It's funny, the way life works it way out. The way things that were once important, pale in comparison to what you hold dear now...
The way, you really get wiser as you age... Learning to take yourself less seriously. Embracing the simple things right before you.
Realizing that all the dreams you were so eager to make come true, were really happening and thriving in all their glory, while you were waiting for the future... Realizing that this life you are currently standing in, is the dream. There are dreamy little things and people all around us, if we just take a second to stop and open our eyes, hearts & minds...
When did I become this person? This person who loves rusty, tattered, distressed, beautiful old things.
This person who would rather curl up on the chaise in the garden fresh air listening to the trees whisper their language, than shop for the latest this or that, or clean her house...
She was so thankful, thankful for the ability to simply appreciate the simple little things in life...
She realized that, all that mattered to her, lived right inside her heart. And perhaps, another portion of all that mattered to her, lived inside one solitary box. The box itself was found in an old barn closet in one of the little buildings at the country house... It had once been pale blue, but she took some paint to it around 9 years ago...
And for all that time, her and Mr. Lovee had been filling it with photos and written words pertaining to their life together. It was packed so tight, if you took one thing out, you could never get it back in again... How could 9 years, feel like such a long time ago?
Notes written on napkins. Meet me here notes, written in the office (where they met and spent hours meeting out by a beautiful hidden courtyard fountain, chatting, watching sunsets). Photos of their first date, which was a road trip, lived amongst lots of other photos, before digital cameras became the norm...
The thing was, she knew there was a huge chunk of years missing from the box. She had a recollection of photos and cards and other treasures, that had vanished into thin air...
She would tell herself that it was okay. Because truly, all you have are your memories... But she did wonder, what ever happened to all that other memorabilia.
One day, while her and Mister Lovee, were sharing oranges - one of thier most beloved rituals.
(Sometimes he brought the orange, and they would meet on the little stone path)
(sometimes she would bring the orange, and they would meet in his workshop)
One day, while sharing oranges, they were chatting about their little lives, all the "junk" they had collected. Where to put it, what to do about it... What to get rid of...
(All the while, while chatting and munching, she played with his chalk and other trinkets she adored playing with in his workshop)
She brought up the topic of the "tarped" goods. You see, on that very first road trip date, began a journey of collecting all matter of things.
She was raised not ever visiting thrift stores or yard sales. So, her fascination as an adult with thriftventures, and treasures was outrageous (little did she know, she acquired this love from her grandfather, whom she felt was totallly misunderstood by the rest of the family). She started finding love letters left in antique books, and all other sorts of things. The more it happened, the more she longed to find those sorts of things in old desks and such...
To fill you in, the tarped goods, were a mountain of treasures that were in really less than good shape, but treasures nonetheless, that they had either found in the woods or cost mere pocket change. And, in desperation with monsoon rains looming one summer, they secured the mountain of stuff with tarps, and forgot about it...
That leads us to the day they were sitting and chatting over oranges. She decided that at that very moment, she wanted to untarp the items. She was certain there were all matter of animals living under there... She had an outdoor bathtub, that they had put a bunch of the tarped goods in as well... She was eager to see what was going on in there, and what exactly "was" in there...
Well, it turned out, everything she had ever searched for, anything she had ever thought was lost or missing, was under that darned tarp... Including a monster sized scorpion that she had to contend with.
But, but but - everything was wet. Soaked through and through... Gross mucky wet yucky yuck...
She had once purchased the most darling little shelf, that she had written off as lost. (when you have acreage with little buildings and lots of animals, anything can get "lost." We are so teetering on Grey Gardens, eeep!)
Anyhow, the shelf was in there, soaked too, and as she picked it up - it fell apart...
BUT! The most fabulous thing happened. As you know, she longed to find hidden notes and such in nooks and crannies... Much like Amelie's find...
Alas, there were some tattered bits inside this piece...
The most curious photo was of the man/boy on the horse... It was so, well, curious indeed.
Why was it hidden. Was it a forbidden love? There was a phone number lightly written on a piece of paper... Who was he... It felt a bit like Mermaids (7:36), and the photo Winona Ryder carries around... Who was this guy? ;)
Oooo, I just love this sort of find!! Mysteries are the bestest...
Who do you think the guy is? Any wild imaginations care to guess?
Can you guess what else was under the tarp? YES! The sealed safe, dry plastic box, full of missing photos of trips and me and the mister and my sis - love notes & treasures that needed safe keeping and all other bits of wonderment pertaining to my life age 20-28.
(sis on far right)
Preserved bits of an old ghost town...
Flat Stanley visiting us from Wisconsin (we stuck him in a cactus), and our favorite place, fascinating Jerome, Arizona... We adore the haunted Jerome Grand Hotel, and visit often.
Tonight, I will sit on the floor and look through the entire box. There is a ton of stuff in there... Such a fun find!!!
Still, the one thing I am working on, because I do love all my trinkets and treasures, is not being toooo attached to stuff... Once I gave away every treasure I owned, in an attempt to be "stuff" free. So much art and things that were so unnecessary to get rid of. Oh well...
Although, I would give it all up again, in a heartbeat, if it was a toss up between those I love...
And those that love me back, unconditionally, to the core...
Have you ever found something incredible hidden in a desk or under a stair, or anywhere??? One day I will tell you about the gold coins my cousin Brandy found in our grandmother's stream...
I have so many stories, I don't how I shall ever fill you in on all of them. I hope I don't bore you silly...
I must go canoodle with my fur ball, it is so sunny and glorious out today. 81'F for a high...
Creatures emerging soooooooooon!! So many elves, so little time ;) ;)
See you sooooooon!!! ♥,V
ps: Months ago, I wrote a long blog post, but never posted it, about the docu-movie "Man on Wire." About Philippe Petit... Because I have a painting I did 10 years ago, that collides with that movie so intensly. Alas, I have never posted it. I will one day - but I tell you this, because, I hope you get a chance to see it... It is a beautiful outrageous story - told in Petit's magnificent way... And anything set to Erik Satie, steals my heart for certain... If you want, you might download the soundtrack on Itunes, it is wonderful to create to...
