Oz Collection of Memories

It has been established in previous posts that I love the Wizard of Oz. Over the past two days I spent a good portion of each day at a local museum creating a display with my Wizard of Oz collection. When I first agreed to do this, I was not sure I could even fill the shelves. I also wasn’t sure that my incomplete collections of things, old and new wouldn’t look rag tag and shabby. The chosen theme for the exhibit is "There’s no place like home for the holidays". Having a holiday theme really helped to turn the display around. I left there yesterday feeling satisfied that it looks beautiful and engaging. I think people will enjoy seeing it. After I got home, I admit I had some separation anxiety. I know they are just things, but they do mean a lot to me. This is the first time I have ever seen all of my Wizard of Oz treasures in one place. It really makes me happy. I told my husband I wish we had room for that entire display in our house! Digging my pieces out from their hiding places, dusty boxes in the garage and old suitcases and bringing them all together was really fulfilling. As I was putting them on the shelves, I found myself talking to them as if they were old friends, and many of them are. I have dolls that have been with me for more than 40 years and some books longer than that. There was no shortage of memories while going through this process. My Franklin Mint figurine collection reminded me of the day I was dusting and knocked the entire display over. There were heads, arms, wands and broomsticks flying around as everything fell off of my china cabinet. I did shed a few tears that day. There were some casualties so my collection is not complete and subsequently there is a bit of glue involved in what remains. I sent the display case to Goodwill several years ago in frustration- another regret. I have wonderful pictures that my mom lovingly cross-stitched for me. One of them is in a frame that was made from an old decorative piece of wood I found on the farm where she was born. These are irreplaceable. The collection includes the little Dorothy costume I made for my daughter when she was a four-year-old which she proudly wore in the Wild Goose Bill Days parade in my hometown. Also included are wind-up toys snd erasers that I bought when I worked at the Enchanted Toy Shop back in the 1980s, the baby quilt I made for my granddaughter, a little cup that she used as a toddler and puzzles that have been touched by many family members as we put them together. After my divorce in 1995 I decided I would have an Oz room in my house, and whatever I had amassed at that time was pulled out of the closets and shed. I decorated and invited an Oz-loving co-worker to eat lunch in my room. The Wizard of Oz helped heal me during that difficult time. Much of my collection is without original packaging, and has been gently loved by myself or others. I don’t wear white gloves to handle the things I value. I remember collecting the little Madame Alexander McDonald's dolls while I was working at the Tri-City Herald in 2008. I would head to McDonald’s on my lunch to buy a Happy Meal and then ask if I could buy an additional toy. I was not successful in getting them all, until a coworker who worked on that account was able to get them for me! I was so excited to receive them, including the duplicates which I treasure! When I got remarried in 2010 I decided I needed to wear ruby slippers. Of course I walked down the aisle while Somewhere Over the Rainbow was being played by my daughter and her friend on cello and harp, respectively. It was beautiful! Our wedding decor included little birds, and if I’d thought of it soon enough I would have had a yellow brick road aisle runner. Sometimes the best ideas come too late! Once we were pronounced married, we turned and walked out of the church to the much peppier version of Over the Rainbow by the late Israel Kamakawiwoʻole I am not kidding when I say that the Wizard of Oz is a part of who I am. My husband knew this when he married me. I frequently get messages from friends, some who i haven’t even seen in several years telling me they saw something Oz related and thought of me. I laugh and tell them they’re not alone. Today I will be going with friends to see the new Wicked movie. I am beyond excited, because I know it’s going to be amazing. I can imagine little girls sitting down to watch the movie over and over again throughout their lives. The author of Wicked, Gregory Maguire and the creators of both Broadway show and the new movie are creating little collectors - generations of Oz lovers, if you will. I for one will. My granddaughter’s Christmas gifts will include something Wicked, as well as many of the gifts I will give to friends this year. If you haven’t found the joy of knowing what’s over the rainbow for you, or realizing that there really is no place like home, I hope you will consider visiting the museum at Keewaydin this Christmas season. I hope viewing my collection will make you smile.