Saturday, August 22, 2009

seaside treasures



Blogging about the contents of my suitcase would have been such a good way to tell you about my holiday.

Such a shame I unpacked right after getting home yesterday (well, after a cup of tea of course...) and that I only had this great idea this morning.

Ah well.

I guess you may be relieved to know you wont be seeing photos of my dirty laundry after all.

The contents of my suitcase included these treasures from the beach - I am a compulsive beach-comber and I love how each beach has its own character. Some have pebbles with holes worn right through (these are among my favourite beach-treasures); some have shells; some have lots of sea glass (also very have-able).

I only discovered this year - after holidaying in Jersey for 25 years - that the beaches there have treasure like this.

Little fragments of china worn so satiny smooth by the sea's constant caressing, their patterns sometimes quite worn but still delicately decorative.

Tiny remnants, I wonder about their histories and their stories... Wouldn't it be fascinating to know?

22 comments:

Mrsupole said...

That is exactly what I was thinking, I wonder how many came from ship wrecks or from some angry person just tossing out the "trash".

God bless.

Harnett-Hargrove said...

A large history in every small shard....a ponder. -Jayne

Anonymous said...

lettuce, New Jersey? I think I still have kin there. I like your beach treasures from there and it looks as if it's been cleaned up a bit since my last visit-LOL! This can't be from the Cape May area...horse-shoe crabs, yes; pottery? hmmmm...would make for a neat necklace or trivet of some sort...

And a big welcome back! HUGS :)

ArtSparker said...

I love fragments of things. There is a China dump near where I live with many interesting fragments. Welcome back!

joyce said...

I adore that china- magnifico!

lettuce said...

thanks for welcomes and hugs
:-)

subtorp, its Jersey, Channel Islands not New Jersey where I've been holidaying. In the English channel and part of the UK (sort of) despite being much much closer to France...

Brian Miller said...

what cool treasures you found...they beg a story...

Shammickite said...

I used to pick up bits of sea-worn china when I lived in North Devon all those years ago. I still have some of it tucked away in a box soewhere. Every piece has a history.

Megan said...

I'm a beachcomber myself, but I've never seen bits like that around here!

How interesting and beautiful.

Welcome home!

Lynne said...

Here in NEW JERSEY when I do get the chance to beachcomb I never find anything as interesting as these china pieces. I always look for shells that have been smoothed by lots of waves and time in the water.

I think you should make some sort of mosaic piece out them as a souvenir of your vacation.

LOVE THESE!

Can you float them in the direction of New Jersey for me?

Ronda Laveen said...

Around San Francisco, there are spots were you can find bits of blue and red glass. Some are quite valuable. I've never found any.

Welcome home.

Barbara said...

All those blue-and-white pieces of china must have some story to tell. Maybe you should make up a story for them!

e said...

Hi Lettuce,

Those lovely bits do indeed beg a story! I've never seen anything like those here or on the beaches where I grew up. Very curious finding bits of china...could they have come from a shipwreck???

Thanks for the email. I do hope you received my reply. Take care.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful collection of beachcombing fun. My husband can often be seen walking the beach with his hands behind his back, head down looking for treasure. Did the weather stay clement, we have had lots of rain up here.

Coffee Messiah said...

Amazing what can be found at beaches around the world these days.

Of course, we haven't been near a beach since the west coast 12 yrs ago but hope to once again real soon.

We missed out on our trip to Seattle a few years ago but we did take the ferry over the water.

Sure miss the fresh fragrance ; )

herhimnbryn said...

I have major 'sea china' envy now. I am drooling. I am thinking about mosaics and necklaces and earrings.........

Lucy said...

Ooh, nice! (HHB sent me as I am on a blue kick at the moment).

Akelamalu said...

Treasures indeed. I like the two brown stones with white centres. :)

Unknown said...

I love sea glass but so seldom find it anymore - you're lucky! As for your china treasures - amazing! xx

Steve Reed said...

Those are beautiful, Lettuce! I also wonder whether they're trash or maybe old china fragments from a shipwreck or something. (And how old are they? Could be centuries, I suppose!)

I'm a major beachcomber, too...

goatman said...

Hey, wait a minute . . . looks like chards from the cup my granny used to drink out of here in the colony.

Neat how the sand-blasted once sharp edges are now safe to handle.

Kat Mortensen said...

I love old china and potteryware. I can't think of anything nicer than coming across wayward pieces that washed up on shore. How amazing! I wonder if any of them came from old ships that capsized or were sunk by pirates?

Kat