Happy 39th Birthday Smokey!

Today is my Smokey the Bear's 39th b-day. My big sister Debby gave me Smokey for my 3rd b-day. He had been in retirement for many years but has been picking up odd jobs to pass the time lately. He is particularly good at getting into bed with Ros or John in the middle of the night to chase away bad dreams. When he was "born", he had new blue jeans, a belt with a fancy forest ranger "buckle" and a forest ranger badge on his chest. I don't remember if he had a hat, but here is basically what he looked like. Over the years his buckle and badge fell off, his belt broke, his jeans wore out, he was smooshed flat from snuggling and his smile & fur were loved off of him. Back in the 70's my sister Rhonda sewed him some new jeans and I drew him a new smile with a ball point pen. I recently had to resort to iron on patches to act as "skin grafts" because he was thread bare in many places. He also wears a sweater now for warmth. For those of you who have read "The Velveteen Rabbit", you'll know what I mean when I say that Smokey is real.


Smokey the Bear


Baby Zoso, Smokey & Cambear


John, Ros & their "friends".


John & his best "friends".


Ros & her best "friends"