A look into a landscapers mind - Tribute to my Father

Good Hello everybody! today's post is going to be about my father, I know none of you know him, but I don't care! My father was an amazing man, I say "was" because back in march we lost him due to cancer. The one thing I remember in my 28 years of life, is the beautiful work he did on the yard I grew up on. Walter was a landscaper who spent an immense amount of time making the yard a real sight to see. Not only was landscaping his career in life, but it was his hobby as well. Nearing the end of his time, he spent the last few years working less, and working more on the yard at home. It was never work to him though, it was a hobby, it was what he liked to spend his days and evenings doing.

one of his favorite things to do was grow his Canna Lilies from the bulbs themselves. Every fall, after the 1st frost, he would dig out all the bulbs and put them in the basement to keep them dormant so he could plant them in the spring for the next summer! he cared for them so much, in bulb form and in full growth form. I should have asked him what he did to make them grow SO big in the short summers we have, but if I had to take a guess it would most likely be a lot of fertilizer!

whenever we had people over, or was just his own silly self, his dream was to be living on a tropical island, living for 5 dollars a day and eating steak and lobster, listening to 70's music and dancing around with girls in coconut bras. This was his dream, and it never changed until the day he died. The tropical esthetic was a staple in his life and he did everything he could to make the yard as tropical as possible with the giant palm trees, the canna lilies and the tiki hut umbrellas, and tiki torches all over the yard!

70's music was just as big of a passion as his yardwork was. He would send you songs through Facebook, text you song lyrics and never went a day without listening to his music. I grew up listening to all the classics such as; American Pie, Brand New Key, Candy Shop, Patches and much much more. In fact when he did pass away, I found on his Spotify profile that he had made a "baby's 1st 70's" playlist when I was pregnant, he got to meet Heidi, my daughter once, and I will never stop telling Heidi as she grows up how great of a man her Grandpa was. When he passed away I was thinking of new ink ideas in memory of him … I came up with a little ditty I made, realizing it was much to long to become a new tattoo. . so ill share it here with all of you!

"ooh child, things are gonna get easier. Just think of standing on a mountain, drinking sweet cherry wine with your girl Maybelline, wishin' n hopein' that your brown eyed girl will always lean on me either downtown or on the poor side of town & eating American pie singin "summer wine" on a bridge over troubled water. With your spirt in the sky, you'll be stayin alive in our hearts. The grass will never be greener on the other side, so build me up, buttercup & don't stop believing cause you've for that brand new key for your tropical paradise"

I miss him greatly, and I ill never stop thinking of him! since he's been gone, I have taken the time to mow my mothers lawn once a week and using his riding mower, and mowing his lawn, I feel honored. I like to think he is watching me when I am doing it and probably shaking his head cause I have a beer in my hand, but proud of me for not only helping out with my mom, but for wanting and loving to keep the yard looking just as beautiful as if he was here for 1 more year.

I hope you all enjoyed my photos, my story and his life as much as I do! this is something I now get to look back on for the rest of my life. If anyone knew my father, his yard was his baby, his yard was his passion, and his family was his life! I love you daddy! I know your on your tropical island now and you have everything you ever wanted!

..until we meet again.

XOXO, MM