Sunday 4 September 2016

Dad at Work and at Play




The Sepia Saturday theme for this month is Work and Play.  Yesterday September 4 was Father's Day here in Australia, so it seems appropriate to post a brief photographic addition to the birthday tribute that I recently wrote for my Dad which you can read here.

Work takes many forms, and here is Ian Cruickshank, plant pathologist, busy doing an experiment at the lab. There's a window behind the glasshouse, but I'm sure that unlike the little girl in our prompt photograph, Dad would have been highly engrossed in what he was doing and not wishing that he could be outside or heading for home, although perhaps my mother Jean might have been wishing that he was.




Mum and Dad had three children and when he wasn't away at the lab, Dad made time to help at home.  Amongst other things, he was pretty good at ironing and even enjoyed it, I believe! This photograph of him relaxing with his first child dates from the same time period, before we moved from Christchurch New Zealand to Canberra, capital city of Australia in 1956. 




Twins would have been hard work, but no, this is Dad nursing his daughter on his left and his niece on his right, who is a few weeks older.


A generation later and as a granddad Ian certainly enjoyed playing with his grandchildren, just as we currently do with this baby's baby.

                           Fathers Day is for grandfathers too. A photo taken yesterday in the park.

For more Sepian blogs on the topic of Work and Play, click here for Sepia Saturday #343

10 comments:

Kristin said...

Very nice collection of men and children, with a good work photo to start it all off.

Mike Brubaker said...

I've always thought of a photograph as a kind of window in time. Some people are lucky to have so many.

ScotSue said...

Lovely Photographic memories of your Dad at work and at leisure with his family.

La Nightingail said...

When you love the work you do, it isn't work. It's play! :)

Jofeath said...

Yes, Dad certainly loved his work, even though getting results from his experiments was a slow and painstaking process.

diane b said...

Lovely tribute

Boobook said...

Your dad has a lovely smile. I like the way you've covered three generations.

Helen Killeen Bauch McHargue said...

I love photos of fathers and babies! Your father must have enjoyed experiencing both the two contrasting worlds of science and family life.

Little Nell said...

A very nice tribute to a hardworking father - both at home and in the lab - who also knew how to enjoy his family time.

Barbara Rogers said...

Oh boy, you dad liked to iron! My mom would have loved to have him around! Me too. Thanks for an glimpse into his life, and all those babies. They do make us all smile, don't they?