Mementos not artifacts (Fireflies in glass jars only for a moment) Rocks and Bug Collections
Ferns to Fireflies
Some collections contain precious mementos that are clearly in no way artifacts. These nature based collections might contain spiders or butterflies or sometimes just plain rocks. These groupings of pieces of nature often bring back very special memories of a wonderful find, the result of patient hours of search. When collected in youth these treasures can inspire life long hobbies sometimes inspired by a single piece. Many a gem collector or geologist started out collecting petrified rocks or scratching through the backyard gravel for bright white stones. And on summer evenings I am reminded of one collection that was too ephemeral to serve as a true memento. On hot summer days in my youth, the neighborhood would gather in the evenings around the singular occupation of gathering that most marvelous of bugs, the firefly. In the dusk of late evening with a proper mason like jar with wholes punched carefully in the top, one could create a lantern of fireflies. Friendly little light creatures, innocuous and slow enough to catch, the firefly when pursued could provide a whole evening of fun. Yet, in the end they were best released back to the air becoming mere fleeting memories. They provide a testament to the real collections of rocks and bugs that have lasted for their owners as lifetime mementos of nature hunts. See more about the firefly at http://www.firefly.org/how-to-catch-fireflies.html.
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