Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

Memorial Service Ideas

Paddle Out

No, not this kind, although we are drying out.

New Orlean flood

This kind:

surfer memorial

The Hawaiian inspired ash scattering style at sea.  So beautiful.

And on a lighter note, In the Mailbox: POSTCARDS FROM MAUI

vintage hawaii postcard

The parents are in Hawaii and here’s a quick note from Dad, verbatim:

Hi Lenette

I’m trying to figure out how to use Mom’s lap top with out much sucess. I like our desk top much better, but as you know, change is bad.

Our surfing lessons went really well and we have some pretty good pictures, but I found out I’m not 25 any more. Everyone was pretty score the next day. Larry fell off his surf board and received a small cut on his arm from the croal but is telling everyone the cut is from a shark attack. Mom was the best surfer by far of any of us and “Dirk” ( who is gay we’re sure) said Mom did a really good job.

Everyone is having a great time and to day we are renting snorking gear.

Hope all is well back home….Cya Sunday…Dad

A hui kaua

Bleeding Hearts

bleeding heart

A welcome sight in the early Spring garden. Bleeding Hearts are hardy and easy to grow (and toxic). My Bleeding Hearts have taken a lot of abuse over the years and still come back every season. The original plant in my garden has been split and divided several times and moved all about the property, been peed and trampled on by the A-Team, and still remained strong and beautiful.

They like light shade and can tolerate a heavy clay soil. Most are pink but occasionally you’ll see a white Bleeding Heart. By the end of summer, they stop blooming and turn a lime green. That’s when I cut ’em back.
white bleeding heart

The only problem? Slugs love em.

Memorial Tips from Keith Richards

keith richards
In this month’s Blender magazine Keith Richards answers a fan’s email:

Can you clear up once and for all the thing about snorting your dad’s ashes- I’ve seen you quoted as saying that you did, then that you didn’t and then recently that you did. Which is it?

Richards’ Reply: It’s about halfway in between. You want the latest story? All right, all right. I opened my dad’s ashes, and some of them blew out over the table, just because of the suction of the lid- you know what I mean? And I no longer do cocaine- I’m not allowed to since I broke my head open, otherwise I’d be right in, baby! Nothing stops the old snorter! But I can’t do it; I don’t do it. I looked at my dad’s ashes down there and- what am I gonna do? Do I desecrate them with a dustbin and broom? So I wet me finger, and I shoved a little bit of Dad up me hooter. The rest of them I put round an oak tree, which is coming up a treat. And I’m sure he’s still blessin’ me.

Marching Ants and Sacred Scarabs

egyptian hieroglyphics

The new addition to our bug collection is the Egyptian Scarab keepsake urn. The scarab beetle was of one of the most important religious symbols in Egypt and many of the dead were buried with scarab amulets as a symbol of regeneration.

scarab amulet

Our Sacred Scarab keepsake urn comes in green with lined interior and bottom. Perfect size for storing jewelry, a lock of hair, dried flowers, sacred burial ground, or other small mementos.

egyptian urn

Surfs Up-Paddle Out Memorial

According to Darren Crouch of Passages International, 40% of cremation families plan to scatter the ashes. 70% of those cremation families plan to scatter the ashes over water.

We’ve talked to several families this past week, mostly from California, who have planned this style of ceremony. Often families don’t think they’ll need an urn for this method of memorialization. The truth is, that an urn will simplify the process and eliminate the chance of “blow back“. There are a couple of urn options suitable for water burial that are environmentally friendly, attractive and designed to float for a few minutes and then gracefully sink in the water. One of the nice qualities about these urns is the fact that they are made from recycled paper and molded into the shape of a shell or a pillow style vessel.

biodegradable shell urn

Some of these families plan to scatter ashes from a boat, or have organized memorial paddle-outs, a traditional Hawaiian good-bye for departed Polynesian kings. Often, flowers, wreaths, rose petals, or leis are cast out after the ashes are in the water.

scattering ashes ceremony