Earl C. Humphrey

Via scuba diving, I collected things about my grandfather here.

Via genealogy, I collected things about my grandfather here.

On Earl's birthday (he would have turned 106 today) Mom asked me to tell her a story about grandpa. Some candidates:

Some memories of the farm in SE Iowa:

Playing croquet in the yard, hammering those wooden balls through the stakes. The big trees, the walnut tree.
The water well. The huge concrete lid. (That puts water in the house? How?)
The old grape vines down the yard.
Chopping a Christmas tree and hauling it back and setting it up.
Exploring the old barns. The old hay. The old big tractors.
The old clothes line. The close fencing. The tall corn.
Cats, kittens everywhere.
Endless trips to the close pond.
"Big" trips to the far pond.
Fireflies.
Frogs and countless bugs everywhere.
Wading the creek (grandpa barefoot). Looking for turtles. I don't think we found one?
Plinking milk jugs full of water on the old fences with the 22 rifle.
Driving "into town" in the newer car or the old pickup.
Rides on the lawn mower.
"Look at this caterpillar."
Infinite stacks of National Geographic.
The old globe. The old coffee grinder. The clock grandpa made.
The fancy doilies on the tables.
Dad and grandpa word working in the basement. Endless discussions of the best natural varnishes.
Farm dogs. "Stupid" chasing cars. Others?
The old rotating antennae on the roof. The controller making a click click click sound as the motor tried to point at the best tower for that TV channel. "For channel 6 you have to point towards Burlington, which is east." Some list like that. Magic.
"Teaching me how to drive" the old pickup. The old tractor.
The photo of grandpa standing on his war ship. "Which one is you?" "I don't know."
Hundreds of old tools on the walls of the garage.