My bleeding hearts are popping. So sweet to see.
How about some heart-shaped memorial stones for your Spring garden?
Weather-proof and durable, 
and best of all:
death of a pet
Build Me Up Buttercup
Snowdrops and daffodils are strong and beautiful. They survive harsh weather conditions, neglect, and continue to multiply.
City planners and developers love the Bradford Pear tree and it’s always an early bloomer.
The Bradford Pear has a distinct odor. Lately? I’ve been smelling a strong cat pee odor. Turns out? It’s the Bradford Pear trees!
Forsythia brings the explosion of early spring color. My neighbor sculpts and manicures his bush, trying to keep it contained. Personally, I think it looks better on the wild side, like fireworks.
I Slept With Elvis
What I learned today:
For 10 years one of my clients showered and shared her bed with a cockatoo named Elvis.
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.
Rest in peace my cheeky little cockatoo.
Mighty Isis Egyptian Keepsake Urns
Powerful Isis was the Egyptian goddess of truth, justice, law, and funeral rituals. One of the most popular goddesses in Egypt, she had her own priests and many temples were built in her honor.
We’ve commissioned several styles of Egyptian urns in the image of Isis for families to use as a keepsake urn for small portions of ash, flowers, or jewelry, or for smaller pets. We’ve had several cat owners purchase these for their cats named….Isis. Other popular styles are inspired by ancient relics found in tombs and pyramids of kings. Bastet is another popular style with cat owners and Anubis, protector of the dead is a timeless favorite.
But we’re talking about Isis, and she is usually shown with her arms spread, always ready to receive. Check out that wingspan:
One of our newer urn styles is inspired by one of the oldest images: The mysterious Arc of the Covenant.
She covered a lot of territory. I was first introduced to Isis as a kid through the magic of television.
My favorite was Wonder Woman, who always prayed to The Mighty Isis.
Lynda Carter on Saturday mornings in a fabulous costume? Yes, that was a great way to start the day!
Need help sourcing an Egyptian style memorial?
Warm and Fuzzy Pet Ramblings
When we dug the garden, we did a lot of research but somehow completely did not plan for the pet aspect of the business. Well, we’ve encountered several passionate pet owners the last few years.
Here’s what we’ve learned:
We’re crazy for our pets, but never thought we’d be one of those people that turn music on for them when we’re away (I do), or call and leave messages so the pampered pooches could hear our voice (my neighbor). Until starting this business, I’d never considered keeping the ashes of any of my pets in the home. When the time comes, I plan to scatter my border collie’s ashes and probably bury the ashes of my Bichon.
We recently discovered that an animal lover aunt has saved the ashes of almost every pet she’s owned. Over the years, so many urns have accumulated she keeps them in a plastic storage tub in the closet. She can’t bear to part with them.
The client in New York who had the ashes of her dog’s amputated leg stored in a keepsake, and came back later to buy another urn for the rest of the dog after he passed.
A customer in Texas, complained that the lid on one of our metal pet urns was too hard to get off. We explained that our lids are designed that way, for a secure seal. Most people aren’t opening and closing the urn repeatedly. What’s up with that?
Client explained that one of his other dogs was depressed over the loss of his doggie friend and client’s vet told him to let the grieving dog sniff the ashes to reassure and calm him.
I’d like to have Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer weigh in on this.
And then the words we hear so often, “we don’t have kids (or the kids are gone) and the dogs are our babies.”
Although we’re partial to the canines, cat lovers are crazy for their kittys, and we’ve encountered some ferret lovers. One girl in south Florida who was involved in a ferret rescue, and was so pleased with our service that she told all of her friends about us on the ferret chat board.
I had no idea.
Who knew that some pet owners buy or build homes based on their pet’s needs (Great Danes in New York)? One friend built a house and designed a killer grooming station for her three dogs. This friend has Bichon Frise and even threw a dog party for Bichon owners that was great fun.
My Rock wore a cumberbun with a sanitary napkin to the party, so he wouldn’t pee everywhere.
At a recent visitation I ran into an old school mate that was raising exotic cats in Branson. My friend Soozie has had tarantulas and hermit crabs, now she’s got a couple of rats. Not guinea pigs, not the little white lab rats. These are the sewer rat variety purchased from a pet store. Her family LOVES the rodents!
And now my friend Candace is mourning the loss of her pet rat Lennon. Is there a rat chat board?
And then the pet owners that have instructed family members to include the ashes of their beloved pets to be buried with them.
So far, I’ve never had a request for a reptile urn.