Spring took a little vacation over the past weekend, allowing winter to try and finish up its act. It was beautiful out there, Sunday, you must admit. But not too welcome. My sympathy went out to the one robin walking along the bank across the road – looking without any chance of success for a worm, in two inches of snow. He had canvassed the same place earlier, before the snow began, and I saw him get something from the dirt as he paused. I wasn’t exactly in favor of snow decorating the full bloom of the forsythia bush, either.

There is a folder in the spot where others rest at the bottom of the bookcase, labeled “stuff.” For 40 years, while working for a large newspaper, I operated out of a stack of folders. The one marked “stuff” is obviously the place to put anything that comes along and doesn’t have a folder of its own. I went looking for something Sunday, and of course took a jaunt down memory lane as I came upon first one and then another paper reminder. One in particular stirred my memory. It was an article I wrote long ago about the fact that everyone should have a special collection. This hobby provides a reason to stop at tag sales, flea markets, and auctions.

When Laurie was still in Connecticut, we had some serious collections. Some of them eventually had to give way to the constraints of time, available space, and waning interest, such as the license plates Laurie collected for years. They are heavy and require sturdy containers and quite a bit of space. She kept the old porcelain plates and some special ones, but traded or sold the others to collectors with more room available.

Together, we collected old post cards. We had thousands. It was Laurie’s collection – I was addicted enough to use that as an excuse to search, find, and buy some wherever I went. When the big collection (housed in a number of boxes) went the way of the license plates, each of us kept special ones. On display boards her dad built for her, she still exhibits the Santa Clause collection and other holiday kinds, at nursing homes, where residents enjoy seeing mementos of the past. I kept my Danbury cards, old railroad and train stations, and lighthouses.

I had a very large old button collection which I thought I might not have room for when I moved into a condo. I regret having sold the bulk of it at auction, but have saved a box of special ones and some that were from family members. There is much history connected to the old buttons and I recommend this collection to anyone seeking a glimpse of the past.

Two other collections remain intact; Laurie’s old political buttons and my almost 200 thimbles. The political buttons are mounted on a colorful piece of fabric inside of an old picture frame. It hangs on the wall – taking up little space and providing a look at many past elections and other events.

I’m not quite sure when or how I began to collect thimbles. Before this became a popular hobby I had managed to by quite a few at flea markets and tag sales. Everywhere we went, I bought a button. Family and friends have given me many different kinds they collected on their travels. Some are of lovely china and range from that to metals and plastics and even leather – the latter from a different country. Friends have made several special ones – marble from out west, ceramic from a senior citizen’s class, and a hand turned one which the craftswoman made at a church fair.

Small side collections include eggs of marble, glass, and wood, which both Wendy and Laurie collect. Susan has a fascination for blue and white china and small items, Ed collects match covers – another hobby that doesn’t take up much room.

When my fiend Caroline was visiting from Florida a few years ago, we got my neighbor Ginni interested in collecting. She chose button hooks. That collection already tops 200 pieces, and has provided a lot of fun at flea markets and other sales.

It isn’t necessary to select an expensive item to collect. Things like shoe horns, pencils, old wooden rulers, or toothpick holders are available out there and hunting for them can provide both satisfaction and fun.

The quote last week was by John Clare, from “Crows In Spring.”

Who said “The only time the average child is as good as gold is April 15”?