Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

Memorial Service Ideas

High Gloss Natural Burl Wood Urn

Wood Urn Pick of the Week:

The natural beauty of our burl wood urn is perfect choice for families that may want a wood urn for traveling with ashes, or who plan to scatter the cremains at a later date. Our high gloss natural burl grain patterns are individual to each of our urns, symbolizing the unique quality of each human spirit and can personalized with engraving.

Mahogany Burl Wood Urn
Mahogany Burl Wood Urn

Our burl wood memorial urn features a lift out lined tray for storage of jewelry, keys, and other small mementos. Lower half designed to discreetly accommodate the urn container. Ashes are usually bagged within the urn you receive from the funeral home.

Italian Horn and Fish Urn Jewelry

Timeless Symbols of Protection:

In many cultures, the horn is believed to be the symbol of life and eternity. In ancient Italy the horn charm or amulet was worn in as protection against evil spirits and has also been linked to Celtic and Druid myths and beliefs. In pre-Christian Europe, animal horns pointed to the moon goddess and were considered sacred.

Italian Horn Urn Jewelry
Italian Horn Urn Jewelry

The Italian Horn urn necklace is available in sterling silver or a high quality gold plate and comes with silk cord or we’ve got chains that are optional.

The fish symbol is representative of the Christian faith and has ancient roots in the Celtic and Druid culture. This discreet urn pendant holds a trace amount of ash, flowers, hair, or other small memento. Available in sterling silver and gold.

Ithicus Fish Urn Jewelry
Ithicus Fish Urn Jewelry

cremation jewelry for ashes

Your Chariot Awaits

Galyani Vadhana
Galyani Vadhana

Ever since Thailand’s 84 year old Princess Galyani Vadhana passed away on January 2nd, artists and technicians have been busy over the past 10 months readying Princess’ chariot for her final ride. Some fast facts on this ancient rig.

Thai funeral chariot

Weighs in at 14 tons. Compare to a cargo van 2.5 tons.

Pulled by 228 soldiers. Seems like horse power would be better, but none of the ancient chariots have Hemis. The chariot will carry the Princess on a long procession around the heart of Bangkok, using levers, gears, winches, and manpower.

Thai funeral Chariot

Dates back to 1875, built during the reign of King Rama I.

Despite it’s size, it’s a piece of rolling art. Elegantly carved in wood, gleaming with mirrors, gem stones and gold leaf.

The chariots will roll for the first time since 1995 when they were used during the cremation ceremony of the King’s mother.

Ceremonies started on November 14.

Source: The Straits Times

Deena on Funeral Education

Our continuing interview with Deena Pulaski of Lakeview Funeral Home and Crematory in La Porte, Indiana.

Deena says education of her client families has been a big aspect of the business. “We see more price shoppers now, many families are not aware of the options available, and it’s our job to educate them. They don’t realize that with cremation, they can have a viewing and visitation, and will often choose that type of service when offered.”

Trends: Many families are opting to keep the ashes in the home. When Deena asks the families if they’ve considered arrangements for guardianship later, the families often don’t know what they are going to do.

“We’re just trying to avoid future scenarios when the super bargain hunter arrives at the funeral home with an estate sale treasure….filled with ashes.”

Since La Porte is near many waterways, Deena fields requests from families that are interested in scattering the ashes over water. “I always recommend that they consider a water soluable urn. We’ve had several incidents of the plastic temporary urns that have been tossed over the side of the boat, later wash up on shore.”

Meet Deena Pulaski

As part of our ongoing “Women in Funeral Service” series, I recently had the pleasure to visit with Deena Pulaski. Deena and her husband, Casmir, just celebrated their two year anniversary at their new funeral home, Lakeview Funeral Home and Crematory in LaPorte, Indiana.

“We always knew that we’d own a funeral home, but imagined that we’d purchase an existing business, and it would be later than sooner.” said Deena

Deena was gracious enough to discuss take time out of her busy schedule to discuss some of the challenges of being being the new kid on the block in a small community of long established funeral homes, as well as some of the trends she sees with the families she serves.