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[Phoenix]

Oops, Aunt Marg, I forgot the quote.

Jack is now retired and tends a filbert orchard with his wife. He's 81.

I'm not sure what a European funeral would be like. The ones I've been to are like church services. What I was talking about was the leaving the bodies laying around the house for days. That hasn't happened in this country, the US, since I've been alive.

One of the things my husband and I have talked about is having someone dig a little spot at the base of a big old tree in our yard and dump our ashes together in there, sort of to nurture the tree. Our house sits on six acres. So far that is the most appealing. Now we just have to find someone we can trust to do it.

I'm in the process of working out the death issues. In the last year and a half I've lost eight people. I was not close to all of them, but their deaths left me feeling vacant. Some of the people I've recently lost in my life were significant. I feel like a tree living in what once was a thick forest, but now most of the trees around me have either just flat out died or were blown over in storms. So I stand nearly alone and the forest is gone.

I work some of it out in the novels I write. The one I'm just about finished with deals with the afterlife as related to quantum mechanics. The one I will write next will be related the actual transition into death and what comes next. One of my characters in that story will be my 19-year-old cat who died in March. She will be one of the female protagonist's guides, along with two of my loved ones who appeared to me in my mind when my husband was in surgery and nearly died. I don't want it to be trite. I want it to be unique. I haven't decide how it will work.

It's been great talking to you too. Mostly I just say what's on my mind. I've been through so many things that have been difficult for me, that I usually say it like it is - for me. I know my reality is not necessarily someone else's, but for me it's like it is.

 

[JaniceM]

You mean your landfills are still under the old, fill with all no matter what it is?

Various places do it differently.
When I was on the east coast, there was recycling- glass, metal, paper, and regular garbage had to be separate, and items like cans even needed to be washed and the labels removed.
Here, though, everything is simply tossed into a large dumpster; to the best of my knowledge, all that's eligible for recycling are cans and bottles from soda and beer., etc., but even though the stores charge a deposit when customers buy those products, many people don't bother returning them anyway.

 

[JaniceM]

I remember way back when when I first learned that NY dumped their garbage in the ocean. I was appalled. Still am.

Was that the time the so-called garbage barge was sent down to New Jersey, and, no surprise, they didn't want it either?

 

[Aunt Marg]

Oops, Aunt Marg, I forgot the quote.

Jack is now retired and tends a filbert orchard with his wife. He's 81.

I'm not sure what a European funeral would be like. The ones I've been to are like church services. What I was talking about was the leaving the bodies laying around the house for days. That hasn't happened in this country, the US, since I've been alive.

One of the things my husband and I have talked about is having someone dig a little spot at the base of a big old tree in our yard and dump our ashes together in there, sort of to nurture the tree. Our house sits on six acres. So far that is the most appealing. Now we just have to find someone we can trust to do it.

I'm in the process of working out the death issues. In the last year and a half I've lost eight people. I was not close to all of them, but their deaths left me feeling vacant. Some of the people I've recently lost in my life were significant. I feel like a tree living in what once was a thick forest, but now most of the trees around me have either just flat out died or were blown over in storms. So I stand nearly alone and the forest is gone.

I work some of it out in the novels I write. The one I'm just about finished with deals with the afterlife as related to quantum mechanics. The one I will write next will be related the actual transition into death and what comes next. One of my characters in that story will be my 19-year-old cat who died in March. She will be one of the female protagonist's guides, along with two of my loved ones who appeared to me in my mind when my husband was in surgery and nearly died. I don't want it to be trite. I want it to be unique. I haven't decide how it will work.

It's been great talking to you too. Mostly I just say what's on my mind. I've been through so many things that have been difficult for me, that I usually say it like it is - for me. I know my reality is not necessarily someone else's, but for me it's like it is.

I'm guessing here in Canada, we have different laws and such (or at least we once did), and while I am aware of how many funerals were conducted in the past, laws may have changed since the days my parents spoke of.

When visiting cemeteries I often think about the vast numbers of graves that are no longer visited by family/loved ones, because a considerable amount of time has passed, and those related to the persons buried are no longer alive. That aspect of burial has always bothered me, hence my interest in cremation.

We've tweaked our will a number of times over the years, and I'm certain they'll be further mild tweaking in the future, and I find whenever we review our will, dear husband and I always get into a discussion related to death. We'd like every detail in order before we go, so as not to burden anyone.

Do love all of your ideas, Phoenix.

 

[Aunt Marg]

Various places do it differently.
When I was on the east coast, there was recycling- glass, metal, paper, and regular garbage had to be separate, and items like cans even needed to be washed and the labels removed.
Here, though, everything is simply tossed into a large dumpster; to the best of my knowledge, all that's eligible for recycling are cans and bottles from soda and beer., etc., but even though the stores charge a deposit when customers buy those products, many people don't bother returning them anyway.

I can't tell you how much I miss the old days when glass milk bottles and delivery was king.

I often find myself pondering what other beneficial changes could be made in the way of reducing waste, like going to bulk for most everything, that way packaging would be eliminated, because consumers would be required to use their own reusable containers to handle the bulk goods and things, and of course, there are so many other things I can think of.

Additionally, reality tells me there are people today that toss everything, and that in itself gives me nightmares.

 

[Phoenix]

Was that the time the so-called garbage barge was sent down to New Jersey, and, no surprise, they didn't want it either?

We are burying ourselves in garbage. It's a very short-sited thing to do.

 

[Aunt Marg]

We are burying ourselves in garbage. It's a very short-sited thing to do.

And in keeping with mankind's careless, callous, and self-serving ways, we have now slowly began to pollute outer-space, which sickens me to no end.

Not good enough that man has destroyed this planet, but let's move forward and destroy more.

 

[Phoenix]

I'm guessing here in Canada, we have different laws and such (or at least we once did), and while I am aware of how many funerals were conducted in the past, laws may have changed since the days my parents spoke of.

When visiting cemeteries I often think about the vast numbers of graves that are no longer visited by family/loved ones, because a considerable amount of time has passed, and those related to the persons buried are no longer alive. That aspect of burial has always bothered me, hence my interest in cremation.

We've tweaked our will a number of times over the years, and I'm certain they'll be further mild tweaking in the future, and I find whenever we review our will, dear husband and I always get into a discussion related to death. We'd like every detail in order before we go, so as not to burden anyone.

Do love all of your ideas, Phoenix.

I don't go to my parents' graves. They aren't there. I only went to my boyfriend's grave once. He isn't there. I remember when my first mother-in-law discovered that the grave of her baby who had died of SIDS had fallen in. It ripped her up. With the exponential population growth we are going to need the land.

Thanks, Aunt Marg it's nice to find someone to talk to about these things.

 

[Phoenix]

And in keeping with mankind's careless, callous, and self-serving ways, we have now slowly began to pollute outer-space, which sickens me to no end.

Not good enough that man has destroyed this planet, but let's move forward and destroy more.

That's exactly the way I feel. We don't have the right to mess up other places.

 

[Aunt Marg]

I don't go to my parents' graves. They aren't there. I only went to my boyfriend's grave once. He isn't there. I remember when my first mother-in-law discovered that the grave of her baby who had died of SIDS had fallen in. It ripped her up. With the exponential population growth we are going to need the land.

Thanks, Aunt Marg it's nice to find someone to talk to about these things.

You are so welcome, Phoenix, and an extended thank you to you as well.

In speaking for myself, I feel cremation offers a true release from the grasp of this world. I almost feel it deep within that those who chose cremation over burial are happier, more free, more at peace, as crazy at that may sound.

 

[Phoenix]

You are so welcome, Phoenix, and an extended thank you to you as well.

In speaking for myself, I feel cremation offers a true release from the grasp of this world. I almost feel it deep within that those who chose cremation over burial are happier, more free, more at peace, as crazy at that may sound.

It doesn't sound crazy, just a way to put it to rest. Either way the body is dead, gone. We can either think of it as moldering in the grave or as ashes. If there is nothing beyond this life, then the body doesn't matter. If there is something beyond this life, then the body doesn't matter.

Back to painting my cover art which I've been doing all morning. I'm just about done. But a few things just aren't right yet. Today or tomorrow I should be done.

 

[Aunt Marg]

It doesn't sound crazy, just a way to put it to rest. Either way the body is dead, gone. We can either think of it as moldering in the grave or as ashes. If there is nothing beyond this life, then the body doesn't matter. If there is something beyond this life, then the body doesn't matter.

Back to painting my cover art which I've been doing all morning. I'm just about done. But a few things just aren't right yet. Today or tomorrow I should be done.

My philosophy to a T, just expressed better than I ever could.

Your novels and the current cover art you're working on sounds delightful. What a great pastime and pleasure.

 

[Phoenix]

My philosophy to a T, just expressed better than I ever could.

Your novels and the current cover art you're working on sounds delightful. What a great pastime and pleasure.

I've been writing for nearly 40 years. The writing is my vocation. The artwork is in support of that, plus it's something I always wanted to do. I finally found a good teacher on public broadcasting. I started when I was 51. If you ever want to learn Jerry Yarnell is the guy. You can find his dvds online. He has stuff for beginners. Jerry Yarnell Painting DVDs I finished painting tonight and thought I was done. Nope. I need to paint in another eagle. In terms of the composition the painting needs one more small eagle. The snow capped mountain in the background is in the shape of an eagle with it's wings spread out.

 

[Aunt Marg]

I've been writing for nearly 40 years. The writing is my vocation. The artwork is in support of that, plus it's something I always wanted to do. I finally found a good teacher on public broadcasting. I started when I was 51. If you ever want to learn Jerry Yarnell is the guy. You can find his dvds online. He has stuff for beginners. Jerry Yarnell Painting DVDs I finished painting tonight and thought I was done. Nope. I need to paint in another eagle. In terms of the composition the painting needs one more small eagle. The snow capped mountain in the background is in the shape of an eagle with it's wings spread out.

I love it!

I will check out Jerry Yarnell.

For years I have wanted to try my hand at painting, but having never been artistic, I lack confidence in that area.

 

[Phoenix]

I love it!

I will check out Jerry Yarnell.

For years I have wanted to try my hand at painting, but having never been artistic, I lack confidence in that area.

Jerry will help you through that. The desire to do it will carry you through. Just don't give up, thinking you suck. You don't. You just don't have experience. He taught himself to paint. If you get his very beginning lessons they will tell you how to start everything. I even learned how to stretch my own canvases from him. Not all places that sell his lessons have the first lessons, like how to paint a tree or rocks or whatever before you begin to do scenes. He calls them studies. Then in his first scenes he shows you the basics. And if you wanted to do a person or an animal, but you don't draw and have difficulty getting the proportions right, you can find a picture of the individual, size it on software that allows you to do that, print it out the size you want it to be and cut around it. Place the cut out on the canvas and trace around it. Eventually that teaches you to draw. It did me. Jerry also teaches drawing lessons, but I never checked them out. He shows you basic drawing with his scenes. Most of that he does with a brush. He paints with acrylics. It takes layers and layers to get the right effect. It's part of the process. I buy my supplies online from Jerrys Artarama - not the same Jerry. I buy Academy paints. The brushes you will need Jerry will talk about. in the first lessons. He also has how-to books. Which are really good. Each one has about 6 scenes, step by step.

 

[Aunt Marg]

Jerry will help you through that. The desire to do it will carry you through. Just don't give up, thinking you suck. You don't. You just don't have experience. He taught himself to paint. If you get his very beginning lessons they will tell you how to start everything. I even learned how to stretch my own canvases from him. Not all places that sell his lessons have the first lessons, like how to paint a tree or rocks or whatever before you begin to do scenes. He calls them studies. Then in his first scenes he shows you the basics. And if you wanted to do a person or an animal, but you don't draw and have difficulty getting the proportions right, you can find a picture of the individual, size it on software that allows you to do that, print it out the size you want it to be and cut around it. Place the cut out on the canvas and trace around it. Eventually that teaches you to draw. It did me. Jerry also teaches drawing lessons, but I never checked them out. He shows you basic drawing with his scenes. Most of that he does with a brush. He paints with acrylics. It takes layers and layers to get the right effect. It's part of the process. I buy my supplies online from Jerrys Artarama - not the same Jerry. I buy Academy paints. The brushes you will need Jerry will talk about. in the first lessons. He also has how-to books. Which are really good. Each one has about 6 scenes, step by step.

Lots of inspiration from this post, Phoenix. I thank you for it.

I remember it like yesterday, I was in elementary school, and just prior to the end of the school year, we visited a park as a class and with large landscape paper and an array of coloured pencils in our possession, we were asked to take-up a spot in the park and draw the setting we were at or viewing.

It was a lot of fun and I never forgot it. For decades I have anted to take-up something along the same lines, but just couldn't move past my block of being artistically defunct.

You've given me a lot to ponder, and a couple of names to run with. I'm going to view the idea through different coloured lenses now, thanks to you.

 

[Phoenix]

Lots of inspiration from this post, Phoenix. I thank you for it.

I remember it like yesterday, I was in elementary school, and just prior to the end of the school year, we visited a park as a class and with large landscape paper and an array of coloured pencils in our possession, we were asked to take-up a spot in the park and draw the setting we were at or viewing.

It was a lot of fun and I never forgot it. For decades I have anted to take-up something along the same lines, but just couldn't move past my block of being artistically defunct.

You've given me a lot to ponder, and a couple of names to run with. I'm going to view the idea through different coloured lenses now, thanks to you.

I just think that we are all better than we think we are. Sometimes fear gets in the way. Go with the fun feeling you had as a kid. Let it nag you into doing this. Here are links to a couple to my paintings. Here's a link to my painting of my husband when he was a young stud. I didn't know him then. My husband. A more whimsical painting... Nestling With the second one I had only been painting three years. So you can see I got some of it wrong.

 

[Aunt Marg]

I just think that we are all better than we think we are. Sometimes fear gets in the way. Go with the fun feeling you had as a kid. Let it nag you into doing this. Here are links to a couple to my paintings. Here's a link to my painting of my husband when he was a young stud. I didn't know him then. My husband. A more whimsical painting... Nestling With the second one I had only been painting three years. So you can see I got some of it wrong.

Wow! The paintings are a dream! So well done!

I've lacked confidence in pretty much everything my entire life. So wish I could go back to have another try at life again, because I'd definitely make changes.

You've given me so much inspiration, Phoenix. Thanks for that!

 

[Phoenix]

Wow! The paintings are a dream! So well done!

I've lacked confidence in pretty much everything my entire life. So wish I could go back to have another try at life again, because I'd definitely make changes.

You've given me so much inspiration, Phoenix. Thanks for that!

Thank you, muchly.
I lacked confidence too. I was a super shy kid. Little by little I got over it - I had to choose to do that, step-by-step. Sometimes it still hits, but I beat it out of myself. Just remember you are as good and as worthy as anyone else. It's the quality of the heart that counts, and you have plenty of that.

I would make changes too if I went back. However, I like who I am now, and I would not be the same person if I had done things differently. I could tell you more, but not on a public forum. With my novel writing I get to try on different lives.

 

[Aunt Marg]

Thank you, muchly.
I lacked confidence too. I was a super shy kid. Little by little I got over it - I had to choose to do that, step-by-step. Sometimes it still hits, but I beat it out of myself. Just remember you are as good and as worthy as anyone else. It's the quality of the heart that counts, and you have plenty of that.

I would make changes too if I went back. However, I like who I am now, and I would not be the same person if I had done things differently. I could tell you more, but not on a public forum. With my novel writing I get to try on different lives.

Love your words and encouragement so much, Phoenix!

I've always been one of those people that doubts every aspect of my life and this world, until I embark upon something new, and then it seems I am able to master whatever it is that I want to learn and do.

In many ways I've learned to love that quality about myself.

 

[Phoenix]

Love your words and encouragement so much, Phoenix!

I've always been one of those people that doubts every aspect of my life and this world, until I embark upon something new, and then it seems I am able to master whatever it is that I want to learn and do.

In many ways I've learned to love that quality about myself.

That's a valuable insight into one's self. I have that kind of doubt every time I start a new painting as well as other things. I think it's a normal response. Or maybe it's just to keep us humble and not too full of ourselves. Grin.