"Take it with a grin of salt." (-Yogi Berra)

“Wit is the salt of conversation, not the food.”
(-William Hazlitt)

Well now,... how could something like this happen? Evidently, I’ve become one of those people who collect salt and pepper shakers. There was no premeditation here, mind you. I never meant to do it. In fact, I've been known to make fun of those folks who do. It just happened.

Growing up, for special occasions, my mother had delicate, individual, glass salt cellars for each person at the table, and elegant , tiny spoons to go along with them. She gave them to me some years ago, and I have them in a pretty little box.

Joe came home one day with sweet little tulips, knowing that they're pretty much my all-time favorite flower.

Then, he and I were at the art museum, and I happened upon a set of “Picasso-esque” salt and peppers. Joe is a huge Picasso fan, so needless to say, they came home with us. I was enamoured of the way they sort of nestled together, as salt and peppers should.

At the flea market a few summers ago, we found two sweet bluebird S&P’s, and how could we resist that?

Finally, when I was at Biltmore this past spring, lo and behold, in the gift shop, I saw charming little pink birds for $7 that I had to have and now I've even done sketches of them.

Which is my favorite, you ask...?

I'd have to say...this one:

As Yogi Berra would say:
“Take it with a grin of salt.”

("...wouldn't you like to be a pepper, too?")