Some years ago, my friend Margaret (landlady of the 1000-year-old castle where we ex-pat Americans were thrilled to rent one tower) took me on a tour of her beloved Durham Cathedral. I asked her why the UNESCO World Heritage site’s spectacular carvings and sculptures had never been restored after 3000 Scottish prisoners (held there by Cromwell in 1650) destroyed almost everything within their reach. Margaret told me that all of the cathedral’s history—good and bad—was part of their heritage, and it was important to understanding who they are today.

I was reminded of Margaret’s words when I read KSBETH’s moving post. The things that link us to our past and our identity include both good things and bad, but preserving them helps us to understand who we are.

I didn't have my glasses on....

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the old mill, a boarding house, the glass lake, the stone bridge,

santa and his team, pine cone evergreens and the christmas tree

at my cottage 2016

—

once again

i was so excited to put out

 the remaining pieces

of the tiny village that my irish grandfather built

way back in the depression

when had become an american citizen

he was an architect by trade

as was his father

 he built this village by hand to exact scale

using

tiny stones

and

little sticks

and

heavy papers

with

incredible attention to every detail

all built

to share with us at the family christmas

i have very early and very fond mémories

of it placed on a big white board

with penciled in numbers for placement

so that every piece was in its place

beneath our christmas tree

with  lights installed underneath

 each building lit up inside

when it got…

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