Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Life Past and Present












Granny's Hat Box









It's amazing the things you discover as you begin to clear out someone else's home. There is much which needs to be graciously overlooked and dealt with appropriately and then you also find curious old treasures. Trying to find the line between old worthless 'stuff' and intriguing possessions is a difficult one, which is made both easier and harder once the owner is no longer here.

I find my self looking back over the old black and white photos to see if any of my young mother-in-law was wearing any of the dozen hats and fascinators discovered in her hat box - and I haven't found any yet. I didn't even know about the existence of the hat box until just over 12 months ago when she had to have a particular hat (the one with all the little fur tails) to wear to my son's wedding, the same hat (and accompanying dress) which she had worn to her oldest son's wedding in 1983. She and I spent hours looking for the hat box and nearly left her old seaside home without locating it. Once found, she briefly looked through her memory hats that day as we quickly gathered the right hat and headed back into our home town an hour away. And that was all. Life moved on. 

Many finds remain intriguing mysteries, other my husband knows the story behind them, like dozens of Fowlers Vacola preserving jars retrieved from the boat shed. These have been scrubbed are now happily in use in our home and a local florist as vases.

Each week we make another trip down to continue the huge task of house sorting, and when time and the weather allow, we enjoy a little time at one of Iluka's wonderful beaches before heading home.











Life continues on amongst sorting my mil's affairs. Early morning walks are still a pleasure, before the heat and humidity of the day linger long. Quite a few new fabrics have been added to my Etsy shop over recent weeks, bringing variety as other fabrics sell out. An organic quilt from my Etsy shop has also made it's way to a new home this month. Nothing seems to mark the passing of time more distinctly than birthdays. Our youngest turned 10 this week - Miss E had a wonderful birthday and is a blessing to us every day!



Further details for some of these photos will appear if you hover your cursor over the image.  :)


*** You may also enjoy my Instagram feed which I add to several times a week. You don't have to join Instagram to view - just click on the little blue square camera logo under my blog profile (top right hand corner).
Karen


16 comments:

Linda said...

Great shots! I really need to clean out my closets. I'd hate to leave that mess for someone else.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Good idea Linda, I think all of us involved have wanted to not leave a mess for someone else - a good lesson for all ages.

Erin said...

Love to hear the stories of the new homes for your mil items you find.
happy birthday to Miss E!! xxxx Only the other day she was born :-) xxx
rather startled to see how much like the twins she is looking

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Thanks Erin, finding homes for many items is quite a challenge but I would rather have things be used/valued than end up in landfill.
E’s birth doesn’t seem that long ago, but then in other ways it does. It’s interesting watching resemblances as each one grows.

Giga said...

It is true that it is difficult to judge what to leave after a person who has gone forever. I would like to leave everything, but it is impossible, because there is no place for it in my home. Pictures that I would definitely keep. I experienced a similar problem with things after my mother. All the best for Miss E. The views of the ocean and the river are wonderful. Regards.

chica said...

Quando temos que esvaziar casas de quem já partiu temos surpresas sempre..Encontramos muitas coisas e na certa, perdemos tempo ao analisar e lembrar de cada um deles. Adorei as fotos da praia e parabéns pelos aniversários! beijos, chica ( te vi lá no INSTAGRAM!)

s.c said...

I don't have instagram but I read click on the blue camera and I must say that you have some very good photo's hidden there. Very nice. Also on your blog of course. What I like the most are the total different surroundings you live in and the ease they fit in your story telling. Great work.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Thank you Chica. Yes we do find many surprises, although there are so many we try to deal quickly with most or the job would never finish. We do have some lovely beaches in our region.

Karen

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Thanks S.C., I enjoy sharing the scenes and beauty I find in my every day life and there is no shortage in our area. Instagram in like a one photo blog post. :)

Karen

SarahZ said...

These are another wonderful collection of photos, images of your days. I was taken with how the mother in the older photo(with the pipe smoking gentleman in the background!) looks so like your eldest daughter! Family resemblences are such fun!!!

Cathy said...

Hello Karen,
I can only imagine what it must be like to find myself sorting through my dear mother-in-law's personal belongings. I like your musings.
As always, I enjoy your life stories told in the photos and words in this place.
Blessings.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Thank you Cathy. My mother-in-law had not begun to declutter/downsize at all - she kept everything... She grew up during the aftermath of the Great Depression.

Aritha V. said...

All those hats! I love to see them.

Unknown said...

All the wonderful treasures you have found, Karen!
These photographs are just beautiful, and I so envy your weather right now. We are expecting 24 inches of snow tomorrow and Saturday. :-(

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISS E!!!!

xo.

O'Quilts said...

Just beautiful...including your daughter

Elenika said...

Очень красиво! замечательные фотографии!

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