PRESERVING THE PAST

Just on a whim, I ordered another copy of my latest blog-book the other day, and since it was one of the smaller volumes over the years, I had them print the words-and-pictures in their actual spots, rather than pictures-down-one-side, words all in a line beside and above and beneath.  I’ve heretofore chosen the most inexpensive of the options, so as to get a volume just to hold in my hands.  Having the words and pictures simply thrown out there into the ether feels so inconsequential and insubstantial, some how, as if they’d disintegrate or whirl off the virtual page and disappear forever. 

And now, at least I have a “hard copy” to look back on, or sit up in the sunshine and peruse on a cold afternoon, thinking on other times, other days, and remembering.  Just seeing the bright splashes of colorful times and occasions---the places we’ve been, the things we’ve enjoyed, and especially moments gathered around our family tables---lovely keepsakes that shine, when the memories start to fade.   It's like I remember walking into the canning store-room and just standing there, taking in the marvel of those hundreds of shining, colourful jars of the bounty hard-won in the hot garden and even-hotter Summer kitchen.

Having the titles below the pictures for once, or the little paragraph describing the pictures, is a small luxury when you’re making just one copy of anything, and didn’t increase the price too much.   It’s just nice to have them in order---kinda feels like my own little home-made magazine.

It’s just a little whimsy and not a hill of beans in the foothills and mountains of the world, but as somebody said, it’s my beans and my hill, and what does it matter?  And as someone who has dug and planted and patted down those four-beans-to-a-hill on many a long row in that HOT Delta sun---it’s a nice harvest to reminisce on.