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 dark outside
a train ran around the village
it was covered in sparkly cotton snow
it was so wonderful
i thought it would come to life at christmastime forever
then it was lost for a long, long while
i didn’t see it anymore
until
one day i saw its box out by the curb
waiting to go out with the trash
during a very bad divorce between my parents
i would recognize its box anywhere
i was lucky that i rescued it just in time
only a few buildings and a few accessories remained intact
my siblings and i divided up what was salvageable
now i love to set up my own little section of his village each year
i think of how magical it was to see it all together as a child
i wonder what inspired him to create this wonderful village
i wonder where he got the ideas for each building
i wonder how many buildings there were once upon a time
one of my buildings has the number 9 written inside in pencil
in my ‘umpa’s’ very neat and precise handwriting
i wish i knew more of the story of the village
i wish i could ask him
no one remains who knows these answers
a couple of old photographs of parts of the village that i found in the original box
“i call architecture frozen music.”
-johann wolfgang von goethe
That is indeed a treasure. So much love went in to creating that village and it appears that love still gets unwrapped every year to be shared with everyone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
it really is a treasure and i always think about its story
LikeLike
I am so glad you rescued. Timeless and painstaking work but built with much love. 💞
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you, jen. it was –
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Barb Taub and commented:
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.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you so much, barb and i love that story. you are exactly right.
LikeLike
Wow, such a unique treasure! Not only beautiful but also the history and the background makes it so very precious! Thank you for sharing, Beth!
LikeLiked by 1 person
you are very welcome, erika –
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLike
Not only does this preserve the wonder and beauty of the old architect’s original creation, but, as a bonus,
the account is quite skillfully written, with an intricate balance in tone and affection and all the right words. Thank you for sharing this memory and thank you for sharing this lovely piece of writing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you for your very kind words, al. it was my pleasure –
LikeLike
Delightful – Happy Christmas or do you say Happy Holiday?
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you, andrew. i accept all well-wishes )
LikeLike
Wow. What a save. A Christmas misracle that you caught sight of the box. Such a beautiful memory.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was –
LikeLike
I love the history surrounding the building of this village. Your grandfather was a skilled craftsman.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, he was
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is what makes Christmas a miracle, a gift that keeps on giving…
Sooo precious…
LikeLiked by 1 person
It really is –
LikeLike
Handmade treasures are the best. Thank you for the pictures and the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are and thank you-
LikeLike
Oh my goodness. That is haunting. Happy some of it remains
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, me too )
LikeLike
What an amazing family treasure! I am so glad you rescued it from an awful fate.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, I feel so lucky 🍀
LikeLike
You found a piece of you history, how wonderful. I wonder if from the beautiful photos you could have some of the village duplicated. Wouldn’t that be a treasure! Even if you can’t or don’t you are lovingly keeping your grandfathers art where it counts most. In the family. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and spend a Happy New Year filled with love and joy. :o)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, and I’m happy just to have a few pieces of the original along with my memories)
LikeLiked by 1 person
How blessed you are to discover these family heirlooms. Your grandfather was quite an amazing artist. It’s a shame that you cannot find the answers to these questions. Do you have any elderly relatives that might have some information for you? Poignant story of wonderful historical Christmas gifts for you and your siblings.
LikeLiked by 2 people
yes, i feel very lucky to still have some of it in my possession, and no one surviving who knows the story –
LikeLike
You have inherited aspects of his creative genius, Beth. I wonder what a 3D printer could do for recreating the village.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you, what a compliment. )
LikeLike
What a poignant story. I am so thankful you rescued it and are able to enjoy all the memories and associations with your grandfather. That is beautiful. My husband is an architect and he has collected many Dicken’s Village pieces and spends one to two days building mountains and valleys for all of it. He did build mangers for each of our children out of the wood from a childhood tree house and various mosses and weeds from our land. One of our sons went through a bitter divorce and his ex-wife destroyed the manger. So much love and hurt and anger summed up in one thing. A story in itself. Thanks for sharing this. Love the pictures.
LikeLiked by 1 person
how wonderful. and sad. it’s a shame that people choose to take out their unhappiness on things that mean so much to others, but such is life. we all do the best we can –
LikeLike
Poignant, yet lovely to see how much you treasure this amazing treasure. Of course, I love the fact that he was Irish!
LikeLiked by 1 person
i thought you might like that )
LikeLike
That’s great to see… Merry Christmas, Beth
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks, ted. )
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an amazing gift he left you all Beth. Like you, I would wonder every time I saw it, about the making of it, the ideas of it. I’m so impressed by this family heirloom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it’s hard not to wonder, but I am very grateful for what remains
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is such a sweet part of the village and I look at the black and white photographs thinking how nice if you had been able to save it all. No regrets, except being able to ask your dear “umpa” more about it. . . ❤
I know your Christmas was extra special but will wish you the happiest of new years, Beth. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you so much, robin and you too )
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a true treasure! So happy it’s in such loving hands
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you so much )
LikeLike
What a great family treasure and tradition; to be shared and past down. We had something similar growing up although not as old as your pieces. They were the thought behind what I try to do for my family now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
it is and i’m so glad that you had something like this. it’s wonderful that you’re thinking of these things for your inspiration.
LikeLike
Oh, Beth, this is wonderful–bittersweet and touching. Miniatures fascinate me, and the story behind this is like an excerpt from a page-turner novel. Thank you, and Merry Christmas, dear friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks so much, ermine and that is exactly it – bittersweet. it is so good to see you again and merry christmas to you )
LikeLike
p.s. i forgot to add that i am fascinated by miniatures too
LikeLike
Treasure! Thank you for sharing this with us!
LikeLiked by 1 person
you are very welcome )
LikeLike
Glad you got to keep a small piece of such a wonderful memory. My friend handpainted a snow village for me that we put up every year. It always makes me think of her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, how lovely-
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOVE THIS SO MUCH! ROY CONSTRUCTED THE ENTIRE WIZ MOVIE WHEN HE WAS JUST A TEENSY WEENSY KID!
LikeLiked by 2 people
i’m so glad you liked it and that is so roy!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lol!
LikeLiked by 2 people
And in three generations–all is forgotten–lost…so strange this life.
Nice memories, sad memories, all the best in the new year. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes, isn’t that such a loss? my grandfather died when i was young and i thought that he and the village would always be there. i didn’t yet understand that everything in life is fluid. everyone else remaining, who knew anything about it, my father, mother and grandmother, are now gone and much of the story is lost.
all the best to you too in the coming year )
LikeLiked by 1 person
So many questions after they have gone…sigh…but then…like you wrote–the fluidity. We keep flowing. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very magical and lovely little village your grandfather made. I remember how fun it was to play with these as a child, and I still love them as an adult. The old photographs are awesome too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks, there is a lot of magic to it –
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful. Otherworldly. Thanks for the share.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure)
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful keepsake shame some of it has disappeared but thank goodness you saved some of it ….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes)
LikeLike