Lake House Humor

My new Lake cartoons. I try to be original and funny, but it doesn't always work. I hope you enjoy and remember, "Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!"  

Something else, I do beautiful lake maps. Paddle on over to my website to see some beautiful, unique maps of your favorite lake, river, or bay...LeoLakes.com makes great gifts for the Lake Lover, Lake House, or Fishermen.

First Tackle Box.......

I recieved this hand-me-down tackle box from my dad. He had used it for years and decided that he needed a larger box and it was time for me to have "my very own tackle box". It was a small, light green, metal box with no trays inside, so you just piled your fishing stuff in the box, which worked well for a kid, sort of. I remember that I thought that I had hit the fishing jackpot, my very own tackle box. Do you know what the first thing a kid does to his own, hand-me-down tackle box?  He paints it! So, I had a can of red spray paint that I had used on a small plastic model car and painted my first tackle box, red. My dad wasn't too happy about it, but he didn't say a word. I guess he thought that it was a sign of me valuing it, which was true.  

I carried it around to all of our secret fishing holes. The only problem was that everything inside turned into a tangled mess. I quickly learned, that I hated my first tackle box. It took 15 minutes to untangle the mess every time I wanted a lure, hook or what not. After a few years, I think that my father finally got tired of the frustration and bought me a new tackle box with "trays". It was a beautiful thing! I repurposed my "little red tackle box" to my new "little red paint box" to hold all my tube paints. It's amazing that the "little red tackle box" has traveled to all of my favorite lakes, rivers and bays and now it's used to paint all those lakes, rivers and bays! Funny how it connects the past with the future. I cherish it very much.....

Paddle over to my website, LeoLakes.com. I paint beautiful lake, river and bay decor maps. Folks are discovering that these decor maps are wonderfully unique gifts that become family heirlooms. Oh yeah, I hide things in the lake waters, such as a tiny mermaid/fish. Folks love to search for them. I call my maps, treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. My treasured maps make a great gifts for the fisherman, lake lover, or Lake house. 

As you can see, my maps make a great gift.   Click here www.LeoLakes.com for more information.

Just remember: "Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream".

Big Lake Maps

Add beauty to your lake house! A nice big map of the lake that you live on. Have a large wall, hang a large map! 

Anyway, check-out my vintage style lake maps, makes a great gift. Click here, Leolakes.com to see if we have your map. We have many popular lake maps such as the Lake Winnipesaukee, Great Sacandaga Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Pickwick Lake, Greer's Ferry Lake, Lake Sidney Lanier, Lake Sinclair, Table Rock Lake, and Lake Wallenpaupack. Also, we paint custom maps and have personalized maps for that special someone. 

Big Lake Maps

Add beauty to your lake house! A nice big map of the lake that you live on.  

Anyway, check-out my vintage style lake maps, makes a great gift. Click here, Leolakes.com to see if we have your map. We have many popular lake maps such as the Lake Winnipesaukee, Great Sacandaga Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Pickwick Lake, Greer's Ferry Lake, Lake Sidney Lanier, Lake Sinclair, Table Rock Lake, and Lake Wallenpaupack. Also, we paint custom maps and have personalized maps for that special someone. 

Lake Maps Dawings

It's true, pencil and paper have now become obsolete. Here's my new 24HD Cintiq graphic monitor. I can draw directly on the screen and it's great for photo retouch, cartoons, and my custom maps. A little pricey, but worth it. It's almost the same as using an actual pencil and paper, which is now becoming old school. Technology is good, but I still enjoy a good old pencil and piece of fresh paper, sometimes!

Check-out my maps at LeoLake.com. 

Also "Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream."

My Lake Poem.....Not a Fish was stirring!!!

I went fishing last year near Christmas and here's what happened.

Last weekend I went to one of my favorite lakes to fish and kayak. This particular lake was stocked with Rainbow Trout the day before and my goal was to catch few. This poem tells you how well the fishing trip went.

Not a fish was stirring not even a carp!

T’was the night after the Rainbows had been stocked at the lake, I went fishing to see what I might take,

The flys were hung in the tackle box with care, in hopes that a big rainbow would soon be there.

When out on the lake there arose such a clatter, I sprang up in my kayak to see what was the matter.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, a just fallen tree near a old whitetail deer.

I found not a fish was stirring, not even a carp, so I paddled my Kayak back to the park.

When I arrived home, fun was had by all, as my wife had just arrived from the mall.

That pretty much sums up my fishing trip. Apparently the trout, being new to the lake had pissed off everyone and nothing was biting.

Visit my website to see more. I have over two hundred lake, river and bay maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized lake, river or bay maps, too. If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoMaps.com. 

As you can see, my maps make a great gift. To see more of my work, click here www.LeoLakes.com. 

Remember, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!

Vintage Style Maps

I talk with a lot folks who have fallen in love with the body of water they live on, grew up on, visit or have family history with. My wife came up with this poem, which puts in words, how folks feel about there special lake, river, or bay.

"As I look over this waterscape, The most amazing scenes appears in its wake, The sun arises just above the shore, Giving grace and beauty to this place that I adore." LKO

I started out creating a map of a beloved river that I adore. This small beginning has developed into a fun business. I understand how folks feel about there lake, river, or bay and am lucky to create treasured maps for folks that have treasured memories of there special places. Below I wanted to share a few emails that I receive from these water lovers when they receive one of my treasured maps. 

Customer Email 8/1/14: Larry, I am practically speechless.........when my husband opened the carton and that amazingly beautiful map lay inside we were both overcome.  He could not believe that he had received such an amazing gift and I was just beside myself as this had far exceeded my expectations.  I was so very worried that this would be a product that looks really good on line but when you get it, the product is a disappointment.  What we found was an amazing piece that is truly a "treasured map". Thanks again for all your help, but most of all thank you for sharing your talent! 

Customer Email 7/23/14:Hi Larry, Another satisfied customer! The map arrived today (stuck in Nashville for 2 days; go figure). She LOVES it! Opened it while I listened. You included such a wonderful note! That makes it even more special and I appreciate it all the more. We have websites here for the island and for the Lakes Region. I'm planning to tell everyone about my map and give them directions to the website, so be ready! Thanks again for a truly unique product. PS.... Don't be surprised if you hear from my other daughter and son-in-law. They will be green with envy when they see this map! 

Customer Email 7/15/14: Thank you Larry!  Fantastic.....The map is beautiful and I can't wait to hang it in how lake cabin. I will be ordering more for some of my lake friends.

Customer Email 6/13/14: Larry, our map arrived yesterday and we love it!  It is beautiful and we can't wait to frame it and hang it on our wall so all our friends and family can see it.  I would highly recommend you to anyone wanting a lake map for their home too, it is really beautiful and I consider it a piece of artwork too. Thank you so much! 

I hide a tiny mermaid/fish in the waters of all my lake map paintings that folks love to search for. I call my maps treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. These maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoMaps.com. 

As you can see, my maps make a great gift. To see more of my work click here www.LeoLakes.com. 

Remember: Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream.