After dad died, I looked at all the photos on his phone through the verizon website. I was transfixed by this, spending hours just sitting and scrolling through the camera roll. It was so powerful to me, to see the world as my dad saw it. I could see where he saw beauty, where he saw love, and where he was proud.
My dad had a lot of adversity in his life. He grew up poor on a farm, with parents who eventually lost their family farm. He weathered the farm crisis of the 80's and really the continuing farm crisis in present day. I know he worked hard to support our family and to try and leave a legacy for future generations. I know this was important to him as he aged. There were years when I saw him age before my eyes, stressed by losing a lot of money and fear of losing everything. I felt the financial pinch growing up, still embarrassed by the time I tried to pay for my free school lunches with my own money and ashamed of the time I wrecked my car by being an irresponsible teenager.
When we were in dark times as a family after my mom's accident, my dad tried to reassure me that everything would be fine because we had each other. He told me everything he needed was us four kids and our families. So yes, his farm and his legacy are important but he has already given the greatest gift to us by being a good father and grandpa. Dad was a constant in my life, driving us to school every single day no matter (even in a tractor when the truck didn't start) and always being a phone call away. He would always pick up and be ready to listen. He was always optimistic and I really think he was thankful for every day. One of my favorite memories is him driving his beat-up Mazda pickup truck and him singing and honking his horn. I asked him why he was so happy and he said he didn't need a reason, it was just a great day.
Anyway, here are some my favorites I took from his camera roll.
I always wanted to take my camera out and take photos of dad during harvest time. How rare it is to have photos of us doing our daily work, a treasure if it is also something you love.
This photo makes me giggle because mom said dad was just so proud he actually hit something he tried to shoot at. Dad was not a hunter, but once as a kid he shot a coyote and I remember him being equally as proud.
I love all these of dad and his animals. He especially loved the baby pigs. He would get them when they were babies, feed them, raise them organically and then sell them when they were at market weight.
I like these photos because you can get a small glimpse into his operation. It was not a confinement, the pigs had plenty of room to run around and fresh air. They also had bedding of corn stalks from bales dad made, which is different in a confinement where they are on a solid surface slats their whole life. FYI, I am not for or against hog confinements just pointing out the differences.
I love this photo because it is the only concert dad ever came to in my career. It was a big deal and I got the chance to thank him and mom publically in from of the whole crowd. I know he was so proud of me and I'm glad he got the chance to see me in action.
The following ones are of things I saw he saved that had to do with band. The article below is especially foretelling because he was amazed that the school district did this for the band program and now we get $10,000 of PPEL money each year to spend on instruments.
Finally, you can tell who dad loved by the photos on his phone.
Dad was always good for a nap with a baby.
He was perfecting the art of the selfie.
Love this.
Last summer we watched the budweiser horses get hitched up and I just knew dad would have loved it. Case in point.
Dad's "round table" at the cafe where he had breakfast every day.
Love.
Finally, I will end with my favorite photo. It is so silly! :)
I love looking at these photos and I'm happy you let me share them with you. Keep taking photos of the memories...they matter. It is not the big moments, it is the little ones. We only get one life and need to love the ones in it.
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