Ed's Watering Can

Historical Note: This is a memory written by my dad, Roger, about his dad, Ed. It is word for word as Roger told it. This is a family photo of Ed holding the watering can and leading his sheep.

I have a picture printed on my memory of Dad and his watering can. It's around 7;30 on a summer evening. In those days before daylight savings time the shadows are already lengthening but Dad has on his wide brimmed straw hat anyway. He never went out of the house in the summer without that hat. He said that it helped keep the mosquitoes away! He is carrying the old metal watering can--the only one I can remember during all of my growing up years. You can tell by the slant of his shoulders that the can is filled with water. He is on his way to the garden--the vegetable garden a few hundred yards from the house.

He has been up since 4:00 am and has spent the long day following the old team of horses at work in the field. The evening chores are finished now and "supper" is over. He has scanned the newspaper, read the "funnies" and listened to today's episode of "I Love a Mystery". Now he's on his way to the garden with something more to do. When he gets there he pours the water on some thirsty plants then kneels to put a few seeds in the ground or transplant some lettuce or pull some pesky weeds.

The daylight is almost gone as he heads back to the house. He holds the empty watering can in both hands behind his back. He's softly whistling some tune. You wouldn't recognize it anyway. He's quite tone deaf. But it's good to hear him whistle anyway. It means that, at least for this evening, everything is as it should be.

I used to wonder why Dad went out to work in the garden after a long day in the field. Wasn't he tired? My mother used to say that it was because he didn't know when to quit! But now that I've had a few gardens and carried my own watering can many times, I realize that it was just because it was pleasurable for him. Dad's life wasn't structured for much fun. He didn't have any vices (that I knew about). He didn't play golf or go on hunting or fishing trips. He never traveled. But there was a touch of joy after the responsibilities of the day in taking his watering can to the garden to nurture some little plants and watch them grow.