Those Lucky Squirrels

January 9, 2023

My funny black and white comic strip of a squirrel swiping some peanuts. Drawn by artist Bryan Skinnell.

You gotta love squirrels. What could be more cute, adorable, and playful than those rascally squirrels skittering about without a care in the world around your property? Those charming little rogues never fail to crack me up just like the nuts they love munching on. But goodness, I’m such easy pickings for the comedies of the natural world because I’m an artist and artists are just that way. Ok, ok… so I’m a dull artist living a terribly dull life totally devoid of booze, gambling, and wild women. So sue me!

But it’s not just me. Practically everyone I know loves, or at least seems to be fond, of squirrels and their antics. It’s common knowledge that God made squirrels into the intelligent, quick and insanely cute little varmits that we all know today so that wild animals would feel bad about eating them. Since artists aren’t very edible or tasty, God didn’t concern Himself making artists adorable, cute, or even terribly bright. Like fungus on a rotten log, artists just hang around doing our own thing while remaining unmolested by the forces of nature. I guess that ain’t a bad life when you think about it.

So, till we meet again, may this week be great and your squirrels well behaved. And may your dog not think about taking your car just to impress that hot poodle down the street.

Funny black and white cartoon of a bad dog driving a car. Drawn by artist Bryan Skinnell.

Why hello there! My name is Bryan Skinnell and I am a middle-aged (50-ish) artist and neighborhood kook who is living the artistic and creative life out in the boonies of Bedford, Virginia. Bedford is one of the largest counties in the commonwealth of Virginia and, for the most part, it’s still a mostly rural one that bridges the gap between Roanoke and Lynchburg. You could say, in more ways than one, that Bedford is the heart of Virginia. I can’t argue with that although I usually think of Bedford more as Virginia’s belly button myself.

I grew up right here in Bedford and have lived and toiled most of my life on our infamous red clay. The sort of clay that makes the stickiest mud known to man after a rain and which clings like super glue from God to anything and everything it touches. If you are so foolish as to get it on yourself you’ll wind up tracking and leaving a trail of red goop everywhere you go for days afterwards to the delight of your family and friends. But I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else and Lord knows I tried as I’ve wandered from one end of the country to the other. But Bedford has my heart and that’s where I’ve chosen to live my life today. In my free time when I’m not stuck in my studio making art I do love being outside gardening or hiking or just pestering the neighbors.

Every day I try to write something that’s original, entertaining, and half-way thoughtful here on my blog while sharing my happy-go-lucky attitude and zest for life. Quite often I don’t have the foggiest notion of what I’ll end up saying in a post. But, whatever I end up writing about, I do hope you enjoy it!

I do keep a mailing list for interested readers and fans. If you would like to get in on the action and follow my musings and rabble-babble, that can be easily arranged. Just give me an email address that you would like for me to send my blog posts to and I’ll see that you get it.

Thanks for stopping by!
Bryan Skinnell