Over the years, I've collected different things. I've collected angels, nuns, postcards, rocks, shells, beads, buttons, kitcheny things of a lemon theme, coins from all over the world, (I keep them in a piggy bank and refer to them as "funny-money")... and I even collect troll dolls.
My biggest collection though, I have to say, is books. I love books. I have books I've never even read, I have so many! We have 4 bookshelves in our home, and my girls each have a small one in their rooms. I am going to 'weed out' the small ones, and replace them with larger bookshelves. In addition to the bookshelves already bulging with books, I have at least 5 stacks of books hidden in corners... stacks of books I have no room for, yet could not pass up. One of the stacks is around 2 ft. tall, stacked neatly next to my very full magazine rack.
So what kinds of books do I have? Lots of cookbooks. Books on homeschooling and unschooling. Books on crafting, and many, MANY Catholic devotional type books... books to help me grow in my faith. I also have many books on natural nutritional health. And lastly, I have books on things that interest me... hobby type books. The least of my books are fictions. I do like a fiction... if it's a certain kind. I detest "smut books". I dislike the books with the men with biceps to spare, and hair that blows in the breeze as he stands bare-chested, his right arm encircling the waist of his lady-fair, and she, with her white frilly low cut blouse, half closed eyes, and heaving bosoms. Yep. Those books make me want to lose my lunch. WHO reads that garbage? Not me!
Current reads. I was reading The Unschooling Unmanual, until I misplaced it. I have a sneaking suspicion it's behind the couch. Then I started Homeschooling with Gentleness: A Catholic Discovers Unschooling. I have put that one aside for a couple of days, however. The reason is The Hunger Games. My sister bought and read this book. She passed it to our mother. It was passed to me two days ago. I am halfway through it. I am not usually so slow at getting through such a good book as this one. But, it was Easter weekend, and hubby was home from work. Also, have two daughters and two Labradors inside the house tends to keep me perpetually distracted. So I can't burn through books as quickly as I once could. Not that I am complaining.
I did not intend to read The Hunger Games. I usually avoid books that are all 'hyped up'. I don't like reading what's 'hot'. What everyone else is reading. My sister though, has pretty good taste in books, and she loved this book. How can I turn down a book that comes so highly recommended? So yes, I am reading it, and YES, it is a really good book. And I do highly recommend it.
So what does everyone else collect? Definitely my collection of books is larger than anything else I've ever collected. I am tired of collecting angels. Half the planet seems to collect them. I do like my collection of little nuns, and my collection of Mary's Moo Moo's.
Even though Mary's Moo Moo's are "out of style" now. I still find them quite cute. I have some Princess Diana stuff, and in my dining room on the walls are assorted decorative plates I've collected. Some of them I am rather fond of. My favorite is a plate with a painting by John Herendeen on it, called, "the Doctor's House". I call it "my dream house" plate. :) Not exactly a Southern plantation house, but close enough, and lovely. Gorgeous old architecture, lots of steps, lace at the old fashioned pane windows.... If only I could wish myself into that picture. I would love exploring all the rooms and the surrounding grounds of this lovely house... which is sort of funny... when I was a child, my parents had a large painting hanging over our couch... I used to stand on the back of the couch and memorize all the details of that painting, and imagining myself 'in' that painting, and everything I would explore. I guess I didn't outgrow that. *blush*
Since I was a child, I've collected rocks and seashells. I am particularly fond of pieces of jasper, purple quartz, and moonstones.
I love conch shells, and sand dollars. I still have a few sharks teeth. I've lost most of my collection, here and there... and so I am making a conscience effort to start collecting them again. There's something almost 'magical' about rocks and shells. Treasure from the earth itself. Each one magnificent, and unique of all others. Different colors, shapes... and if they could talk, they'd all have their own story to tell. And some, such as the sand dollar, hide more treasures within it.
And trolls. I love those tiny little guys with the crazy poufy hair. They're so ugly, they're adorable.
I want to start a new collection, of unicorns. Yes, yes, I know... LOL... don't mock me. ;) I just want some of the tiny fragile blown glass ones I've seen. They're so pretty!
So I am curious. What does everyone else collect?
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI collect a few things: Thomas' teddy bears, cheap but pretty jewellery, things I can hang from the curtain rails such as strings of birds, realistic artificial but beautiful flowers (I always kill real plants!) and, like you, books.
Also like you, I have fewer fiction books compared to art/craft/sewing, religious, interesting non-fiction, cookbooks... We do have a lot of classic fiction, children's fiction and Shakespeare though.
I am also getting quite a collection of Kindle books. As all our bookshelves are overflowing (and we haven't room for even one more small one), this is one way of avoiding more piles of books on the floor.
I've just read "The Hunger Games" too. I read it because there has been so much discussion about this series online: should we let our children read them or not? I came to the conclusion that Charlotte is a too sensitive soul to deal with the themes but Imogen would benefit from reading the books.
The troll reminds me of my childhood. I had a friend who had a huge collection. I must admit I was a little envious!
Great post!
Sue, I too, am a plant killer. I have my aloe plants, but they are fairly indestructible plants.
ReplyDeleteI finished The Hunger Games tonight. I did like it. I would not let Robyn read it but would have no problem with Amy reading it.
Thank you for your nice comments! :)