Kevin stopped by last week with his friends on their way down to a Florida Keys fishing trip. We had a very nice pre-Father’s day dinner. Then, because he had expressed a little interest in birding, I gave him a copy of The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Who knew that he would start birding so soon!

Kevin and his girlfriend Stehanie were there, and so were my parents, so I was able to spend a little time with my father as well.

Being a father to my four children has been the best and most important part of my life! It still is. They are all grown adults, but they will always be my very heart and soul!

And as I grow older, my feelings for my father seem to get warmer and warmer. I’m glad of that.  The complicated father-son thing has settled into complete acceptance.  I can now see beyond the imperfections, beyond my own personal issues that have clouded certain relationships in my life.  I can better appreciate his struggles, and his contributions to all that I am.  Gracias, Pa!

This is my offering for Sunday Scenery, a cool meme created by my friend, Lee, at Tarheel Ramblings. Check him out. Today he put up an absolutely awesome photo of the Blue Ridge in Boone, NC, in the northwest corner of the state. So I chose a pic I took at the other end of the state, at the Outer Banks around Kitty Hawk.

BTW, as an aside, I had gotten up very early on the morning I took this picture so I could watch the sunrise. I was on a college hunting trip with my son, Kevin, and a few of his friends, and we had stayed up very late the night before. The Best Part was the surprise of finding my son already outside, doing the same thing, waiting to enjoy the sunrise. The “nut” doesn’t fall too far from the tree!