Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

art

Pardon My Dust

dorthy parker

Over the holiday weekend we caught an old favorite, “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle” with Jennifer Jason Leigh as Dorthy Parker, and was reminded of the author’s tragic ending.

Four suicide attempts, no heirs, her will was simple: she left her literary estate to Dr. Martin Luther King. Parker was cremated and her ashes sat on a shelf at the crematory for six years.

A year after Dorthy’s death, Dr. King was assassinated and the Parker estate rolled over to the NAACP. Meanwhile, her ashes had been mailed to her attorney’s office where the box resided in a filing cabinet for 15 years.

In 1988, someone figured out that Mrs. Parker’s ashes were unclaimed, New York tabloids ran stories and readers sent in letters about what should be done with the dust. The NAACP stepped in and took the box and dedicated a memorial garden at the national headquarters in Baltimore, and finally interred the ashes there.

dorthy parker memorial

source: dorthyparker.com

Goddess of Cats and Fire, Bastet is Back!

One of the experiments we conducted in the garden this year was the launch of our Egyptian Collection. We try not to be slaves to our own tastes, but admittedly we’re crazy for all things Egyptian (except for cobras and poison asps) and it seemed like a good fit.

The Bastet and Anubis canopic jar style pet urns have been a popular selection with our families and both styles been sold out for several weeks now. Bastet is now back in stock and appeals to the cat lovers. Makes sense because Bastet was the goddess of cats, fire, home, and pregnant women.

bastet canopic jar

Bastet had a split personality and was both gentle and docile, but could quickly turn into an evil kitty and slaughter her enemies.

According to the Greek historian, Herodotus, festivals for Bastet were held in April and May at Bubastis. Boat-loads of men and women would sail the Nile shaking rattles and blowing horns, dancing, and disturbing the peace. Jeering at the crowds along the banks. When the Egyptians finally reached the festival destination, the party really got started! Kicking it off with sacrifices, massive wine consumption and the largest orgy in the Mediterranean. Herodotus said “more wine is consumed than during the whole of the rest of the year.” Good times!

In addition to Bastet and Anubis, other pet urn styles in the Egyptian collection include a Pharaoh and Horus version.

Going Home

dove postcard
It’s becoming more common to hear of the family that decides to keep the ashes in the home. Often they have plans to inter the urn or scatter the ashes later. The cremation urn is not going to be hid away in the closet. These families want something beautiful that blends with their decor. The living area or bedroom is usually where the urn will be located.

One of our families has both her parents in a cloisonne style vase up high on a shelf. Tragically, she lost her son a couple of weeks ago and selected an exotic copper funeral urn that will be displayed on the mantle, with a piece of art from her son’s collection.

The son’s parents are Vietnam Vets who plan to be cremated and interred at Arlington. Due to the transitional nature of the rest of the family, it’s been difficult to determine a final resting place.

Cloisonne and blown glass urns are popular selections for families that want a discreet way to keep the urn close. The strength and beauty of cloisonne is an excellent choice.

Lucky Charms

good luck be thine

This card probably dates from the early 1900’s. Notice the golden swastika in the greeting? While browsing for postcards, I spotted several with the symbol. Turns out that at one time the swastika symbolized “well being” and good tidings. The symbol has an ancient history in Europe, appearing on artifacts from pre-Christian European cultures. In particular, the swastika is a sacred symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism. This is what I learned today.

Clovers, horseshoes, and wishbones I get. But what about the half-eaten cheetoe right above the wishbone? Or is it a worm?

Anyway, here’s a couple more samples from the collection.

sincere greetings swastika postcard

Hope you have a lucky day!