Oh wow!  This photo really shows how much Ellen favors him!  I never would have thought so until seeing him as such a young man.  I see so much of Ellen in this picture.

My garden has had a great year but by the beginning of September everything was in decline.  I had a great year for zucchini, and green beans.  The tomatoes, especially were growing like weeds and had taken over the entire back corner of the yard.  Well, all except one sad plant called a Hillbilly Heirloom tomato.  I hadn't gotten one single tomato from that plant all summer.  Friday, before I had to get on an airplane to make the sad journey to Florida, I made the rounds in the backyard to feed the chickens and give the waning garden a drink.  Imagine my shock, delight and awe when I discovered TWELVE GIANT Hillbilly tomatoes on my plant.  With tears streaming down my face, I thanked Granner, a Tennessee Hillbilly himself, for helping with the gardening.  I know he had been disappointed this summer that he was unable to put out tomatoes.  I am so glad he was able to finally get his green thumb into the garden in my back yard.

After 9/11, I got to thinking about Granner's time in the Air Force and what exactly he did when he was working for them.  So Mandy and I sent him a letter asking for the details and the response we received was so far beyond my expecations.  He wrote his life story, in his own words and it was clear that he loved his life and cherished his experiences.  I can't wait to share the entire letter with everyone, but here are some excerpts:

"As I look back I realize how fortunate I've been and how blessed.  In retrospect it seems to have passed so quickly...I'll start by saying that I have the finest daughters and grand children anyone could ever want.  I love you all."

"Since all the men were at war or working in war related jobs I started working in 1943 at a drug store at the age of 12.  I worked at the soda fountain and filled capsules for the pharmacist.  I think I made 15 cents an hour.  But there were fringe benefits like occasional chewing gum, chocolate or nylon hose which were generally unavailable.  I always had a job.  Sold shoes in downtown Cincinnati, sold clothes at Shillito's (now Lazarus) and by 1948 I was working in a machine shop stamping small electrical parts.  There I was able to accumulate enough money to buy a diamond ring for your future grandmother."

"In the fall of 1949 I started college in Cincinnati.  A year and a half later I enlisted in the army in Jan 1951.  The Korean war had begun in the summer of 1950...I have no idea how I escaped being sent to Korea.  When I was discharged in 1954 we returned to Covington and I returned to school on the GI Bill and worked at Radio and TV station WLW...Upon graduation in 1955 I took a job announcing and spinning records at a radio station in Covington."

"When I retired in 1986 I was Deputy Director of Logistics for all Training Forces.  I was on par with a full colonel who was the Director."

"I guess the best part of my job was living in Bellbrook.  It was a wonderful place to live.  But it was all shattered in March of 1979 when my life partner died suddenly.  I was devastated.  Surrounded by family somehow I survived.  This may sound crazy but I have a feeling that she still watches over me."

"We hadn't seen Dorothy in years.  Then that same year in late spring here she shows up.  She has been a life saver.  Our life together has been great, looking out for each other."

"You didn't ask for advice but before closing I can't resist passing along a couple of things I've learned over 70 years.  Here they are
1) Whatever you undertake to do, do it the best you can and see it through to completion. 2) Live by the Golden Rule.  Treat others as you would like to be treated. 3) Finally a quote from the late American Golfer Walter Hagen 'Don't worry, don't hurry. You're only here for a little while.  Be sure to take time to smell the flowers.' "

With Love and Best Wishes,

Grand Dad