May 23, 2010

Flowers on Sunday & A Memory

It was a grey morning at the Farmers’ Market here in Baltimore, and with all of the rain we’ve been having, it looked as though I was getting the last of the peonies.5-23 001 The vendors either had tightly budded stems or ones that were all of they way open. 5-23 003I picked out several pale pink ones, and then bought the only fuchsia one in the bunch. They just smell so incredible and their scent really fills my small house. 

Today is the anniversary of my father’s death. I had just started writing Pigtown*Design a few months earlier and after he died, I came home and wrote a tribute to him. I am reprinting it today so that those of you who weren’t reading Pigtown*Design in May of 2007, will know what an amazing and interesting man he was.Geof 301 2

My father passed away this afternoon after a long and happy life. He was born in Nottingham England in 1924. He served in the British Navy during the war years and spent time in Africa, Asia and India. After the war ended, he emigrated to the US in 1947. He became a US citizen in 1953, but also retained his UK citizenship. He also married my mother that year.Geof 301Dad was a writer for the Baltimore Sun and he maintained ties to the paper for many years, writing articles and features for the paper. He then moved to become the director of public relations at the Walters Art Gallery where he initiated many art in public programs, including the Art Abroad trips to Europe. Finally, he was the special projects for the Baltimore County Library system. After his retirement, he wrote for many publications on a range of topics.Engagement 1953  3My father enjoyed many hobbies, especially reading, gardening and collecting. He was president of the Maryland Horticulture Society and the Baltimore Bibliophiles. He was very interested in history, cooking, travelling and classical music and opera. He loved to read and at one point had more than 4,000 books in his library. He read the Sun, New York Times and Washington Post every day.Geof SnowMy father, just days short of his 83rd birthday, will be missed by all who knew him, especially his three daughters and one son, his seven (soon to be nine) grandchildren and of course, my mother, his wife of 54 years.

Even as recently as a few weeks ago, people have told me how much they loved him and that they miss him. We all do, too.

Geoffrey William Fielding. Born: Nottingham, England, May 28, 1924. Died: Baltimore, Maryland, May 23, 2007. In between, a full life lived well.

15 comments:

  1. Meg, your father sounds like a wonderful man, I am sure you miss him terribly. Also, I can not believe you have been writing this blog since 2007, you show amazing dedication.

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  2. Meg, Such a beautiful tribute. I know he is proud of you.

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  3. Meg,

    Just a lovely tribute. I know you miss him still daily. I lost my Dad about a year & half ago and it's really, really hard. Every day I have something I want to ask him. I still do and most always know what his answer would be. Thinking of you on this day and week ahead.

    G

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  4. Meg, I never knew all of this about your father. What an interesting and intelligent man. I know your family must miss him terribly.

    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  5. Meg, I'm sure the anniversary of your father's passing must be very hard for you. But it is wonderful to see that you are also able to celebrate the wonderful full life that he had, and the special times you and your family shared with him.

    Kat

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  6. I am reminded again how many similarities we had with our dear daddy's. Mine would have turned 85 tomorrow. Those gentleman made their marks, and left big holes when they left us.

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  7. A lovely tribute to your father along with fun and happy pictures. And peonies to make the day a little brighter.

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  8. I read that when you first posted it and I enjoyed re-reading it. Your father must have been an interesting, wonderful man and this is a lovely tribute.

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  9. Just the inspiration need for a full and loving life. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  10. From one daddy's girl to another, I think there is something very special with fathers and daughters love each other as family and friends. Sorry for your loss. So happy you have such wonderful memories. The peonies always hold such remembrance.

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  11. What a lovely memorial to your dad, Meg, he was an incredible man. Of all the wonderful legacies he left, the best one was his children.

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  12. Meg - I think it is important to honor these days as well. I remember that post from three years ago and can't believe it's been that long. You're a chip off the old block.

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  13. Meg -

    What a lovely tribute. Thank you for re-running it as I did not enter the blog world until last year.

    Your father sounds like he was an amazing man - and that he shared his love of books, music and history with his daughter.

    Many he live on in your memory forever.

    Wendy

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  14. I remember when you lost your father and your tribute. My father had died a year earlier, and I was still deeply in mourning. I have so many of my mother's plants, including her peonies. I just bought some gorgeous hot pink peonies (tight bud) at Whole Foods and encouraged a young man to buy some for his girlfriend and a dinner he was fixing for her. We had a "peony lecture" right in the flower corner at Whole Foods.

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  15. Beautiful tribute, Meg.

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