Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

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I Slept With Elvis

bird in the hand

What I learned today:

For 10 years one of my clients showered and shared her bed with a cockatoo named Elvis.

Cockatoo
Cockatoo

Elvis liked to ride in the car and eat cheeseburgers and ice cream at the DQ.

He would hold up a foot and scream “Raspberry!” and want you to blow on his toes.

Client has nine other birds in the parrot family, and Elvis was never really part of the bird population. He preferred to perch on the shoulder of his master. He was kind of an attention whore, and had to be near (or on) when master was in the house. Folding laundry, watching tv, or going to the bathroom, there he was. Evidently, it’s not uncommon for the cockatoos to live to be 70 or 80 years old. Even with all that love in the room, Elvis only made it to 10.

This is the bird urn his owner selected. While my client prefers a traditional burial for herself, she has instructed her kids that Elvis’ ashes will be placed in her casket when the time comes.

Sitting Doves Keepsake Urn
A Home for Elvis

Rest in peace my cheeky little cockatoo.

 

Butterfly Urns

Our neighbor pointed out all the butterflies in the neighborhood, and I started counting how many I would see fluttering about. Too many, I lost count.

A symbol of earth and air, butterflies often remind us of a sense of freedom and oneness with nature that many of us yearn for. We’ve got styles of butterfly urns in the Urn Garden that captures the spirit of the butterfly lover.

My favorite butterfly urn is a metal urn with deep blue and shades of purple butterfly wings. Matching heart keepsake urn can be ordered in addition to the adult urn. The great thing about a metal urn is that not only is it decorative and often a work of art, but for families that choose to bury the ashes, metal urns are a safe and secure burial urn.

butterfly cremation urn

Staying in the metal urns for sale, we have a pretty blue and purple butterfly memorial urn.

blue purple butterfly urn

Another metal urn is the Butterfly Cloisonne Urn, which also can be ordered in a double “companion” urn size. Cloisonne is a fascinating art form that is an ancient process that predates stained glass. At first glance, it’s often mistaken for ceramic or porcelain, but it’s actually multi layers of brass and copper metal wiring that is filled with brightly colored enamel and then fired to create a gorgeous work of art that stands the test of time.

Butterfly cremation urns

Metal vase shaped urns with rich layers of ruby red lacquer and inlayed mother of pearl are another option that will create a stunning memorial. The mother of pearl butterflies fly across the surface of the urn and shimmer and glow against the dark background. So pretty, and this style can be laser engraved with a name if desired.

butterfly cremation urn

If a wooden urn is more your style, cherry or solid oak woods can be engraved with butterflies or hummingbirds and the surface can be engraved with names, dates, or a brief verse or sentiment.

Pendants are available in the butterfly spirit. The urn jewelry discreetly holds a trace amount of ash, lock of hair, or other small loving memento.

Jewelry Urns

Urn Garden Cremation Urns

Ride On Barbara Warren

Picture courtesy of the Warren Family archives
Picture courtesy of the Warren Family archives

Barbara Warren, one of the world’s elite endurance athletes in her age group has died after breaking her neck in a bike crash at the Santa Barbara Triathlon. She was 65.

Warren crashed her bike on a downhill road about halfway through the 34-mile cycling section of the race on Saturday.

Warren was paralyzed from the neck down and was breathing with the aid of the ventilator.

Drake said her sister told the family by blinking and nodding that she wanted to die.

“I talked to her and she nodded over and over and over again. She wanted to leave,” Drake said. “No athlete would like to have a life with only their eyes talking.”

Warren won her age group in the 2003 Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii. She competed in the race, the world’s top triathlon, 13 times and finished in the top five in her age group eight times.

Remarkable!

Read more.

Fountain of Youth Revealed

At the part-time job, I have a lot of interaction with seniors. Earlier this week, I encountered a beautiful lady who I would never have guessed her age at 70 +. Beautiful firm skin, not a line on her face, and physically fit. Naturally, I want to know her beauty secrets.

1. Palmolive Soap. No night creams, no moisturizers. Just soap and a washcloth.

Does she stay out of the sun? No.

Does she wear sunscreen? No.

Does she smoke? No.

Does she consume alcohol? Hell yes!

Does she watch her diet? She eats a lot of pork rinds.

Does she have good genetics? I think so.

The talk turned to marriage and she revealed she’d been married 56 years. “It gets easier. ” she said.

“Tell me”, I replied.

“Keep your mouth shut” she answered.

Do Not Disturb

vintage postcard

In our culture we honor the dead by carving their names in stone, staging celebrations of life, and personalizing any and all funeral accessories from the casket to the urn.

In contrast, here in the Bible Belt, I’ve attended a few services that where the body is on display (usually in a church) but the ceremony itself is actually an altar call for the “lost”.

In talking with Native Americans I’ve learned that in their culture, it is forbidden to mention the name of the deceased for fear of disturbing and disrupting the journey of the spirit.

Recently, a friend in Texas attended her neighbor’s funeral and was saddened that the minister never mentioned the deceased, only HIS relationship with God.

We never learned anything about his mother. We didn’t learn where she was born and grew up, who she married, or the names of her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We didn’t learn if she had any hobbies, or if she had ever belonged to any church or community organization.

I’d like to think this was a culture clash and not a minister with a captive audience. We just have to hope the family was satisfied with the service.

The message here is, depending on your beliefs and desires for the funeral service DON’T ASSUME that your pastor or family member will know what you want for your loved ones. Write it down, ask questions, or communicate your wishes to the funeral director handling the service.

Today’s Tip: Celebrate Life