There are tons of neat basic techniques. Open-handed blocks. Close-handed blocks. Wrist blocks. Side blocks. Uppercut punches. Jab punches. Front kicks. Knee strikes. And all can be used in a variety of useful  combinations.

Everyone has their own favorites. What’s yours? Mine’s the Smith & Wesson.

Know any thirsty mosquitoes? Have any where you are?

Here they are not often a problem. But back in Ohio, we had tons of them. Each one planning on me being a 10 gallon donor. Worse yet we could easily strap on a saddle. And staying out at night was like asking to be a bloody pin cushion.

The protection of choice was Off, which turned OFF more friends and neighbors than mosquitoes. Forget bug zappers. They brought even more than they killed. It was fun though, hearing them get smoked. Our town had smog machines, but you had to get inside, with doors and windows closed to avoid inhaling the nauseating chemicals.

What are yours like. Also thirsty? Let me know.

I did. I needed to add an electrical box in my yard. My neighbor tried telling me it would cause more problems than it would solve. But like a good citizen, I got one anyway from our city planning department, with all the requirements. Great.

Upon completion, out came the inspector. Great. The first thing he did was look at the wiring. Great. Then he looked at our self made concrete patio. Not so great. “May I see the permit?”  Looking at the brick patio flower bed border – “May I see the permit?” He then looked at our in-ground drain piping from downspouts to the street. “May I see the permit?” 

Fortunately my neighbor was there and knew the inspector. After some discussion, the inspector ignored the others and left. As he was leaving my neighbor replied back to me “See, what did I tell you?” Great……

Ever wonder about how BirdBreath cartoon ideas start? Simply, a pen and Sticky Notes. Quiet and laying of the sofa also helps. I also carry them with me everywhere, just in case.

These ideas are then kept in a file folder, inside various titled business  envelopes – like winter, summer, Poody, Vinnie etc.

So far it has worked fairly well, except there are now too many business envelopes to keep track of. So I’m thinking of digitizing this process, but not exactly sure how or with what.

There are nifty sketch apps out there for laptops and iPads, which also allow you to email the sketches. For that you also need a stylus of some kind that’s suited specifically for drawing.

Anyone had any experience with this? Any suggestions? If so, please let me know.

A member of the grouse family, Lesser Prairie-Chicken are actually becoming lesser and lesser.

Considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN ) due to habitat destruction, they are mostly found in small prairies of western Oklahoma, Southeastern Colorado,  a few parts of Texas and Eastern New Mexico. Global warming has also been a factor.

Let’s spread the word. If you would like to use this on your site, please let me know.

Actually Windy is quite common. Great guy. He is all about about himself and how good he has it. He has the best. Wears the best. Eats the best. Drinks the best. Drives the best. Travels the best. Hangs out with the best. And he goes to great lengths to make that known.

Know anybody like him? Let me know.

I’m frequently asked how I draw BirdBreath cartoons. Simple answer: “Simply”. I like simple. The simpler the better. Simple cartoon style. Simple cartoon humor. Simple drawing method.

Originally drawn with felt pen and bond paper, over time I frequently simplified things, making the cartoons cleaner, easier to draw and more professional looking. The latest was this Wacom Cintiq pen tablet. With it, BirdBreath cartoons became totally electronic.

See how simple that is?

I don’t know about you, but I’m not big on either mosquitoes or phlebotomists. Here in Livemore, we no longer worry too much about mosquitoes. However, almost all phlebotomists never seem to find my veins and turn my arms into black and blue pin cushions.

What about you?

Have you seen any? Frequently people like to proudly display their birding enthusiasm on their license plates, myself included.

Monica Mitchell of BirdLodges.com recognized ours, while driving on Railroad Avenue here in Livermore.

If you have a birding related license plate, or see any, please take a picture and email them to me. I’ll gladly display it on BirdBreath’s license plates page with others I’m collecting and give you credit for it.

Is that a deal or what?

If you have any ideas for Batty, please let me know.

Also, if you like BirdBreath, share it with your friends. Spread the word.