Ok Kirk, you've both made me smile and cry at the same time.
What beautiful memories you shared here, and the fact you saved these lovely old chairs makes them all the more special. I think some day, one of your sons will be sitting in THEIR back yard and the legacy will continue on.

Your father was quite the handsome man, I see where you got your looks! And the GJ interests too.

By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. May your wishes come true and your day be wonderful.

Karen

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRKUS, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU - HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!

Those chairs are excellent, you sure got the talent.

Bravo Kirk! You did an excellent job of restoring those chairs!! Your Dad would be proud of you, I'm sure. Not only are those chairs vibrating with special memories, but they appear to be extremely comfortable AND look very cool. Thanks for sharing! Kathy

Triple WOW!!! You are soo talented..I see where you get it from. Those chairs look wonderful and are soo special. Thanks for sharing the story and pictures with us. I know they will be treasured for a very long time.

Oh... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

You did a great job restoring the chairs. They will furnish you with years of fond memories of your dad. The color is so striking that it will make a bold statement any place you choose to use them. Congratulations on a job well done.

Oh kirk what a great job of redoing those chairs! It is always such a joy to save a peice of our history, One day your sons will probably try to save them to. I know your father is looking down bursting with pride. Happy birthday.

Way to go,Kirk! They look fantastic,you certainly did a great job restoring them,and how cool is that to have a photo of them from back in the day??

I really like your chairs. I have some but they are not antiques like yours are but I love that style. You did a wonderful job restoring them and I am sure they will be a great place to sit and relax for years to come!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!

Kirk,

Happy Birthday Man! Pat yourself on your back-you did a fantastic job and labor of love on those Adirondack chairs! Isn't it just crazy the projects we plow into not realizing how much work they are? BUT, we do it because of the fondness of remembering those who gave us such a vibrant life! I have "junk" in my garden that were things of my Grandma's and Grandpa's--an old ice cooler, loppers that my Grandpa made with metal pipes, old dictaphone parts, plumbing parts, etc....

May you day be filled with family and friends and lots of good times!

Jules

Hi Kirk
I don't usually post here very often, but I want to say you did a beautiful job restoring those chairs. Having lost my own dad just 3 months ago today, I know that feeling of both missing and having great memories. I'm sure you have made your dad proud.
Alberta

I love your chairs and the fact that you rescued them from the trash pile. Below is a photo of a bench from my uncles farm, he use to set cream cans on it. It is one of my favorite things in the garden.
{{gwi:140784}}

Wonderful chairs...and so good of your brother to let you take them and the "new" cushions. I especially like that the arms are extra wide...good for that picnic plate and drink.
Happy birthday to you, Kirk!

Albertar: Bless you! Thanks for posting!
Happy B-Day Kirk and those chairs are exactly the kind I want to find! They look totally comfy! Good job and Great Story!!

Thank you everyone for your good wishes and encouraging words about Dad's chairs. You made my day! I love my GardenWeb Junking friends!!!!! Breakdishes, I love your bench! Albetar, my heart goes out to you. Keep the memories alive... Again, thank you everyone!!!! Kirk

Kirkus,father's day is coming up.Take that story and your photos and send them to the local newspaper right now!
They are always in need of great human interest stories.

Happy Birthday, KIRK!!!!!
Your Dad would be proud of the job you did on the chairs.

Alberta, I know how you feel, too-sorry!-My DH died a month ago today.

Albert and Nonna, I'm sorry for your loss.

Kirk, those chairs look great! You did a wonderful job on them. Isn't it wonderful to have been blessed with a Dad so good that you have those kind of feelings about him? I was blessed with a very good father too. He's been gone 16 yrs now, but I keep a table he had in his workshop in memory of him.

Bless you All!

What wonderful work, all powered by love and memories!! Kirk, you have truly done your Dad proud by restoring his love-filled project. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!!

Pat

Wonderful chairs! Happy birthday !

Maria

Great job Kirk, and happy birthday. Definitely see where you got your talent.

great job Kirk. You have inherited more than the chairs, you have inherited his talent. Happy Birthday and Happy Fathers Day to you.

Great chairs, awesome job, Happy Birthday!!!!!!!

Kirk...this post really made me smile. Your Dad reminds me of my late FIL...the silver hair...the garden...the pride he shows, while standing in front of his garden. He is surely looking down on you and smiling and is ever so proud of you. You did yourself proud on the chairs--they are incredible. I have often wanted some of those chairs. Now I will probably HAVE to have some. One question? What is the vine above the chairs in the first picture? It is very cool.

Happy, Happy Birthday Kirk.

I just love stories like this...great memories and preserving past items by updating them. I think I get my love of things like this from my grandfather..he was the "junker" in our family. Your story reminded me of him and how much I miss him. I remember all our "projects" we use to work on when I was kid.
Thanks for sharing your touching story and for showing us your wonderful chairs..they turned out great. Have fun reminicing (not sure I spelt that right) in them.
- Jacque

The BIG vine above the chairs and picnic table are Concord Grapes dug up from starts of Mom's Mom, my Grandma. Makes the best jams! I want to thank everyone again for the encouraging words today and birthday wishes. I have read your posts over and over again. You made a 46 year old guy very happy! My Dad was a down to earth man; he would have loved you all! Kirk

Kirk, Happy Birthday to a very special person. Your talent and skills as well as your kind and caring personality are an uplift to many. You did a beautiful job in restoring your Dad's chairs. There is no doubt in my mind that you have made him proud to be your Dad. May you always enjoy working with your hands and enjoying nature as you do today. You are a very fortunate person in finding such pleasure in your family, teaching and creating. Thanks for sharing and take care of you.. Ellen

Thank you, Ellen! I've missed seeing your posts, have been hoping all is well for you! Thank you for the touching words! You made my day! SO GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU! Kirk

I love your chairs and the story especially. What a wonderful tribute to your father. My father passed in 1999 and I have his old gas can he used to put gas in his tractors at the farm. Any ideas what to do with something like that. I wish I could post a picture..it's about 20 inches diameter and about 18 inches tall. Anyway, your tribute got me to thinking about the gasoline can and hopefully something will inspire me to do something with it.
BTW Happy Birthday...a day late..sorry. My DH usually celebrates his birthday for several days :-)

Once again, I am lurking more than posting. But this story is just so sweet. My dad died in 1992 and I have this old gray wooden box that he used to haul his tools around in. He never got one of those shiny metal ones. It needs a little work now but it is special beyond words.

I imagine that this how you feel about those chairs. What a touching story and what great chairs!

Wow! So many people have stories of their Dad's (or other family member's) treasures. Isn't it great to have something they held in their hands (like tools and toolboxes) or something they worked with or created by their hands? Brings such a connection to our loved ones and keeps fond memories alive. Dad passed away in 1992 as well but just this post alone and those chairs have brought him back to me! Thanks everyone! Kirk

Those are great and i'm sure there are many memories to go with them.Wish i had a big country porch and those chairs to go on it.LOL
You did a wonderful restoration job.
Kathi

Happy Belated Birthday Kirk. My Dh and I were on vacation in Branson, Missouri and I'm looking at all the posts while I've been away. I love the story about your dad. I can see where you got your talent from also. I love the chairs and they're even more special because of the memories. I lost my dad 26 years ago, he was only 50 years old and the only thing I have that he built is a huge toybox that he built for my oldest son. Its too big for anyone to keep in their house but I can't part with it. Not quite sure what I can use it for except storage in the barn.
Hope you had a great birthday.
Janet

I love your toybox story, Janet! Thanks for the birthday wishes!!! Okay, the next time you go to Branson, take me! I've always wanted to go there!!!! :o) Kirk

These chairs are so special. (sniff, sniff...tears rolling). What a wonderful tribute.

Don't know how I missed this post the first time it went out, I look at so many and I thought I had replied about your chairs, sorry Kirk! Any-hoo, your story and pics were so touching and how cool that you had a pic from "back in the day" of your dad with his treasures and a pic of the chairs, too. You actually made them look like they were brand new. You done an awesome job, I know they mean so much to you. After lurking here for a few weeks before posting, ya kinda get a sense of how people think and feel. You have always come across as a genuine sweetie and I know others feel the same. What a great tribute for your dad at this time! love them, keep up the good work, because we will all be watching to see whats next!! blessings-sherri

Wonderful story! Happy Birthday (just late, but sincere!)
Your a inspiration!

Kirk,
Lost my Mom about the time your Dad was first making those chairs, so I know how apecial it is to bring them back.

Same goes with those cushions. I see a problem, in the not too distant future though. Hard to believe, but the 80's were a couple of decades ago, so those cushions are already losing their new material quality. you might consider recovering them in plastic, to protect them for decades to come. I'd tell you how, except only Mom and Gram (her Mom) knew how, and, at the time, them working on the slipcovers meant nothing to me, until I had my own house, and wished I could cover the sofas through the years.

My Mom made me a much-to-big sweater, just before she died. Fits now, but I just look at it occasionally, since the yarn is drying up from age. Those cushions are some of the last things your parents chose -- let them go on to your kids, in a few more decades.

What a wonderful story/project. The chairs are wonderful! You did a great job!

Oh, Kirk. I have been spending so much time in the mosaic forum that I didn't see this post. I love that you had the chance to save those chairs your dad made. What a wonderful thing to have for your yard. I know you must think of him often when you see and enjoy them. I miss my dad so much, and sometimes I just run my hands over something he made and had his hands on so I can feel him close. Enjoy sitting in those chairs. I know he's smiling down on you as you do.

Dear Kirk,

Well done. As happened to so many others, I found tears welling up in my eyes as I read your story. I also found myself thinking of my own Dad. I suspect we share the good fortune of having had wonderful fathers.

I can only imagine what joy you feel now that the chairs are restored to their original glory. I guess I believe that objects gradually pick up energy as they're being used from those using them. (At least that's one of my explanations about why I like old favorites.) Your chairs must be filled with both memories and energy.

I also wish you had the before and after pictures so we could appreciate even more what you accomplished. What wood were the chairs made of - they did well to be in a condition that restoration was even a possibility after so long.

Thanks for telling your story,

Jake

Here is a link that might be useful: Adirondack Chairs Central