This is a work in progress, so bear with me. I was born and raised in Western Nebraska. I grew up on a ranch near Crawford, NE owned by the Barnum family. It was great having such open spaces to run around on as a kid and at times I really miss that part. I win the lottery you know where you'll find me! *grin* Went to a country school about 1/4 mile from home. 1 room, no running water, so you have outside toilets. Cold in the winter...brrrrr. When I graduated from 8th grade there were only 4 students all total, and 3 were related! I spent 2 years at Crawford High School, in Crawford, Nebraska before moving down to Oshkosh, NE.
I graduated from Garden County High School in 1971, in the town of Oshkosh, NE. With a town population of 1000 I wouldn't consider that any great step up into metropolis from the ranch. When I moved to Seattle Washington to work for Boeing Airplane Company, now THAT was a major move into metropolis. I loved to spend the weekend up in the Cascade Mountains near Seattle, panning for gold, hunting deer and elk in season, photographing nature or just seeing new places. My Father retired from Boeing and still resides in Renton Wash. One of my very close friends I had there in Seattle, Bill Johnson, (and great photographer and shooter as well) worked with me at Boeing and went on to become the I.A.M.A.W. Union President (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) for many years. Now retired, he enjoys his many hobbies. Smith & Wesson.... don't leave home without it!
When I moved from Seattle, back to Nebraska I became a professional bee keeper. You can get stung in that business, and what a sticky business that is! LOL I also worked in Crawford NE as the Waste Treatment Plant Manager and also as part time Police Officer. I graduated from the Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island Nebraska and moved to Oshkosh where I was a Deputy Sheriff for 8 years.
I've done photography though the years from about 1960 onward. I own 2 view cameras that shoot 4" X 5" sheet film and have roll film backs as well, a 6cm X 7cm negative size Koni Omega Rapid M, a Nikon F3 film camera, various lenses for the view cameras and holders, along with a Nikon D80 digital camera. Scenes on the photo page at Vern's Didj Photos were all shot by me, except the one I am in the picture with James, Niki and Samantha. Some of the work I have had published include photo shoot for the brochure of the Nebraska Historical Society Museum at Fort Robinson, NE, brochures photos for Hornung Trailer Manufacturing, and an article with pictures of Nebraska's first Elk season hunt published in Peterson's Hunting Magazine. One of my fond "treasures" is an autographed copy of the book Classic Nude Photography, signed by the author, Peter Gowland. Peter has been in the glamour photography business for many years and well respected for his masterfully done photos. He has also done many photo shoots of people like Clint Eastwood, and other actors and celebrities. Peter Gowland's home page
I've done photography though the years from about 1960 onward. I own 2 view cameras that shoot 4" X 5" sheet film and have roll film backs as well, a 6cm X 7cm negative size Koni Omega Rapid M, a Nikon F3 film camera, various lenses for the view cameras and holders, along with a Nikon D80 digital camera. Scenes on the photo page at Vern's Didj Photos were all shot by me, except the one I am in the picture with James, Niki and Samantha. Some of the work I have had published include photo shoot for the brochure of the Nebraska Historical Society Museum at Fort Robinson, NE, brochures photos for Hornung Trailer Manufacturing, and an article with pictures of Nebraska's first Elk season hunt published in Peterson's Hunting Magazine. One of my fond "treasures" is an autographed copy of the book Classic Nude Photography, signed by the author, Peter Gowland. Peter has been in the glamour photography business for many years and well respected for his masterfully done photos. He has also done many photo shoots of people like Clint Eastwood, and other actors and celebrities. Peter Gowland's home page
In late October of 2006, I started getting an interest in the
didgeridoo. I heard the sound on a TV commercial for an automobile, and
listened to the sound again on a movie called "Quigley Down Under". I
started looking on the internet for a few sound files. Now I have almost
TOO many. LOL I made a didgeridoo on or around November 1, 2006, of PVC.
It was kind of a flop, since I had used 1" PVC, but I was able to drone
on it and it was the first thing I droned on. Later I went on to make
some other PVC didgeridoos. Some of them play and sound pretty good,
especially considering the price. I've learned to do circular breathing
on the didj in about 3 weeks from making my first one, and I concentrate
a lot on the WAL style of playing (Western Arnhem Land). Check out
ididjaustralia on youtube.com sometime and see Darryl Dikarrgna Brown
playing the various Magos... terrific stuff! It is still a challenge to
do the WAL vamps and get them right, so I keep practicing!
I was helping folks with planting vineyards and looking for wine making
equipment when I stumbled across an ad from Doug Welsch looking for a
winemaker that knew something about grapes and wine making. My school
was mostly self taught, like Abraham Lincoln, but I was passionate about
it. After emails, the review of my resume, I came to Michigan for an
interview and after being hired in September of 1999 I have worked as
the Associate Winemaker for Fenn Valley Vineyards. It's been
interesting, and most educational. I have also applied my skills with
computers there and except for the 2 main UNIX servers, I have built all
their computers and help to maintain their network, including satellite
internet. You can find them here: Fenn Valley Vineyards
In late October of 2006, I started getting an interest in the didgeridoo. I heard the sound on a TV commercial for an automobile, and listened to the sound again on a movie called "Quigley Down Under". I started looking on the internet for a few sound files. Now I have almost TOO many. LOL I made a didgeridoo on or around November 1, 2006, of PVC. It was kind of a flop, since I had used 1" PVC, but I was able to drone on it and it was the first thing I droned on. Later I went on to make some other PVC didgeridoos. Some of them play and sound pretty good, especially considering the price. I've learned to do circular breathing on the didj in about 3 weeks from making my first one, and I concentrate a lot on the WAL style of playing (Western Arnhem Land). Check out ididjaustralia on youtube.com sometime and see Darryl Dikarrgna Brown playing the various Magos... terrific stuff! It is still a challenge to do the WAL vamps and get them right, so I keep practicing!
July 18,2008 I woke up early in the morning from upper abdominal pain. It became so severe I was taken to the emergency room and admitted into Holland Hospital for gall stones blockage and pancreas problems. Not intensive care, just the next step below that. Three days later they removed my gall bladder and stones, one about the size of a small walnut or average pecan. Went home the next day after eating ice for all this time and that was short lived. Went back in on the following Saturday with Pancreatitis, and again on the ice chips. My swelling in legs and face from edema was pronounced. Finally after much pain meds, anti-biotics, and other IVs with diuretics, I was finally able to go home. Was a slow process to get the swelling out of me, and it kept me from work for about 1 month, returning to work on August 18th. My health has been good and even lost some weight. No, I don't recommend the ice chip diet!!!
In September 20th 2008, I took my CPL class from instructor and author Skip Coryell. He and Larry Jackson, along with Sheriff Dar Leaf (teaching the legal side), was an all day class. Concealed Pistol License people must have passed safety skills and accuracy with their firearms, as well as knowing the legal aspect of carrying. The requirements are laid out per the State of Michigan, and to meet them one must pass this necessary class. No class, then you cannot apply for the CPL. Once you do apply for the CPL, the local Sheriff office takes full finger and hand prints and sends them off to the State Police for analysis and background check. Afterwards, there is a gun review board that looks at all the information, the applicants references if needed, and shall issue a license if there are no mitigating circumstance that prevent it. People who have passed the CPL class and the standards of the license have been checked over more than most people could possibly realize. I am a firm believer in the Right for a law abiding citizen to carry and posses firearms. Closed areas, aka "Pistol Free Zones" are not pistol free to the criminal who does not abide by laws, but breaks them, and it creates a "Kill Zone" for our children. Any area that a law abiding citizen cannot carry in is "free game" for a criminal element desiring to do harm to others and himself.
Since I put that in, it gives you, the reader, a bit of info about my feelings about guns, rights and freedoms. Having been a Deputy for 8 years, as stated above, only affirms my belief that there should be more people carrying and defending themselves. It's a deterrent more effective than hiring more police. When training goes with gun ownership it increase safety, and decreases violent crimes. PLEASE read any of the books that Skip Coryell has written and another very good read is "Four Hundred Years of Gun Control...Why Isn't It Working" by Howard Nemerov. Also another very important book is listed on my Links page, called The Founders Second Amendment book. They are found at most book sellers. Reading is educational and provides many answers to a lot of mis-information put out by gun control groups that have more interest in promoting their ideals than the truth. Know the truth, it can set you free and IT can help to keep you free!
More will come at a later date.....
Want to contact me at my regular email address, then just click here ->
Vern
