Show and tell

Lucky me. I spent part of Monday evening with the women of Covenant United Methodist Church in North Spokane. I spoke for a few mintues on my love of anything old, and then we all settled back for a "Show and Tell" of everyone's favorite treasure, and the story of how they came to own it.

I was especially taken by a pair of unusual silverplate railroad dining car corn-on-the-cob holders that were brought by a woman whose father spent a lifetime working for the railroad.

Betty Newell told tales of digging interesting pieces of pottery and vintage bottles out of the ground where the outhouses used to stand on old farms. (I can't wait to do a column on that!)

Eleanor Thrapp brought an early reverse painted mirror, and we all admired the hand-cut crystal and delicate porcelain pieces that others brought.

Driving home I thought about how even though I love the "search and rescue" side of collecting, I've learned that it's the things that come to us from friends and family that we treasure the most.

Thanks for sharing your pretty things (and delicious cake) with me, ladies. I had a wonderful time.