Bio
That’s
me alright, more than 50 years ago, I was thinner and better looking
then - don't ya think? Yes, I am holding a pipe, but no, I’m
not smoking it. People thought shots like this were cute back then.
Heck, we even have several nudes of my brothers and I and all without
ever getting "Child Services" involved. These were the
good old days, World War II had ended recently, spirits were high,
and young couples across the US were getting married and making
babies; lots and lots of babies.
You guessed it, I’m a boomer; born and raised near Cincinnati, Ohio. I hale from middle class America, a true, blue collar family, the son of a carpenter and stay-at-home mom. My parents, both gone now, came from rather poor families, and grew-up during the Great Depression both reaching adulthood just in time for World War II. They were good people, hard working, salt of the earth, Christian people. Dad was a strong, handsome, quiet man. His word was good as gold and there is nothing he loved more than his family and home. Mother, a petite woman, was fiercely protective of her children. Her face bore witness to her Native American (Cherokee) heritage; dark hair, dark eyes, and high cheek bones. She was quite beautiful.
We didn’t have much when I was growing up, but hey, not many people did. As small boys tend to do, I loved playing in the woods and bringing home every manner of “creepy crawler” (as my mom called ‘em) I could lay my hands on. If it wiggled, crawled, flew, slimed, or swam, I had one as a child. Surely, it was my mother’s reluctant acceptance of her son’s curiosity that cultivated my interest and love of nature. Through the years, I have carried this fascination and love of nature with me into manhood and outside of my family, it is still my biggest source of strength and enjoyment in life.
I watched Howdy Doody, the Beav, and Captain Kangaroo on our black and white TV. And I was ten years old, setting behind my desk the day a tearful announcement came over the elementary school PA. That message still rings in my ears today; someone had shot our beloved President JFK. I remember Ed Sullivan, the BEATLES, Bob Hope, Vietnam, and Woodstock. The first man walked on the moon the year I turned sixteen. I met my wife Barb shortly after graduating high school, were married and spent the next several years growing-up together. Now, two children, several houses, many dogs, an African Grey parrot and 30 some years later we are living in our home near Milford, Ohio.
All of these things helped shape my peronality and make me the
person I am today. But my parents get most of the credit, it was
their sacrifice, dedication, and hard work, that put me through
school and taught me to love and respect God, country, nature, and
other people. Thanks Mom and Dad - love you.