A duck, a rabbit--- and some other REALLY special items!

Two of the most IMPORTANT cartoon folks in my life, Bugs & Daffy! (The image is from one of their BEST and funniest 'toons--'Rabbit Seasoning', by the way!) They also have some pretty close ties to a couple of the most IMPORTANT people in my life! Keep 'scrollin-and-'readin to find out just how that all fits together!

 Back in January, I honored and looked back on the life of my beloved Pops, Reverend Loyd Ferrell Sr. This time around, I figured I'd give you, my 'faithful few' regular readers-- a look at some of the really special items he had--that I was able to bring back here to Okie-land with me, after his passing. 

A good amount of it was in storage, although some of it he'd kept with him-- after he moved in with my sister. Along with letting you have a look at those things-- there's also an additional extra-special item, that I want you to see-- from another important person in my life, who presented it to me...this Christmas just past! 

While not being anywhere NEAR the kind of GEEK-A-ZOID that I've always been, Pops did manage to keep a decent-sized stash of NIFTY cartoon-character-related goodies, as well as some classic-car-related 'doo-dads', and other just plain COOL stuff! For many years, when in the full time ministry, he would display a good-sized chunk of it in his 'Pastor's offices', at the various churches he pastored over the years. Later, after his retirement from the ministry, he would usually display these things on his dresser-- in the bedroom of whatever house he and Mom lived in. A few of them were even on display, in the bedroom that he stayed in at my sister Kathy's-- right up 'til he passed away.

Pops also had a handful of unique, custom scale-models-- presented to him for birthdays and Christmas gifts. (More on THOSE in just a bit!) So, it's been kind of fun for me (and even a little 'therapeutic' / 'healing'-for-the-soul'!)-- unboxing and finding spots for these extra-NEAT-O items, here in the 'Man-Cave'!

Like I usually like to do here, I'll just jump into the pics below-- and rattle off a (NERDY) comment or two about each, as we go 'rockin along!----

Shortly after Pops passed, my family and I went down to Texas, and went through the storage unit where my parents' stuff had been, for the past 8 years (since my mom passed away). I was amazed to find good 'ol Daffy Duck in GREAT shape! AND-- believe it or not, he was in one of the first boxes I looked into. I had just started sorting through the stuff in the unit--- when I stumbled across him in a fairly good-sized box.

A whole LOT of memories came flooding back too, when I found this little guy! (He stands around 2 feet tall or so) He's actually one of Pop's older cartoon-character figures, so I remember seeing him on display in several places over the years. He now has an honored spot with me here, in the 'Man-Cave'-- next to one of the bookcases. Dad and I shared a fondness for Daffy, so-- he makes me smile, nearly every time I look over and see him there across the room!

                               

Now this is one 'rootin-tootin-gun-shootin' character, that Pops and I also shared a MAJOR fondness for! Mr. Yosemite Sam! I think, like me-- Dad saw quite a bit of his own personality 'quirks' in Sam! The temper, the stubborn-streak, and that almost CRAZY determination! He also knew that laughing out loud at Sam's temper-tantrums, helped us laugh at our own outbursts and shortcomings!

This little stuffed-toy version of the hot-headed cowboy, must've been a more recent addition to Dad's collection, because I don't remember seeing it around when I was younger. Still, it's a fun little figure, and--- like Daffy up above, he brings a BIG grin to my face whenever I look at him-- and he also reminds me of Dad's sense of humor (and that GREAT laugh he had!)!

                               

 A couple of Dad's smaller figurines of Sam and that slobbering maniac, Taz! Taz actually has a 'flocked', 'fuzzy' coat of 'fur'! Pretty neat-o! They both stand around 3 to 4 inches tall.

Here's another figure that goes WAY back. Porky here-- is easily one of Pops' OLDEST figures. I remember seeing him on display--either around the house, or in one of the many 'Pastor's offices'-- all the way back to the time when I was in elementary school! (That's around 50-plus years ago folks!) Porky was the stuttering, 'average-guy-everyman' character. Dad and I could ALWAYS relate to him!

Two small figurines of some other favorite characters of the Pops--The 'California Raisins'. In the 80s, there was an ad campaign that featured stop-motion animation of these COOL little guys, dancing around and singing 'I heard it through the grapevine'. Not only Pops, but our whole family got a BIG kick out these characters, and Pops had a whole set of around 6 figurines.

When my daughter and I found these in storage, we decided to share them with each other. I just wanted the ones sporting sun-shades! She kept the other 4.

Another thing that the Pops and I shared, for as long as I can remember-- is our mutual LOVE of--and just general GEEKYNESS about-- classic cars and trucks! So, it should be NO shock to anyone whatsoever-- that one of the ways I surprised him over the years-- was to build (OR customize) scale model replicas of vehicles he'd owned earlier in his life. 

I'd usually surprise him with these little treasures, around his birthdays-- or for Christmas gifts. He obviously got a big kick out of them, and-- not long before his passing-- my bro-in-law, my nephew and I-- managed to dig them out of the storage unit... for him to be able to have on display, and maybe bring a little more bright spots into his life. 

Lord knows, what with all the lengthy hospital stays and medical issues he was having then, when he WAS able to be there in the little room at my sister's -- he was sure in NEED of some brighter-spots to focus on! Even if it was just small replicas of old rides that he used to cruise around in! 

Not that my sister didn't have Pops in an uncomfortable space, OR that the room he stayed in was 'dreary' somehow! She had that little room filled with PLENTY of vintage photos of him and our mom in their younger days, not to mention some rather FUNKY, oldy-moldy pics of us kids-- complete with our 'early-70s-thru-early-80s-disco-influenced-fashions'! (Hey, Pops liked those old 'family pics'! Though Kathy and I cringed and groaned at them PLENTY of times!) 

I just felt like the addition of the model cars might bring some extra bit of cheer to him, in the TOUGH-stretch of life that he was going through then! ----

This is one of the first 'replicas' I worked on for Pops. (Somewhere in the mid-90s, I think-- for a Christmas gift) A 'mini-clone', of his '56 Chevy Bel-Air. It's actually a 1/18th diecast model, that I took apart and customized. I did some sneaking around, and quizzed Mom about the correct interior color, it's 'stance' (Pops had the 'real car' lowered in the front a bit!), and just it's over-all 'look'-- so the model would be as accurate as possible. I'll never forget how both surprised and happy he looked, when he unwrapped it!

it's yet another thing I can look at now, and see (in my memory, of course!) the BIG, slightly goofy-looking grin-- that Pops would sometimes get on his face!-- Especially if he was REALLY tickled or happy about something! The memory of THAT-- makes me get an equally-goofy grin of my own! 

This little 1/32 scale '63 T-Bird, is one I built to resemble the one Pops owned when he was pastoring his first church. (1973 or so) Again, I went into 'sneaky-mode', and quizzed my mom about both the correct light-blue exterior color, and the right interior colors as well. I'm pretty sure this one was a birthday gift I gave him, in the late '90s.

At around the same time-frame that Pops owned the '63 T-Bird, he also owned a '63 Chevy Bel-Air. (It wasn't enough to have one COOL ride, he managed to have TWO, almost at the SAME time!) For another Christmas present, (this was in 2000, if my kinda JUMBLED memory is right!) I thrashed-away at another replica for him!---

The 1/25 scale replica of Pop's '63 Chevy. The kit only came with a set of bucket seats, so I had to 'scratch-build' a 'bench-style' seat for it. The 'chrome-reverse' wheels (like the full-size car had!) also came from the spare parts left over from another model kit. Once again, consulting with Mom-- I managed to get the exterior and interior color-schemes JUST right!

Pops was once again, surprised and happy with the mini-'63! In fact, I recently went digging through some old photo-albums, and found pics of him unwrapping this one!--

Pops unwrapping his surprise Christmas gift, circa 2000. You can see my Mom's pretty tickled about it too! AND-- there's that big, kinda-GOOFY grin from my dad again! That smile is what makes this a PRICELESS memory indeed!

One of the other NIFTY items that 'Kathy-sis' had put on display there in the room Pops was staying in, was an ANCIENT little toy car that Dad had kept from when he was a little boy! It's also one of the items I just felt NEEDED to find a home-- after he passed-- here in the 'ol Bat-cave! It's in another 'honored spot', of course!---

Yes, it's obvious that my Dad played HARD with this little 'push-down-and-go' car! It even shows evidence of a 'childhood-paint-job' or two. That's the very thing that makes it a REALLY special item-- to me anyway! The AMAZING thing? Even though it only has 3 of it's original wheels-- it STILL works!

                                              

Once I unpacked the little tin toy car, and was getting ready to put it into a display case I'd found for it-- I turned it over and found a little 'home-made' tag taped to the bottom.----

That's right, my Mom (that's HER handwriting on the tag) had figured out when Pops had gotten the toy car, and had put a 'date-tag' on the bottom! Now that little 'childhood toy' is even MORE special to me! 

                                    

Another VERY neat item I stumbled across, as we sorted through the boxes in the storage unit-- is something I'd completely FORGOTTEN about Pops even having! Once I opened up the box it was in and saw it though, the memories ALL came flooding back!--

Yes, my Dad had his own 1/25 scale model 'replica' of his '56 Bel-Air! (Built at a MUCH earlier time!) The other surprising part? I'd actually COMPLETELY forgotten it--AND-- that I helped him build and paint it! That's my handiwork  there on the TINY 'raised white lettering' on the tires. Hey, this was around the time I was in high school, so that IS a LONG time ago, gang! Memories can get a bit hazy -- when over 40-plus years have passed!

Once I made this 're-discovery', and unpacked this EXTRA-special little replica here in the Man-Cave-- I managed to wrangle it up a spot in one of my 'Barrister-cases'. Along with a vintage pic of Pops behind the wheel of his real, full-sized, original CLASSIC ride!---

So now, a number of special items that once belonged to my Pops are in my care. Much like all of the other stuff here in the Man-Cave, as well as a few sentimental items-- they'll be placed into someone else's care one day! I'm hoping my own kiddos will want to take custody of at least SOME of it. If not, then I sure wish it will fall into the hands of somebody who will love and care for it as much as Pops did, and I have!

I mentioned up above another SPECIAL item presented to me this Christmas just past. The gift came from my daughter, Shelby...and it pretty much blew my mind! I'll just let the pic below tell the biggest chunk of the story!--

One of my all-time favorite Looney Tunes characters, dressed as my all-time favorite comics character! 'Bugs-as-Bats'! What's NOT to LOVE here! Thanks SO much, daughter-of-mine! 

Even though the past few months have been a pretty BUMPY ride for my family and I, and there's been a good deal of tears and some sorrow-- there's also been a fair amount of smiles and fun moments that we've shared. Our family has been sharing stories and memories (of Pops AND Mom)... and yes, now--the things (and cartoon characters!) that brought my Pops such smiles and joy, are now bringing those same feelings to my own (personal) family. (Mrs. Debbie, myself & the kids.)

I think that Pops, over in that 'better place', has even MORE joy-- knowing that he (and my Mom too!) gave us all a 'legacy' of smiles, and a healthy sense of FUN!

This post is dedicated to the memory of BOTH of my parents! May the laughs, warm memories and sense of FUN they shared with us NEVER fade! AND-- may my own kids pass it on to the NEXT generation!

Stay safe, sane and HAPPY 'til next time gang!

Getting back in touch with my 'inner-9-year-old'....once AGAIN!

 It's once again one of those times folks! A month where, unfortunately-- I just have NOT had the spare time... OR the extra energy-- to put together a 'full-length' post! It's in these hectic, CRAZY times though-- where, even though day-to-day life is pretty much a MEAT-GRINDER-- I still manage to find a little joy and something to grin about! Like the PRICELESS little snippet below--from the opening moments of 'little-9-year-old Loydster's' FAVORITE show!

Every time I watch this, I'm that little 3rd-grader all over again! Yes, I've posted this more than once here, but hey-- it just NEVER stops being FUN!--

See you next month gang, with (hopefully) a 'full-sized' post! 'Til then-- stay SAFE, SANE & HAPPY!

Remembering Dad!

Loyd Ferrell Sr., around 1965. Handsome young fella, isn't he? I carried this pic in my wallet for a number of years when I was also a LOT younger! It's STILL one of my favorite images of my Pops.

 Once again, here at the 'ol Bloggy-thingy-thang, it's time to step away from my usual GEEK-out related subject matter, and get more serious and thoughtful. This time around, it's to give out honor, respect, and appreciation... for Reverend Loyd Ferrell Sr. Otherwise known as my Dad! 

It's been just over a month now, since the passing of my beloved Pops. Yet, in some ways, as my sister Kathy and I've often talked about these past few weeks-- it STILL feels like he JUST left us. 

He had been suffering from a number of illnesses, ailments, and discomforts-- and had also been in and out of hospitals and other medical facilities for QUITE some time. So-- while his quickly declining condition near the end of his life, wasn't too surprising for those of us close to him-- it was STILL rough, witnessing this once tough, EVER-resilient, EVER-determined guy-- become more and more fragile and even helpless!

But--- that's NOT what I want to focus on here in this post! I want to just share some thoughts about this guy who helped bring my sisters and I into this world. He truly was a one of a kind father, and provided MOST of the positive influences, that shaped me into the man I am today! I also wanted to share some of my favorite images of him, including some SPECIAL items he gave to me over the years, and a couple of REALLY special memories of him too.

The first couple of pics I want to share, REALLY bring into focus how YOUNG and 'fresh-faced' my parents were, whenever they jumped in and started raising a family (as well as when Pops started preaching!)!--

Obviously, it's around 1965-- Since the Loydster's the chubby little guy my Dad's holding, and I'm apparently about a year old. Dad was all of 21 when this pic was snapped! Boy, were we a couple of 'fair-haired' YOUNG boys or WHAT?

The next image, like I was saying above-- REALLY is more evidence of what 'young pups' my folks were! AND-- there's an extremely NIFTY bit of 'family trivia', concerning an important item in the pic too!--

Pops when he first started preaching. That's my Mom's handwriting, at the top and bottom. She really was a 'proud preacher's wife'! The heavy crease along the right side, is from where Mom kept this pic in a small frame for a good chunk of time.

Now-- for that COOL little bit of 'Ferrell-fam' trivia I was rattling away about above! MANY years ago, I wanna say I wasn't even in my early 20s yet-- Mom and Dad gave me one of Dad's 'old preaching bibles'. 

I've kept it all through the years, and yet it NEVER dawned on me-- that it's the SAME bible my Dad's holding onto SO tightly in the pic above! (And --I've also looked at that image MANY times, over the years!) It wasn't until after Pops passed last month, and I looked more closely at the image-- that I realized it! It truly is now one of my MOST priceless / treasured possessions!--

That's RIGHT! A family treasure, that had been 'hiding in plain sight' right here WITH me all these years! Besides some hand-written notes along side some scriptures, Dad had scratched here & there-- another thing that makes this bible SO priceless, is the addition of 'family tree' items that my Mom had also filled-out, many, many moons ago! This old, battered bible is INDEED a 'family heirloom'!

The pic-collage below is a 're-run' of the one I put up in the post honoring / memorializing Mom, back in 2018. I still feel like it pretty much sums up how CLOSE, warm and loving my parents were, over the years. It also shows what a power-house 'ministry-team' they were-- for MANY years! (The bottom two pics were taken nearly a couple of decades apart-- and they were STILL 'preachin', teachin', singin', and just generally 'doing the Lord's work'!)--

The first of the two 'ministry-pics' there at the bottom, (taken around 1981 or so!) remind me of the times when I would be pestering pops to help me buy a car. 'Don't get the cart in front of the horse, son', he'd tell me, 'you need to FIRST get a job, save your money, and THEN buy your first car yourself!-- You'll treasure it, and take better care of it, if you PAY for it yourself!' At the time, I thought he was just being a cranky 'old-timer' on me! But, in hindsight-- I've learned he was EXACTLY right!

Next, another favorite image of my Pops and I together. This time, when I graduated high school.----

The evening of June 10th, 1983. Dad and I smiling and looking a little cheesy! During my senior year, Pops would occasionally just take me for either long drives around the area, or we'd go up to a spot up on a bluff above the town, called 'lookout point'-- just so we could talk, sometimes have a soda-pop together, and hang-out.
One of those times, I was struggling a little-- trying to figure-out just WHAT to DO with my life, what kind of job / career I would have, where I wanted to settle-down and live, etc! (Typical high-schooler worries, of course! But-- to me, they were a BIG deal!)
I shared all of this with Pops, as we sat in the car there at 'Lookout point'. 'Son', he told me, 'you need to just concentrate on making a decent living, WHEREVER you are. Because, wherever you can make a living-- THAT is the place you can call HOME.' Now THAT is honest, down-to-earth, GOOD advice!

For the next of my fave pics, we move forward in time QUITE a bit! To 2020 in fact! This was during the time Pops came and stayed with us for a few weeks, a couple of years after Mom passed.----

Three generations of 'Ferrell guys'!-- Loyd, Loyd Jr, and Mr. Wade! It was a nice, sunny day out-- and we were having an 'early Thanksgiving' with the Pops while he stayed with us. Taking advantage of the nice day, the wifey snapped off a few pics of us fellas just hanging out in the yard.
The reason this is one of my favorite later pics of Pops, is that BIG, slightly GOOFY grin on his face! You can tell he's having a genuinely GOOD time! Mom's passing REALLY knocked a CHUNK out of him, and it was SO good to see him smiling, laughing, and enjoying himself, even just a little!

After Pop's passing, and before Deb, the kids and I all went down to Texas, (we had to go down there to wrap-up some of his 'final affairs' stuff, with my sister and her family) my daughter Shelby put together a BEAUTIFUL eulogy for him! My sis, Kathy-- is sharing it on her Face Book page, but I also wanted to share it here with you, my TEENY-TINY group of faithful readers.---

I can't think of ANY way to make my daughter's eulogy for her Grandpa more BEAUTIFUL than it is! Thank you, SO much-- daughter-o-mine!

  And now-- a couple of those 'special items' I mentioned above, that my Dad passed along to me over the years! Of course, much like Pops-- they relate to the 'practical' and the 'down to earth'!---           

Dad gave the 'Old Timer' pocket knife to me, quite a few years back. It was actually one he'd carried and used, for AGES! 'NEVER leave home without a good, trusty pocket knife on you son', he always taught me, 'you never know when it might come in handy!' Sound, practical advice from a practical-thinking guy!
The old pipe-wrench, again-- given to me by Pops a number of years ago-- actually originally belonged to Grandpa Ferrell! So, this thing is probably close to 90 years old! AND-- I still use it! Another way not ONLY Dad... but HIS Dad, passed something along that was practical and USEFUL to me! That's why they're BOTH such VALUABLE, yet sentimental-- items to me!

                               

Before I wrap-up this post, I'll share just one more of my favorite images of my Dad. At the moment, in fact... it's probably my MOST favorite of ALL! I'll try to explain below!---

A very young Loyd Ferrell, circa 1959-- when he was a mere 17 years old! That's his first car, a 1950 Studebaker-- he's leaning on.

The above pic of my then-teenaged dad, is--much like the 'early-teens' pic of my Mom, (when she was around 14 years old) a LONG-time favorite of mine. To refresh your memory-- here's the one of Mom! (Which I shared here on the blog in 2018)---

a VERY young Mary Louise, around age 14!

Now, as I was saying-- these two photos are probably the MOST priceless that I have, of BOTH of my parents. Because-- they're 'frozen moments' in time. ALL photos are really that, I know-- but these are SPECIAL 'frozen moments'! They capture that special, early time in my parent's lives! A time when a young guy and gal in the San Juaquin Valley of central California, had their WHOLE lives stretched-out in front of them. 

In another couple of years, young Loyd would meet up with that dark-eyed, dark-haired young lady-- and the two of them would marry, raise a boy and two girls, and share 55 years together! 

But in the above 'frozen moment'... my Dad is still just that 17-year-old kid-- who's crooked smile, easy-laugh (can't you almost hear a little snicker coming from him in that picture?), would stay with him and be the same... for MOST of his 82 years on this earth. Mom's smile (AND unique laugh!) would also have that same 'staying power' as well!

Now, BOTH of my parents have left us-- and there is a DEEP sorrow in both of my sisters' hearts, and mine as well--as we struggle with that new reality. We can take a GREAT deal of comfort in knowing TWO things though. The first, of course-- is that they're now reunited and together for eternity, and they are NO DOUBT happy (with each other AND with their Lord and Savior!). The second, well that also has to do with the young folks in those photos, taken ALL those years ago. 

Those two young people grew, married, and became the folks who left us, the 'Ferrell kids'-- a legacy of warmth, love, and LOTS and LOTS of genuine laughter. A legacy of creativity (Mom), practicality (Dad), and good 'ol down-to-earth 'common sense' (BOTH Mom and Dad!)! There's no finer or 'better' legacy than THAT! I truly hope I can leave a similar 'inheritance' for my own children (and eventually grandchildren!), some day!

I love and miss you BOTH, Mom and Dad! But someday we'll ALL be together again-- and the warmth, the love, and the laughter will truly last FOREVER! This isn't a permanent 'goodbye', it's just a 'so long, for now'! 

(This post is also dedicated to BOTH of my beautiful sisters, Kathy & Lisa-- BIG 'Loydster-hugs' and warm thoughts continue to go out to you guys! Love you two-- then, now, and ALWAYS!)

Loyd Ferrell Sr. October 9th,1943 - December 3rd, 2025--- One SPECIAL dad!

 

My dad a few years back, in times of somewhat better health! The last few years were QUITE a struggle for him-- both emotionally AND physically!

Although I'm still considering the 'ol bloggy-thingy-thang temporarily closed, I felt I needed to share with all of you who regularly stop by to visit-- the news of the passing of my beloved Pops, Loyd Ferrell Sr. He was truly one of a kind. I'm SO very thankful that such a unique guy was the one the good Lord chose, to help bring my two sisters and I into this world. 

After the whirl-wind of the holidays are all done, I plan on posting a FULL-LENGTH tribute to him. I'm sure it probably WON'T come anywhere CLOSE to the kind of tribute and credit he deserves! Meanwhile, all of us in the family will, while missing him DEARLY-- take some comfort in knowing he's in his heavenly home, resting in the arms of the God he trusted and believed in. Also, that he's FINALLY reunited with our mom, his beloved Mary.

Love and miss you, pops! It's not goodbye, it's just so-long for now, 'til we meet again someday!

Closing it down-- for a (hopefully) little while anyway!

 

Yet ANOTHER time, unfortunately-- where I once again find it necessary to turn-off the lights, temporarily at least--here at the 'ol bloggy-woggy-thingy-thang!

Not to worry, my teeny-tiny group of faithful-blog-followers! I'm still in decent health, and plan on making a return to putting up plenty of crunchy-geeky-goodness-related posts in the (hopefully NEAR) future! Just have to put things here 'on hold' for a bit!

So-- 'til  the next time that we meet here in my little DINKY corner of the 'world-wide-web'.... stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY everybody!

Loyd's BONUS video - clip!!--- # 53!! --- The 3 'Knuckleheads' are STILL keeping me SANE!

 

Even when life's rough-spots, curve-balls, and just the day-to-day GRIND... get's me lower-than-LOW-- those oh-so-STILL-funny childhood HEROES of mine can ALWAYS me laugh, and help me keep my SANITY! Thank goodness for 'ol Larry, Curly, and Moe!

Once again, life has been tossing the Loydster around --- like a MASSIVE cement-mixer on HIGH-speed! BUT-- like I always do, especially in times like now-- I try to think of -- or in this particular case, watch--stuff that brings a smile / giggle / out-right BELLY-LAUGH to me, when I can use it the MOST!

Nothing seems to bring those MUCH-needed 'happy-moments' to me, like the Three Stooges! Not that there isn't other comedy teams, funny stuff, or even cartoons that don't help me out too! (The Marx Brothers, Mad Magazine, Looney Tunes and Tex Avery's classic MGM 'toons have also brought me MUCH laughter and that critical-dose of JOY, many times throughout my life!) It's just that the 'Stooges have a way of doing it for me quicker and easier than the others!

And-- with that in mind-- I decided to share with you, my faithful-small-in-number-but-loyal readers-- yet ANOTHER 'repeat performance', of one of my ALL-TIME favorite 'Stooge-routines'! Enjoy! ( I always do!)--

Hopefully next month, IF the 'ol MEAT-GRINDER of life will let-up off of me enough-- I'll be able to put up a normal, FULL-length post! 'Til then--- stay SAFE, SANE, and HAPPY gang!