Scant months after I returned home from the Air Force, we had a gathering. Both my brothers and both my sisters were on scene along with the black lab, “Suzie”.

We played yard darts (probably illegal now) and had a barbeque at dad’s house in the country.

He probably took the pictures.

So typically me! I was absorbed in making an arrowhead during a warm weather get together. I bet that’s the glorious antler I still have to this day. It is like none other, Recently I took it to Texas to to show a grandson how arrowheads are really made.

The belt buckle is yet mine. Dad brazed it together for me from scrap materials. There was a phase when he made belt buckles.

I just carved a fanciful “F” in it. Wore it for years but in recent decades it has been in various locations in the garage. Dad gave it to me when I was 15.

My first paid model was Lori, my wee little sister. At first she only got a nickle per sketch, but she was so good that it quickly shot up to a quarter.