Tonight I had dinner with
And speaking of treasures, ![[info]](https://www.vdlupescu.com/journal/wp-content/uploads/userinfo13.gif){kind=small}
swampwitch brought me a gift–an egg that she purchased because it’s a "Valya Egg."
It was actually labeled as a Valya Egg! And it’s purple and sparkly, and it opens like a Fabergé egg. The egg has already been claimed by this mini steampunk poppet (one of Lisa Snelling‘s creations) seen gazing longingly above.
Because I have an uncommon name, I was never able to find any of those personalized gifts that kids sometimes had in the 80s: bracelets, bookmarks, or mugs. There may have been a Valerie or a Val, but I was neither of those. A friend once made me a wooden sign of my name, I have it to this day because it was the only thing with my name.
And now this egg.
Plus swampwitch knows me well enough to know that I am fascinated with eggs as symbols, a part of folklore and tradition, and as a storytelling tool. Eggs by their very nature hide something precious inside. They connect generations. They hold their stories hidden inside the shells. They are a perfect symbol of potential.
(Painted eggs, called pysanky, are an important (and one of my favorite) part of Ukrainian culture. To read more about them from a previous LJ post, click here.)
I wanted to write more about friendship and hidden treasures, but I’m falling asleep on the keyboard.
More later.
Night all.
what a great post! Pysanky would be a great Ostara type group activity.
I love the way you tied your personal egg into hidden treasures and friendships.
Life is a great and complex mystery. I love watching it unfold in my own life and in the stories I read here.
Blessings on your return to Chicago.
That is indeed a beautiful egg. I’ve always found the Faberge eggs fascinating. They were so much a part of the the last Tzar’s intimate family circle, it’s part of history.
Ah… the little poppet. I’ve never gotten around to obtaining one–I did see one time one that was a lady bug poppet; very cute. I guess I must be in ‘too much stuff’ phase. Every time I have to dust I feel like screaming. So, no more ‘stuff’ for me.
I Never Come Here Anymore…FaceBook has Claimed Me.
Oh it was SO good to actually give you a hug instead of telling you I was sending a cyber one… and to catch up a little. There’s still so much more to talk about! I’m glad you love the Valya Egg… and I haven’t forgotten that we had you scheduled for the pysanky a couple of years ago for Srping Equinox…before you knew you’d be moved back to Germany by then. So 2010?
Love you Sweetie~ !