Treasures in Plain Sight

If you’ve ever gone for a walk with a child, you know there is a treasure to be found every few feet. There are rocks, twigs, leaves, feathers and flowers that must be pocketed and brought home.

Every single find is precious and coveted in that moment. They hand each piece to you and pretty soon your hands are spilling over. The irresistible expressions of delight, excitement and even pride on their faces at every discovery discourage you from quickly tossing them aside when they’re not looking. 

Some of us never outgrow our fascination and thrill of searching for the abundant treasures that nature so generously provides.

It’s pretty hard to pass up an entire beach decorated with sand dollars

a rolling trail scattered with bright red manzanita berries, a recent rain collage of spongy moss, finely smoothed pieces of driftwood expertly polished by years of wind, sand and salty waves, one special eucalyptus button beckoning to you.

My dear friend started collecting heart rocks many years ago — one rock found during her weekend jaunts through the woods, one along a forest trail, another found on her trek through the Irish countryside, another during a visit to the beach.

What do you do with the piles of treasures once you’ve brought them home? You can encourage the collector to select her favorites and have a display bowl available, or offer a nature table to display the finds of the season, or simply display them on a windowsill.

Go on a treasure hunt to your local thrift store or an estate sale where you can often find vintage mason jars and other glass containers. 

Remember there’s a story, a fond memory tucked in with each prized wonder. Make sure to set aside time to reminisce and marvel over your collections — that brightly colored feather found peaking out from under a tuft of grass, the one piece of polished blue sea glass found on a beach covered with white and green sea glass, the lacy skeleton leaf expertly designed by an insect. 

What do you like to collect? And what is the story behind each piece you found?