Did you see the hands on that girl?

Dee, brother John Jr. and sister Donna, at Means Rest, Pleasan Valley, MD

It is said that you can tell the eventual size of a growing dog by the size of its paws when a puppy. Here, we noted on our recent Maryland trip, in an old snapshot of Denise at age about 12 that she had the outsized hands of her father, John Means.

We know, her friends and loved ones, that Dee grew into the hands nicely, and they compliment her overall being. They don't look big now in her current proportions.

But her Dad has always had to bear his mitts as potential bludgeons. They are kind hands and expressive, but they are what they are. When he is photographed his hands are his main characteristics.

They appear to be awesome fists, hanging unclenched at his legs, that would rather be dealing with wagon-loads of baled hay, or, 'Time's Up, Buddy!' lights to punch out.

They hang at the end of his muscular arms like the arrows that go with the peace sprig in the American symbol.

When Big John shakes your hand, your hand is enveloped and disappears always unscathed, thank heavens!