What My Dad Saw

Awkwardly Fantastic!

2012-01-05T08:10:00.000-08:00

Their we are in all our glory on the USA Today web site!

You can see it HERE

This is what it says underneath it.
"On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me... long johns for the entire family!"

Thanks Mom

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

Long John Christmas

2011-12-16T07:50:00.000-08:00

All the males in my family revived long handle underwear for Christmas back 87? 88?

I think I will submit this to Awkward Family Photos.

Our Forefathers

2011-11-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

Mom and Dad - 1974.

For some reason they reminded me of pilgrims in this picture.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone form WMDS.

(Color adjusted)

Shake!

2011-11-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

Chad and Lady. 1976

Dive

2011-11-03T06:21:00.000-07:00

In my mind the higher I got of the board the more it seemed like I was flying.
1977

Charming Charlie

2011-11-01T04:42:00.000-07:00

Charming Charlie playing the organ at the fun house in Cave City, Kentucky. 1977

Past posts about the fun house HERE

Fall Party

2011-10-31T05:45:00.001-07:00

We hosted a fall birthday party at our house for my sister in law Bree.

My wife came up with a great them for the party.
"Eating in the field"
Elaine's family ate in the field a lot since Elaine's Dad is a farmer.

Eating in the field meant the family loaded up and took the meal out to the farm fields in the truck.
They would lower the tailgate and had "meals on wheels".
I have eaten a few meals with her family this way when we were dating and my kids had experienced it a few times growing up as well.

Elaine's Dad has since retired from farming and Danny's wife Bree had never "Ate in the field" before.
So we did this night.

Elaine's Mom had a set of Melmac dishes set aside for field meals.
Elaine has inherited those dishes and started a collection of her own dishes as well.

Megan made some owl treats!

The laundry basket hauled all the plates to the fields as well as the table service.

We weren't in a field so we also had a fire for the night's fun.

Hot chocolate heating by the fire.

We were also going to be cooking on the fire tonight.
So the tailgate became the kitchen counter too.

Elaine and Bree making the meal.

We cooked in dutch ovens by the fire.

The rest of the family arrived for the night.

Part of field eating was field hygiene.
Soapy water was brought to the field in a milk jug and poured over your hands while you scrubbed them together.

Nieces.

Waiting for the food to cook with good conversations.
Adam, Megan, Bree and Danny.

Levi, Beth and Elaine.

Supper is ready!
Cornbread, beef stew and baked beans all made on the fire.

Chowing down.

Megan roasting a hot dog.

The ladies solved the worlds problems.

Joel entertained.

The girls threw leaves on the trampoline and had a blast jumping in the leaves.

KG started on desert.

Roasting marshmallows.

Some weren't satisfied with roasting marshmallows so they had to make torches.

The night was going well.
Beautiful weather. Fun visiting with family.

Enjoying the fire.

Then the kids wanted scary stories...

The only scary stories I could think of were to scary for for my nieces and nephew.
They kept on insisting that I tell one and try to scare them.

So Joel came up with the plan of hiding in the woods with his turkey call.
It is very load and screechy. It would be perfect.
The plan was he would send me a text when he was in place behind them and I would tell my story and then text him when he to start wailing.

So I began with Bigfoot sightings in the forest behind our home.
I then moved to the coyotes we had recently seen in our driveway.
The bobcat Levi had spotted in our yard.
I then told them about peacocks, on a farm nearby, that sounded like they were a woman screaming "Help!" when they called out.
I think I few in a few other odds and ends in the conversation.

Then I moved to the thing we had been hearing recently but had no idea what it was.
I told them how it would get close to the house and made an awful noise.

I sent my text to Joel.
He began screeching and shaking a nearby bush violently.

They all jumped out of their skin!

The noise continued intermittently.
A screech. A pause and a bush shaking.
They tried to see who was missing form the group.
So I moved closer to the shaking bush and dared them to investigate with me.
They, wanting to prove they were brave, came with me.

Screech and shaking! Jumps and giggles.

I decided to act like I had been grabbed by the awful creature and dive into the bush.
At the same moment Joel decided to rush out and give one final scare to the kids.

BAM! Head to head collision!

My nose gushed pints of blood and I my teeth wiggled in my head.
The kids were loving it.

Joel panicked and ran for paper towels.
The top of his head had slammed right into the bridge of my nose.
For all the bleeding it didn't hurt that bad.

The kids thought it was great.

I looked up at the crowd.

Whoa! He hit me harder than I thought!

Everyone took turns looking at my face and then quickly turned away.

We went to the emergency room.
I was placed in a room and waited for 5 hours.
Never saw a Doctor and the nurse just wanted my billing information.
At 2 in the morning I watched the doctor Google a diagnosis.
I also watched a guy who came in after me with a broken leg. He complain about not beeing seen after a 4 hour wait.

So I left and Elaine gave them an earful.

My nose was already a little crooked from a break in 8th grade.
After the swelling went down it didn't look near as bad as it did at first but it is more crooked.

Rhinoplasty may be in my future.

(Unaltered picture)

That's what I get for scaring little kids.

Spike and Tyke 3

2011-10-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

An easy jump and Tyke opened the cage door.

Lone Ranger

2011-10-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

My brother Chad dressed up as the Lone Ranger. 1971

Trick or Treat

2011-10-25T11:09:00.001-07:00

The above picture is from 1976.
I am almost certain that this was one of our neighbors, the Bradley's.

Seeing the slide helps me recall the night.
We never got very many trick or treater's at our house.
We weren't mean but we lived in the country and your parents had to drive you from house to house.

When I got my drivers license I got the job of driving my younger siblings for neighbor to neighbor.
My little sister would always worry that she would get a rock in her bag like Charlie Brown did.
She fretted about it so much that I always made sure she did get a rock.
I am bad that way.

This slide is dated 1973.

I assume that is the Bradley's again even though I can't really tell by the faces.
Same number of kids though and the same creepy mask. this time it had crazy hair.

Spike and Tyke 2

2011-10-20T12:24:00.001-07:00

"This nail will stop that mean old dogcatcher" Tyke said.

Soccer

2011-10-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Joel is on the right

The above picture was in the paper before the start of my son, Joel, soccer season.

Joel is number 21

The regular season ended last Friday.

The Coach gave Joel the honor of the final prayer to start the game.

The three soccer Seniors.
Collen, Joel and Shane.

This is at the end of the State tournament.
We lost but Joel did score the last goal for his team.

During the game it rained, thundered, lighting, was delayed for lightening for 30 minutes, hailed and rained some more.

We led most of the game but 2 quick goals in the last few minutes were to much for us to come back from.

We lost 3 - 5.

Two weeks off and then basketball starts.

I hope our youngest sons Senior year slows down.

Soccer went way to fast.

Halloween

2011-10-17T12:38:00.001-07:00

We had our monthly family meeting and since it was October we decided to make it a costume party.

My brother, Brett, came as a pirate. Not exactly true.
He came as a younger version of himself as a pirate.
As seen Here and Here

Joel as creepy False Face guy.

Dad as Kentucky chain saw massacre guy. Zoom in on his saw.

Megan as a Lawrence Welk singer.
Adam as a newly transformed Dr. Who.

Levi and Beth were an Amish couple.

Mom was a hand walker guy.

Cousin Sherri was a polar bear and Kevin was ....Kevin.

Delaney was a punk pixie.

Paige was the Sun Drop girl. Reference Here. She also did the dance.

Mom as creepy false face.

Tracey went as our family tree.

Elaine was a kitten.
She is playing a game here.
The game was where you had to reach in a bag and identify it's contents.
She is in the bag which contained squirrel guts.

We played other games too.

One game we had to pass a lifesaver type candy from one toothpick to another without using our hands.
It was a relay game.

Brett had trouble finding a partner.

There were other costumes there too but I didn't get any pictures of them.
Kye was Wesley from Princess Bride.
Blake was a Ghost Buster
Lauren was a cat.

I spray painted my hair black and went as 18 year old Brian.
I got so much black on my face that my wife made me change it too 11 year old Brian jumping a burning pile of trash on my bike.

Another fun night with the Butlers.

Football 1976

2011-10-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

I found this slide form 1976.
My brothers and I aren't in the picture but I see a few people I know.

I recognize a few others but I am not to sure of there names.

Strange. Back in the day I could have told you every one in the schools name.
Now I might recognize them but names get fuzzy.

It can't be because I am getting older can it?

Shake

2011-10-05T13:02:00.001-07:00

Chad shaking hands with one of our dogs back in 1976.

I think the dogs name was Lady.

Football

2011-10-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

That is me wearing number 31.
I never remember wearing that number. I was always 88.
I can't figure out what field we are on either.

Marineland 1978

2011-09-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

My brothers and I standing in the the jaws of a shark at Marineland in Florida.

Jaws had come out in 1975 and I know exactly what was on my mind as I stood their in the jaws of a shark.

Basketball 1978

2011-09-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

Looks like the middle school was are playing an away game at Emminance Eels gym.
Their gym is called the Eel tank.
I didn't remember that.
I only know this because my boys have played there in high school.

I'm number 11 in these pictures.

Looking at our uniforms tells me that we only had team jersey's and then wore our gym shorts from P.E..

Those were the days.
I wonder if we had a shower check after the game?
I hated that.

Random Wrap Up

2011-09-22T05:52:00.000-07:00

A few random shots from our Labor day weekend that I wanted to post before I go back to scanning slides.

Levi wanted to see what was under the Old Mulky Meeting House.

We warned him!

Me filling the meeting house pulpit.

Joel was showing Amanda the outside accommodations.

Levi was considering buying a poncho for work.
He should have bought it!

Amanda defying gravity.

Adam and Megan shrinking and growing.

Elaine and I turn.

Megan feeling groovy.

Elaine looking pretty in the crazy house.

Levi planking in the shrinking room.

Beth riding the Ferris wheel.

Elaine after running up all the steps from Mammoth Cave "Rocky Style".

Adam the alien.

Levi the singer.

Waiting on our King Fish lunch.

Eating by the river.

Ohio river in the background.

Megan and Adam.

Levi smashing a rock at the Falls of the Ohio.

Wigwam Motel

2011-09-21T06:59:00.000-07:00

Every time we go to our family reunion my family also makes a pilgrimage to the Wigwam motel.

I stayed here once when I was very little and I think it was sufficient for a life time but I still love to visit the place.

I fear that it will fall prey to the bulldozers and be forgotten.

So I impress its memory upon my family so it will live on in memory if it is ever torn down.
We had our new son-in-law and the boys had their girlfriends with them so we did more than pull in and soak it in from the car.

We went into the office/gift shop.

Mostly junk was for sale. Some of the things I remember as a kid. Tom-toms and suction cup bows and arrows.

The rest was not even worth mentioning. It seems the owners want to put as little effort into the place as possible.

I did find this little gem though. They only had this one on display so I don't know if it is the big or the small replica.

Megan and Adam.

The wigwams are in an arch around the office/gift shop with a playground in the middle of them.

Levi and Beth.

Joel and Amanda.

The kids.

I hope they put some effort into the place and keep it open for future generations.

Taxidermy

2011-09-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

My son in law, Adam, was admiring some fine taxidermy while we were in Kentucky.

It's tag says that it was a red-ish Gray Fox.

My group concluded that the eyes came off a teddy bear and not a fox.

A steal at $195.00.

Hoosiers

2011-09-14T12:28:00.001-07:00

1985

This is me all dressed up to star in the movie Hoosiers.

It was a pretty exciting time when they were filming the movie in our area.

They used Nineveh Elementary for an exterior shot and at least one of our teachers and some students for the classroom scenes.

I had already graduated so I didn't have a part in any of that.

They did need people to fill the stands though.

I went up a couple of times for the final game scenes in the Hinkle Field House at Butler University.

One night my boss and I went and got there a little late. After going through wardrobe and being deemed "50's" enough we walked out in the middle a speech being given by the director. He stopped, thanked us for coming and asked us to set under the score board.

I don't see me in that picture but that is where we sat.

Another night they said that they were going to be filming the game winning conclusion of the film.

So I picked up my future wife and headed up to the Butler campus once again.

The director told us how to sit and how to behave when Hickory won.
He said "We are now filming in a time before the high five and fist pumping so please just applaud and smile." We could wave our arms in the air though.

The crowd was not as large as they would have liked so they had us sit in every other row to make it look like more people were there.

He then said some of us would be allowed to run on to the court to celebrate.

Elaine and I got our hopes up because we were in the lower section of the bleachers.
The director sent his assistant up into the stands and then he stopped on our row and said "Every one below this row can flood onto the court when the team wins".

Bummer. We were the row that they didn't allow on to the court.

We sat about where the blue arrow is pointing.

They shot the final scene several times.
We clapped and smiled and refrained from high fiving one another and when you watch the movie you can see my row neatly staying in the stands.

It was nice that they put me in the posters though.

Reunion

2011-09-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here is Megan with her brothers girl friends at this years reunion.
They are sporting the famous/infamous Butler tee shirts.

It was a sea of red this year with Paige and Delaney doing the art work for the back and Megan suggested the name and year for the front of the tee shirts.

In this one Megan, Levi and Kye are wearing the first Butler reunion tee shirts.

I made these the night before the reunion with a silk screen kit I got at a hobby store.
I painted the image directly onto the silk and then printed all the shirts on the dining room table at midnight. (Not recommended!)

Modeled by Megan, Elaine and Levi.

Not to bad for being sleepy, crabby, inexperienced and under the gun.

New Family Portait

2011-09-07T12:27:00.001-07:00

My Mom took a new family picture for us this weekend.

My Son in law is the Marvel character in the bunch.
My sons are with their girl friends.

Super-family.

Brian B

Check this out

Reunion Weekend

2011-09-07T06:59:00.001-07:00

Donkey Basketball 1979

2011-08-31T12:28:00.000-07:00

In 1979 Indian Creek hosted a donkey basketball night.

That is my Mom, Emmalea, in the picture above.

I remember the posters in the school that advertised the event the donkey's name my Mom was supposed to ride that night was Rigamortis.

The donkeys were trained to run and stop all of a sudden. Then the donkey would lower it's head and make a slide for the rider to exit the donkey's back.

Pretty fun night for those of us watching.

At half time they had husband and wife teams race to put diapers on the donkeys and a few other things I don't remember.

I do recall that donkey basketball teams had an extra member on the team. The pooper scooper.

I see Joe Parks was announcing the event that night. I also see Mr. Sturgell sitting behind him.

This donkey looks like a possessed calf cow to me. Did they have cows too?

Barger Reunion

2011-08-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

We recently had our family reunion with my wife's side of the family.

Elaine's parents hosted the reunion.

Here is a taste of the day.

The Farmers Daughter
The Farmers Daughter Cooks

That is just a sampling of the day. We had fun and plenty of good food.

See ya next year.

Down on the Farm

2011-08-29T05:56:00.001-07:00

Chad and I playing in the back of Uncle Georges truck.

I think the name of the dog is Sargent. (I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong.)

Our green station wagon is on the right.
The slide is dated Nov. 1973.

Swimming 1973

2011-08-24T12:19:00.001-07:00

My cousin Sherri and I in the middle of the shot.

We are at Longacre Pool again.

Wooden Bridge on 44

2011-08-23T07:19:00.001-07:00

Here is that old wooden bridge on 44.

We visited it the week before they tore it down. (1986/87?)

It was a bridge that you either loved or hated.

••••••••••••••

One thing that no one would argue about was that it was dangerous.

You can see that as you were about to cross the bridge you could not see on the other side and it was only a one lane bridge.

So you were supposed to go slowly and yeild the right of way to the driver that was higher up on the bridge.

Sometimes two stubborn drive would meet and would stay there until one driver bullied the other one into backing off the bridge.

My Father law is a farmer and he said it was especially never-racking to take heavy equipment across but heavy equipment often helped win the right of way.

He said one time he was crossing the bridge slowly with a combine when another driver pulled onto the bridge.
He said they sat for a minute while he waited for them to back down.

No one moved.

He had the soy bean head on so he turned on the reel and proceeded to move forward.
They promptly backed down.

It is hard to imagine there was a bridge at this spot at all.

It wasn't for a river or a creek. It was for a train crossing.

Glad my Mother in law wanted to explore it before they tore it down or I wouldn't have these pictures of it today

Photo Booth

2011-08-22T10:19:00.001-07:00

My brother Brett, cousin Sherri and me.
I have no when or where it was taken though.

Mom and Dad's 25th Anniversary

2011-08-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

For Mom and Dad's 25th Anniversary we went for a retro 60's theme party.

Elaine's family pitched in to help us as we spearheaded the event. (We means Elaine did it)

Elaine borrowed a maternity dress form the 60's from her Aunt Ann.

Elaine's sister, Diane, is wearing a bridesmaid dress from their Mothers wedding.

Elaine's Dad, Gary, is wearing his letter jacket for Mount Auburn high School.

We put some of Mom and Dad's old pictures on to slides and had a slide show narrated by me.
I mostly made fun of them.

My parents 47 anniversary was Monday.

Mine anniversary was Monday too. (We share it!)
Elaine and I have been married 24 years.
I wonder if our kids will do a retro 80's theme party for our 25?

Man time flies.

Mom 1973

2011-08-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sweet Sixteen

2011-08-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

Hoosier hysteria was alive and well in 1982.

It wasn't for the pro or college teams either, it was for high school basketball.

A little school from Trafalgar Indiana had done what hadn't been done since the little Miland team, that had inspired the movie Hoosiers, had done it.
Indian Creek had made it into the sweet sixteen of the State finals.

Hoosiers came out in 1986 but I remember the news media making the comparison to the team back then.

This was when basketball was basketball. Best team won.
No classes. A little school had the same chance as the big schools to win it all.

(Click on picture to enlarge)

Sadly I can't name all the players in the picture now and of the ones I can remember I have no idea how to spell their names. (Ken K.) The back of their warm up shirts are nicknames so that doesn't help either.

I think class basketball has severely hurt basketball in Indiana.
I see empty gym's when I watch the news now.

It wasn't that was then. Packed gym's were expected. Get there early or stand up for the game.
Sectional and regional tickets were fought for. (I am sure I still have mine somewhere)

Sadly we didn't win this game and I don't remember the final score but I remember it being close.

Mom took these pictures and had them mounted.

I found it while cleaning out the garage the other day.

I wonder if the new library would hang it up?
It is Trafalgar history.

Joel's Last First Day

2011-08-16T11:31:00.000-07:00

Joel started his senior year today.

Well practice started a few weeks ago and he has already had a scrimmage soccer game but school started today.

He is a team Captain.

They sure grow up in a hurry.

To prove it Elaine sent me this from her phone.

We have a spot on the wall where we mark the kids heights at the beginning and ending of each school year.

Elaine and I 's heights are on the wall too so the kids to compare our heights.

Mine was always the highest mark.

Until today.

Longacre Park 1973

2011-08-11T12:38:00.001-07:00

Mom, Aunt Laura, Brett, Chad and cousin Sherri at Longacre Park.

Me and My Mom

2011-08-10T10:58:00.001-07:00

1979 in front of the house.
That tree is huge now.

Indianapolis Zoo 1973

2011-08-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

My brother Brett and I playing on a playground at the Indianapolis Zoo.

Looks like it was also a waiting area for the train ride.

I remember the playground equipment at the zoo always being melt your skin hot.

Metal slides and things baking in the sun was always good for a burn to an uninitiated kid.
You only got toasted once or twice before you figured out how to slide on your pants only or go down on your shoes. It was always hot enough for rubber soles to slide on metal or you had to use the shuffle slide method.

Looks like Brett and I are looking for a patch of Chad's skin that got stuck to this solar hot plate.

Rookie.

Mushrooms!

2011-08-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

Looks like it was a pretty good year for mushrooms in the spring of 1980.

I noticed that I am wearing my "Mr. Bill Show " shirt too.
Oooooh Noooo!

Pool Party

2011-07-13T04:54:00.001-07:00

August 1976 and we are having a pool party.

Can't see a single face in the picture though.

Cousin Doug has his back to us.
I think Chad is sitting on the side to the left.
Mom is standing in the middle and that might might be my forehead I see in the back.

Happy 4th

2011-07-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

Longacre Pool

2011-06-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

Me at Longacre Park, Indianapolis.

The year was 1973.

I can't say we went swimming there though. It was more like wading or bobbing.

We took plenty of swimming lesson there but I didn't learn to really swim until middle school.

I do remember the water slide they had and it seems like they also had some sort of barrel bolted under the water. Kids would try to stand on it and it would spin or they would swim under it.
I am sure nothing like that would ever be allowed in a pool today.

Wimps.

Aunt Dixie

2011-06-28T07:45:00.001-07:00

You will be missed Aunt Dixie.

The Back Yard

2011-06-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

Chad in the backyard in 1973.
You can see me on the swing set if you look close.

Holiday Inn

2011-06-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

Playing at the hotel pool in Cave City, Kentucky 1977.

The pool was always a big part of staying in a hotel.

I haven't seen one this crowded in recent days though.

In 1977 a pool or a lake were the only water entertainment.

Now we have super cool water slides. I love doing the water parks with my family.

Brett and I swimming.

Did you spot the girl waving?

Wave Pool

2011-06-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

I am pretty sure that this is the wave pool that was in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Me and my brothers in 1978.

Cement Pond

2011-06-13T12:26:00.001-07:00

My brother Brett swimming a few laps in our cement pond.

Our pond only had a shallow end.
1982

Longacre Park-Pool

2011-06-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

My Mom and Aunt Laura and wading in Longacre pool.
I see Chad in front of them and I can also make out me and my cousin Sherri behind our mothers.

look at all the towels stretched out on the hillside behind the pool.

1973

Jackalope

2011-06-09T12:50:00.001-07:00

I not exactly sure where this slide is taken but my guess is for Cave City, Kentucky.

I wish Dad would have let me ride this guy.

No date on the slide but it has to be in the 70's.

Dam

2011-06-08T11:35:00.001-07:00

This is how not to fish.
Edinburgh, Indiana circa 1970's

Wet'n Wild 70's Style

2011-06-07T11:51:00.001-07:00

Cooling off some time in the late 1970' at the Wet'n Wild water park in Florida.

Zooming in you can spot Dad with three boys in tow.

Beach

2011-06-02T08:01:00.001-07:00

Me and my brothers in 1972.

Uncle Jerry

2011-05-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

My Mom's brother Jerry died Monday night.

Here are a few pictures in memory of him.

Lemonade Spring

2011-05-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

Lemonade Spring in Tompkinsville Kentucky 1979.
More HERE

Bailing Hay

2011-05-09T13:28:00.001-07:00

Dad bailing hay with his brother, George back in 1973.

My cousin Steve is helping and my brother Chad is along for the ride too.

That is my Uncle George driving his Oliver 1250.

Grandma White

2011-05-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

My mother's mother, aka Grandma White, celebrating her birthday in May 1977.

Is Mom singing or catching flies?

Bow Fishing

2011-05-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

My brothers and I watching a man fish with a bow and arrow.

May 1977

Cousin Steve

2011-05-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

Cousin Steve and my brother Chad out shooting at Uncle George's house.
1973

Awards Night

2011-04-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

My son, Joel, with the sports awards he won last night.

The two trophies are for Christian leadership for his soccer and basketball teams.

The parchment is a paper that shows the Indiana's congress entered into the records their winning the state basketball tournament for their division.

Good job Joel!

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

We always did them in our underwear.
I guess that's why Mom and Dad hid the eggs inside and not in the yard.

Swinging

2011-04-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Chad and a friend swinging in the backyard. 1976

Morel Mushrooms

2011-04-19T11:34:00.001-07:00

Morel mushrooms are back!

I know some of you have never been mushroom hunting, some of you haven't been hunting in a long time and some of you need to adjust your eyes before you hit your favorite spots to hunt.
So I am providing you with online mushroom hunting!

Do you see the mushroom?

Take another step closer and bend over towards the ground a little.

Can you spot it now?

There it is!

A nice gray morel.

I found a couple of "blacks" yesterday too.

Second try.
Look closely.

Do you see it?
It is camouflaged pretty good.

Found it.

I also see these in the spring.

It is called "A Preacher in a pulpit".

Open the little flap and you can see the Preacher.

Nice one.

Here is how it really looks.

Happy hunting and I hope I find more mushrooms than you!

That's the way mushroom hunting goes. You hide all the good spots and always say you found more than the other guy.

The Barn

2011-04-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

Grandpa and Grandma's barn.

I wonder how many times my Dad walked the trail to the barn?

Hi-C

2011-04-14T12:12:00.001-07:00

Chad back in 1973 drinking one of his favorite drinks. Orange Hi-C.

No bag or box but and strength building can.
A can that came sealed up in case the Commies dropped a bomb on us it would last.
A can that took a can opener to open it.
Remember those?

You had to poke two holes in it if you wanted it to pour out too. Just like oil cans.
That right oil doesn't come in cans anymore either.

They needed big cans because we had big thirsts back then.
We played out side back then.
No 24 hour television.
No DVR, Tivo or even VHS tapes.
The only movies you watched at home were 8 mm movies. They had no sound and they stared you and your family.

The games we played back the required imagination and not a television or a hand held device.

Thanks Hi-C for being there for us.

Track

2011-04-13T13:25:00.001-07:00

Man I look determined to beat the kid in the blue.
I never was very fast though.

I hate to date me but we are running on a cinder track!

Look at the kid in the left corner. "One size fits all" uniforms comes to mind.

I loved track. Fun sport.
I couldn't run but I could jump.
I did high jump until my Senior year. I would have done it then but I got a job and couldn't make practice.
I still have the same job. 27 years. Time sure flies.

Gatlinburg

2011-04-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

This was an artificial ski slope that was in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

It was like plastic grass with little rubber beads placed all over it.
In the slide you can see that they are watering it down to help make it slick.

We didn't ski that day but we did do the Alpine slide down the hill.

Rollercoaster

2011-04-11T12:47:00.001-07:00

It took me a while on this slide and I am still a little confused by it.

At first I couldn't find anyone I knew on the coaster. I didn't even know what coaster it was.

I then determined that it was the Scooby-Doo at Kings Island in Ohio.
It was later called the Beastie. That might be what it is in this picture. I don't know.

I liked riding in the last car on a roller coaster and that is where I think I found me.
It has been a few years since I looked like that and I seldom saw myself with hair blowing back in full rock star fashion so I was hard to spot.

I have no idea who I am sitting with.
Kinda looks like me but younger.

Did I time travel? Did everyone else ride the Beast and I stayed on the Beastie or Scooby-Doo to right with my younger self?

Was it just some random kid?
Maybe I am the one on the left and I am sitting next to Greg Brady/Johnny Bravo?

The Brady's did travel to Kings Island you know.

Any ideas?

Baseball

2011-04-08T08:58:00.001-07:00

Me riding the baseball bench.
this was the first team I was ever on and the first sport I ever played.

1970's Baseball Parade

2011-04-07T11:50:00.001-07:00

I can't tell you who one single person is in this picture.

I remember being on a "float" in the parade that day. I think it was 1976 and part of the bicentennial town celebration.
I bet at one time I could have told you every kid in this slide.
Time flies.

Spring Break

2011-04-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of postings but we were on spring break!
Instead of heading south we went north to New Hampshire and visited a missionary that we support.

I made a Bat-friend while we were there.

Joel had a good time while he was there too.

Elaine and I stopped at the Niagara Falls and really enjoyed it even though most of it was frozen and closed.

Lake Eerie still had ice on it too.

We were home last night I at dinner I played with a new 3D app for my ITouch.

Look at Levi's eyebrows.

In the background you can see Scooby looking at us and then looking away.

Sorry if those made you dizzy but I had to play with it.

Dunk Contest

2011-03-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

Joel, #21, and his team mates dunk contest.

Happy Birthday Mom

2011-03-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

I was away from the computer on your birthday so here it is a little late.
March 18th was the day.

Happy Birthday Chad

2011-03-17T13:20:00.001-07:00

I should have bought him some of this St. Patrick's day stuff I saw on my way to lunch but instead I just took his picture.

Bandit

2011-03-15T12:03:00.001-07:00

Our pet raccoon.

Bobby Payton

2011-03-14T12:33:00.001-07:00

No animation today so you can stop looking for it.

I found this in the pile Dad was recycling. It was really dark and I couldn't make it so I thought I would scan it to see what it was.

I played with it in Photoshop for awhile to even make out what it was.
It is from an airplane so I think I took it the slide.

I rotated the picture around a bit trying to figure out whose house it was.

I then noticed something.

People waving at me.

Then I recognized the place.

It was my friend, Bobby Payton's, house.

I meet up with him last year and he is now a pilot.
I tried to reminisce with him but he didn't remember hardly anything from high school.

He said he had a horrible memory.

Bobby this is What I remember and how I know for sure this is your house.

The barn.

This is where you held up a conibear trap and said "I think your punch is fast enough to make it through without smashing your hand.".

It wasn't.

The golf green.

Bobby and his brother worked at a golf course in the summer.
Each time they sowed the greens they took a pinch of seeds home and they built their own green.

It was nice. They had a nine hole course in their yard. We shot form nine different places in the yard and they all ended up on the same green.

The electric fence.

I had a golf ball land against this fence.
We thought my club had a rubber grip and was insulated. I took a swing at the ball and got the biggest shock I have ever gotten. I can still feel it. I can still hear Bobby laughing.

The garage.

Bobby boxed golden gloves and he would have me come over and spar with him.
He said it was because I had such a long reach.
I think it was because I had an open face.

Fishing

2011-03-11T08:59:00.001-08:00

Chad fishing in 1972.

He looks a little nervous to me.

Swimming

2011-03-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

Mom and Chad practicing diving while a lady blows bubbles. 1973

Double Bubble

2011-03-09T06:38:00.000-08:00

The famous Double Bubble shirts.

Brian

I have the must have leather bracelet of the 70's.

Brett

ChadAll grown up!

IACS State Champs

2011-03-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

We spent this weekend at the IACS State basketball finals.
My son's team one!
Here is a highlight reel.

Here is where my wife talks about it.

Sink Hole

2011-03-04T00:47:00.000-08:00

Chad getting ready to explore a sink hole/cave. 1979

Disney World Alien Abduction

2011-03-03T08:14:00.000-08:00

I salvaged this slide from a pile that Dad was tearing the paper off the slide to recycle.

After I scanned it I was looking at it and was trying to decide what to animate in it.
Then I noticed that guy.

I looked back in the pile and found another picture taken at the same time and the same guy was in it too!

Look for yourself.Click on image to enlarge

Goofy guy looking like he is posing for Dad, right? Funny.

Now look at the other picture I found in the stack.

Same guy but now he is totally creepy.

Is he checking out Mom?
Maybe he is looking to abduct one of us kids? Dad was always warning us about this happening.

Then it came to me as I concentrated on the slide.

What is that expression of his?
What was he thinking?

Then I found myself looking where he was looking and thinking what he was thinking!

Does Disney World have a nursing home day?

Mystery solved.
CSI's got nothing on me.

Mowing

2011-03-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

Brett and Uncle George mowing in 1972.

They both seem to be really enjoying it.

So does Chad. Maybe he was told that he gets to ride the next round.

Notice the Cat?

Cousin Trina was sunbathing or maybe this was when they had a pool out back?

Someone else is hiding in the edge of the frame.

Looking at the picture I can hear my Uncle George's laugh.

Chad 1974

2011-03-01T05:03:00.000-08:00

Chad sitting in the football stands at Indian Creek High School. 1974

Burger Chef and Jeff

2011-02-28T09:53:00.001-08:00

The Band

2011-02-25T06:23:00.000-08:00

This is 1984 and we called ourselves "Business District". We late changed it to "The Plugs".
Me, Corn Cobb and David H.

Honeymoon

2011-02-24T06:25:00.001-08:00

My bride on our honeymoon.

Monkey Swing

2011-02-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

We loved our monkey swing.
This is cousin Steve taking his turn.

Swinging Bridge, Rock City

2011-02-22T08:24:00.001-08:00

Happy Dogs

2011-02-21T09:35:00.001-08:00

Warmer Times

2011-02-18T06:13:00.001-08:00

Dancing

2011-02-17T12:59:00.001-08:00

Mom and Dad busting a move.

Mom 1979

2011-02-16T12:11:00.000-08:00

Dad's Beard

2011-02-15T11:56:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-14T12:55:00.001-08:00

Spit Up

2011-02-11T08:33:00.001-08:00

Me, 1965.

Happy Birthday Niki

2011-02-09T08:34:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday little sister.

Jeep Roll

2011-02-08T09:05:00.001-08:00

My oldest son rolled one of our Jeeps this weekend.
We praise God that he was not injured!

Cold as Hoth

2011-02-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Rooftop

2011-02-03T05:56:00.000-08:00