thrifty thursday: tinkling brass

While I was studying for a semester abroad, we lived in a brick, three story farm house. It was exactly as you picture a farm house in England should be. Sturdy, well worn with age, and covered with an almost reverent air. Whenever a professor wanted to meet with us, we were signaled by the clear, strong sound of a hand bell tolling. No matter what we were doing, it was a summon to come downstairs for a meeting. It was a rallying call for camaraderie. When the wafting smell of potatoes and rolls was already calling you downstairs, the sound of the hand bell confirmed your stomach's cry. Many skype calls to Matthew were interrupted by the clean, pure sound, and I remember often saying, "Oh, there's the bell!"

I told him then that someday I wanted a bell to ring at our house, to summon our children. Whether it was school time, or dinner time, the bell is meant to say, "Hey, good looking. I need to see you in here."

So imagine my delight when among other ugly hand bells, a little brass owl bell looked up at me from a thrift store shelf and said, "Ring me. I'm beautiful." And she was right. She has a soft chime. Like a spoon on crystal, or {more relatable} the sound my iphone makes when it gets a text message. We snatched her up and brought her home for $2.50.

"Not only am I capable of eventually calling your children in from the yard, in the mean time, I make a beast bookend."