Snow, Hawks, and Stan Houseworth(1917-1972)

We received about an inch or maybe inch and a half of new snow overnight...just enough to cover the ground...and make shoveling mandatory.  So I got on my snow blowing outfit(see photo on steps) and am now preparing to shovel out walks(not enough to use the Snow Machine), Patricia already made one to the garage before she left for school.  Amazingly some schools are delayed with an inch or so of white cover, including Celina...almost laughable compared to 40-45 years ago, it took more than this to get a break.  We would listen to WOWO Radio out of Fort Wayne, just hoping that we would get a delay or cancellation...that usually required ice, 6 or 7 inches of snow and some wind...not so much these days.

I looked out the kitchen window as I poured my first cup of coffee, and saw the hundred or so local Sparrows waiting for their daily rations, nothing better to do I guess.  So I grabbed the cup, filled it with seed, and opened the back door.  All Hell was breaking loose out back...the birds were flying and squawking, big time!  It didn't take long to figure out why...The Marsh Hawk!  He(she?) was back and looking for it's own "meal" and it wasn't seed.  I stepped out and the Hawk decided to cut his loses, and flew away into the neighborhood trees...I'm sure he will be back, like I wrote earlier, it's gonna be a long winter.

With the birds and squirrels fed, I'm gonna finish this up quick and head up town...then over to mom's to see if I can fire up her new snow blower, and at least get some use out of it.  Tonight I am back at basketball, another long drive takes me to Miller City, and a boys High School game there....60 miles each way, and with the snow, guess I'll drive the Jeep Wrangler.

Stan Houseworth, born 93 years ago today____

By all accounts, Stan Houseworth was a large baby when born to Sam and Wilda Waldron Houseworth on this date in 1917.  He seemed bigger than life as an adult, but in reality, wasn't all that much bigger than me. Pushing 6 foot and maybe topping out in his later years at 220 pounds...certainly not as big as his only two grandsons(who were both born long after he passed)...my sons, Sam, who is 6' 1" and a few pounds heavier than dad, and Hal, who pushes 6' 4" and maybe 250 pounds.

Stanley Wayne Houseworth was born in Scott, Ohio, on December 17, 1917.  His dad died when Stan was about 10, and Sam and Wilda had been divorced long before that....Dad was the youngest of 5 Children...Cecil, Eva, Forrest, and John, came before him...all except Forrest would outlive him.  93 years ago today, the future fisherman, hunter, mechanic, World War II vet, Antique buff, and Dad(no way we kids would ever call him "father", it just didn't fit), was born....he passed away on Christmas Eve 1972, at home, of a heart attack, after watching the Browns take on the Dolphins in a NFL Playoff game...he loved Florida, he was a Miami fan(although Dad wasn't really a big professional sports fan at all)...he died just two weeks after his 55th Birthday.

Off to do the Snow Job....back later>>>>

Photos-Stan Houseworth in his WW2 Army Air Corp days, me on the snowy back steps this morning, and Dad in the winter of 1956, with the Jewfish he landed off the North Jetties in Nokomis, Florida.