Salt and Pepper Shakers - Memories

As a child I remember that my mother had a collection of salt and pepper shakers sitting on shelves above her stove in our kitchen. I was fascinated by the different sizes, shapes and colors of the shakers. As I grew older, I learned that some of them had belonged to grandmothers on both sides of our family. Many sets had even been given to my mother as gifts from the personal collections of dear Aunts and other relatives who are now deceased.

When my dear mother died, I decided to keep the collection. It has been added to abundantly over the years. With every birthday, and each time we returned from a vacation, the set grew by several pair. While searching for the shakers at flea markets and collectible shops, I learned that some of the sets in our collection are very valuable, and I have shared this fact with our children. Someday this pleasant childhood memory of mine may help pay for the college tuition of my great grandchildren; but for now, the treasured salt and pepper shakers have a special place in both my country kitchen and my heart.