of foofaraws and such

Just what is a foofaraw, you ask? In the American west of the early 1800′s, foofaraw was the name trappers, fur traders and mountain men used for beads, baubles and trinkets they brought with them to trade with Indians and others they encountered during their travels. As an Idahoan, in the middle of fur trade country, with a Mother who did extensive research and writing on the mountain man, I heard the word early and often, and it has always fascinated me. In today’s world, foofaraws are a perfect example of “bling-bling” – or whatever the current term is for that now.

As I grow older, I find that memories of people or events from years ago will suddenly pop to the surface of my mind – things that I’d long forgotten about, but which were if not important moments at least memorable moments and worth remembering. Of course, there are others which are probably best dealt with by wrapping a mental concrete block around them, finding a deep pond and hoping they’ll never resurface. But the keepers also tend to sink again when another one pops up, so writing them down somehow seems to be the best way to preserve them. They may be funny, sad, bewildering, or just plain weird, and definitely come in no certain pattern, but they’re a part of the person I’ve become and if I eventually get enough of them put together, they may make sense. If not, I’ve had an interesting time doing it. They are my mental bling-bling, foofaraws, or baubles of the mind.