Issue 1. Volume 1
Joe R was a son, a brother, father, grandfather, and great grandfather… that’s how I started my father’s obituary at his funeral service, nearly four years ago. I spent the entire night before, sick to my stomach. “What am I supposed to say? How do I honor a man whose presence loomed large, over me my entire life? How do I say the right things, about a man who would constantly remind me that I could always do better? I’ll do the best I can” I told myself. That’s exactly what I did. Joe R. born in the mid 20th century. He was an average size man. By average, I mean 5’9-5’10, though he often claimed to be taller. It didn’t make a difference to me. I spent my entire life looking up to him. In both a physical and an almost mythical sense. His slight exaggerations would become a hallmark of who he, and he was well a aware of it too. It was a near impossible task being his son when he was alive. I can’t say that much has changed since his death. The Old Testament says, “The sins of the fathers are visited upon the son” That is not entirely true in my case. Keeping my father’s memory alive in a way that his story can inspire the generations that have and will come after him. That’s the real struggle. Sometimes it’s a burden. A burden that I am prepared to shoulder for who man I will spend the rest of my life being proud to have had as my dad. This blog is a way for me to honor him, to thank him, and to tell his story in way that would have made him proud. My is hope to bring his love and passion for landscape design and installation to the reader, in a way that paints a picture of a man full of imperfections. Who strived to make his life’s work, as perfect as he possibly could. An artist, and expert in is field is who he was. That’s how I want his grandchildren to remember him. In his honor, I will incorporate some seasonal home and garden tips for you DIYer’s in every blog post that I write about him. The title of this blog is a cleaned-up version of how he told me he wasn’t pleased with my way of doing things. In future posts, I will highlight the many times, HE referred to himself as an artist and an expert in his field. He mostly definitively was those things. You will also get a glimpse of how I spent my entire life, running from away that type of work. I hope you enjoy reading the stories about Joe R, and much as I enjoyed living through it. Kind Regards, A. Roy.
Gardening Tips
Courtesy of The San Antonio Botanical Garden.
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SPRING
Begin to fertilize your roses with granular fertilizer (once a month) or liquid fertilizer
(twice a month) to promote healthy and strong plants and to ensure continued flowers.
Mid-April is a great time to plant your summer annuals
including angelonia, pentas, salvias, vinca, and purslane or portulaca for sunny spots.
Weed, weed, weed! The more o you stay on top of it now, the easier it will be next
month.
Begin to mulch your beds with at least 2-3 inches of
mulch to help retain the moisture through the heat of the summer.
As you begin mowing and edging your lawns, remember to avoid string
trimmers right at the trunk of the tree or you will cause damage (girdling) to the tree that can weaken it.
Deadhead flowers to
o promote repeat blooms on things like roses, daylilies and salvias.
“ NO, Not like THAT!”-Joe R. 