Paddywack, give your dog a bone.

Jamie's Grandmother was visiting us this afternoon and told me that she really likes our house but that we need knick knacks. "This place would be much more beautiful," she said, "if it only had some knick knacks."

This got me thinking. I looked around (after giggling a little bit to myself) and realized that she's sorta right. Now...don't get me wrong. We have strategically placed "pieces" but nothing that really constitutes an honest to goodness "knick knack".

After glancing around the living room I asked her, "What kind of knick knacks do you recommend?" (I was not placating her - I was really curious.) She replied, "Oh, any kind! You know, I used to collect owl figurines and wall ornaments. Owls are really beautiful and quite mysterious. You should collect something like owls."

Owls frighten me. Seriously. My Aunt Rebecca's mother-in-law used to collect owls and I never liked to visit her house. Regardless of where I walked, it seemed like the owls were always looking directly at me...following my every move.

Needless to say, owls were out. But I was still intrigued. I mean...she is a very smart woman! She knows what she's talking about. If an almost 90 year old woman thinks I need knick knacks, who am I to argue? Even now, hours after she left, I'm still contemplating what we will adorn our uncluttered walls and tables with.

What constitutes a knick knack though? A collection of something? Does this collection have to be displayed? If displayed, does it have to be on shelving reserved exclusively for knick knacks? (If that's the case, I'm not only going to have to buy said knick knacks but shelving to boot...this sounds like a very expensive endeavor.)

OK, after looking in my Merriam-Webster dictionary I've learned that a knick knack is "a small trivial article usually intended for ornament." The plural (knick knacks) suggests a "collection of small trivial articles usually intended for ornamental display."

Upon further investigation and observation, I determined that I do indeed have a collection. I have two very specific collections: green glass and books. But does green glass a proper knick knack collection make? In addition, I've always been told never to judge a book by its cover. So it is my understanding that a book, in and of itself, cannot accurately be deemed to have artistic merit unless it is read. I am in a quandary.

Here's my question: Do you have knick knacks and if so what are they and how do you display them? I look forward to reading your answers and thank you in advance for your intelligent responses.