Collections

Hello Hatters,

As a person who wears many hats, today I'm writing about collections... I have collected different things down through the years. It is telling how things change and as years pass and some of those collections become less important. Conversely, some things become more precious.

For instance, in my younger years, I was fond of raccoons. I collected a few stuffed ones and soon family and friends contributed others made from cloth, clay and glass. It was a phase. Raccoons are cute, but after an incident related to my attic and an invasive raccoon, I'm definitely over it. Expensive exterminators trapped the animal and took it to a more natural environment. (NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THIS EXPERIENCE!)

I have a small collection of old coins but I don't remember where I put them, and so there's that. I like old buttons, wooden thimbles and plates from vacation spots. One look at my kitchen and you'd see plates from US coast to coast and a few tropical destinations. Other plates spans a couple of generations and will be shared with future generations. They are treasures with attached memories.

My all time favorite collection is one of bells. I have bells from various places I have visited and bells I've found at various antique shops. The thing of interest here is not necessarily the look of the bell but the sound. Being a musical person, I really enjoy a bell with a nice ring to it. My whole family knows that my favorite bell is outwardly the ugliest bell that I own. Yet it is a treasure to my ears and a symbol that looks can be deceiving.

As you know, I always look for a deeper meaning to things I see and experience. My favorite bell reminds me that you should not judge a bell by its look just like you can't judge a book by its cover. I've always liked that saying because of the way it prompts me to take a break from automated responses. Things are not always what they seem. People are not always what they portray. Bells don't always look pretty to sound pristine.

I'm a collector of things. I'm a collector of memories and stories. I'm a collector of thoughts that challenge and sentiments that cause me to pause.

I'm a collector of bells; it's a fun pastime and since Country Hubby likes looking through antique shops, I'm sure to keep out a sharp eye for another treasured bell, looks not withstanding.

Hugzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,

MT