Out of Molehills

The unusual collection of characters that have taken up residence on the header of this blog were all discovered at various garage sales between this summer and the last. Each one may have once been a gift to a friend, lover or child, eventually outgrown and ultimately sold for less than a dollar to the first person who could recognize the value they possess. That person was not me.

These characters do however, live at my house. They sit atop various locations doing what they do best. They look goofy. Mostly, they just sit around and catch odd looks from those unaccustomed to seeing such unusual "art" scattered around my decor.

Most people know that a black and white plush loon with red maple leaf-shaped feet is not what I would ordinarily choose to set off my impressionist art-covered purple(ish) walls. It's the farthest I would have imagined from a perfect fit, yet there's no denying he's truly Canadian, cute, cuddly and quirky. And he's grown on me.

I expect that the Peking duck in the Chinese-style hat, the bespectacled, girly clown and the colourful fish might also endear themselves to me over time, but they're the new kids on the block, having only been discovered this past month. Time will tell.

Of them all, the first one acquired was the mole, and he is indeed my favourite. He's also become the playing piece in an unexpected little game which mirrors the very nature of this squinty-eyed little creature. Moles burrow and hide, and this one is no exception.

He appeared one morning, unannounced, peeking out from the inside of a decorative teacup. I immediately knew how he got there, and the smile that it evoked in me was for two reasons. He looked cute peering over the rim of the cup, and now, ... the game was on! I quickly found another location for him, hidden but in plain sight. It was about a week later when he was discovered and subsequently concealed again.

We've been playing this game of hide-and-seek-the-mole for over a year now. The unspoken rules are such that he should preferably be happened upon rather than searched for. I have to admit that I had trouble finding him this last time. It took over six weeks and at least as many vague to blatant hints until I finally discovered him sleeping in a vase of silk flowers.

Hidden but in plain sight.

I've since given him a new hiding spot and he and I are patiently waiting for his presence to be discovered once again.

I suppose it's easy to draw the parallel between these amusing little creatures and how we should consider the unlikely, lest they be the true treasures in our lives. Maybe that's why they have so unexpectedly but comfortably woven themselves into the fabric of my daily life.

Perhaps the very best treasures are cleverly hidden but in plain sight.