Have you noticed how often things really look nice? Did you take time to fully appreciate whatever it was that caught your attention?

Many of us were very fortunate to grow up enveloped in the arms of a loving family. Unfortunately, not everyone has been so lucky, and those scars of the past may never go away. I was one of the fortunate ones.

Through my growing up years, one of the firmest foundation blocks supporting me was my father. We worked silently, side by side, while completing the many and varied tasks that needed to be done to keep the farm in shape. From planting crops, to cleaning barns, to completing all the other necessary field tasks, we just needed a few words to pass between us to know what needed to be accomplished and who would do it.

For most of my time on the farm, I drove a John Deere model GP tractor. Let’s just say it had been around for many years, but it was always there when field work needed to be completed. Dad drove a John Deere model A tractor. It was more powerful and faster than my GP, but I was fine with that. I enjoyed taking things at a slower pace.

Dad always got a big laugh from a certain moment. When working in the field, noontime would arrive and it was time to go home to refuel the tractors and ourselves. He would motion for me to start home before him, and I knew what was coming.

Remember I stated his tractor was faster than mine? Well, he would allow me to get about halfway home, and then he would take off and race past me to beat me home. He was always laughing as he passed me. Did I care? No, the moment was a really nice bonding moment and I smile now as I think of it.

Dad was steadfast. He worked hard for the family and experienced some very troubling moments with my mother and her disease. He provided me with many really nice memories, and here’s one.

I was the mower of the farmyard. When we got a riding lawn mower, the job became much easier. Our yard was pretty big and it would take at least two hours to complete the mowing of it. After I finished mowing, I would take the mower back to the garage, clean it and park it.

Then, Dad would appear, and we would stand in the garage door looking at the freshly mowed yard. He always said the same simple but powerful sentence: “It really looks nice, doesn’t it?”.My response was always:”Yes Dad, it really looks nice.” My time with him was really nice. Those moments were fleeting, and I’m glad they are still with me.

I never shared a glass of wine with him. But, something tells me that, if we had lifted a glass together, he would have held up the glass of wine and said: “It really looks nice, doesn’t it?” And I would have responded: “Yes Dad, it really looks nice.”

Thanks Dad for being with me then, now and forever.

As always, eat and drink in moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!