When Percy got orders to take his bomber crew and head for North Africa during World War II, he made a quick and daring decision.  Taking off near San Francisco, as soon as they were airborne, he headed their bomber for a bold stunt.

Quick as a wink, that big bomber cruised under the Golden Gate Bridge and soared into the wild blue yonder!  As they made their climb into the sky, a loud blasting of words was coming at them via their radio.  Well….”all hell broke loose!”  Percy and his crew just laughed as they went on their way to war.

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When my father purchased the Broughton farm in the late 1920’s he then owned the land on each of Bokes Creek at York Center, Ohio.

So…..what did he do to extend his quarry further in that direction? HE MOVED THE CREEK! Truly! He did! He moved Bokes Creek over onto the Broughton farm pasture land that bordered his quarry.

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We were loading yearling steers to take to market. All went smoothly until this last steer had made up his mind he was not going on the truck with the others we had already loaded. Each time my husband and I had him going up the loading plank, he would leap over the side rail and run back into the field.

As I was chasing after him, for the umpteenth time, and had listened each time to how it was all my fault, well…………I just lost it!

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I was more excited each passing day. My second grade teacher gave me an Easter treat early because I wouldn’t be there when she gave them to my classmates.

After spending the winter of ’29 and ’30 in Pomona, California my mother, dad, and little four year old brother Bugs were coming home to York Center, Ohio. Well, actually, York Center beside my dad’s stone quarry is where I lived with older brothers and sisters. Our parents lived on a farm seven miles away.

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Ringling Mansion in Sarasota, Florida

That is what Ringling’s Circus is sometimes called, “THE BIG TOP”. Did you know that for many years it’s winter home was on the Island of Venice in Florida by the south intracoastal bridge? January and February they were in the area where I lived.

They came on a train to just off the island. Many residents gathered along the banks to watch them walk the elephants across the intracoastal bridge and the short distance to their barns on the island. As the elephants walked from the train they attached their trunks to the tail of the one ahead of them. It was a sight to behold!

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