Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for November 04, 2023

What a view! Well worth a short walk!

Last time I took charge, I got zapped by a battery…

I saw a star slide down the sky, Blinding the north as it went by, Too burning and too quick to hold, Too lovely to be bought or sold, Good only to make wishes onAnd then forever to be gone.

-Sara Teasdale

So glad our furry friends at BCN are not like that star sliding own the sky.

Awesome view. What a way to wind down the arc!

I can vouch for lookouts! Every night when my raccoons head out, one stays up on the corner of the roof or in the crook of a tree as a lookout, until everyone is safely under the fence.

Another beautiful view of a night sky.

And the Queen surveying her domain, all safe and sound.

Love the beautiful night sky. And the moon is once again in the proper phase – waning gibbous. I am so taken by the attention to the smallest detail in every strip.

“Silent night…All is calm; all is bright.”

I believe I see actual constellations in that beautiful sky. I’m not good at ID-ing them, but maybe I see Orion, possibly Casseopeia’s chair…? Would like to know the one next to the moon with two large stars.

…and peace descends upon the land.

The last panel is reminiscent of the night Mag stood overlooking the destruction of her domain. She said she’d get it all back.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. As Mag told Gutter before telling him he was never sleeping again…

I think in panel one Queen Mag is taking off her chickadee shoulder harness. And little Spork is flat-out dead to the world.

Is the raven’s lookout made from a plumber’s helper?

I want that last panel blown up huge and on one of my walls. It’s SO breathtaking. The shooting star is magical amid the watercolour black-blue sky. I love that Georgia painted the seas in the moon. ❤

Peace is settling in comfortably.

That last is one resplendent view.

BRAVO Ms. Dunn! You have created a beautiful ending to an epic tale. You’ve also caused computer screens across the planet to go blurry!

STANDING OVATION!

The quiet after the battle has ended. That’s when you try to make sense of your victory and count your loses and decide if it was all worth it. I’ve been there too many times.

Back of regal raccoon head.

Looks like the boys survived playing in the thresher.

John Lodge, The Moody Blues:Eyes of a Child

Listen, hear the sounds

The world awaits

Wonder all around

The world awaits.

…….

Fighting through war and conflict

Still hope prevails

We meet our new friends

And know we’ll never fail!

…….

Looking out on the wild we must know how to see

There is love all around and you know you will be

A small part of the hope

Of a love that exists

Looking out on the wild we will see!

…….

Looking near and far, new times await

With a shooting star, new times await

Here is the new world, and now how does it feel?

Your dreams will go with you

We’ll all help make them real!

…….

Looking out on the wild we must know how to see

There is love all around and you know you will be

A small part of the hope

Of a love that exists

Looking out on the wild we will see!

thank you, georgia

It all comes full circle. At the beginning, Queen Mag looked out over her kingdom as the raccoons retreated to the forest, vowing to come back. She now looks again over her kingdom, and all is right again. Her vow to return and reclaim the dumpster and fields has been fulfilled.

Li’l Spork feetsies and tail!

Meanwhile, Back on the Nile

At the Punn State Woodchuck Stadium

Serfig-Aro: Welcome, sports fans, to the Lawn Potato Championship Game between the Harsh Browns and the Mash Spuds! The officials are on the field with the team captains. The Mash Spuds have won the toss and have elected to defer. The Harsh Browns will receive. Here is the kickoff.

Queen Lisa: That was a most enjoyable ride to the stadium. Please send Avenger and Emma a bucket of the finest oats with King Monty and my compliments.

Puckmosis: With pleasure, Your Majesty. I will order a bucket of Trevor-Hotep’s Cheery Oats for each of them.

At the Half

Serfig-Aro: The score at the half of this hard-fought game: The Mash Spuds 17, the Harsh Browns 15. Now for our halftime show: Lupinium and his tumblers featuring Diana Filly!

King Monty: They are very good. Avenger and Emma must be very proud.

Queen Catshepsut: They are.

Puckmosis: Has anyone seen Elvis? He was supposed to meet with his great-grandparents, the retired ambassadors to Afar.

Queen Cat: I believe he has gone for a dignified lunch.

At the Punn State Creamery

Nana Siamese: Oh, look. They have your favorite flavor, Elvis. Super-Dee-Duper Swirl.

Elvis: I’ll have a double scoop!

War end is heaven sent

Fields to roam, peace event

No owl, no mole, no threats

Thimble played thumb castanets

Ah, but, friends couldn’t have helped too soon

Mag gives thanks under stunning stars and moon

She knows just what her raccoons need

Bling and abode

- Roger Miller – King Of The Road

It is unfortunate that light pollution is limiting the number of stars you can see in the night sky. How many of you have been in enough darkness that you can see a portion of the spiral arms of the Milky Way Galaxy? I have. And it is a breathtaking sight.

I like the lookout’s kaleidoscope viewer. It is small details like that which makes this strip so good!!

I must be catching a cold . . . not sneezing, but as I got to the last panel, tears slowly emerged from my eyes. Ms. Dunn, thank you for the best story ever!!

What a lovely night for a walk!

When you see a shooting star

Blazing by and traveled far

All good things that have transpired

Recalled by you

And you know it is no dream

Peace and love still reign supreme

When you gaze upon the stars

And valley too

Like a bolt out of the blue

Streaking by and out of view

A shooting star is what we are

As time flies, too

- Leigh Harline / Fred Douglas Jr. WashingtonWhen You Wish Upon a Star

Passed out raccoon in the first panel is hilarious, while the last panel is both beautiful and poignant. Wonder what the shooting star represents in this story arc?

Baby raccoon feet in the air and Back Of Raccoon Head!

Meanwhile Magazine and Beatrix are staying up late, painting their nails, fixing their fur, and having fun.

Off-Topic Post – Baby R update.

<== the reward of patience is patience – St. Augustine (I think it was Robin who introduced me to this quote … if not this one, it was another, similarly-themed St. Augustine quote)

Rewards to be granted in full on Friday.

Is this the longest arc ever?

Wow just got caught up a LOT of stuff happened

Georgia, thank you so much for this wonderful story arc. I really enjoyed it.

And they all lived peaceably ever after.

Everybody’s tuckered out.

Details: what other cartoonist would bother to create patterns on fabrics, two different ones at that, for couch and mattress?; Gutter’s “thumb” pointing back to “all around”; @thelsrc pointed out the accuracy of the depiction of the moon; in the last panel, the peace is so pervasive even Gutter appears to be sleeping, save in the knowledge of Queen Mag’s oversight. [Sigh of content.]

Meanwhile, Puck is preparing to save the world from falling leaves, Elvis is happy his family is safe, and Lupin is planning his annual assault on the Thanksgiving turkey and the space goo.

I hope it’s not a what possibly could go wrong moment.

Beautiful! A lovely, peaceful conclusion to a wonderful and busy story arc. Looking forward to rereading it in full now!

Georgia, I have loved this arc and almost hate to see it end. But I know you have many more stories to tell us and I can’t wait for the next one!

Georgia is a wiz at drawing fabulous night skies.

I love that she painted the dark side of the moon, too. Probably more obvious to the cats and raccoons than to us, given their night vision.

OT:

It took me 3 reads to see the raccoon in the bottom right corner in the first panel. So only Princess Mad Mag. is missing. Presumably with Bea doing “barn stuff”.

Time for a well-earned rest!

Thank you for this wonderful Epic Tale, Georgia – it’s been fabulous.

I think the constellation may be Taurus, with a Taurid meteor.

It looks like the moles have done a good job of fixing the fields already.

I must admit, I am perplexed as to where the queen is going.

The moles did a good job of tidying up their mess on the battlefield.

Georgia, this was a very fun story arc! I loved the longer story as much as I love the dailies. Very timely too. If only the world could find peace as your characters have here. Thank you for your humor, your perspective, and your art. All so wonderful!

Georgia I love all of your comics and look forward for them every day and I’m 77 years old! My wife and myself had six strays and one bought cat at one time. Loved and miss each and every one.

Ah, that Time could touch a form

That could show what Homer’s age

Bred to be a hero’s wage.

‘Were not all her life but storm

Would not painters paint a form

Of such noble lines,’ I said,

‘Such a delicate high head,

All that sternness amid charm,

All that sweetness amid strength?’

Ah, but peace that comes at length,

Came when Time had touched her form.

W.B. Yates

Off-Topic Reminder

WAR IS OVER!

Ot. We here in the US will be changing our clocks back an hr tonight (Sat/sun a.m. so we might be a bit more confused than usual. Please be patient.

Georgia, we appreciate & love you!!

I love everything you draw, Georgia, but I will be very happy to return to “our regularly scheduled broadcasts.” Glad you took the opportunity to explore new ideas that will certainly make a great graphic novel or even a spin off strip – and that it helped you get through a difficult time. ❤️

When it comes out as a book, I’ll buy it. I have all your so-far books, and I’ve given the latest one to my oldest daughter, another crazy cat lady, because I thought the humor was good even if you don’t know the characters!

I loved this arc! It had so many of the special ingredients I love about BCN: clever and sometimes surprising new characters, known characters with deep backstories and lore, little hints and “Easter eggs” along the way, story theme about things that are both simple and deeply meaningful, and of course Georgia’s gorgeous art. It would make a wonderful stand alone book, but I also loved watching it play out here. I stayed up way too late on several occasions just to get the next installment!

Belated comment on Panel 4: Isn’t GrandMag walking over to Montague? Perhaps to console and make full peace with her adversary?

Belated comment on Panel 4: Isn’t GrandMag walking over to Montague? Perhaps to console and make full peace with her adversary?