Debra LaValley's Blog

Dad - Flyfishing on the Merrimack (Sewall's Falls)

Happy Father’s Day!

Today, we are having a party to celebrate my Dad’s birthday (6/15) and Father’s Day. We all will be gathering at the homestead for food and fun – things my family know a lot about. On this day celebrating my Dad – brings back the many memories I have doing fun things with my Dad. The things that I remember the most are the rock hunts he used to bring us on. His major in college was geology not teaching – though he ended up being a teacher because there were no jobs for geologists in New Hampshire. He would take us to Ruggle’s Mine or highway outcrops (for new highways that weren’t open yet) and we would search out amethyst, quartz crystals and other sparkly things. To this day, I pick up interesting rocks wherever I travel. You could say that my Dad put rocks in my head. 🙂 When we were young, my dad also had a telescope and showed me the heavens. Even today, we go out from time-to-time and he will point out constellations, etc. I chose this recent photo of my Dad flyfishing because out of all the things that I have done with my Dad – fishing stands out the most. When we were all little – he fashioned bamboo fishing rods for us to use and we would go to Broad Cove or Stumpfield Pond and fish from shore with my Mom and usually my Aunt Mary Jane – while he would be just off shore in a rowboat with my Uncle Bob Bailey. When I got older, I would go fishing with my Dad during the week and weekends – usually going to Hothole Pond and flyfishing from the canoe for trout. I haven’t fished in years. I became a vegetarian and felt it did not go well with vegetarianism. My brother Ken fishes with Dad every once in a while. They were fishing together the day I took this photo.

I could go on and on with memories of family camping trips in our 6 person tent at Shawtown and most every other campground in the state – but then this would become a novel. So , I will end with saying, “Thank You, Dad for all the great memories (may we have many more) and for being such a great Dad!” Love, Debbie 🙂