Sharon Goerg

A large old-fashioned clock of pale wood hangs in my kitchen . The pendulum no longer moves . “ Standard Time ” used to be printed across the glass front , but for some reason my father , who rescued this clock from his country school before it was demolished , scraped off the lettering . This object hung in my family kitchen for years so it reminds me of my childhood . My father claimed that the timepiece was in prominent view for the ladies during their coffee and gossip get-togethers .

Another favourite possession is a bird cage that my husband and I purchased in Singapore . On Sunday mornings at a specific café near the waterfront , men bring their birds in small cages and , in some manner , judge the various birds ’ melodious qualities . In a shop nearby , we purchased a similar bird cage including the water and ceramic feeding units . We don ’ t have a bird confined , but the cage is visually fun to observe and helps recall that special Sunday morning on one of our travels .

Many of my favourite objects have been obtained while travelling . When we were leaving Ireland after a year ’ s stay , my husband purchased a carved cross about twenty-two inches tall . Each side of the cross has a biblical depiction . The carver had been our butcher and usually had a carving or two in his shop window . He gained success throughout the nearly sixty years since our purchase . This summer my daughter found Michael Quirke in the same shop in Sligo , Ireland , although he is no longer a butcher . Wendy and her husband enjoyed listening to and watching him carve and , in turn , related the story of our piece that has been displayed in our home all these years .

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