Inadvertent Collections

Hi on a hot summer/ autumn Sunday night! Thinking of Fall makes me think of fun outings like leaf peeping, flea markets and pumpkin patches, cider mill visits and apple pies.  My brother has been traveling around the Midwest to some of his favorite flea markets and he sends me photos that turn me green with envy. I love him and his wife for being such diehard collectors, no minimalism or decluttering at their house.

As previously mentioned the little Friday church flea has finished until next April; it's far too hot to even think about the big Sunday flea, so I feel a bit bereft. I am already squirreling away my dollar bills for next year, that worked well and made flea-ing fun and budget friendly, too.

Now, looking over my summer photos I am somewhat amused by seeing the sudden appearance of what I call Inadvertent Collections---things you see and pick up casually, with no intent to accumulate or to curate a true collection. For example here is blog friend Kit's husband's collection of hair ties! He finds them while running [he runs marathons!]. That is some collection! Since Kit mentioned this I have only found one hair tie, in maybe six month; her hubby must put in way more miles than I do.

And here is my funny accumulation of washers and nuts and other mostly metal rings and disks. 

This conglomeration numbers around 40 pieces now, picked up during dog walks beginning last December. I have strung them on an old chain. I even found the tiny key in the  beach alley one spring day.

I don't know why I pick them up, it's like finding worthless treasure.

 The disk on the right is a favorite, a Scotty dog medal? [upside down, sorry]

And a few bits are actually really coins!   $1.52.

At the beach, I am compelled to pick up and pocket beautiful pebbles.

I marvel at the eons of time that went into their rounded perfection.

Another collection recently has been souvenir plates.

I like them, they're fun. Usually cost about one dollar except for special ones like the antique Statue of Liberty plate.

I only buy them if they're predominantly blue, especially if classic Staffordshire transferware blue. And only places I've been or wish to go to someday, somehow.

The details around the edges are always very charming and interesting.

They're really tacky so I mix them in with the more traditional plates.And think maybe no one will notice.

What do you collect? Do you like to find funky things on the street , urban ''coin of the realm''?

....

Back home, in a deluded moment of autumnal enthusiasm, I made farro stuffed winter squash. I used Delicata squash but any summer or winter squash would do.  I stuffed the squash ''boats'' with ground beef, onion, garlic, farrow [rice is actually better]; minced dried apples and apricots. seasoned with cumin, cinnamon, caraway and fennel seeds.  Drizzle w olive oil, and add some apple cider for liquid; top with garlicky bread crumbs and parm. 

Delish, if not exactly what we might want on an almost 90* day. Reheats really well too.You can find a number of stuffed squash recipes in my Pinterest ''Food'' board, here.

Happy last day of September, time goes too fast, much too fast.

love

lizzy 

gone to the beach.....

No treasure here!