Red and Rover by Brian Basset for August 01, 2011

Wake up, Rover, it’s time for your afternoon siesta!

Wake up and go to sleep… I think that was a three stooges bit.

Oh how I miss the carefree, wonderful, summer days of long ago when my dogs and I just rambled wherever we wanted and dozed in the fragrent grass.

What wonderful memories. Where did it all go? How did it slip away so quickly and without my even noticing it was going?

Wow…this is why I love this strip it’s so poignant.

I don’t recall doing a lot of day-time sleeping when I was a kid. I went to bed early enough at night.

The dog days of summer….love it!

I didn’t sleep during the day … mostly ran and took a dip in the creek or one of the backwater lakes along the Tennessee River … also spent many days fishing in that river. Living on a farm provided busy days … lots of chores and crops to tend, etc.

The stars were so big then, and sky was so black.We built forts, and played baseball (every kid of any age in the neighborhood played, I can’t remember any win-loss records but I remember the games) and football, and kick-the -can just as it was getting dark… when the bigger (more able to run) kids were allowed to stay out just a bit longer.When one kid got a new toy, everyone got a chance to try it out. My pogo stick was a big hit.

Our neighbors, an elderly couple with no kids, were dear enough to invite us to come use their “hill” so in the summer we would lay ourselves in the grass and look up at the clouds, or stars… and in the winter we’d slide down it.

Lovely times.

Aaaaawwww……

“Buster” and me!

I love Red and Rover!!!!

this is one of those strips that make you go awwww….

I lived in the city where our excitement was when they turned on the fireplugs on a hot summer day. It was rare to have a car in the 30’s and 40’s so that you could ride a bike, roller skate in the street safely. Then we moved to the Northeast part of the city where there was lots of open space, grass, trees…..it was like living in the countryside.

Brian, you often have a way of saying a ton, without any words at all, via your incredible artwork. Thanks so much!

Almost noon? Shoulda waited till after you ate, then you could spend the afternoon sleeping it off!

This is the plan??!!

Like the old hospital gag; wake you up to give you a sleeping pill.

Fried baloney mayo, and mustard sandwichesto share with the dog..RC Cola too…stretched out in theshade of our cottonwood tree listening to the cicada’sbuzz….Two or three lazy hours in the afternoon lasted….forever…..

I find this to be one of the cutest Red and Rover strips Brian has ever drawn.