Father's Day thoughts...

This is one of my favorite pictures with my father.   I adore this picture because it makes me feel like daddy's best girl.  I didn't grow up with my father and therefore our relationship probably couldn't be described as typical but there's something very special that comes to mind today.  I've always loved writing letters and sending things through the mail.  As a child, I would wait with bated breath for a response to anything I sent and always preferred receiving mail over phone calls.  I would sometimes include a piece of paper, stamp and envelope with my letter to ensure there would be no problems with writing me back.  I felt that this was the thoughtful thing to do and also properly conveyed my expectation.  I remember writing to my dad starting as early as 2nd or 3rd grade.  He would always write me back; my letter would be included with corrections and then his response would follow.  I would read through my letter carefully noting the mistakes and what I should do to fix them.  Then I would read his response and save it in a special place.  With every letter I sent, I would try to check my spelling using the dictionary or my mom for help.  I would write the letter once on a scrap piece of paper and then I would re-write it on my pretty paper.  Each letter that I sent came back with less corrections which made me feel proud. 

That exchange between my dad and I led to several consistent things in my life.  I still send cards and write letters to various people because I feel that it shows time and effort.  For the last 30+ years, I've saved every personal letter, note and card ever received.  I always read every line of everything I write at least twice before I send it and occasionally, I include at least a stamp in the envelope.  I am also confident that this love of writing things down (that my dad nourished throughout my life) encouraged me to write this blog. 

Even now, my dad continues to send me cards for special occasions such as my birthday and Christmas.  Unlike his procrastinating daughter, they always arrive early or right on time.  My favorite part of every card is the last little bit where he writes Love, "Dad".  He always puts quotation marks around the dad and I always feel like I can hear his voice when I read those words.  That last little bit has been important because I know I can depend on it being there just for me.

Since this blog is about what happens in the garden, I would be remiss if I didn't mention another special moment shared between my dad and I. 

Earlier this year I was invited by the special lady in my dad's life to come up for a visit.  While there, we planted some flowers around the mailbox and a few at the entry to their home.  My dad came out to help us, as we were struggling a bit with removal of the grass around the mailbox.  For the first time EVER, my dad and I did a little yard work together and during that time, we had the BEST conversation.  He was impressed with my handling of the tools (something I learned from my husband) and how diligently I worked on the task at hand.  He even took one of my suggestions on maintenance for his lawn!  Inside, my heart was dancing because I appreciated this confirmation from my father. 

As technology has progressed, my father and I now exchange an email here and there. The other day, I sent him a quick note about a recent experience to which he replied "You make your dad proud". That is all he said and it was all that was needed to send me straight to the moon and back. Once again, I felt like my daddy's best girl.