Very Late Treasure Chest Thursday Post

It’s hard to believe that I’ve blogged for over a year and this will be my first post for Treasure Chest Thursday, I think, and even it's not actually being posted on Thursday but Friday AM.


My first post for this meme is about one of my mother’s most prized possessions, this simple green lamp. I’m sure you are wondering, what’s so special about this lamp. Well, what makes this lamp special, is the stories it holds and the memories it evokes in my mother.

First, before the days of every household having electricity, when my mother was growing up, it was one of the few sources of light in my grandparent’s house. Back then, the light emitted from this lamp was through kerosene / oil and not electricity. My mother spent many an evening attending to her studies by the light of this lamp. Momma often jokes that it’s a wonder they didn’t go blind straining to see through the smokey glow. Me personally, I’m amazed at the fortitude of mom.

Second and probably what holds the most significance for my mother, the lamp was a wedding present. My maternal grandfather was a tenant farmer all his working days. My grandparents never had a lot of money but what they had they managed well. So, when my parents decided to get married, there were no funds for a small wedding, much less a big lavish wedding, but granddad still wanted to give something to his daughter, so he took the old kerosene / oil lamp and had it wired for electricity. (Aunt Lucille received a similar present on her wedding day. Hers was clear). If you look closely, you can see the remnants of its former life (the fill hole, the mantel, etc.)