So what do I collect? Well, I suppose, first of all, I collect moments. Points in time that were part of the future, but are now part of history. Moments of shape, line, perspective, colour, and contrast. Most people just call them photographs, or, more clinically still, images. But to me, many of my photographs, indeed all of them in some sense, are moments. Several of them appear elsewhere on this blog.
But what about things you can see and touch in reality? Sure, I’ve collected stamps and a few coins in my time, but my main enduring inclination as a collector has been, and is, towards minerals and sea shells. The marvellous blend of beauty and history, I think, is what appeals to me. Most of the things like this that I collect, I gather from beaches or other open spaces, for no cost. One or two are purchased specimens. Either way, I rate them as more interesting souvenirs than twee ornaments with the name of a seaside town emblazoned on them. I’ll just show you a few: first, some shells…
Next, an interesting pebble…
and here, another pebble with fossils on it, rather prized…
and finally,a piece of fluorite…
This is one of my few purchased specimens. It is, indeed, a very impure sample of ‘Blue John’ fluorspar. The colour is said to come from oil, trapped as the rock was formed. Whenever did the remains of dead sea creatures make something look so beautiful?
This post was prompted by the ‘Writing Workshop’ here.
It's kind to share!
