Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for August 02, 2010

Feets, do your thing!!!!!

That’s enough wildlife for a whole year!

Oh Abigail, I want you to see something.

Too much wildlife is bearly enough.

Timely——-Given the current news about the grizzly bear running amok that killed one and maimed two out west.

The bear here needs to work on his stealth skills a bit though……..

Awesome bear!

Based on the contortionistic exercises, I’d say the bear is a yogi.

Bob, you had better drop your Daq and head inside, pronto! Those claws are longer than your fingers!

Good dog, Cleo!

http://www.comicssherpa.com/site/feature?uc_comic=cscwy

Aw heck, Bob, you only live once. Go over there and scratch him under the chin a little bit. Bears love that. Just like cats.

http://www.comicssherpa.com/site/feature?uc_comic=cscwy&uc_full_date=20200802

…for a veeeery relaxed kind of “dead”.

Good morning, class!

Today our subject is “Animals in their natural state.”

Compare and contrast…. (come bear… and contrast?):

The undomesticated creature above, in its wild state,

having encroached upon a Ballard Street residence…. somewhat startling its occupants….

with the resting state of a half-domesticated basset hound…

having been willingly taken into a Cleveland, Ohio, residence, as a pup, and raised by its occupants…

in the August 2nd  2020 “CLEO and COMPANY” on Sherpa.

Two largish, relatively loose-skinned and ungainly-looking furry creatures, doing what they do naturally.

The bear is, of course, quite a bit larger… and while he looks as though he’d be clumsy… note his delicate grip and balance on the porch rail…

He’s actually more athletic than you’d expect… so get inside!

The basset hound… by the name of Cleo, BTW…

is smaller than the bear, and possessed of a much more placid nature…

She is less athletic… and not as strong as the bear… though stronger than some people expect in an animal of her apparent size,

because they focus on her short legs, and fail to take into account her deep chest and muscular build.

Both animals are known to waddle when walking on all fours.

Another trait they share is willfulness…

Neither has been observed to give a rat’s patootie what a mere human tells it to do.

Get inside… out through the back door… and into the nearest bomb shelter.

Given the stability of those wood-structures called houses, that’s the best you can do.

There also might be no choice in the matter.

Tricks are for kids.

I hope Cleo got some doggie treats for doing one trick right.

Bears are returning to the Ozarks! Two years ago, a small brown bear was digging into trash cans in Galena, about four miles away from the ranch. Last year, a bear was wandering around houses near the busiest street in Joplin.

When we were moving into the ranch, about ten years ago, the Youngest was spending the nights here while we were packing up. He was sitting on the deck while dusk was setting in. He saw something at the garage, about twenty yards up the hill. He said it was as big as a Labrador, and tawny yellow, shaped like a cat. Scared him back into the house.

*_Good Morning Ballardeers and Tigressy! Q-date 142.98186.3 Little sleeps last night. O2 hose disconnected. Aint modern medicine wonderful? FML

Cleo’s effort would be mine today.

Oh well. Y’all take care of your folks. (((((HUGS)))))

For once, I agree with Bob. Good morning Balladeers, (((((Plods))))) and Miss Susan.

Yup! On both. :D

What we have here is a sweet little girl who has an attitude. She’ll do all those things when the mood hits her. Like as soon as Claude walks away.

Just stick with what you know best, Cleo. The more hoops you jump through, the more hoops they give you. Besides, we know who is boss in that family.