As the morning dog walk was finished and we were warming up in the kitchen, I began to think about why I keep the things I keep on the old sideboard …and maybe they are not as beautiful as they once were…Why don’t I throw away faded roses…or faded twigs from an asparagus? And why do I keep a ceramic owl that cannot stand on its own feet?

Memories. Memories of a dear friend who gave me the loveliest roses – 10 years ago. Now they are resting in an beautiful bowl inherited from one of my oldest friends.

The owl is leaning against a ceramic bottle (from my grandmother). A gift from someone who listened to a lecture about some faraway country.

The three old bears were inherited from my mother-in-law. Somehow I love their expressions and I remember exactly where they were placed in her home. Now I let them sit together, contemplating life, on the golden crocheted tablecloths made by my husband’s grandmother, Anna.

The vase was a gift from another old friend, and the flowers – common cotton grass – were picked on my second trip to Iceland in 2006. They are still just as beautiful!

Things may fade, but memories don’t. They may change…but they will never leave you.

So, tell me – what do you keep on your sideboard, and what are their stories?