Our 2016 year started off a little rocky with my daddy being hospitalized with his copd causing dangerous issues.  I am grateful for God giving him his strength and strong will which resulted in him being able to return home.  In my quiet time, I have more often been thanking God for the parents and family he gave me.  I decided to list some of my favorite memories growing up with my daddy.

Fishing on many stream banks for trout.

Holding his hand at many Canton Labor Day parades.

Canton Labor Day rides.

Going with him to garages while he was restoring an old Jaguar convertible.

His homemade peanut brittle.

His homemade oyster stew.

He got me started eating raw oysters and loving them.

He found several pearls from oysters and kept them in a kitchen cabinet.  One time he let me hold one.  I dropped it and it was never found.  I felt so bad about that.

Him taking me to the swimming pool at Enka Lake.

Listening to his records by Merle Haggard and Hank Williams, Sr.

Taking me to civic center to see Boots Randolph and Stella Parton.

Watching for him to walk home from work at noon to eat lunch.

Drinking a whole pot of coffee from percolator pot.

Driving all the way to Tucamcari, New Mexico before stopping to sleep on our trip to California.

He bought me a cowboy hat when we were in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I was so proud of it.

On our long trips he made me in charge of reading the map.

On one of our beach trips, he jumped waves with me so long that I dreamed I was jumping waves that night.

Teaching me to shoot his guns by shooting at bottles.

Teaching me archery with target attached to straw bales.

Receiving my own bow and arrows as an Easter present. ( I still have this)

Walking many golf courses with him and  Uncle Harold.

Him going out to find yellow root and returning to make tea from it.

He always had a camera in a brown case that he took with us on vacations.

Riding with him on his motorcycle on the parkway.

I will never forget his cute saying when Charlie’s Angels was popular.  He said Kate Jackson is the type of girl you take home to meet your mama.  Jaclyn Smith is the type you take home to meet your daddy.  Farrah Fawcett is the type you take home when no one is home.

So many fun and happy memories to thank my daddy for!