Do you have certain collections that you treasure? How did you gather your collections or memories from life?

We were on a hike the other day in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado.   I was thinking about what I could collect on this hike.  It seems that I start some type of collection on our hikes.  That got me to thinking about some of my collections.

My Collections

Seashells

I have a million seashells.  They are in the bottom of my lanterns on the sun porch. I have given many away and have some special shells that are in perfect condition.  What I love about them is that I gathered them with my grandkids or my husband Steve.

Rocks from Lake Superior

In the summer of 2018, Steve and I were in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, on Lake Superior.  Steve stopped to skip rocks claiming they were the best rocks since they were smooth, oval and flat.  The waves had spent years creating this perfect rock. I picked up several rocks to take home with me.  I have these rocks in one of my flower gardens.

Driftwood

I began picking up driftwood for my daughter-in-law who uses it in decorations. I collected enough for her, for me and gave some to others.  During the winter months, my driftwood is in the basket on the bench on my front porch.

Pinecones

Way up in the mountains, when snow covers the ground, I find many small pinecones.  For years I have put them in my pocket while skiing then unload them in the evening so I can reload the next day.  I use these pinecones in many of my Christmas decorations. 

Railroad Parts

Steve and I hiked Old Alpine Tunnel near Buena Vista, Colorado.  The path follows an old railroad bed to a collapsed tunnel from the 1890’s.  We couldn’t get Alice to the trail-head so we hiked 3 miles on the rough road to the trail head.  Both the road and the trail were from the same old railroad track.  Since most people drive to the trail head, not many hikers have walked on this section of road.  As we walked, we noticed several treasures from the old railroad track.  There were tons of bolts, rings, spikes, and other parts buried in the road from 100 years ago.  We collected a few special pieces.  What will I do with this new collection?  I’m not sure, but when I see them, I will remember this hike with Steve.

Collections = Memories

As I thought about some of my collections, I decided what I really collect are memories from life. Do you have collections from your life?  What reminds you of some of your cherished moments?