I asked one of the seasonal rangers who was returning to Rocky Mountain National Park if she wanted to get a permanent job in a park. She said she was hoping that someday she would have more material possessions than would fit easily into her car. Furniture was associated with her desire to “settle down.”
I remember graduate student days of beanbag chairs and stereo speakers as my furnishings. I now value the furniture accumulated over the past 50 years.
Furniture is not just a collection of objects. It reflects memories and one’s personality. At this point, I have all the furniture that I want or need. Other than the functionality of a leather couch that my cats will not tear apart, the furniture in my house reflects happiness about growing up on my Iowa farm and the joy that natural wood gives me.
My possessions reflect my emotions. I have the rocking chair that once belonged to my grandmother as well as the one that my mom used when we were babies. My most prized piece of furniture is the cherry secretary (see photo) that I refinished for my mom as a 4-H project when I was 12 years old. It now graces my foyer and was the one item that I wanted to inherit more than anything else from my parents’ home.
I also have pieces of furniture made in Estes Park by a local woodworker. I purchased the first pieces when I still lived in North Carolina. I was looking for a change in my life and I had always loved that rustic look. Through a lucky interaction, I was able to get the furniture made and delivered to my NC home. Having the furniture in my living room and bedroom brought joy for the anticipation of someday living in the mountains. Over time I acquired more of this woodsy design.
My house is a hodge podge of furniture with antiques from my childhood and the log furniture. It suits my eclectic personality and I enjoy its warmth. I know I would not win any awards for interior design, but the coziness wraps me in happiness.