The other day, my sweet daughter brought me a few jars of some pears that she canned. Elizabeth and Robbie's new place came equipped with some of the finest fruit trees and among them were a good number of pear trees. Each tree seemed determined to impress them with its ability to produce fruit so Elizabeth and Robbie were picking pears a good bit. She was determined to can the pears for later use and did an incredible job. I am so proud! This skill is one that has been passed down through the family for generations and I did my best to make sure each of my kids knew at least the basics. I am proud to say that they do. Even the boys (now men) can make jelly or can beans or anything else with the best of them! Good job! While Elizabeth knew how to can, she has not had the opportunity to do much of it in the past. First the fig trees and then the pear trees in her new yard kept her quite busy with the jars this year. She prepared a delightful concoction called "Spiced Pears". The taste is out of this world delicious! The syrupy goodness around the pears has the perfect blend of sweetness and spiciness! I am now hoarding the last two jars to be used as a special treat!
What makes me so proud about her (and my boys) learning this skill is the fact that my mom had no clue how to do any home-canning. Mom was a sweet "city" girl who just so happened to fall in love with a country boy....a farmer. Well, you know where that went. Just a few weeks after they were married, Pop brought home a lovely steam canner and presented Mom with several bushels of green beans. "We need to can these for winter." he told her. I can only imagine the look she shot at him! She had no idea of how to use that canner! In steps Pop's sister, Marie, to save the day. That summer, my Aunt Marie not only did her own canning but taught Mom the finer points of the skill. Later, my sister and I were taught following Aunt Marie's instructions. At the time, it was unheard of for boys to do much in the way of kitchen work so my brothers do not have this knowledge. I am sure glad that I do and I made sure that ALL of my children learned the skill. You never know when you might need to know how to preserve foodstuffs.
I am proud of Elizabeth and her canning. Not only that she has the "know-how" but that she and her husband did not let the fruit go to waste. They are well on their way to being at least a little bit of farmers! She has no choice...it is a hand-me-down skill that is "in the blood"! Makes this mom proud!
I am a collector..not a hoarder..that just does not have a nice ring to it..so I am a collector! Many people collect things..stamps, coins, dolls and even things like fishing lures. 
I have it all, not complete sets of anything but I have dibs and dabs of everything. I just collect things. If I find something interesting..I keep it. That is what has gotten me in the state I am today. Too many collectibles! Not that I can really call everything I collect a "collectible" in the sense that it is most commonly used. I use "collectible" simply because junk sounds like what a hoarder keeps and we already settled that..I am not a hoarder! Yesterday and today however, I have come to the conclusion that I have way too many collectibles. They have far outgrown the shelves that line the dining room walls and have taken over every nook and cranny in my house. My niece calls them my dust collectors..and after cleaning for the past two days, I realize she is right. Oh my goodness! There was so much dust! The main dilemma that I encountered today was where do I put my treasures?? And what am I ever going to do with them?? I am quite sure that my kids will never know what in the world half of this stuff is nor why I ever saved it. It will be like some great mystery that they can piece together after I have made my way to the Great Beyond! (Barring, of course, that they do not just toss the whole kit and caboodle!) What fun it will be for them to ponder why I have a perfect collection of odd teapots..none of which match the assorted teacups..all of which I never use! Or why I have saved
hundreds of antique pictures of people I do not now nor ever knew. Maybe Great Aunt Thelma's spoon collection will spark some interest or perhaps Great Aunt Ruth's pink glass dishes will light up someone's eyes. The Civil War items definitely will raise an eyebrow but how about the rolling pin collection? Or the fairy lamps, Christmas ornaments, crocks, wooden boxes or canning jars filled with buttons or beads?? Just let them delve into the old steamer trunks to find clothes, letters and diaries of someone that has no connection to the family in the least. Will they understand the reasoning behind my keeping all of this..will they see it is simply because of the fact that I am a "Keeper of Things". My house is like a mini museum filled to the rafters (literally) with odd and wonderful surprises and I am the curator of this rather odd conglomeration of keepsakes. I am positive that most of it will pass the wayside as "junk" just because it has no monetary value. The value lies simply in the fact that somewhere, sometime, someone held these things as important in their lives. I grew up in a household where it was an unwritten law of "waste not, want not" and so I naturally save things. Things that may be useful..and then those that probably are not ever going to be useful again. It matters not if these things are viewed as priceless treasures to my kids or anyone else..these "collectibles" make me smile so in my small world they are invaluable! Besides, some day my children can have a great yardsale!.....Now where shall I put this wonderful collection of spittoons??
