Sunday, June 21, 2026

Dad at 50

We were dressed for church in the fall of 1962, shortly after we moved from Montreal to the western fringes of the Toronto region. I had recently turned 15 in September, and dad was either 50 or a just a few weeks from it. During that summer, I'd had much of my growth spurt and was considerably taller than my diminutive, 5'4" father. I was probably inching close to 6' tall by then and on my way to being almost 6'2".The height difference doesn't show entirely in the photo because I am standing farther from the camera.


We lived in a cottage on the nursery on which Dad worked. Directly across  from our front door lay his greenhouse, actually two and for awhile three greenhouses. There were also two larger greenhouses in another spot on the property, and dad was in charge of them all. He worked hard to keep all his flowers ship-shape.

The view from our front door. Although I left for university in 1967, Dad kept on working there for about another 10 years.


Apparently, he was giving Sue and me a bit of a tour that day. He liked Sue quite a lot, I think.


It was nice to see the old guy in his middle-aged days in the first photo because I tend to picture him more readily in his more elder years, which is where I am at now. However, it is nice to be reminded of any age now that he’s been gone for 27 years.

=======================

Then, after preparing the above, I had the notion to insert me at Dad's ago as he was in 1962. The only photo already on the computer that would more or less work was one of me at 59 compared to his 50. The the ages and appearance were close enough to make it work somewhat, I think, and so I composited as best I  could. The new composite pushed me farther forward that I was in the original photo, so I had to make myself larger because I was much taller than dad.

It was fun to try, and I think it was worth the effort. I know that lighting doesn't match up, but you work with what you have.




27 comments:

  1. Just look at you guys with hands in pockets! Happy Father's Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting that you should note that. I must blog about the issue.

      Delete
  2. Beautiful portraits! Happy Father's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very nice. Where did your height come from? Height comes from my side of our family.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy solstice and father's day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Were you an only child?
    You did well with the composition.
    Enjoy your Father's Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I was. Thanks for the compliment and the good wish.

      Delete
  6. I can picture my mom in her younger days, but the picture that comes readily to mind features snow white hair.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's very nice of you to visit. I don't think it is easy for you.

      Delete
  7. Happy Father's Day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The composite is really, really fun! I don't think I could pull that off with pix of mom and me or grandma. Maybe. It'd be more like a triyptic (sp). You're so clever1

    ReplyDelete
  9. I wouldn't know the photo is a composite.

    ReplyDelete
  10. That's a great composite; I can't tell! Where did your height come from? That's quite a difference. Was your mom tall?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Interesting set of photos

    ReplyDelete
  12. These are all wonderful photo. Have a nice day.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love the pictures. Happy Father's Day.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It's always interesting to think about our parents as if they were contemporaries. Would we have been friends?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow! You were still super dark haired at 59!!!! No grey at all it seems from that photo. I was considerably grey at 59.

    PipeTobacco

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daughter in her 50s also has the slow-to-go-grey gene. Thankfully, not the bald gene.

      Delete
  16. I love your tie clip and Dad's vest. What an interesting life living with flowers. Seems like you're cheating time in a good way to put your middle aged pic next to your Dad's middle age pic. Frizzed my brain a bit. Happy Daddy Day no matter how young you are. Linda in Kansas

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love the pictures. Happy Father's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your composite bridges decades in a way photographs rarely can, allowing father and son to stand together not only across space, but across time, each at roughly the same stage of life.

    ReplyDelete
  19. What an interesting idea. You only look like him around the eyes, I think. I would have liked your Dad. Any man who grew flowers like that must have been a good soul. Wishing you a late Happy Father's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  20. That is SO Cool! I love it. I see how you look like him.
    Happy Father's Day.

    ReplyDelete