My sister, Lynn, had a perfume bottle collection and sometimes my grandma added to it when she came to visit. They went downstairs, through the long, beaded curtain doorway (after all, it was the 70's) to my sister’s bedroom in the back corner of the basement and sat on Lynn’s single bed and held the bottles and talked about them. Lynn kept her bottles in a special little cupboard. I determined collections were important.
Mr. Kinsfather, my fifth and sixth grade school teacher, was a coin collector. He played ball with us every recess except during after-school recess. Then he jogged-fast walked home and got in his gold car and drove to his shop where he collected and traded coins. He told us coin-collecting stories during school. I determined collectors were important.
Watching Lynn and Mr. Kinsfather, I wanted to be a collector. I wanted to be interesting and to have something exciting to be on the look-out for; but it’s not easy for a tosser to be a collector. My mind and my hands fought about what to toss and what to keep. I tried stamps. No good. I tried bottles. Took too much space. I tried ornaments. Couldn’t keep the tradition alive. I tried baskets. Too bulky and too attractive to spiders. I thought about thimbles, spoon rests or salt and pepper shakers. Too cluttery. I finally embraced my tossingness and collected nothing.
Saturday Calvin and I were working in the yard; he was mowing and I was dragging branches to the burn pile. He finished the front and side lawns and was headed to the back yard, orchard and garden (we have one of those mowers that will eat anything). I hurried ahead of him to collect marigold and zinnia seeds for next year’s garden. Happy day, as I gathered the seeds and dropped them in the baggies I realized I am a collector. Why, I also collect
words
pictures
memories
ideas
smiles
recipes
and . . . dust.
words
pictures
memories
ideas
smiles
recipes
and . . . dust.
How about you? What do you collect?
14 comments:
I collect nativity scenes, craft stuff, material, and well, I am not a "tosser" let's put it that way. :)
I am a tosser! Ergo no collections to brag about. I like your list,,,memories, words, pictures, flowers and plants, nothing to hang on the wall or put on the shelf. We went to Mexico with Doug and Connie and bought a few elephants. I threatened my kids with their life if the bought me elephants be cause they thought I collected them. A few couldn't resist. But I nipped it in the bud.
My dad got me started on a coin collection when I was a kid. Darned if I can't find it now.
I hear you roar! And I love your collection list...and love the epiphany as you gathered flower seeds. My top collectibles would have to be books & dust & recipes.
I haven't collected things for years. But, as a child I was WAY into stickers remember those cool oily ones you could push? I would have to say now it's more memories and photos for me as well.
I collect Kathleen Norris books (1920's romances), polish pottery, blue transferware dishes, flea market finds and furniture to paint. Wow, sounds like a lot but I also consider myself a tosser. Maybe I'm really not! I loved to hear of your "collections". I think you also collect friends who love you!
I haven't quite caught on to your system but I love the memories and blessings posts. Do you have a day a week dedicated to certain topics?
I find myself collecting less because I don't want to have to keep it forever... dumb, I know. But we have so much stuff and I am obsessive and now I see that when you outgrow that phase they go in a box because I know longer want precious moments spice jars displayed in my house (just one example).
For now I am dedicated to pictures and journaling.
no... I hate it when my brain and hands don't work together.
I collect LOTS of dust, and also dolls from foreign countries. Photos are a big obsession- but it is so hard to throw them away!
Oh, and pictures of the Savior by different artists.
i collect inspiration.
I collect recipes, cookbooks, food magazines, and the like. I also collect dust. Thankfully, the collection of recipes, cookbooks, food magazines, and the like offers much "flat space" for the dust collection. It's a win-win!
I love that you collect flower seeds! I adore zinnias.
I have collected many things over the years. Right now I'm dedicated to my recipe, cookbook, book, word, photo, memory, and inspiration collections. And I'm trying to become more of a tosser.
I love your memories posts.
I collect old post cards. They are so neat looking!
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