The Story: Burnt Candles
“If I had my life to live over again, I would have burnt the pink candle that was sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored.” — Erma Bombeck
It was a small white colander, painted with strawberries and curling green leaves, the kind of vessel that carries more time than weight. The woman who gave it to me said it was vintage, that she’d had it for years. I could tell it mattered by the way she held it before letting go, as if handing over a chapter of her life.
When I looked closely, I saw faint brushstrokes, tiny imperfections in the paint — signs of a slower world, when beauty was made by hand and people poured care into small things. I thought of how easy it would have been for her to keep it tucked away, safe in the back of a wooden cabinet, too precious to use. But that isn’t what life, or beauty, is for.
My mother once shared a story by Erma Bombeck, the one about burning the rose candle. It’s about living while we can, using the good dishes, sitting in the grass, saying the words before time takes them. I think of that often now, how easy it is to save our joy for later, until later disappears.
So I suppose using these vessels, letting them weather, planting new life in them, is my way of burning the rose candle. You, my reader, are the special occasion. There is nothing more sacred than the ordinary moment lived with care.
This colander, once meant for strawberries, now holds something deeper — a reminder that what we tend to today becomes tomorrow’s memory. May it bring joy to you, and through you, joy to someone else.
Care Guide
Light: Bright, indirect to filtered sun.
Water: Keep evenly moist; water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Avoid standing water in the base.
Environment: Outdoors or in bright indoor space with gentle airflow.
Encouragement: Use it, enjoy it, and let it change with time. Life was never meant to stay in storage.
Freeze Protection: This colander should be brought indoors when temperatures dip below 32°F. At 32°F, shelter near a wall or covered porch. Bring fully inside and place near a sunny window. Lightly water before a freeze — moist soil retains warmth better than dry.
I prayed over this vessel and for you, the one holding it now. May you find peace in its presence and remember that beauty grows wherever it is welcomed.
With you in the soil and the story,
Ellie
A Living Story Disclaimer
Each Restoried Garden begins its journey in my hands but continues its story with you. Every vessel has been cleaned, prepared, and planted with care; however, once it leaves my garden, its life depends on your unique environment and tending. Please note that weather, watering, and placement all influence longevity, and I cannot be responsible for plant performance or wear over time. These pieces are meant to live, grow, and change, a reflection that no story truly ends; it simply takes root somewhere new.
