The "A Great Man Has Left Us! - Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting with the morning newspaper, trying to read the obituary of a good friend, Mr. C. Wendell Howard, whom I knew as a teacher when I was a student in high school; as a fellow teacher when I began teaching at the same high school; as a High School Principal where I taught under him; and as a good friend after we both retired from Manheim Township High School in Neffsville, Pennsylvania.  My story yesterday took you through the many phases of both of our lives ending with the death of Mr. Hower a few days ago at the age of 91.  As I read his obituary I was wondering why it didn't include more of his life, especially the parts that I knew about him.  Yeah, it did tell that he graduated from Lititz High School in 1949 and Franklin & Marshall College in 1953 as well as getting degrees at Temple University and Lehigh University and that he was a math teacher for 9 years, an Assistant Principal and Athletic Director for 5 years before becoming High School Principal for 29 1/2 years before retiring in 1996 after 43 1/2 years at Manheim Township.  The obituary also said that he was a member of the first undefeated football team at Franklin & Marshall College in 1950 and was co-captain of the 1952 team.  In high school he was an official in football, basketball and baseball and was elected to the District III Committee of the PIAA to represent Lancaster and 9 surrounding counties in 1973.  In 1997 he was elected Executive Director and Secretary of the District III Committee, a position he held until 2019.  He was in the F&M, Manheim Township and Susquehanna Chapter Halls of Fame and received the prestigious George Kirchner Memorial Award from the Lancaster Sportswriters Association.  He was the President of the State Principals in 1993-94 and also served on the Lititz Borough Council as President for 6 years.  He served 8 years on the Warwick School Board and was a lifelong member of the Lititz Moravian Church. All of this information was published in his Lancaster Newspaper obituary, but it just didn't seem to be enough to describe this man that I knew for so many years.  The obituary finished with saying there would be no viewing and interment would be in Lititz Moravian Cemetery at the convenience of the family.  In lieu of flowers a contribution in Mr. Hower's memory could be given.  Wow!  That just didn't seem enough for a guy like Mr. Hower.  To me he deserved much more! 

Well, on the FRONT page of the newspaper the following day was what I was hoping for.  The headline read: 'Father figure' mourned, Lauded school administrator, District 3 executive recalled.  The newspaper nailed it with their headline!  The obituary was so long that it carried over to a second page where there was a great photograph of Mr. C. Wendell Hower holding the George Kirchner Memorial Award that he received in 2019 and a second photograph of him when he was a member of the Franklin & Marshall College football team that was the first undefeated football team in their history.

Mr. Hower holding his George Kirchner Memorial Award in 2019

He also happened to be the Captain of that undefeated team.  He was named Associated Press All-Pennsylvania Collegiate Football Team member in 1952.  By that time he had received the nickname of "Moose" which he never relinquished the rest of his life.  But, I could never bring myself to call him "Moose", even though I developed a good friendship with him later in life.  To me he was always Mr. Hower!  He eventually became an official with the PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) in football, basketball and baseball and served on the Lancaster-Lebanon Board of Control.  He was executive secretary from 1973 to 1996 and executive director from 1998 to 2019.  It was said in the article in today's paper that he hardly ever spoke at the meetings, but when he did speak, people listened.  I found it was the same way with me.  

Mr. Hower as a football player at F&M College

When he spoke to me...I listened!  He eventually became a member of the Manheim Township, Franklin & Marshall College and the Susquehanna Chapter Hall of Fame.  In 2019 he received the George Kirchner Memorial Award at the Lancaster County Sports Hall of Fame banquet.  This award is presented each year to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to Lancaster sports, whether it be through achievements on the field or in association with athletics in Lancaster County.  When he received the award he replied that he didn't feel he should have received the award since he wasn't a standout student-athlete or long-tenured coach.  A long time friend of Mr. Hower, Ron Kennedy, said, "That's Wendell!  He's not about himself...he is one of the best around.  I can't think of enough good words to honestly describe him."  We will all miss Mr. Hower.  I can still remember my first year of teaching alongside him at Manheim Towsnhip High School.  Even though I was an equal teacher in name, I was never one in stature compared to him.  There certainly aren't enough good words to describe him.  He meant so much to so many people, including me.  I'll always remember him as someone who took control of a situation, but you never knew it!  His death will certainly be a hugh loss to all who knew him.  RIP, Mr. Hower!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Great Man Has Left Us! - Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my lounge chair watching TV when my wife asked if I saw that Mr. Hower had died.  WHAT!  I normally get up earlier than her and feed the cats before heading out for the morning newspaper.  Well, this morning it was snowing and the driveway looked icy, so I passed on getting the paper until later in the day.  So, when Carol came down and opened her phone and began looking at Facebook, she saw the news before I did.  Took me about two minutes to get to the end of the driveway to get my morning paper and head back into the house to open to the obituary page.  Sure enough, there was a photograph of Mr. C. Wendell Hower staring at me from the top of the page.  Tough to describe my feelings as I read the story of his life.  I have known Mr. Hower, known as Wendell to many, for many years, but I never felt right calling him anything but Mr. Hower.  When I first began high school in September of 1958, I had Mr. Hower as a teacher in one of my study halls.  He was a math teacher, but I never had him for any of my math classes, but to me this big guy with the menacing look on his face and hugh stature was never anything but Mr. Hower.  

Mr. C. Wendell Hower from my 1962 HS Yearbook

When I returned to teach at my alma mater in 1967, there was Mr. Hower, ready to shake my hand and welcome me back.  Still, he was Mr. Hower to me!  He eventually became the High School Principal so how could I ever call him anything but Mr. Hower?  Since I did most of the in-house printing for the school on the presses that I used to teach my classes in Graphic Arts, I got to know Mr. Hower in a different light.  We were more than just teacher and principal.  We talked more often and had meetings to discuss what he needed in the office as printed material.  Then one day I got a call to his office.  A few minutes later I was sitting in front of him when his face took on a different look.  "Do you know how much trouble you gave my secretaries when you pulled that stunt with your requisition for supplies for next year?" he asked.  I could feel the blood drain from my face as he continued with..."Ordering fuel oil delivered to your home as part of your requisition wasn't funny.  It took extra time to redo your requisition and my secretaries are too busy for that nonsense.  You owe me something for that.  I'll think about it and let you know what it will be" he said as I quietly walked out of his office after offering my apology and telling him it was nothing more than a joke.  A few weeks later he called me into his office once again and said, "Congratulations, you are the new High School Rifle Coach."  I replied, "But, Mr. Hower, I know noting about coaching rifle.  I never even fired a rifle in my life!"  He replied, "Well you're the new rifle coach so you better get busy on the rifle range."  I must admit I enjoyed the coaching job and even coached the team to the State Championship four years later before having to give up the job due to hearing loss.  So much for never firing a rifle!  The longer Mr. Hower and I knew each other, the better we enjoyed working together.  He was the secretary for the PIAA (the state athletic association) and he would often ask if I could help with a few of their printing needs.  He always paid me extra for that work.  He finally retired from Manheim Township a few years before I retired from teaching.  He eventually moved to a retirement community a few years ago and called and invited my wife and I to visit him and his wife.  We enjoyed our tour of their home and the conversation and I also brought along all the printing jobs he had me do for the PIAA that year.  You see...he was still part of the PIAA organization.  I just knew he had to do something to stay busy.  Two years ago I made my final delivery to his house, telling him I was also retiring from all my duties at Manheim Township.  He had a slight smile on his face when he said, "I can understand.  Starting to get to you after all these years, isn't it?"  I smiled as I replied, "Yes, It's more like a job than it used to be!"  He looked me in the eyes and said, "Well, if you can't do my printing anymore than I'm going to give up the PIAA also."  And, he did!  I still made visits every so often to see him, but haven't been a regular visitor since COVID arrived.   And, when Carol told me that he had died, I was stunned.  Yeah, I know we all have to go sometime or another, but I never thought Mr. Hower would die.  How could he.  He was indestructible!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "A Look At One Of My Favorite Magazines" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just got my latest Reader's Digest Magazine in the mail.  The cover declares that this is the "Anniversary Issue."  The issue celebrates the magazine's 100 year of publication.  All began in February of 1922 after the founder of the magazine, Mr. DeWitt Wallace, decided to take his plethora of three-by-five inch slips of paper that held his notes and quotes from just about everything he read and did and began to share his version of the articles with the world.  It was right after he returned from serving in World War I when he and his wife Lila Acheson Wallace worked together on the very first issue of Reader's Digest which they in turn published in 1922.  Today, their mission of sharing amazing stories with the world still continues.  The latest issue of the 5" X 7" magazine holds about a dozen pages of stories from the past which were their biggest stories of the past 100 years.  I will try to give you a sampling of the stories in case you may have missed a few of them along the past 100 year journey.  The Reader's Digest has published close to 35,000 articles in the nearly 1,200 issues they have printed in the past.  The century-long table of contents features stories from short essays to lengthy book excerpts; from famous artist's drawings to unknown designer's sketches; from hilarious jokes to quirky anecdotes.  This "Little Magazine," which is what Mr. Wallace refers to it as, is filled with big names, world leaders, musicians, inventors, sports legends as well as everyday Americans trying to tell you a story that you may remember for a lifetime or forget by the time you have finished the magazine.  I enjoy Reader's Digest since it reminds me of my own life.  Also reminds me that I too can write stories such as are published in the Reader's Digest.  Follow along as I give you a synopsis of a few of the stories that were featured in the 100th issue of Reader's Digest.  

How to Keep Young Mentally, Feb. 1922 - The very first article in the first issue told of inventor Alexander Graham Bell and his belief in lifelong learning:  "The first essential of any real education is to observe.  Observe! Remember! Compare!"  It was an apt beginning, reflecting the self-educated founder's endless curiosity.

John Steinbeck - The June 1964 Book Section excerpts Travels with Charley, Steinbeck's last book before his death in 1968.  The work chronicles his road trip with his trusty poodle, Charley.  According to Steinback's son, the author knew he was dying and wanted to see his country one last time.  "From start to finish, I found no strangers.  If I had, I might be able to report them more objectively.  But these are my people and this is my country."

I Am Joe's Heart - by JD. Ratcliff, April 1967 - I'm certainly no beauty.  I weigh 12 ounces, brown in color, and have an unimpressive shape.  I am the dedicated slave of - well, let's call him Joe.  Joe is 45, ruggedly good-looking, has a pretty wife, three children and an excellent job.  Joe has it made."  So began the first article of the popular health series that would continue until 1990, in which readers heard detailed accounts from 36 body parts of Joe and his female counterpart, Jane. 

Chappaquiddick: The Still Unanswered Questions - By John Barron, February 1980 - In November. 1979, Senator Edward Kennedy was poised to seize the Demoratic nomination for president from incumbent Jimmy Carter.  Then came this story, which recounted in shocking detail the 1969 car accident that left campaign worker Mary Jo Kopechne dead, contradicting Kennedy's account.  Barron, a naval intelligence officer and Cold War spy turned investigative reporter, joined RD's Washington, DC, bureau in 1965 and filed more than 100 articles before his retirement.

Papa Was an American - By Leo Buscaglia, February 1992 - This quintessential immigrant story tells of Rocco Buscaglia, who landed in the United States in 1911 and was as enthusiastic about becoming an American as he was about being born an Italian.  His son Leo grew up to be a renowned self-help author who praised the power of relationships and earned the honorary title Dr. Love.

Amy's Choice - By Rena Dictor LeBlanc, September 2000 - A 19-year-old fights for - and eventually wins - custody of her four younger siblings, managing to keep the family together after her drug-addicted mother landed in prison.  The story spurred hundreds of donations for the family from our readers, and was adapted into a Lifetime movie, Gracie's Choice.

These are only six of the 32 small stories that are featured that were at one time part of one of Reader's Digest Magazines.  I know the magazine is small in stature, but the stories are remarkable. I have been reading it for years and wouldn't miss an issue.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Talk About Being A Bad Shot...Twice!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  At least for most of us it was ordinary, but for a fellow who lived in Conestoga,  Pennsylvania it was a bit more than ordinary.  Seems that a guy from nearby Quarryville named Robert was recently found guilty of two counts of attempted homicide and one count of robbery after twice trying to kill this fellow from Conestoga by various methods.  On August 14, 2017 Robert shot a guy in the chest in a wooded area near Main Street in Conestoga, Manor Township.  He stole the man's cellphone and wallet, which contained $400, and made sure his body wasn't visible and left him to die.  The following morning the poor guy who had been shot awoke and began yelling for help, but instead found that Robert had returned to make sure he was dead.  This time Robert shot him in the head as well as hit the guy three times with a hatchet he had brought along and left him for dead once again.  41 hours after the first assault with the gun, the guy crawled out of the cornfield in the August heat after drinking from mud puddles and found help.  He finally made it to a nearby house on Oak Road in Manor Township.  The police were called immediately and the man told them that Robert had taken him to the woods by saying he wanted to show him something.  Well, at the hospital they found that he had a lacerated lung, extensive internal bleeding, three deep cuts to his head and neck and a shattered jaw from the second bullet which traveled along his jaw line.  Mr. Robert Sheets was arrested on August 19, 2017 in Fauquier County, Virginia after a 30-mile chase.  He was charged there with a weapons violation and fleeing and eluding and was taken to jail.  Well, seems like Mr. Sheets has finally, after all these years, been found guilty of shooting the man twice, including once in the head, in an attempt to kill him over the course of those two days.  After all that time in jail he has finally been told he will spend quite a bit more of his life in jail.  A date for his sentencing has not been set as of yet, but I'm sure that by 2025 they should have a sentence ready for him.  The entire story seems surreal and hard to believe.  At first I checked to make sure it wasn't April 1, 2021, but discovered it really was January 27, 2022.  I still find it hard to believe that the event took place in 2017 and even harder to believe that the poor guy didn't die after being shot twice in the head and hit over the head three times with a hatchet.  And folks...I'd didn't make any of this up!  I swear to it!  The newspaper's headline read: "Man shot twice, left for dead, 'straight out of a horror film'".  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The. "An Evening In Grand Case, French St. Martin" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking out the window with my two cats and watching the snow begin to cover all surfaces in sight.  Living in Pennsylvania has many advantages, but there are also a few disadvantages to living in "The Garden Spot of America."  One such disadvantage is not having summer weather year-round.  For many, that's exactly what they want, but for me...I don't want to shovel snow anymore!  Ever!  And, that's why living on a Caribbean island would be a perfect match for Carol and I.  Yes, Carol would go for that also...maybe!  Well, I just came across a website that had stories written about the Caribbean which is known as the "Caribbean Journal."  The very first article on the website was about the 10 Best Caribbean Beach Towns to visit in 2022.  We have already visited just about every one of them with the town that was selected as the best in the article was Grand Case, St. Martin.  

The French/Dutch island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten

The article begins with..."A parade of cafes at the edge of the sand; tiny bars and art galleries; a soundtrack of clacking plates and mopeds and afternoon laughter, silent and loud in all the right ways.  Across the wider Caribbean one can find some of the most charming beach towns in the hemisphere; they’re not quite cities, they’re a bit more than villages.  They’re energetic and teeming with personality.  But, most crucially, they’re right on the beach."  

The small town of Grand Case, St. Martin

And...on the top of the list is the town known as Grand Case, Saint Martin.  It is considered the Grand Dame of Caribbean beach towns.  The tiny beachfront village happens to be home to the highest density of fine-dining restaurants of any place in the Caribbean, with an almost impossibly wonderful collection of eateries, all perched right above a terrific stretch of sand looking out at the island of Anguilla. 

A view from one of the many restaurants in Grand Case

And, on the north end of Grand Case lies one of the Caribbean’s most legendary hotels, the outstanding Grand Case Beach Club.  If you pull up The Grand Case Beach Club on your computer you will read:  

An authentic Caribbean holiday on French St. Martin

With soothing sounds of ocean breezes murmuring through the coconut palms, and gentle ocean waves washing along the secluded beaches, Grand Case Beach Club is the ideal island resort to calm the mind and rejuvenate the spirit.

Grand Case Beach Club features breathtaking views of Anguilla, the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the French West Indies, as well as a unique glimpse of Caribbean culture. This intimate and unpretentious resort located in the small fishing village of Grand Case on the northwest coast of French St. Martin, offers an authentic, relaxed vibe that keeps our guests returning year after year.

RESORT FEATURES

• Spacious apartment-style accommodations
• Two private beaches
• Swimming pool overlooking Grand Case Bay
• On-site restaurant
• Proximity to fine and casual dining restaurants
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Complimentary non-motorized sports
• Fitness Facility
• Boutique
• Massage services
• Weekly Guest Mixer

OTHER RESORT SERVICES

Grand Case Beach Club will be offering on-site facilities for weddings, receptions, and reunions for parties up to 80 guests. Our team of dedicated staff members, many who have been with us for decades, look forward to welcoming you to our resort and to ensuring that your stay with us is as comfortable as possible.

 But, beautiful Grand Case Beach Club as well as other housing along the water's edge, is not all that the little town of Grand Case has to offer.  I mentioned before that there is a hugh variety of restaurants as well as art galleries and other nautical shops that can take an entire day to explore.  We have made visits to a few of the art galleries and have hanging in our home a large painting by Paul Elliott Thuleau.

Carol and I with Paul Elliott holding the print we purchased.

A booklet that we received with the print describes his paintings as gliding subtly between appearance and presence.  A moving intimacy and the distance of "between you and me" are reflected in this cabins' facades."  When in Grand Case for an evening meal, we also would enjoy the small band of young musicians that would practice in a building along the main road.  At times they would march from one end of the town to the other while playing a few tunes.  

One of Carol's meals while visiting Grand Case.  It is scallops in mango juice.

Grand Case is the perfect place to spend a day.  Enjoy the sun along the beach during the day and after changing from swim suits to evening clothes, enjoy a wonderful French meal in one of the many restaurants along the main road and take in a few stores after your meal.  If you happen to be staying at the Grand Case Beach Club, you are only a matter of minutes from your destination for the evening.  I can see why the Grand Case Beach Club is one of the most popular for food and atmosphere on the island of Saint Martin.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

                               

The "Gunslingers" play along the Main Street in Grand Case.

Carol standing along a home on the Main Street in Grand Case.

The "Lancaster's Fountain At Center Square" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in front of the fountain that was in front of the bank in the center square in the town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The fountain was designed and built by Edmund W. Whiting and was the second largest fountain in Lancaster behind the metal fountain at Lancaster's Park City Center that was designed by my good friend and fellow teacher, Stan Lipman.  Stan's fountain was larger, but Mr. Whiting's sculptured fountain was the oldest, having been finished sometime in 1972, fifty years ago!  At the time I was close to 30 years old and enjoyed seeing the water cascade down the metal walls of the fountain in the center of town.  The fountain was commissioned by the Commonwealth Bank which at the time was right behind it in Lancaster's Square.  Many people stood in front of it and tried to figure out what the artist meant it to be when he made it.  Was it supposed to be part of a globe, one fellow said to me while I stood looking at it.  Another lady said she loved abstract designs such as the new fountain.  Another said they enjoyed the patina that covered the fountain which was made from copper panels that had been welded together.  It was noisy with the water bubbling up from the bottom of the fountain.  Mr. Whiting, the artist who made the fountain, was the chairman of Franklin & Marshall College's art department and made the sculpture while on sabbatical during the time he made the sculpture.  It took close to a ton of copper to make the sculpture.  The sculpture was designed and made to enhance the center of Lancaster, but was also designed to help eliminate the traffic noise in the square due to the sound of the rushing water.  

Fountain in downtown Lancaster

The fountain covers a circular 16 foot area on the south-west corner of the square.  Mr. Whiting decided to make the fountain from copper after toying with other designs in fiberglass and granite.  Mr. Whiting has been active in Lancaster's art scene for years.  He at one time was a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force as well as a pilot in the English Royal Air Force.  Even though the fountain sculpture as now 50 years old, it still draws viewers as they either walk or drive past the fountain in Lancaster's Center Square.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Another view of the Lancaster sculpture.

The "Gonna Cheer For Robbie Next Sunday" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Saturday, January 22 and Sunday, January 23 and there are two top-notch professional football games on television each day to watch.  They are the Divisional Playoff games that will determine the four teams that will compete in the Conference Championship games to see whom will meet in the Super Bowl.  Anyone watch the games this past weekend?  It was perhaps the four best playoff games I have ever witnessed.  In case you didn't watch the games or have forgotten the scores...Cincinnati defeated Tennessee 19-16 and San Francisco defeated Green Bay 13-10 on Saturday while Los Angeles defeated Tampa Bay 30-27 and Kansas City defeated Buffalo 42-36 in overtime on Sunday.  All the games came down to the wire which created fantastic games.  My favorite game was San Francisco's defeat of Green Bay and getting to watch the 49ers' field goal kicker, Robbie Gould kick a 45-yard field goal to win the game.  I cheered for Robbie years ago when he played for the Penn State Nittany Lions and have been cheering for him ever since.  One of the highlights of his long kicking career was the game he played Saturday night.  

Robbie Gould after kicking the game-winning field goal.

In my local newspaper today there was a special story written about Robbie by reporter Erik Yabor.  If you didn't watch the game on Saturday and later get to see Robbie attribute his successful 45-yard field goal to his new seven-stud cleats in the snow as time expired, then I just have to tell you about it!  Seems that Robbie got his cleats from Angelo's Soccer Corner which is a soccer shoe store located about a mile from my home at 360 Steel Way in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Robbie said he needed those new cleats on the last kick for sure!  The cleats, typically used for playing soccer, were given to Gould last week by Angelo Zalalas who is the owner of Angelo's Soccer Corner store and a longtime friend of Robbie's family.  Angelo has supplied Robbie with many pairs of cleats over the years.  All have been cleats that are meant to play soccer, but seem to work just fine for Robbie.  They do work best on natural grass which can make surfaces softer and muddier.  The Nike Legend Elite SGs that Gould wore for the Green Bay game were made especially for softer ground,  They penetrate the ground better and gives you better traction.  They prevent slippage and sliding and allowed Robbie to maintain his form better.  The advantages worked exactly as intended when Gould lined up for the potential game-winning field goal as the snow was falling and the field had become softer due to the wear and tear of an entire game.  Angelo knew the shoes would be a perfect fit for the occasion.  Angelo played soccer at the same school where Robbie's dad did in the early 1980s and later supplied Robbie with cleats during his time at Penn State and when he entered the NFL.  But, Robbie almost didn't get the shoes in time for the winning field goal.  Seems he wears a size 9 shoe, but decided he wanted a half-size larger after he had received them this past Tuesday.  Angelo had to locate them and get them in the mail as quickly as possible before the team departed to Green Bay the following day.  Once he received them, Angelo knew he was capable of making the difficult kick.  "He's very, very composed.  He's got ice running through his veins," Angelo replied.  If I had known everything I just typed in the story, I'm not so sure I could have watched the kick.  I would have been more nervous than I was.  The final sentences in the newspaper story by Erik read, "It isn't always about the shoes, Zalalas said. "It felt good just knowing that he had succeeded."  Hey...I'm ready for next Sunday when San Francisco plays at Los Angeles at 6:30 PM.  Watch the game and see if you can see Robbie's soccer shoes when he runs out on the field to kick another field goal for the 49ers.  I can hardly wait!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Dealing With Crows" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my lounge chair in our family room watching "Jeopardy" when I heard it.  Not just heard it, but was almost knocked off my chair by it.  The "it" is a few propane-powered noise makers that sound like a series of cannons going off all at the same time.  They come from a mile or so away to the west of my house, but sound as if they are across the street from me.  Happens in the Springtime as well as in the Fall.  

Reported the noise years ago to the local Police Department who informed me they were "cannons" going off at nearby Park City Shopping Center.  And just why are they going off in the Spring and Fall?  To chase away the thousands of BIG BLACK CROWS that make an incredible amount of noise as well as Poop all over the place.  Heard the cannons last evening and when I looked out my window next to my lounge chair, there were close to a thousand crows sitting about twenty yards away from my window, vying for a parking space on one of the many limbs of the trees that line the edge of my street.  The sound of the canons...propane-powered noise makers...are much the same as the local fireworks that knock you out of your chair every 4th of July celebration at the nearby Long's Park which sits next to the Park City Shopping Center!  Now...I don't mind the fireworks, since my wife and I usually grab a lawn chair and hustle out the door to our driveway so we too can watch the fireworks from about two miles away at Long's Park.  But, the noise needed to move the crows is another thing.  It starts about twi-light when the birds try and find a place to perch in the many trees in our neighborhood.  The noise they make is one thing, but the poop they make is another problem.  My blacktop driveway turns white after a few days of lending my trees to the crows for spending the evening.  The roof of my house also turns white instead of the brown-green shade it usually is during the rest of the year.  The only thing that works to change everything back to its original color is a good rain or snow.  And, about the only thing we can do to eliminate the noise is close the doors and windows and turn up the TV a few notches.  Now, I should tell you that I'm not the only one that minds both the crows and the propane-powered noise makers.  Quite a few neighbors, who have been pointing fingers at more than a half-dozen local businesses, said they hoped to find out exactly who is responsible for the cannons and why they were being used overnight.  But, no one would fess up to whom was responsible for the noise.  One local man, not me mind you, said the cannon use was completely unacceptable to have to be disrupted in one's own home all night long.  He claimed he heard the banging every few minutes, beginning about 4:30 p.m. and lasting until 7:30 a.m.  The local police did some investigating and did find that they heard the cannon noise after 10 p.m.  Seems that the noise ordinance prohibits this type of activity without a variance, and even if a variance is given, if we receive complaints we will approach the organizers and have them lower the volume.  The crow related issues have been a part of Lancaster County for the past 15 years.  Local municipalities have been dealing with the problem forever it seems.  

So, how do you deal with roosting crows?  Someone came up with the idea of poisoning them with tainted dog food.  That led to the formation of the Lancaster Crow Coalition who opposed lethal mitigation efforts.  Then someone suggested all the neighbors around the area use clanging pots and pans to get rid of them.  Yeah, right!  But, the crows can carry avian flu and something has to be done about them.  Their breeding season is usually over by October, just before they begin to gather in massive groups.  And, the mani reason they gather together in such large groups is for warmth and to help one another find food as well as protection from predators like hawks, owls and raccoons.  I can attest to the fact that the crows are smart.  And, they do have some value to the local ecosystem by dispersing seeds while eating plants, controlling pests by consuming insects, and even mitigating disease by cleaning up roadkill.  No matter what I have tried, they figure out a way to bypass it.  I must admit that they make great targets for my camera.  But, there must be other ways to get rid of them besides killing them or making loud noises to scare them.  I did read that predator calls could be recorded and played to scare them away.  But, then we will hear the predators calling all night long.  I just hope sometime soon someone can come up with a solution so we don't have to hear the noises all the time, but still don't want to have the bird dirt all over the house and driveway.  And, no matter where I might move, there is bound to be another problem in that area to deal with.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "The Passing Of Artist Robert A Nelson" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my office at my desk watching the two cats looking out the window to my right.  They enjoy my visits to my office as much as I do, since they know I will prop open the window about three inches to allow them to smell the outdoors as well as watch the birds, squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks that wander nearby.  In front of me are the few pages of notes I have printed out for my story today.  On the top sheet of notes is the name Robert A. Nelson who was a former Millersville art professor and accomplished artist who recently died this past December 2 of 2021.  I recognized his name since he was an art professor at Millersville when I was a student at the University.  He taught a few classes in the same building where I took my Industrial Arts courses.  I knew him well enough to exchange greetings with him from time to time, but never had him as a teacher.  His obituary said that he died at his home in Lakeside, Oregon at the age of 96.  Seems he had recently recovered from a breakthrough infection of COVID-19, which had left his heart in a weakened state.  He is survived by his wife Louise Chintz-Nelson, son Mark and his wife Anita and his son Max and his "adopted art-son" Patrick O'Loughlin.  He was predeceased by his son Zack.  Bob studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and later taught at the school as well as at Cleveland State University, Winnipeg University and Millersville University where he was awarded professor emeritus status in 1997.  

Mr. Robert A. Nelson

I always knew him as Mr. Nelson since I never felt comfortable calling him by his first name.  It was said by many that he worked on his art every day of his life, even into the last few weeks of his life.  This past October the Lancaster Newspapers did an interview with him and he told them "I'm always here in front of the drawing board.  Locally, he exhibited his work at the Karen Andrea Fine Art Gallery in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  She had worked closely with him for over a decade and has said that, "I will work tirelessly to tell the world about Robert A. Nelson and share his legacy."  Mr. Nelson's last show in the downtown gallery at 146 N. Prince Street recently closed, but there are still a few of his works at the gallery.  

"Dorothy's New Dog Collage" by Robert A. Nelson

The exhibit was titled,"Animals" and is considered some of the best work he has ever exhibited, even though it all was done at the age of 96.  Natural Light Films is currently working on a documentary about Mr. Nelson's life and work.  Mr. Nelson and his wife, Louise, recently lived on a quiet farm in the mountains of Lakeside, Oregon with his dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, gun-toting dinosaurs, astronaut rhinos and axe-wielding frogs.  Some of these animals live in their barn while others live on Mr. Nelson's drawing table.  When home in Oregon, he usually works at least eight hours a days so his supply of ideas will not be interrupted.  He lives in an "ideas world" where at times he may open the door and see something he hasn't seen before.  Mr. Nelson and his art gallery friend Karen have worked together on exhibits for more than a decade.  

Print titled "Feeding Dorothy's Dogs" from 2018 in colored pencils

She regularly exhibits his work and says that it's never-ending.  She says that he just kept getting better with more detail, more precision, stronger coloring, more layers to his stories and much more complexity, like himself!  Karen estimates that Mr. Nelson's body of work numbers close to 5,000 pieces which would include drawings, collages and prints.  She also says that his body of work is timeless and otherworldly and is both beautiful and terrifying.  She said that his mixed-media lithograph collage "Bird Hog" may reveal his time working as a draftsman at a Chicago meat-packing plant while his collage/etching "Trainbomb Toot" and the lithograph "Fly Capturing Zeppelin" may pull from his experience drawing airplane engines and flying planes for the Air Force during WWII.  One of his latest works, a lead pencil and colored pencil study titled "Fall of Icarus" showcases his knowledge of the Greek myth and his Da Vinci-like still capturing the human anatomy.  Mr. Nelson would wake up every morning, grab  a cup of coffee and get to work.  Much of his art education has come from dedication to creating artwork as well as visits to some of the finest art museums in the world.  

Another print from 2021.

He also said that he was so inspired by a da Vinci work in a gallery in Uffizi, Italy that when the guard wasn't watching, he reached out and touched the piece.  He also said that he always wore dark glasses when he went to the museum so no one could see the tears running down his cheeks.  Another of his favorite paintings was John Singleton Copley's "Watson and the Shark" which was painted in 1778 and featured a shark attack.  Mr. Nelson said the painting combined the beauty and horror that Nelson uses in his work.  Once in Spain the power went out and Mr. Nelson said he drew from candlelight just as old masters did years ago.  While at Millersville he brought that same experience to his students in his class.  Every student had to bring pieces from at least 10 candles which they used for figure drawing.  He would often demonstrate figure drawings and when finished demonstrating, crumble them up and throw them in the trash can.  He found out later that students were going into the wastebasket and pulling these things out and flattening them or ironing them until they were more or less flat again.  Can you imagine how much one of those drawings may be worth today!  He seems to always be in front of the drawing board, but when questioned by his art students about a career in art, we would tell them to "Go into dentistry."  He spent his lifelong career in front of the drawing board.  He will most certainly be missed by many.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "You Never Know Where Life Will Lead You!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story about one of baseball's best 1st basemen, Gil Hodges who played first base for the Los Angles Dodgers during the same time span that I was a big fan of the San Francisco Giants and my hero Willie Mays.  Gil first played for the Brooklyn Dodgers before they moved to Los Angles in 1958, the same year that Willie and the Giants moved to San Francisco.  The story that was in the newspaper recently talked about Gil Hodges and mentioned an old photograph that belonged to a fellow by the name of David Schacker.  Seems that David has a special photograph of himself and Gil Hodges that he has cherished for close to 72 years and recently pulled out of his box of old black and white photographs, since Gil Hodges was recently inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame.  The tattered black and white photograph shows a young Gil Hodges dressed in a Santa Costume while he made visits at St. Giles Hospital in New York.  The photograph shows Gil shaking hands with 10 year old David at the hospital in 1949.  Today David lives in downtown Toronto and he recently pulled out the photograph to take another look at the photo since Gil was just elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  David happened to be in the hospital in December of 1949 recovering from polio when Gil Hodges arrived to visit young patients in the hospital. David recognized Gil immediately, even with his white beard, since David and many others of those receiving treatment for polio watched Gil and his Dodgers team play on the little 12 1/2 inch Stromberg-Carlson TV set at the hospital.  When the boys weren't going through their daily physiotherapy, they were watching Gil and his Brooklyn Dodgers playing on TV.  1949 happened to be the first year he was voted to play in his first All-Star Game so everyone knew who he was when he dropped into the hospital dressed as Santa.  Gil walked right over to David and stuck out his hand as someone took the photograph.  David still remembers how large Gil's hand was when he stuck out his hand to shake hands with him.  Hey, this was a man who was an All-Star and had driven in 115 runs and knocked out 170 hits the year before who was standing next to his hospital bed.  Wasn't too many months before that David was a gifted tennis player who was smacking balls from the baseline, buy was now going through physical-therapy due to his polio.  David Schacker made those months and months of therapy a bit easier by watching baseball games and his favorite, Gil Hodges.  Gil was just at the start of his career, but most of the boys that watched him on TV knew he was going to be something special.  Hodges felt a personal responsibility to his community to make visits to those that were struggling.  Hodges also donated money to many places in the community.  David's polio made him have to give up tennis and begin a new hobby of writing.  He eventually became the sports editor for his high school newspaper and later attended Cornell University.  

Gil Hodges in his Santa outfit shaking hands with David.

He realizes that his life might have been completely different had he not had polio, but he might have never met his hero Gil Hodges had it been different.  Life's funny.  It takes us in different directions than we might have suspected, but still gives us many memorable moments.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "I've Had Just About All I Can Handle Of This Virus" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Christmas Day and my wife, Carol, and I were extremely disappointed.  For the first time in many, many years we will not be able to open our Christmas gifts with our family.  My oldest son and his wife and our teenaged grandson Caden always had us over for breakfast Christmas morning and to watch as they opened their presents.  Later they would arrive at our house so we could exchange presents with them.  By that time our other son would have arrived as well as our daughter, son-in-law and their two daughters.  The family would have been complete and we would have had a grand time opening Christmas presents.  But, none of that ever happened.  Seems our grandson had a fever of 105 degrees and had come down with COVID-19.   Luckily all three of them had been vaccinated and our dughter-in-law had also had her booster.  It was determined that Caden had picked up the virus from friends when they all attended a high school basketball game together about a week before.  As for the rest of our family.  Our daughter had come down with COVID-19 about two weeks before Christmas.  Her family all had their vaccinations as soon as they were available and she too also had her booster.  Her case was a very mild case and by Christmas Day we decided she would be able to visit and exchange gifts with the family.  They all arrived on Christmas Day in time to open gifts.  Our youngest son also was vaccinated and he arrived about the same time as our daughter and family.  We had the best time we could of had being that three of the family was missing due to COVID-19.  After our Christmas meal everyone gathered their gifts and departed for home while Carol and I cleaned up and settled by the Christmas tree to talk about our day.  By the next day our son, Caden's dad, had come down with COVID-19 and a day after that our daughter-in-law had also picked up the virus from our grandson.  My wife and I have been extra careful throughout this entire ordeal to try and make sure we take all precautions so as not to get the virus.  We wear masks everywhere we go and take every precaution we can possible take to avoid the virus.  We have both had our two initial shots as well as had our booster as soon as that was available.  Both my wife and myself have been through many years when the flu was bad and we were able to avoid it by getting vaccinations each and every year.  Why people don't take advantage of the vaccinations that our tremendously brilliant medical doctors in the United States recommend is beyond me.  It is not only for their own good, but for the good of those who live in their towns, cities and neighborhoods.  How selfish can you be not to receive a lifesaving vaccination if it is available to you.  The COVID-19 virus will one day disappear, but I'm sure that something new will come along to take it's place and once again the professionals will come up with another vaccine to help protect our world's population.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "On Being A Golden Girl!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  And...a Belated Happy Birthday to Betty White!  By now you must have heard that comedian Betty White has died, a few days from reaching her 100 birthday which would have been  January 17.  You think she did that on purpose just so more people would have remembered her birthday?  She was one funny lady!  

Betty as I remember her!

I believe I enjoyed her most when she played Rose Nylund on the long-running sitcom "The Golden Girls."  She published her memoir "If You Ask Me (And Of Course You  Won't)" 11 years ago at the age of 89.  She loved sharing both her humor and gratitude which to her went hand in hand.  She also believed that "Old age isn't for sissies...but if you are still functioning and not in pain, gratitude should be the name of the game."  Seems to be the same reasoning and thoughts that I have had for the past few years.  I still have a few years to go before I will catch Betty's (almost) 100 years of life, but in order to reach her magic number, I will need to add a few more years of humor to my repertoire.  Betty preserved her positive attitude over the course of a career that numbered more than 80 years.  Gratitude and humor went hand in hand.  She claimed that her mother always used to say, "The older you get, the better you get...unless you're a banana."  Sound like something she would have said?  Well, I have found some quotes that have been said were some of Betty's favorites.  You just knew I am going to share them with you as a reminder as to how funny, but yet caring Betty was in her 99+ years of life.  Enjoy!

ON AGING:

*You don't fall off the planet once you pass a given age.  You don't lose any of your sense of humor.  You don't lose any of your zest for life.

*Don't try to be young.  Just open your mind.  Stay nitrated in stuff.

*Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself: I think that keeps you feeling young.

*You know people who are already saying, "I'm going to be 30...oh, what am I going to do?" Well, use that decade! Use them al!

ON SUCCESS:

*Mind your own business, take care of your affairs, and don't worry about other people so much.

*I think everybody needs a passion.  Whether it's one passion or a hundred, that's what keeps life interesting.

*You don't luck into integrity.  You work at it.

*Buckle down and work positively as much as you can.  Just think, "All right, there's nothing I can do about that right now.  But I can do my best in my little circle."  So if you do that, maybe you'll do your best.

ON FRIENDSHIP:

*Friendship takes time and energy if it's going to work.  You can luck into something great, but it doesn't last if you don't give it proper appreciation. Friendship can be so comfortable, but nurture it - don't take it for granted.

*I just make it my business to get along with people so I can have fun.  It's that simple.

ON POSITIVITY:

*Laughter keeps everyone feeling wonderful.

*It's your outlook on life that counts.  If you...don't take yourself too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives.  And sometimes it can be a lifesaver.

*We do have a tendency to complain rather than celebrating who we are...It's better to appreciate what's happening.

*There's no formula.  Keep busy with your work and your life.  Replay the good times.  Be grateful for the years you had.

Sound like something that Betty might have chosen for favorite thoughts on life?  Now, how about you!  Begin to practice your own thoughts on life and its many parts and maybe, just maybe, you'll be as warm and human as Betty was in her lifetime!  You know...you could also be ordinary as I am!  Seems to work for me.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Saint Martin/Sint Maarten Seagrape Art Tour - Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  A few days ago I posted a story showing some of the remarkable artwork that covers the walls of homes, businesses and alleyways on the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten.  About three years ago many of the artists on the island began to paint just about any flat surface, and some curved surfaces, on the island as part of a program to enhance the image of the island that is half French and half Dutch.  Carol and I have been visitors to the island for many years and have made many friends during those years, but we haven't been back to the island for three years now due to COVID-19.  One of my friends on the island sent me photographs of most of the paintings that have been completed by individuals as well as groups of artists.  A few days ago I posted a story showing quite a few of those paintings.  Today I will show you more of the paintings so you can see what I will be able to experience once my wife and I are able to travel back to the island once again.  Some of the paintings are done by one artist while others are by groups of artists.  I hope you enjoy my final group of paintings.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Click on images to enlarge them.

This photo and the next three show some of the many
artists who worked to complete the many art panels.