Thursday, June 28, 2012

Treasures



Gem and I love to while away hours poking around thrift stores and garage sales. This weekend we went on one of our treasure hunts. Some objects reach down to the marrow of my bones. I trace my fingers along them and something in me responds. They are endearing, inexplicably comforting. There is a meaning, an indwelling of connection which enhances my sense of belonging.

This week’s finds:

A Crown Clarence Staffordshire sauce boat - $1.50.
I love its summery, shimmery blue, just the colour of a Robin's egg.

A retro, hinged tin - 50 cents.
I’m going to keep my collection of teaspoons in it.

A Japanese calligraphy set - $3.00.

This was Gem’s find. He has long dabbled in the art of pen and ink drawing and sketching, and plans to use it.

And perhaps my favourite find, this 1970’s knitting book in immaculate condition - $1.
Although I did a fair bit of knitting when my children were small, I haven’t had much time in recent years. Now, though, I have a few knitting projects planned and hope to make good use of this book. My granddaughter, Ariana, who will be nine in August, will be the first beneficiary. She is very excited and has requested a purple poncho and a pink sparkly sweater. After speaking with her, I was reminded of the year my mother-in-law knit my three children sweaters for Christmas. They were all beautifully made, but I still remember the look on my eldest son’s face when he opened his gift. His expression momentarily reflected his thoughts: No eleven year old boy would be caught dead wearing a sweater with a huge yellow image of Sesame Street’s Big Bird on the front of it! His eyes flew to mine, startled, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, he swallowed his chagrin and thanked his Oma nicely.

Objects can be saturated with spirit, imbued with the layers of life from the places where they rest, the people they touch. They are remnants, the bearers of our fragile being, our mortality.

8 comments:

  1. I so agree. Objects really can be saturated with spirit, imbued with the layers of life from the places they've been and the people they've touched. I feel certain positive energies from some of the random things I gather, that are so comforting.

    I would have grabbed that lovely sauce boat up in a heart beat!

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  2. I am not sure why, but as I have got older I have come to appreciate second-hand shops and antique centres more and more. And I think you are right - there is something about the way old objects have soaked up so much history by some kind of osmotic process.

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  3. what a beautiful way of thinking about these old treasures--and I agree.

    By the way, I purchased Handknit Holidays awhile back (at full price I might add!) and it is really wonderful, one of my favorites. The pictures alone are so lovely...but the patterns are fantastic.

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  4. Great finds! I have many items from generations of grandmothers before be. I cherish the kitchen tools knowing that their hands lovingly gripped the same handles as they prepared meals for my ancestors.

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  5. Beautiful finds! Thanks for sharing--I love thrift stores.

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  6. Hey, I need to follow you on one of these outings....What a sharp eye you have, Nana Jo!

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  7. So true. I did my share of treasure hunting this weekend and found not only treasure but memories as well. Bought a ukulele to share with my granddaughters as well as bongo drums, tools for my son's new workshop and an oil lamp for their circa 1938 'new' home.

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  8. It's fun to do that every once in a while. I love the blue of that gravy/sauce boat too!

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