Why do we collect...

I know if you are reading this blog and have a blog of your own, you are a collector, and I'm 99% sure of that :) It may be a small collection or a large one, it may be a practical one that you use everyday or a totally frivolous one, it could be one collection or many, many collections.... so why do we collect things? I'm sure there are as many answers as there are blogs out there. For me, my collections grew for many reasons. And some even disappeared for reasons. I guess the first and foremost reason for most of my collections is "emotional", the feel, the look, the essence... it all brings up an emotional feeling in me. For example, I love crocks, the look of them, the colors, the history, they radiate a sense of warmth(not physical) but something that can't be touched. They provided years of service to the homemaker or shopkeeper, they were often used and abused, tossed away when cracked, or pushed to the back of the pantry and forgotten. I doubt those people would realize years later that there everyday things would become cherished and sought after treasures in the future.

I have long collected pickling crocks of all sizes, but it has only been the last year or two that bean pots have caught my eye. I do love with great affection a good sweet and tangy baked bean, but have never once cooked a batch in a bean pot, not that I'm lacking for any :) Here is my collection(lacking some small one that wouldn't fit) on my fireplace mantle... each one is different.

And I'm just adding this picture to share with you the dry sink my mom brought up for me last month. I asked her for this piece, not expecting to get is so soon, because it's one of the few pieces that she still had that I remembered from my childhood. My mom and dad are collectors, but tend to buy and sell a lot, so unless it is a family piece, things get swapped out a lot. Anyway, I just love this piece and how it has a tall back with mirror(not usual for dry sinks). And, guess what, this is now my 4th dry sink, talk about an odd collection! :)
Have a lovely day and try to stay cool,

Tiff