Yesterday I spoke to the health of my spirit. Something today sparked memories of Dad and his spirit. He had a drive that was amazing. Dad helped Orlin and I have a start in farming at a time when we were working as hired farm hands for Orlin’s sister in the North Redwood area. Dad took Orlin under his wing and before long Orlin was milking cows all the while Dad and Orlin worked on bringing the dairy barn up to speed with concrete and lumber. A decade or so later, Dad was helping Orlin put in pits and slates for raising finishing hogs. Driving an hour or better one way didn’t slow Dad down. He was energetic and enthused to help.
A time later Dad was a help taking printing equipment apart and relocating it into the very barn where there had been pits and slats. Never backing away from something that Dad had no idea how the end project would operate or work. Dad did have a great ability of vision and logic. How I loved that man.
Shortly before his passing, Dad and Mom were in St. James with the tandem truck trimming evergreens that were sweeping the earth below them. The boughs were trimmed and taken away. The yard was able to dry out with the breezes and winds moving right on through. To this day when I hear the boughs whisper as the winds and breezes move through, I think of Dad. How could I not.
Soon I will be out in that very yard getting dirty and clearing the clutter the winter has left. Hard work outside is good for the soul and spirit. What else will be cleared of the excess winter clutter are some of the memories of then. I keep my self busy with winter fuzz and thread work. It allows the mind to ruminate. That is not a bad thing but the soul and spirit have room to make additional new memories as I plow through the spring yard work.