1930 found farmers in Montana- like most Americans- struggling to survive the 'Great Depression'. With their first child due soon, Hans and Beth Harper expected life changes, but Hans would soon find the changes much different than he could have imagined. With economic conditions affecting their lives they found neighbors abandoning their farms. Then historically-large swarms of grasshoppers plagued their wheat crop and their dreams began slipping sway. Soon Hans's life was impacted by his baby daughter's needs and the influence of a young Indian woman - known only as Cahokia. He then finds himself involved in a culture he doesn't understand, but one that brings new insights and perspectives along with new challenges. His choices are nothing that he would have anticipated and each decision takes him further into this new world, as he resists the sounds of the 'drummer'.
1930 found farmers in Montana- like most Americans- struggling to survive the 'Great Depression'. With their first child due soon, Hans and Beth Harper expected life changes, but Hans would soon find the changes much different than he could have imagined. With economic conditions affecting their lives they found neighbors abandoning their farms. Then historically-large swarms of grasshoppers plagued their wheat crop and their dreams began slipping sway. Soon Hans's life was impacted by his baby daughter's needs and the influence of a young Indian woman - known only as Cahokia. He then finds himself involved in a culture he doesn't understand, but one that brings new insights and perspectives along with new challenges. His choices are nothing that he would have anticipated and each decision takes him further into this new world, as he resists the sounds of the 'drummer'.
Leonard Skyberg-Hanson was born C. L. Hanson, to a Norwegian-American family living in Northeastern Montana. A Depression era child, "Len" chose the penname 'Skyberg-Hanson' from his Grandmothers side of the family. After losing of their family wheat farm during the Great Depression, his father worked at Fort Peck Dam, a WPA project. Following completion of the dam, his family became Construction Gypsies traveling from job-to-job to survive. Jobs that usually took them to small town America and undeveloped rural areas where Len lived a lifestyle leaving him free to explore the world around him, hunting and fishing, and observing the wide variety of people he came in contact with. Where Len learned 'Huck-Finn' lived a sheltered life. As a young man, he moved with his parents to over 30 different construction sites throughout Montana, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Texas and Nebraska. Between 1940 and 1950 he attended more than 15 different grade schools. Because of their constant moving, he was "unencumbered by the trappings of society", and was once described as a young Ruminator; formulating his own philosophies of life, the human race, politics, Religion and the universe. At the age of eleven he worked as a farm laborer, bucking hay, picking fruit, and mingling with Depression Era people, the lost souls of WWII, and bums riding the rails. But he said he learned the most about human nature, and economics, in the shortest period of time, when at the late age of eleven he did a two-day stint with the Circus. During and after high school Len worked at various construction jobs, as well as in a Grocery store, Gas Station; and as a mechanic, carpenter, and plumber. He earned his way through college, working two full time jobs in the summer. He earned an Electrical Engineering degree (BSEE) from Washington State University, in 1960, followed by post graduate work at the University of Washington. Following the advent of Sputnik, the space race and Cold War, Len spent the major portion of his adult life working in aerospace on Military/ Space projects, as a systems engineer and computer programmer. Later as an Engineering Manager for a large Aerospace company. Whenever possible he and his wife would spend their vacations sailing the Gulf Islands and Desolation Sound, in Canada. In 1992 he retired from Aerospace and began his 'third' life. After high school he never left the Pacific Northwest and still resides there with his wife.
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