The Butterfly Hours Memoir Project: NECKLACE

First of all: Happy Birthday to my sweet sister Lynn, whom I adore!  

For 2019 I'm running a year-long series on my blog in which I share my responses to the writing assignment prompts found in THE BUTTERLY HOURS by Patty Dann.

I welcome you to join me, if you like! I've divided the prompts by month, and the plan is to respond to 3 (or so) a week. For some of these I may write poems, for others prose. The important thing is to mine my memory. Who knows where this exploration will lead?

For links to the prompts I've written on so far this year, please click on The Butterfly Hours tab above. 

This month's prompts include: mail, moon, mouse, moving, museum, music, music lesson, name, necklace, neighbor, nightgown.

NECKLACE

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When I was a teen I was gifted a gold cross and an amethyst (my birthstone) cross by my mother. I am not religious, so I no longer wear these pieces, but they are still dear to me. Another dear piece is the real gold chain with a gold camel pendant from Saudi Arabia.

pearl-heart necklace
from Ken

But probably the most touching and unexpected necklace I ever got was from my brother Ken (who is 17 months older than me). When I was 16 (I think!) he gave me a jewelry set that included (imitation) pearl heart pendant, pearl heart earrings and a pearl heart pin. Ken never gave me gifts like that, but that year he did. It was such a surprise, and I absolutely loved it! In fact, I still have the set, over 30 years later!

I also had a boyfriend during college who gave me an adorable locket that had a picture of wee me on one side, and a picture of wee him on the other... and also “Love, [his name]” engraved on the back. We broke up (obviously) but I *think* I still have the locket – and it's sweet to remember.

Paul has gifted me with some wonderful pieces of jewelry over the years, including expensive pieces, art show and roadside finds, favorites from Sundance catalog (my favorite!), and some completely unexpected ones (like the elephant pendant in celebration of the release of DON'T FEED THE BOY).

choker from my father

My father also gave me a necklace that's dear to me – a turquoise and black bead choker made by a woman of the Lakota nation and purchased in Mandan, ND. I've never worn it because it's too big for my neck, and I haven't found anyone (yet) to alter it for me. I need to!