Tick-Tock

No one remembers exactly why my great-grandparents bought this elaborate angel clock on January 16, 1888, the same day an angel brought them a new granddaughter—my mother. It's long been forgotten whether the purchase was coincidental to or in celebration of the birth.

Whatever the reason, the clock began a long tradition of angel collecting in my family. My mother passed on her impressive 300-piece collection to me.

I've added to it over the years with plates and figurines and ornaments. My husband had to build special cabinets in the living room to house all my treasures. High atop them all sits the original angel clock, still working like new!

Every angel collection has to start somewhere, though most don't begin as dramatically or grow to be as large as mine. My son reminds me often that he can't promise to keep all the angels himself. "Of course I will make room for the angel clock," he said.

I love knowing that those golden clock angels will be looking down on my family, watching over generations yet to come, just as they did in my great grandparents day.