Happy Birthday Pop 7/31/12

Pop and my kids (early 2009)

Bridge over Hudson River

July 31st-  Today is my dad's birthday and I have spent a lot of time thinking about him today.  He would be 67 today. I attribute my love for the outdoors largely to him.  A lot of people do not know that my father, the computer programmer, graduated with a Biology degree from Mercer and a Masters degree in vertebrate zoology from Auburn (War Eagle).  He had a love for everything outdoors.  From the beach to the mountains and from plants to animals, he was always pointing something out or identifying something for us boys.
As I walk through the woods early in the morning and listen to the birds sing, I hear my father whistling at me as if he was saying "hello".
I know that dad wanted to spend more time with his grandkids, he wanted to take simple walks with them and get to know them.  He wanted to watch them grow, see them graduate, and be there for their weddings.  He wanted to make sure that they knew him and wouldn't forget them. 

He left me with a great love for the outdoors that I can enjoy and pass along to my children.  I will always do everything I can to remind them of my father and teach them about the outdoors as he did for me.