Grandpa Hill's True Stories

Tag: childhood stories

  • Winter Sailing in the Yard

    Winter Sailing in the Yard

    Grandpa as a boy in Rochester Michigan in the winter went sailing. He made the sail for his Red Flyer and it was better than his brother Eugene’s. The sailing was fast on that windy day on the icy yard.
    Grandpa’s speed, his fun, and the use of Mom’s new pillowcases got his mother very excited.

    Semloh, a wise frog that knows many things, including Grandpa, explains what happened that day. He explains to his friend Gorf (also a frog) and Marshmallow a hungry Racoon just exactly why Grandpa made restitution and why it did not hurt Grandpa to do so. Hopefully Semloh’s message and Grandpa’s True Story isare shared and shared and shared so that children everywhere and their parents will think laugh and live abundantly.

    Story teller: Donald Hill. Produced by: David Richman. Grandchildren in the audience: Annette, Breandan, Eoghan. Music: Michael Steele. Art Amy Steele.

  • How Grandpa and Grandma Met Each Other – Faith & Family Story

    How Grandpa and Grandma Met Each Other – Faith & Family Story

    On St. Patrick’s Day,  1975,  Mary Lee Mack met Donald Paul Hill in the library of the high school in Rochester Michigan.  That was the day that Don’s girl friend realized she was his girlfriend. 

    Don had been so anticipating having Mary as his girlfriend and so anxious about being rejected that he struggled to tell Mary of his intentions.  “Everything had to be just right,” was the excuse Don had for not asking Mary to go out with him on a date.  

    Listen and learn what $1 and a green carnation had to do with the start of Grandma’s and Grandpa’s togetherness, as they have learned to think, laugh a lot, and live life well. 

    Although this story is not how Don recommends that couples should start their relationships.  It  is, as best as Don can remember, the truth about how it all started 48 years ago on St. Patrick’s 1975. 

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Music: David Richman
    Art: Amy Steele
    In the audience: Grandma Hill

  • The Healing Power of a Grape Leaf

    The Healing Power of a Grape Leaf

    Grandpa is taking his daughter Amy across the fields of western Wisconsin in 1990.   The two of them had come out of the woods away from the rest of the group.  The Romo’s children, and their mom, Mrs Teresa Romo and Don and his four children had spent the late morning hours foraging for medicinal herbs and wild foods. 

    They had experienced seeing baby raccoons in an old tree stump.  They had gotten a few mosquito bites and now the push was to get back to the farm house.  Little did they know that off of the beaten path there would be an old fence line and there would be bees!  Bumblebees!

    As they were crossing the last fence line, Amy disturbs a modest nest of bumblebees.  She gets stung and immediately starts to swell.  Donald knows that their visit with the Romo’s would now get cut short with a trip to the emergency room.  Amy has many allergies and bee stings is one of them.

    When they get to the farm house her hand is quite swollen.  As Don and Mary Lee start to fuss,  there is no alarm from Teresa.  She pulls out a wild grape leaf from her bag we had filled that morning.  She places it in shallow water in a frying pan on the stove.  The leaf becomes soft and thick.  Teresa proceeds to wrap Amy’s badly swollen hand in the grape leaf and we proceeded to fix lunch.

    Before Amy sits down to her lunch, the swelling is completely gone.  What Benadryl couldn’t do in an hour, the grape leaf had done in just minutes.   Grandpa learned the healing powers of a grape leaf.  He also learned a lesson about knowledge, being curious, and the importance of sharing what you know with others.

    Gorf and Marshmallow also  marvel at the power of a grape leaf and how smart, resourceful and wise Mrs Romo is.  Semloh takes the opportunity to teach Gorf and Marshmallow a relevant lesson about knowledge and learning.

    How did Mrs. Romo know of the power of a grape leaf and the value of dozens of other plants that grew in her own “back yard”?

    Please share often, follow, and listen often to Grandpa Hill’s True Stories as you and your children learn to think and then laugh and live life fully.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Semloh: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: Amy Steele
    Grandchildren in the audience: Annette, Breandan, Eoghan, David

  • Lots of Bumble Bees

    In the summer of 1968 Grandpa Hill (Donald) was playing with Mike Martin his cousin.  They were along Hamlin Road in Rochester Michigan playing tricks on his brother Eugene.   Donald and Mike decide to hide from Eugene after they had secretly dropped leaves and twigs from high up in the tree nearly hitting Eugene as he pedaled buy.   

    Those trees are gone now.  The old fence line where Donald and Mike had hid is gone now.  Hamlin Rd no longer cuts through farm land.  Rather there are large houses and a nearby industrial park.  What isn’t gone is the memory of the revenge of lots and lots of  Bumble Bee’s.

    Donald and Mike had hid from Eugene  on top of the bumble bee nest!

    Grandpa learned a lesson that day.  He remembered it well.  Until he didn’t!  But that,  is another story.

    Please subscribe or follow and share this story then listen to one of the 50 other episodes.  Think Laugh and Live listening to Grandpa Hill’s True Stories. 

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: Amy Steele
    Grandchildren in the audience: Annette, Breandan, Eoghan, and David.

  • Grandpa Gets a “U” in 2nd Grade

    Grandpa Gets a “U” in 2nd Grade

    A counselor was recently asking Donald  (Grandpa Hill) some probing question about his childhood. She was trying to understand Grandpa and help him understand himself and feel better about the world he lived in. Donald, as Grandpa Hill recalls his answers to the lady that was trying to help him and shares his answer with his children, and grand children. In the fall of 1964 Donald was in the second grade at Hamlin Elementary School in Rochester MI. There was a struggle going on. Donald had, in his mind, invented numerical bases for counting, and used them fluently to do his math work.  He was interested in second grade level books but not to read them. How and why things worked were mysteriously interesting to him especially the abacus. So varied and unusual were his interests that Donald was oblivious to his classmates, and at times did not “hear” nor heed his teacher Mrs Crocket. The disruptions had to stop. An intervention was necessary! The intervention started with a startling and terrible report card with a couple of  “U” s for his unsatisfactory performance and behavior. This was followed by a parent teacher conference where Grandpa suspects the details of the intervention were worked out. On that fateful day, in the fall of 1964, Mrs Crocket and Donald’s mom intervened. The event included a speech therapist, a math researcher (tutor) and an opportunity for independent work. If Donald made the right decision his life would be changed for the better, forever! Semloh a new character to Grandpa Hill’s true stories joins Gorf and Marshmallow to help explain Grandpa’s problem.  Semloh observes thinks and explains the details as best he can. He is a wise observant and understanding character that help’s Donald think and helps Gorf, Marshmallow, Grandpa’s children, Grandpa’s grandchildren, and all children to understand how to be very much like others while being happily quite different.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Semloh: David Richman
    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: Amy Steele
    Grandchildren in the audience: Annette, Kyla, Breandan, Eoghan, Lawrence, Levi, Eddie.

  • The Great Michigan Bike Trip – Part 2

    The Great Michigan Bike Trip – Part 2

    Comment below! And share with your friends!

    On The Great Michigan Bicycle Trip PART 2, Day 2 and 3,  Grandpa Hill has  a much better time than day one of this 500 mile adventure across Michigan by four teenage boys.  In Day 1 the Lapeer County sheriff deputy was called to question him and he was rescued and escorted by the North Branch police.  

    In Day 2, his friend Bill gets cut by Dean and his big bowie knife.  Later Dean insists on showing his knife as they pedal on MI-46 in downtown Saginaw.   The next morning little girls fix Grandpa’s hair, and the later that day, Grandpa meets a special person in a special place that rescues all the bikers from a loose-gravel road that was not taking them where they wanted to go.  At the end of Day 3 in Wilson State Park.  They rest well, and,  think they are ready for the  excitement that will come on Day 4 near and in Marion Michigan.   

    Part 3 is coming soon, it will start with Day 4, which started so easy.  MI60 was a  flat straight road, no traffic.  An 18 wheeler came barreling down the road, and the bikers just were not ready for what happened next.  

    Please share Grandpa Hill’s true stories with at least one other person.  We think you will be glad you did, and so will we.   Shalom!   Grandpa Hill. 

  • Grandpa’s First Boat

    Grandpa’s First Boat

    Once upon a time there were two little boys in the back of their father’s aluminum flat bottomed fishing boat,  two big boys took turns at the front, but the two little boys got bigger.  As the four boys grew, one moved away, and, the little boys were crowded and heavy in the back of the boat.  Grandpa, one of the not so little boys, takes it upon himself to purchase a boat of his own so that he can go fishing while two of his brothers can be in the family boat.  Grandpa Hill’s solution was a little yellow inflatable boat with a brass fitting.  He had saved his money and was determined to be independent in his own boat!

    He learned that being independent is a lot of work.  That didn’t stop him from being independent. Out on the lake all by himself, catching fish.

    Grof and Marshmallow discuss the importance of independence but also the importance of taking turns (even when you don’t like to) and spending time will your family. They also imagine what might’ve happened to Grandpa Hill’s Boat. What do you think happened to Grandpa’s Boat?

    If you enjoyed our story please subscribe and share the story with everyone you know. If you would like to talk with us directly, email us at grandpahill.stories@gmail.com!

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Art: David R,
    Music: Michael Steele
    Grandchildren in the Audience: Lawrence, Edmund, and Levi