My grandfather came to the United States from Naples Italy to join his father who had come here years before. He was a simple hard-working man who loved his family and he loved his roses. My grandfather was a barber for 50+ years. He owned two pieces of property on the same lot in Lockport, New York. The front home in which he lived had a storefront in which he operated his barbershop. His name was Leo and of course his business was Leo's Barbershop.
Growing up, I always saw all the beautiful roses out in front of our house. People would stop and pick them. Sometimes they'd be nice and ask permission other times not so much. I remember as a kid asking him " How did we get so many roses in front of the house?"
He proceeded to tell me a story about when he bought the house. He did not like the way the front looked. He wasn't sure what to do so he brought one single rosebush and planted it in front of the barbershop. Well over the years, he continued to buy rosebushes and over those 50 years of business we had over 10,000 roses in the front and side of our house. Those roses were like his children.
They were all American beauties every spring. He'd be out there,going through them, getting rid of the morning glories that we're looking to choke the life out of them. If I had a dime for every time I got pricked from a thorn from one of those roses, I'd be a millionaire right now. Thise roses were an integral part of my life growing up. Every single photo opp happened in front of those roses from the time, my mom was a kid up until my children were growing up.
When I think about it now, I think about how I must've gotten some of my creativity from my grandfather. He looked at that old boring front of the house and he could envision it becoming truly a thing of beauty. I miss him, but I'm grateful for the memories, the photo opportunities, and my love for roses, which will never go away. Love you, Papa.
