Farming was Daddy's daily love!  He planted corn, wheat, soybeans, sugar cane each year.  He made sorghum molasses, corn meal, apple butter, Brunswick stew and had so much fun teaching us how to do the same thing.

I hope to carry on all the things that Daddy did to teach our young people the same old-fashioned values that he instilled in us.

Making molasses!  We used to take cane back to North Carolina every Fall to make molasses.  Until one day - Daddy found a mill and bought it and built his own molasses shed and set everything up to make his own!  How much fun!

Daddy loved to share his farm with so many.  Zach Saunders has been such a special part of our family since he was born.  And being able to sit on the bank of the pond and fish and feel the breeze coming across the water as he reeled in lots of fish.  The smile on his face - was worth more than all the gold in the world.

One special skill that my Dad has was COOKING!  And did he teach me a thing or two.  I think I love cooking almost as much as he did.  And the richer and more old-fashioned the better.  He loved to make North Carolina Style Barb-B-Q and I hope to make it too one day just like he did.

He almost lived to eat!  We had more talks and happy times around a dinner table than anywhere.  I don't think there was any kind of food in the world that Daddy didn't try once and loved everything!

And our little Brady is a farmer throughout!  He can't wait to plant corn this spring.  And I hope we can make Daddy proud!

Daddy loved to restore old tractors.  He was so proud of his Farmall's and how much his grandchildren treasured moments on the tractor with Papa.

Daddy thoroughly enjoyed teaching Dean and Curtis all there was to learn about EVERYTHING!  Honestly - I can't think of many things that Daddy didn't know how to do - Both son and son-in-law can both say that their knowledge gained from spending so much time with Daddy is so valuable and special.

 

  

 

 
 

 
I think the saddest thing that he experienced during his last few months is that he couldn't eat without everything making him sick.  It hurt me so much - because I knew how much he loved good cooking.  I will always treasure the days in the hospital where he would lay and plan what he wanted us to go out and get him for dinner.

He loved strawberries dearly!  He asked me one day to run out and get him a Belgium Waffle smothered with strawberries and whipped cream.  So, off to IHOP I went.  When I returned ... he ate the entire thing.  3 weeks before he died - the last complete meal he ate.  And he wiped his plate clean.  When we took my aunt Evon home after the funeral - we went to IHOP for breakfast - I thought I would die that day.  I could almost see Daddy eating his Belgium Waffle - and how happy he was.  I am sure that he is having a feast in Heaven right now!

And I can't wait until the day when I can sit down at that table with him and hold his hand while we pray and thank God for all He has given us.

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