Standout swimmer

I was trying to come up with an Olympics-themed cartoon when I thought of this. My son came back from serving in Arizona with a great tan...on his face and forearms.

Monday Sketchbook: The End of the Line

If you haven't noticed by now, I like to put zombies in different situations to see what might happen, so I tried that with Pioneer Day. I thought it might seem disrespectful if this was set in Emigration Canyon, so I moved the setting to the Oregon Trail. I think it works.

Keeper of the records

Having served as ward clerk, I can tell you it's not like this all the time. But there are days, there are days...

Primarily speaking

So we just witnessed the start of the London Games! To commemorate the Olympics, our Primary is having their own Summer Games. They asked me to do some drawings for their announcements and invitations, so here we are. Enjoy the games!

Share the joy

This one is based on a true story from my niece who is serving in Chile. She had a day kind of like this, but she's got such an upbeat and cheerful attitude that nothing gets her down.

Scenes we didn't see

Not every day on the Enterprise was a good day.

A Dark Night

Like most people, I was shocked at the shooting in Aurora, Colo., at the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises. My cousin is a nurse at one of the hospitals that received some of the victims.

This is my Good Heavens strip from Sunday; our thoughts and prayers go out to the individuals, friends and families of those whose lives were affected by this event.

In every footstep

When I was in high school, our marching band took a trip to the Calgary Stampede to march in the big parade. We won our division (something like "Best Band from South of the Border") and as a result, we were invited to march in the horse parade the next day. We had these really nifty white spats for our shoes as part of our uniforms. The parade officials advised us to leave the spats behind for the horse parade. If you've ever marched behind a herd of excited horses, you know why.

Happy Pioneer Day, and watch your step!

Monday Sketchbook: Planning ahead

I think they should have gone for the dodecahedron.

Feather lickin' good!

Legend has it that the seagulls went to the Great Salt Lake to regurgitate before going back to gobble up more crickets. The truth is, the seagulls wanted to wash 'em down with those famous Great Salt Lake shakes. Mmm, mmm!

Get it to go

One of my kids really wants to try horehound candy. He's going to be so disappointed when he finally does!

To boldy go back

Fellow cartoonist Arie Van De Graaff published a cartoon recently called "21st Century Pioneer Trekking." That got me thinking about pioneer treks beyond the 21st Century...

Incidentally, it's also "Moon Day," the commemoration of the landing on the Moon back on this date back in 1969. I had to run some sort of space-themed cartoon, right?

Marking the trail

I'm sure there were a few amongst the pioneers who, once they were under way and facing the realities of the trail, wondered if there was a way to get back.

My cart's better than your cart

I know the "My other vehicle is a..." gags are a bit over done, but I thought this one was kind of cute. The stereotype of a pioneer is a tough, hard working yet humble person. I'm sure there was a little one upsmanship on some of those wagon trains, however!

Safety first

Important safety tip.

Monday Sketchbook: There is no hour of peace and rest

No matter what anyone else says, there are only two kinds of callings in the Church: those that allow you to take a Sunday afternoon nap, and those that don't. Cub Scouts? Nap away! Financial clerk? You're workin' on Sunday! Relief Society President? You can take a nap...in about five years!

Our Bishop reminded me of this truth a couple of weeks ago when I asked if he could do something for me on a Sunday.

"Bro. Beckstrom," he said, "I don't know if I can or not. On Sundays I have absolutely no control over my life!"

So that's why this idea, in this form, didn't make it past the sketchbook.

Editor's note: Outside the Church, this probably makes no sense whatsoever!

Prepare ye for that which is to come!

It really isn't fair to keep making high councilors the butt of all these jokes, is it? Is it?

To the Bastille!

Happy Bastille Day everyone!

Just cricket

I had an ancestor who had some great stories about the invasion of the crickets on the crops of the Mormon pioneers. According to his telling, it was loud, smelly and (gross) crunchy and slick. Thank goodness for the seagulls!

Why so serious?

My apprentices are off on summer vacation and are busy coming up with new ideas. Be afraid. Be very afraid!

Settling the West, sort of...

This cartoon sort of balances the one from yesterday.

Home, sweet -- wait, what?

If it's after Independence Day, then it must be time to get ready for the Days of '47. Today's cartoon comes from my faithful Ute friend (and I don't mean from the University of Utah), Vernie Chapoose. His ancestors went on vacation.

Monday Sketchbook: Primary spelling

The more I look at this, the more I think I should flesh it out to a full-fledged cartoon.

And in case you couldn't guess, our theme in Primary this month is: "Kindness begins with me."

Challenges of a new calling

Our ward just went through a major overhaul in Primary and Relief Society, with several sisters switching organizations. It's sometimes a struggle to adapt to a new calling.

Striking with force

I'm trying some new technology with this cartoon that's supposed to make the lines a little more crisp and clean. It probably doesn't show at this resolution, but the original, hi-res version looks a lot better. Now if we could just find some way to improve the writing...!

Blazing trails

Yes, my apprentices did have a little bit of input on this one.

Finacure

I hate it when I snag my fins!

Rise and shout

Happy Independence Day! Make the most of it!

From sea to shining sea

Monday Sketchbook: Counting down

This would have been an awesome thing to have when I was younger to help parse out my fireworks so I didn't blow them all off at once. Nowadays I've learned. There's only like a week or so that fireworks are on sale in Oregon, so I have to buy them and divvy them up for Independence Day, Bastille Day, Pioneer Day, New Year's, Chinese New Year and Canada Day. Plus I have another stash set aside "just in case."

Maybe I should dummy one of these fireworks countdown containers and post in on Pinterest just to see what happens...!

The True North, strong and free

Yes, it's Canada Day! Hug a Canadian or two!