Aspire to everything Inspired

Funny postcard No. 365

(or possibly No. 12, I don't actually keep track of these things, y'know)
 

Just a hint this time...

Because Mr. Bear's latest outing is still in-transit...

 

Ursus arctos afloat

Next up... Grand Adventure and Bon Voyage!  Special Accessories required.  Maybe a new hat.  a new tie.  a new Life Preserver.

Life preserver?!

 

Ah, but of course.  Life preserver!

Because, um, you always pack your own too, don't you?

 

Bear Post

A pen pal letter inspired Mr. Bear's next adventure...  it just seemed so appropo...

And I've been advised that his arrival was impecably timed as well -- as only such a well-mannered and dapper bear could manage, of course.

Check it out... 
it's pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!  (And I do. LOL)

When inspiration strikes... aka. Meet Mr. Bear

It was late one evening in the Fall, and I was surfing the web, reading random blogs.  Linkety-link-link.  Hopping here.  Clicking there.  And somewhere out there in the blogosphere, I saw it.  There - in the midst of someone's images of home, a painting of a bear.  A rawther plain brown bear without any decoration or fancy embellishment, but standing unusually tall.  "Hmmm." I thought. "Interesting"  And on I went... linkety-link-link...

And then a phrase popped into my head:  Mr. Bear Goes for a Walk.

"Hah-hah!" I thought to myself. "Wouldn't that be funny?"

"Yes, wouldn't it??" I thought back.

These are the conversations that lead to little personal crossroads:  to DO or NOT to do.  That is the question one must ask oneself.  (And, yes, one really must use the 3rd person when having these conversations with oneself.  Just in case you were curious.)

And so began The Postcards of Mr. Bear...

Meeting the locals, Making new friends

When moving to a new neighborhood, it's important to get out and meet your neighbors.

Tip #1 - Always start with the local gentry first.

"Hello, Sir Humphrey, pleased to meet you...  Miss Hermigarde Giraffe, it's an honor..."

Tip #2 - Be sure to say hello to folks you meet in unusual places

"Hello - is one of those toothbrushes for me?"

"Hello, Rabbit.  How are those Harry Potter books?  Anything new?  I think Voldemort did it."

Tip #3 - Be especially courteous to dragons

hmmm.... Looks like this might be the party crowd... I wonder if they have any toasted cheese sandwiches?

"Hello good sir, I'm new to the neighborhood.  Any advice for a visiting Mouse?"

Tip #4 - Make time for family activities

"Hmmm... I really like this book.  Hmmm... I have a really great idea... "

To be continued...

In which a visitor arrives from the East

More Mouse post?  Yes, evidently. 

And this crowd doesn't waste any time getting packages open.  Brown paper and string - hah!

Hello?  Is there anyone in there?

"Yes!  Hello!"

"Surprise!"

"Ta-dah!"

Cousin Emerson has come to visit from the East! 

He's a dapper mouse, as you can see.  We're all a little in awe of him.  But we rawther think he'll fit in right well.  Don't you?

Cousin Emerson, from EmersonMade of course. Of course. 
What a delightful gift - we can't stop talking about it to all those folkses that stop by to borrow the odd cup of sugar, five books, a dozen loose coins, the odd sock...
Thank you, Emerson!

Mice have been getting into the mail lately

It all started when they saw a pretty little brown-paper package addressed to "Nielsen Mice"...

They really liked the contents of their package...

Really REALLY liked it.  

In fact, it seems to be giving them ideas...

Uh-oh

Things I do because of books

Well, sometimes I color...
You know how you'll open up a book and there will be a map at the beginning?  Well, I always wonder why those fictional maps are in black & white.  Afterall, wouldn't it make more sense if they were in color?  Just because color is more expensive... well, pshaw.  Personally, I always have to stop and think -- is that land or water?  And which part is the ocean?  (Oi!  remember these are fictional maps - not like Europe or Asia or anything)  It would just be easier if they were in color, without all those confusing gradients and different map techniques to work out.  {sigh}  And all this confusion leads to explaining that I'm always tempted to start coloring in these maps, though I almost never do... 

Which is just silly when you think about it -- because it's my book!  I can color it if I want to. Hah!

Sometimes I draw funny charts too...
I have a particular fondness for a clever murder mystery novel.  Lately I've discovered a set of mysteries by Georgette Heyer that are exceptionally witty and delightful.  They're just so... so!  You know?  It's like discovering Agatha Christie for the first time all over again.  {bliss!}  However, sometimes, an introduction to one of these cast of characters can be a bit confusing.  Like when they're all seated around the table at a fancy dress dinner and the descriptive adjectives and pronouns start to fly...  At these moments, I sometimes find it handy to, well, create a map of a different sort.  Such as a dinner seating chart.  Any good society hostess would be envious, don't you think? 

Trust me, it did help.  lol!

And then there are the late night snacks...
Here's another thing about those British murder mysteries...  Have you ever noticed how much detecting occurs at tea time and other meals?  Why, it's enough to cause anyone to be famished!  Which must explain why I found myself mixing up a cuppa' of cocoa at 11:30 at night.  and making a sandwich too.  Simply famished I tell you!

P.S. That sandwich was really good too.

So is it just me, or are you ever tempted to color, draw charts, and make tea... all because of a book?

[Map pictured is from Septimus Heap Book One: Magyk, by Angie Sage. Copyright 2005 by Angie Sage.  Book text pictured is from They Found Him Dead, by Georgette Heyer.  Copyright by the author.]

Mouse Tales, No. 2

It's true that not all mice scurry about collecting crumbs off the floor.  They have shops in mouse villages too, you know.  In fact, I've heard a rumor that some of the more well-to-do British mice even shop at Marks & Spencer's specialty Food Hall.   Do you think it's possible?