Iowa's own...Beverly Hillbilly

I love my dad.
He is a funny man.

Goofy.

Goofy Gary. That is what all the kids call him.

Gramps. That is what Austin calls him.

McGoofy's...That is what his brothers and nephews call his fishin' shop. His fishin' and tackle shop he has in his garage. His shop where nothing is for sale.

Pop. That is what I call him.

Sis. That is what he calls me, my sisters and his sisters.

Kitten. The nickname he gave me when I was about seven.

Austin thinks he is pretty funny when I call home. He asks if I want to talk to my dad and I will hear him holler, "Hey Gramps! The kitten is on the phone." or "Hey gramps, the kitten wants to talk to you."

One day this summer, Dad was out in the garage and I was taking care of little miss cheeky baby (aka Karina) inside. Dad came in the house looking for me, saying, "Katie, I need you to come ouside and see soemthing. Bring your camera." Ok, so I am thinking there is an animal in the yard, or he'd found something old, unique and something he believes to be valuable...To my utter amusement and suprise, he had nothing of the sorts in mind.

You see, my dear old dad is a honky-tonkin', guitar pickin', fishin' lure collectin', small town, Iowa hillbilly. I think it is impossible not to absolutly love, adore and be amused by my dad.

I grab the cheeky baby and my camera and walk outside to see my dad with his fishin' hat on (one quite similar to the hat that Col. Henry Blake wore in the first three seasons of M*A*S*H), his false teeth out, holding a stringless banjo and a stuffed animal fish he hook-line-and sinkered on a fishin' pole. He had himself posed by the shade tree. As soon as I walked out he started laughing and told me to take a picure on his phone and send it to Herman, Galen and John (guitar and banjo pickin' buddies).

Of course I will do this, no questions asked. Why would I pass up an opportunity like this? He'll be 65 this year...70 in five years. Yeah, these are some good photos...

Here is the evidence of a true life hillbilly.

Here is my pop. Proud as he can be.

The teeth...In a coffee cup...on the ground...Only my dad.