Monday, May 9, 2016

A Memorable Date for Me

You may have noticed that I did not post anything for Mother's Day.  My mother and I did not have a good relationship and some things are best left unsaid.  But Mother's Day often fell on another important day for me and that is today, May 9.

May 9 was the date of my father's birth.  Unfortunately, he only lived for 57 years, dying suddenly on Christmas Eve in 1980.  He was a loving and doting father and encouraged me in everything I ever wanted to do.

He was also a hunter of pheasant.  One year, after one of his hunting trips up north, he came home with two little evergreen trees.  He planted them in his small city lot.  Guess what?  Big spruce trees get too big for city lots.

My husband and I were living out here in the 'burbs in the mid-'70's with a lot that, while landscaped in front, still had lots of space in the back yard.  So, on a cold, rainy October morning, we drove to his home and dug up one of the trees to transplant.

Now, 40 years later, that tree still grows in my backyard.  This is my view from the living room doorwall:

Unfortunately, like many evergreens around here, it has needle-cast disease, for which there is no cure.  One day I, or a future owner, will lose the four spruce trees in the yard to this disease.

But in the meantime, I will think of my Dad every time I am out in the yard and look up at this majestic tree.  And wonder that it even survived our clumsy transplanting of it.

Thanks Dad.  How I wish you were here celebrating your 93rd birthday along with your family and three surviving siblings.  All my love, Dee (he never called me Denise).

17 comments:

  1. How sweet that you've been able to have that tree in your back yard all these years. When it's gone, you can maybe plant another one in honor of him?

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  2. What a wonderful memory. I still have my mother's African Violets and her orchid. They are special to me. And in my flower bed is the last Easter lily my husband bought his mom. I like that we can keep their memories alive through plants!

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    1. I also have a plant in the house from the funeral. I was due to deliver on December 27 and did not go to the funeral.

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  3. Such a beautiful tree, sorry about the disease in it though. What a lovely reminder of your dad snd the love you shared with each other.

    Betty

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  4. I'm sorry to hear you had a difficult relationship with your mom. I think you more than made up for it with your own children and I bet they called you. I'm glad you have such fond memories of your dad and that this tree is still looking strong despite the disease creeping in. It seems like he is always watching over you.

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    1. Watching over me. I never thought of it that way. thanks.

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    2. My boys came for dinner. And helped cut down some bushes for me. Great day!

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  5. I like this post a lot, Denise. My father died suddenly on the day after Easter in 1979. I was 20 and studying abroad.
    He also planted small spruce trees along the driveway of our home. Well, we moved out of the house in 1980, but I drove past it a year ago and those spruces! Giant!
    Thanks for sharing this.

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    1. It must be so hard to lose a parent when you are far away. The last time I saw my Dad before he died was on my son's birthday twelve days earlier. I cherish those pictures. Sorry for your loss.

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  6. How special to have those trees. My dad was only 66 years young when he died. I don't think we ever stop missing the ones we love.

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  7. How sad that the tree is diseased and nothing can be done. Wonderful way to remember your dad. My parents were living in Spain when my father died. I flew out there when I heard he was ill. It was whilst we were planning to emigrate which he had wholeheartedly endorsed. Just as well otherwise we would never have heard the end of it from my mother.

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    1. The en tire state is suffering with this disease. Many pines are already dead in my neighborhood.

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    2. What a tragedy. Reminds me of the Dutch Elm disease in the UK. Hundreds of trees had to be cut down to avoid it spreading. Not sure if any were saved.

      Funny when I read boring insects in your next response, I thought boring as in not very interesting LOL.

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    3. BTW, did you get an email from Blue Apron? Can't tell on my end.

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    4. Not yet. Figured it might take a while.

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  8. Transplanting those trees to your home was such a wonderful idea. As someone has commented earlier, its almost as if your father is watching over you! Maybe you can ask some expert for some pesticide for the plant disease...

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    1. There is a treatment that costs about $1000 per year, but it will not cure the problem, only delay it's death. It unfortunate that so many of our beautiful evergreens in Michigan will die unless someone figures out how to save them. We've already lost many of our pines and green ash trees to disease and boring insects.

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