Sunday morning, June 15, 2008

Happy Father's Day to all those terrific fathers out there!

Each Father's Day, I pause and reflect on my own earthly Father. It has been many years since his passing, but I feel his spirit at times near me. June 10th was his birthday. He would have been 102 years old. Sometimes it seems as though it was yesterday, we were riding in the old truck. Traveling to visit his parents, or going to the store to pick up milk and bread at Lawson's on Whipple Road. He would always buy me a treat of some kind. Black licorice was my favorite.

One time I was sitting behind the steering wheel in the car waiting impatiently for Daddy to come out. (I was about seven years old.) I pulled on the gear shift behind the steering wheel and it slipped out of gear and headed backwards towards the street on a steep incline to the store. I started screaming for my Daddy and he came rushing out of the store, reached in and threw the gear shift back in place right before the car went into the busy road. I was crying so hard and was so scared. Both emotions filled me, and panic set in as I knew I was in deep trouble for what I did. But Daddy opened the door and I reached for him. He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly, comforting me and reassuring me I was safe.

I was blessed beyond measure as a child but I did not know it at the time. He bought me a horse. "Chico" was his name. I was around 11 years old. My Father sacrificed so much for me to have it. I don't know how he managed to buy the things he did for me and my horse on his wages as a die-setter at a factory and still pay the bills that came in.

He made a tie-stall behind the big tractor in the 3-car garage he and my Mother built. He bought hay, oats, straw for bedding, a curry comb,halter, lead rope, bridle, saddle and blanket, and so much more. He put up a two-strand barbed wire fence for a pasture for Chico to graze around in down below the house. He did so much for me. I was his "favorite" for some reason. Not sure why. We were very close. I went everywhere with him and did so much with him. He taught me a lot. I still miss him.

Yesterday morning I went out to the pond to feed the fish. One was floating on its side. I ran back to the porch and grabbed the fish net. I scooped it out and ran to the bucket of water near the garage we use for watering the dogs. I raced back to the porch and retrieved the aerator in the cabinet right inside the sliding glass door. I got a small rock to hold the hose down, and started the aeration for the floating fish. It was a pretty one. White with gold, yellow and black coloring on it and a large fan tail. I swished her (?) around gently and waited and watched. She was really stressed. Throughout the next hour or so, I kept checking on her. She was slowly coming around. After about two hours, she was upright and swimming a little. I put her in a bigger bucket with more water and let her alone but kept checking on her. After about another hour, she seemed okay. I put her back in the pond. She came to eat last night when I fed the fish and seemed okay. I turned the fountain back on.

If I don't turn the fountain on every evening, the oxygen level decreases dramatically in the pond during the nighttime during the warmer months. I knew this, but because of the bad storm that went through earlier in the evening, I forgot to turn it on! We do have another aerator down in the pond, but it is not efficient enough to handle the whole pond, so hence the fountain, which also has a filter attached to it. I lift the filter pan out every week and clean the filter pads with the hose and a bucket. I throw the yucky pond water in the garden or use it for some of my flower beds. It is a chore, but one that has to be done.

The many storms ravaging the county are just devestating. I am so thankful we have been spared this devestation. I count my blessings and thank my Heavenly Father for his protection.

Stay safe, be blessed, count your blessings, thanks and praise be to God for his many blessings He bestowes upon us daily.

Have a safe and wonderful week folks.
Until next time,
My best regards,
Becky :)