What do you collect?

I have gone through phases of many different collections.

I believe my first collection was rocks. As I would walk down the country road where I lived or visit strange and exotic places such as Old Man's Cave I would find strangely shaped or shiny rocks that I would add to my collection.

I'm not sure where that collection is now. I kept it in a shoe box. I have two theories on the location. Either my mother found it long after I had married and used it to fill a pothole in the drive or someone else found it and is now rich after selling it on E-Bay. I believe the first option is the most likely choice.

Later I collected rocking horses. This collect grew quickly as people found out about this hobby. I even had one gentleman make me a rocking horse from wood. Even though many others are stored away in my attic, that rocking horse is still on display on my fireplace hearth.

In later years I began to collect wind chimes. I love the sound and look of them. As the collection grew I purchased a hall tree to hang them on. Now as you enter my front door the motion of the door sets off the sound of chimes. Many came from special places. There is the wind chime with the carousal horse from the Merry Go Round Museum in Sandusky and the dolphin wind chime from Sea World.

My most recent collection is key chains. I have key chains with xylophones that play, games you can open and even miniature Sponge Bob's. I also have key chains from various businesses. I display them on a cork bulletin board with push pins. My grandchildren love to rearrange them and play with them. My favorite game is having them figure out which one is new.

But my favorite collection is people. No, I don't have people stuffed and standing on a shelf in a room. I just like to get to know people.

There's the guy who taught me about the different types of wheat on a long plane trip to Portland, Oregon, and then sent me a book about the subject.

Then there is the man at the Smucker's museum and store in Wooster, who worked at a Smucker's out west and gave me information and a website about Smucker's.

Of course there are always relatives who like to tease me and always have a joke. My Aunt Heilda and Uncle Eddie (And I know your reading this) always make me feel special and love to share memories about our families.

I enjoy talking or should I say online chatting with my nieces and nephews and finding out what is going on in their lives.

Like I said. There is a world of people out there and I'm hoping to get to know many more.