– click to see the entire Snow Shark cartoon and the snowman oeuvre of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes.
No, we haven’t resumed our legal-ethics or political punditry. Indeed, more than ever, I’m resolved to only post items that I enjoy compiling, creating, sharing. And, right now, that means having fun with the snowman theme.
one smirking snowman
and one
hatless scarecrow…………… by dagosan
in the howling wind
under the full moon
the snowman, headless…….. by George Swede from Almost Unseen
– over 50 winters of Giacalone snowmen – 
Snowmen have always delighted me (especially after being reminded, as an adult, by both Calvin & Hobbes and Snow Buddha of the layers of symbolism and mischief to be found in these homemade, temporary statuary). The photos above were taken half a century apart. One features Your Editor (a/k/a dagosan) with his siblings proudly displaying snowmen largely constructed by Mama G (larger here). The other is my niece, Elisabeth, which she built with her dad.
naughty child–
instead of his chores
a snow Buddha….. by Kobayashi Issa – translated by David G. Lanoue
A few months ago, my brother Arthur, who lives in the Buffalo Snow Belt region, was bemoaning his fate as a Baby Boomer, who came late to parenthood and has two children in grammar school who still need major assistance constructing their snowmen. He pointed out how much work — bending, rolling, lugging, lifting — is involved in making two snowmen at a time. [In fact, according to USA Weekend, “5 Things You Need to Know about Snowmen,” Dec. 14, 2007), it takes 10 billion snowflakes to build the average snowman. That’s heavy, man.]
Last Thanksgiving, I mentioned Arthur’s complaint to Mama G. She scoffed, pointing out that she always had to make three snowmen at a time. Being my mother’s son, and despite a lifetime not defending my older-twin brother, I immediately reminded her that Arthur and his knees are three decades older than she was the last time she made three snowmen. Then, weary just thinking of all that labor, the defense rested, point made and taken.
small sad face
in the puddle —
last weekend’s snowman…………….. by david giacalone – Simply Haiku V4N3; a procession of ripples anthology (p. 18)
– from dagosan’s haiku diary: poems that include the words: “snowman;” or “snowman’s“, or “snow buddha.”
winter fog
i stub my toe
on the snowmanbelow zero…
sparrows peck
the snowman’s nose………… by ed markowski
“below zero” – Simply Haiku (Summer 2006, vol. 4 no. 2)
– Coming later this Weekend: More Snowmen Tales and Haiku –
This theme proved too expansive to be contained in our posting. Please see “snowman (r)evolution (Part ii).”
I hadn’t thought about those wonderful Calvin & Hobbes snowmen in a long time. Calvin was the Charles Addams of snow sculptors. Thanks for the reminder.
Comment by Anne Reed — February 22, 2008 @ 10:20 pm
Hi, Anne. What are you doing reading lame old weblogs on a Friday evening? Calvin sure did bring me a lot of smiles, and Watterson’s mischievous imagination was never better than in the snowmen strips. (It would be fun to raise a Calvin — even if it did tend to turn your hair gray.)
Comment by David Giacalone — February 22, 2008 @ 10:31 pm
While my haiku chops are way under-developed, Calvin & Hobbs are right up my alley.
Hope all is well. Stop by some time and disagree with me. Everybody else does.
Comment by shg — February 25, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
Hi, Scott. Thanks for stopping by; I’ve been lurking at your weblog fairly regularly, but am far too genteel these days to pile-on in your Comment section (despite your masochistic plea).
Comment by David Giacalone — February 25, 2008 @ 7:29 pm
Love the Snowan discourse hahaha,
check here for Talking Snowman :}
Comment by Celestial Elf — February 12, 2009 @ 9:05 am