearctic #saveourseaice #keepitintheground #protectourpubliclands

Presidential Polar Bear Post Card Project No. 292 - 12.1.16

Questions... SO many excellent questions. At this point, sadly, still not enough in the way of true and tangible answers. Chin up. They will come. #wearethearctic #saveourseaice #strongertogether

Harts Pass No. 325

Another seasonal poem from the good folks at Harts Pass Comics. Enjoy!