53 years together

Today is our 53rd anniversary. It takes a bit of thought to get ones mind wrapped around such a mile stone. In case you are wondering it all hasn't been a bed of roses. There were fights, disagreements and lots of adjustments required to get to this point. What helped the most was that we were friends first, lovers second, and we wanted it to work.

In March of 1964 I was living in Southern California and staying with my brother. My sister lived in Cerritos and while visiting her, one of her neighbor's sister across the court, had a nose bleed that they could not get stopped. That happened to be the first time I saw Karen. I soon wore out my welcome with my brothers wife, so I asked my sister for lodging, right on the same street as Karen.

I'm the tall one with the "devil may care attitude". Looking back, it would appear that my presence could have been a little unsettling for both my sister and brother.

It was at this point that I first was able to realize and put into action my desire to participate in falconry.

Karen began to help me with this little creature of wonder, and soon we were both hooked on falconry and each other.

On Jan 1965 we married.

By the end of 1965 we followed her Mother and Father to Oregon. I worked various jobs that ran the gamut of selling Fuller Brush products to selling Sewing Machines and Vacuum cleaners in a chain store. Then on Christmas eve I received my Draft notice from W.Va. Wanting to have the last word, I went to Portland Ore and enlisted in the Army. I signed up for a tour of Alaska, simply because they happened to have the best and the most efficient raptors in the world. I figured I might as well enjoy the time that I had to serve.

Having chosen my place to be assigned, the Army was then free to place me in whatever occupation that they wanted. They decided that I had the makings of an Military Policeman. I was serving on KP duty at the time I found out and though I had never considered the idea, thought that it might be fun.

I was assigned to a Minute man missile site in interior Alaska just above North Pole Alaska. I met Jack Oar, a falconer, and he offered to let us live in a trailer that he had parked at a trucking company just outside of Fairbanks. The going rate for a one room efficiency apartment in Fairbanks was $350 a month at the time. He agreed on $10.00 a month as rent. I may still owe him some money. I was drawing $95. a month and Karen was getting $110, so that was the only way that I would be able to afford to have her with me.

It was only an 8 x 28 foot trailer, but it kept us warm and comfortable through - 55 below zero weather.

We were almost the only trailer in the park, which suited me just fine. Karen got a job at the Polaris Hotel in town and I hitchhiked back and forth the 40 miles to the missile site. The last day that I did so it was -40. I bought an old car from one of the guys that was rotating out. That is a story within itself, but I will spare you.

Eventually I was able to transition to Dog Handler, taking over one of the meanest dogs I have ever seen.

                                                     He looks so cute and nice, but he lived to bite people.

While Karen was working at the Hotel she made friends with Vernell and she and her Husband made the rest of our tour of Alaska fun and easy.

Her husband helped me butcher and bring my Moose back to town, helping our grocery bill quite a lot.

Karen reading my new orders to report to Ft Bragg NC.

Alaska was easy compare to North Carolina. Once again the Army didn't have the housing that they were supposed to have for married personal. We managed however. Even when I was posted to patrol in Washing DC after Martin Luther King was shot.

This is our first night staying in the basement of the Pentagon.

When I finished my hitch with the Army, we returned to Oregon. We settled in Canby south of Portland, doing various things until I was accepted by the Oregon State Police.  I asked to be posted to Klamath Falls, and stuck it out for four years until I decided that most of the population of the world did not deserve the efforts, and sacrifice that was required to keep them alive.

I then went to Oregon State and became a Farrier for two years until I was hired by the BNSF as a welder. I finally had a job that I liked.

I stayed in that same job for 30 years enabling us to receive enough of a retirement check to support our hobbies, and live where and how we wanted for the first time..

I find it a bit interesting in that some people rate their lives by accomplishment. Ours was measured in the animals that we had. My only real ambition was to be able to retire with enough money to play and do the things that Karen and I loved. Not having children, we were our kids. We both loved animals. For me it was raptors. Karen's thrill was horses.

Of course there was room for Raptors as well. The outdoors was our play ground, and we visited it as often as we could.

forced celebration after killing her second Antelope

catching the biggest trout of the trip.

My first Goshawk

Dinner after a hunt.

My second bear

My first Bear.

Our first imprint breeding Peregrine

 This was in my Farrier stage.

Our home in Klamath Falls

Falconry has been our goal and occupation from the very first day we met. We have raised Peregrines for the reintroduction of the species to the US. We were very active in the state organization.

Yes it has been a ride, sometimes a bit rocky, most of the time well worth the effort, and damn sure never boring.