The "Old Place"

Usually when speaking of the "Old Place", folks are referring to the old family home where they spent their childhoods.  Today, however, as I was weeding the squash garden, some memories that popped up (literally) put a whole different meaning to the term.  I pulled out one particularly large clump of crabgrass only to unearth a piece of ceramic plate.  That, in itself, would not have been so emotionally prominent had it not been the pattern that was on the small fragment of plate.  I dusted the piece of glass off on my jeans and stared at the little shard.  Memories began to flood back of a time long ago..one that was mostly blocked from my brain.  I stuck the glass shard in my pocket and kept weeding.  I would ponder that piece of memory a bit more later in the day.  But those weeds and memories were never-ending.  Next, I uncovered the handle of a knife.  Once this had been a beautiful set of silverware.  That, too, went in the pocket to be looked at later.  A few more weeds and another piece of glass..this time several pieces of what was once a bowl..clear glass with a fused pinkish overlay.  Yep..into the pocket for later inspection.  I stood up..this weeding would have to stop!  My pockets were getting full of garbage..or memories!  Several more pieces of bluish and greenish colored glass were added to the collection...all to be examined..and remembered.

 You see, the piece of ceramic was from the first set of dishes that Mark and I had when we married.  I had bought the set a few months prior our wedding and we used it daily.  I loved it.  The pink bowl was given to me by my Great Aunt Ruth.  It was a small candy dish that I think she might have gotten in a box of oatmeal or detergent back in the day when companies delighted their customers with such goodies!  The knife was from Great Aunt Thelma.  She and Great Uncle Rob gave their "old" silverware to Mark and I when we were married.  Something most folks now would think of as a tacky gift..we loved it.  That silverware was just that..silver ware!  Beautiful old silverware that mostly was a perfect set of unmatched pieces!  As near as I could tell, the bluish blob of glass was once an old canning jar from back in the day..the green was our dining room light. These all were memories of a time past..of when Mark and I were first married.  We had just built a lovely little house right where the Little Bayou House now stands.  It was just a small cottage but we were happy there! Then..the unthinkable happened. Our house burned to the ground.  Everything in it was lost..gone..our lives were turned upside down.  To say we were devastated is an understatement.  Everything we owned had suddenly disappeared.  We were not able to salvage anything that was in that house..but life is good..God is good as we were not harmed in this horrific ordeal.

Our lives were indeed turned on end but to say this was all bad would not be truthful..we were so blessed.  Soon after this setback of all setbacks, the goodness and kindness of friends, family and even strangers rained down upon us.  With the help of so many generous folks, it was not long before the Little Bayou House was built!  Upon that pile of ashes that was once our home, we built a new house.  Those remnants of our "Old Place" brought back a flood of memories.  Memories of how a community of family, old friends and new friends put our lives back together again by simply caring.  I think I will keep these little mementos as a reminder of how we should all help those in need.  Maybe a garden plaque made of found keepsakes could be made in honor of kindness!  Yep..a project in the working!