One of the many amazing items that captivated me when I first visited "M"s home was a hand-made wooden coffee table with a clear, glass top. While it was not nearly as ornate as some of the other accent pieces that adorned the residence ("M"s father had been in the antique furniture business), it distinguished itself by its simplistic style. Rectangular in shape, the table was framed with four pieces of a black-colored wood. The wood bordered the see-through glass top that could be removed as needed (preferably by two very careful people). "M" boasted that her late husband had constructed the table as a special place to display items they collected together in their travels.
I wasn't sure just what to expect when I first looked through the glass top, From the stories she had shared with me so far, I knew that "M" had visited many fascinating places in her lifetime, not only with her husband, but also before she was married. From Europe to the West Coast, and from Northern New England to the Caribbean Sea, "M" had more than likely been there at some point. I knew that whatever was on display in this glass table was bound to be extremely unique and special, just like "M" herself.
My instincts were correct. The table frame surrounded a sunken center that was covered with a light layer of sand, and scattered throughout was an amazing array of seashells. Located in front of an Eastern facing window, the shells magnificently caught the morning sunlight. There were local cockles from Long Island Sound, where "M" and her husband had spent a great deal of time sailing their small boat. Also included were an assortment of rocks that had washed upon the shore, each of them molded by the ocean into its own unique shape. "M" also spent a lot of time along the Gulf Coast of Florida, where her grandparents had lived when she was a child. As an adult, she and her family would often travel back to that area, sometimes going on sailing excursions around the Caribbean. Many of the more exotic shells were found on tropical beaches there.
To me, they were all stunning, and "M" beamed as she pointed to each treasure in her collection. Despite her dementia, "M"s recollection of the shell gathering was remarkable. Each and every shell had a story, and "M" was more than happy to tell it to my very eager ears! I was amazed, not only by the wide array of shells that I had never even heard of before, such as the "Juno's Volute" and "Apple Murex," but also by the sparkle in "M"s eyes as she remembered in loving detail all of the magical moments that had inspired the display.
After viewing her collection, I made a promise to myself that if I was ever lucky enough to visit some of the incredible places that "M" had been, I would create my own shell display. My travels in life thus far had taken me to the Northern Pacific Coast, where I had accumulated quite a collection of Pacific Ocean sand dollars. Unfortunately, many of them did not fare well in my move back to New York State, but they did make for lovely, and very crumbly, accents in my flower garden.
It was definitely time to start a new display...
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