Collecting Memories

Collecting Memories By Kelsey Snyder Ruzicka

This issue is our antique and collectibles issue. I find I look around my house and there are things I tend to collect. I love lemons and have several lemon themed décor, clothing, jewelry, stationery, etc items with lemons. I also love gnomes. I have gnomes for every season. I also have gnomes for outdoors and indoors. I love blankets, and my husband would say I collect those too. I collect antique dishes. I like statement pieces and reutilizing dishes into a new décor display. I have antique mason jars, my great grandmother’s depression glass, some Hull vases found treasure hunting at local antique stores with my mom. I am a sucker for a good crystal vase or beautiful bowl.

As a kid, I collected Beanie Babies, bear figurines and miniature tea sets. I remember being so excited to add a new item to my collection, but equally excited to review and care for my current items.

My daughter seems to have developed a stuffed animal collection and a collection of all things unicorns. I’m always curious if she will eventually pick up another sort of collection. Though, we’d have to weed out the stuffed animal collection first.

As much as I adore the items in my past and current collections, my favorite thing to collect is memories. And truly the most important one.

This June, we had to say goodbye to our first and oldest fur baby, Lexie. She was a great dog that lived a long full life. Our house hardly even knows life without her. We moved in and 2 months later Lexie joined us. She came into our family full of spunk, personality for miles and the biggest cutest ears I ever did see. She never grew out of them thankfully.

Lexie was never a people-y companion-type dog. But she loved us big time. She knew her purpose and was dang good at it. Despite gracefulness not being a trait she received (punch card at the vet with this one). She was gifted with natural beautiful talent at hunting birds. It was her time to shine. You could tangibly see her joy as she hunted with Dad and brought him birds. She made us so proud. She loved going to work with Dad and playing with her pal Trev. She was a big fan of treats and loved getting as many as she could talk people into. We also found out on a road trip home to NE that she had a neat talent for unwrapping gifts without damaging the packages. Lol. She loved the outdoors to her core, her favorite spot was on the deck in the sun. Something we had in common.

She was very comfortable (and often times demanded) being the center of our world. Then, about seven years ago I brought a crying smelly baby into the family. She was so disgusted with me she didn’t talk to me for a couple years. Not even joking. Ask anyone. But what we shortly found out, that the person that came into our family was actually designed to be Lexie’s person. She would Sit in our daughter, Sophia’s room. Sophia would dress her up, put earrings on her big floppy ears, and lay on her, read to her, and cuddle her. Lex just soaked it all in. We saw another side to our hunting dog. In fact towards the end, the only person or thing she really had much interest in at all was Sophia.

It really isn’t fair that dogs live only a fraction of humans. They are the best of us. Lexie had a good long full life. And she is pain free and loving the birds and the sun now with ease. But, our hearts and our home will be a little bit empty without her.

As I looked through pictures and memories with Lexie, I realized that this collection of photos of our faithful friend was one of the best kind of collections. One made around a place, person, pet, activity or moment in time that allows you to collect memories to store and revisit. Some may have iPhones and that is exactly how they categorize your photos. They give you collections of photos based on a place, person or thing. They also put together little slide shows of these collections and call them memories.

Let’s hold on to our memories as long as we can. Collect time and moments like treasures. Being present enough in the life’s happenings, whether it is a wedding, funeral, play date with grandkids, or afternoon antique shopping with your best friend…be sure to collect those moments. Hold on to them. Care for them. So, you can revisit often and hold on to those memories that make up our lives.

May your summer travels find you in lots of fun antique stores, finding the next perfect item for your collection. But, most importantly, may your travels be filled with memories you can add to your collection.

Across Time

The stitches flow across my fingers Like dew before the morning

There is a rhythm A cadence to each stitch Stitch one Stitch two Double knot

Like the drops of water Flowing from a stream Lost in time Lost in space

Sewing like my Irish mother Sewing like my Irish grandmother Sewing like my husband

There is a quiet beauty in each Stitch A wholeness in the design

Sewing by hand Sewing by machine as my mom did

Sewing Like life A tad messy yet complete Sewing Sewing.....

By Sheila Tinkham

Sheila Tinkham lives in Ainsworth, NE. She started quilting when she sprained her ankle and fell in love with the process of sewing and the focused peacefulness of making and designing quilts. Writing is her passion and she has self-published three poetry books. You can follow her on Twitter at SheilaTinkham.

come one! come all!

You don’t want to miss the Yellowstone Quilt Fest at the Riley Arena, Friday July 29th from 9-5 and Saturday July 30th from 9-4. New and old quilts, art quilts and Veteran quilts on display. There will be Raffle Qults and Quilts for sale. Visit the boutique and vendor booths. Stick around for some fun mini classes! Don’t forget to grab a bite to eat at the concession stand. Join us at the Riley Arena and Community Events Center, 1400 Heart Mountain St, Cody WY. Entry fee $5. Call Michelle Quick if you have any questions at 307-205-0752 or visit https://www.yellowstonequiltfest.info/YQF/