fall shadow boxes

when the twins were much smaller than they are now

i had an idea that each fall i would take them on a

nature hike where they would

gather treasures and we would put

them all in a shadow box. i can still see their

tiny fingers picking up shells, leaves, and

sycamore bark from around our first home.

i remember joe being adamant that the

plastic fork handle be placed along the

bottom below the bird's wing.

hank's has tiny snail shells he

helped glue around the top of his

above the disintegrated leaf he loved.

my plans never went

beyond the first year (and i even have some shadow

boxes in a closet upstairs) but they still love looking

at them. maybe they helped fix an otherwise ordinary

day in their memories. it certainly

worked on me...