Reflecting and Remembering

Hello Friends. I hope you won't mind me sharing some special memories today. Today marks the 10th anniversary of my Daddy's departure from this earth to his heavenly home.  I couldn't let the day go by without sharing some special pictures and thoughts about such a great man.

I know I've shared this picture many times before, but I love it because it is just so typical of my Daddy's spirit.  This was just after winning at horseshoes, which he loved to play whenever the family got together. All the guys would gather in the back yard and throw the horseshoes back and forth, and Daddy was often the champion.  In my eyes, he was always the champion.

One Thanksgiving day, after eating a very large dinner, my sister Doris, Daddy, and I took a nice after dinner walk.   (This was also a family tradition, to take a walk after a big dinner).

There we are, holding hands with Daddy, enjoying a leisurely stroll, 

when someone snuck up behind us and said "turn around",

and this is what we did:

As you can see, my sister Doris, Daddy, and I are like 3 peas in a pod. Kind of sassy too.

Now this picture needs no explanation...My Daddy giving me away. He looks a little nervous if you ask me. I was the "baby"...the last to leave the nest...either he was sad or relieved...not sure which, but I know he was proud to walk me down the aisle, and I was also proud to be walking beside him to my new life...

Going back in history a bit farther...Here is the family...

My brother Russell,(now in heaven too), Clifford, Doris, and me, the little redhead.

Daddy and Mama, so proud of their sweet little family. 

Now this is one of my most favorite pictures ever...Daddy and me on a Sunday afternoon, taking a nap in the living room chair. I must have liked those little plaid overalls, as I am wearing them in both of these pictures.  I used to really like that finger too.

And here we are many years later,

Easter 2005.

I am sharing this old picture of my Daddy's family when he was a child. They used to like to go camping and on hikes in the woods too. My Grandpa took the picture since he's not in it.

This is my Uncle Paul, My Daddy with his walking stick and ball cap, his little sister my Aunt Ruth, his mother (My Grandma Elva), and my Aunt Marion. You can tell my Daddy was always ready for an adventure.  I am pretty sure that is where I get it from.

So today I've been just reflecting on my Dad and his love for nature and adventure and all of God's good creation. I've been relaxing and watching our birds on Still Waters Pond, a place that I know he would have loved and he would want to be outside watching the birds with me.

This Great Crested Flycatcher flew in and landed first on the bird house to check it out. But I think he realized there was already a dispute over who would inhabit it between the bluebirds and the chickadees, so he flew over to the trees and then on to catch flies somewhere else.

The Bluebirds and Chickadees are still having a quarrel over who will inhabit this house. I guess I should get another birdhouse out there to solve this issue.

The chickadee is sitting in the tree while the bluebird is claiming the house.

Do you see them both?

There's the chickadee:

And the Bluebird. May the best bird win. I personally am rooting for the bluebirds.

We took our usual walk in the woods this morning and saw these interesting fungi growing on some old dead wood on the ground.  I thought of my Daddy because he loved stuff like that. He used to take the larger fungi that grew on the sides of trees and dried them and drew pictures on them. I wish I had a picture of the one he did of the farm. He saved it all his life, and I think my brother may have it now.

I am sure Daddy would also appreciate the beauty of this "pine tree flower" blooming.

And even though neither of us like the stinging nettle that is growing there too, it does make for an interesting photo.

I would like to share with you a link to a post that I originally wrote right after my father's death on April 19, 2011.  There is also, within that same post, a copy of a previous post written just ten days before my father's death. Both stories are true and as you read them you will see the beautiful way God used one of His very special "messengers" to bless me and comfort me during a time of great grief.

Please click HERE for "The Last Farewell and also "The Owls Who Came to Comfort Me"   Those of you who have been my blogging friends for all these years have probably already read these a couple of times as I've reposted them, but since to day marks the 10th anniversary of my father's passing, I thought it appropriate to share these stories once again.

Thank you for bearing with me while I have shared these reflections and memories today. I know my Daddy is enjoying all the glory of heaven today....there with my mother, my brother, my son, and all the rest of our ancestors who have gone on before us...but especially with Jesus. I look forward to joining them someday, but until then, I will keep his memory alive and remember the happy times.

Have a blessed day.