These are some of the flowers from the stunning floral tribute made up for us by our local florist. She carried out the colour palette we requested to the letter. All bright colours, which Keith loved. Yellow which we used so much at Ynyswen to brighten it up, a tawny colour too, raspberry roses, bright blue as that was a colour he loved. Beech leaves, as he loved trees, especially the beeches we have here. When we discussed the flowers for the funeral, she suggested that she could make it so that we could take the tribute home and make posies of it, to share between us, so that is what we did. I love that big tawny shaggy Dahlia and will look out for that so I can grow it here next year. Keith would have hated any of us drably dressed in black, so we all wore something colourful in memory of him.
The funeral was, of course, emotionally demanding, especially when they played Ry Cooder's Dunmore Lassies, from The Chieftains' Long Black Veil (1995). Keith had requested this at his funeral and it is a very haunting piece of music. Danny had written a few words, and bravely stood up to say them, but was overwhelmed and Gabby took over. I would have done but didn't have my glasses.
The setting for the Crematorium in Aberystwyth is beautiful, with the land falling away into a wooded valley, and they have put wild bird feeders outside so Siskins, Blue and Great Tits, and Chaffinches came to feed.
Afterwards we went for lunch in a restaurant on the Prom in Aber, and had some interesting sandwiches with cooked contents - mine was pitta bread with a spicy mince filling (like a Keema Naan) and Indian salad. We looked out on the sea and were delighted to see 3 Dolphins in the bay - a family group of mum with baby close to her, and presumably dad. Magical.
Yesterday more flowers arrived, from the team where Danny works. The house will seem absolutely bereft of flowers when they all fade. I will have to keep cutting from the garden to bring the colour in.
Gabby and Danny have gone home but I have Tam and Rosie here now. We are doing a small car boot sale quite locally tomorrow, so I am having my £5 a piece sort out of old china. Just need rid. I'll take some books too.
It's cool enough to tackle the bank today - I need to sort out the soft fruit area which now, with the benefit of hindsight, I realize I put in totally the wrong place when we first arrived. I wonder how much of it I can transplant to the bottom triangle without killing it . . .
I am doing lots of walking, and plan to get back to sewing next week. I also want to try and find Keith's Scottish line which he said was connected to his Manchester roots, although the only truly Scottish name I can find is on the Bird side, in Kent. That should keep me occupied for a while.
I finally managed to get some Rhubarb this week so will make a yummy Rhubarb and Custard cake today.
Have a good weekend all.
Some lovely memories of the day that will comfort you.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this beautifully descriptive post. The flowers are lovely, what a good idea of the florists to bring them home. I will listen to that piece of music later today, I'm a big fan of The Chieftains, in fact all Irish music.
ReplyDeleteTake care x
Alison in Wales x
Such beautiful flowers. The final picture so vibrant. Take care, Jan Bx
ReplyDeleteThey say it gets easier after the funeral. What I think they mean is that it is so stressful a day it is less stressful after. It sounds as if you gave Keith the send off he wanted. I could not have read anything; Danny was brave to try. The flowers are all so bright and cheerful. If I send flowers I do so a fortnight later, they help to ease the emptiness when the first ones are faded. Goodness, you had a long way to go for the service! As you say, now it's all about keeping on keeping on. Remember, you have a good network of friends, and we are all here for you in the days ahead. Sending love.
ReplyDeleteI always find the bright colours of flowers so uplifting. Yours are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers, they have a lovely informality about them which makes them so much more personal. (I am listening to Dunmore Lassies as I type this and read.) I hope the car boot sale goes well and that the family continue to help and support where they can. Very best wishes. x PS remember to put your feet up now and then, it is allowed.
ReplyDeleteThe florist did really do him proud. You had a good day to honour Keith.
ReplyDeleteMaybe hold fire on moving the soft fruit area? You are doing well, just keeping steadily on..no need to rush xx
This was such a calming post to read BB. Just like the old days. The flowers are beautiful - I love colour too. Walking, sewing, gentle pottering in the garden, family history all sound just the ticket. I was in the garden all day yesterday except for the 90 mins over lunchtime when my young mowing man mowed the grass. We walked the meadow together and he says he will have to strim the meadow first (strimming will take him hours and be horribly noisy) so it looks like I will be doing it with our workhorse eGo mower once again. I’ve worked out if I mow on the highest cut for 30 mins/day without the hopper I could get it cut over the next five or six days and with the heat forecast until Tuesday the arisings will dry out quickly and I can then mow again on a slightly lower cut with the hopper collecting them all up. Not ideal, but I will tape up my Achilles with the magic tape physios use and hope for the best. Ho hum, best laid plans of mice and men! Good luck with the soft fruit. Currants take well from cuttings (I’ve just taken cuttings of white currants - six inch pencil thick lengths stuck straight into the now excellent soil of my veg plot), gooseberries are very easy to propagate by layering (pin down with a piece of wire bent into a hair pin shape), now is the ideal time to make new strawberries from runners and raspberries are a doddle to relocate. Hope you have a successful car boot sale - sounds fun doing it with three generations! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful flowers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with gz - take things steady.
Oh J the flowers are exquisite, I’ve put that piece of music on, very evocative.
ReplyDeleteIt would have carried Keith fully on to his next place for sure. I think during the days before a funeral, the spirit of who we are missing is very close and the funeral is a point where they then move on to their next place hence a lot will say the grief then surges into the vacuum that their love filled before. Enjoy T and R being there and hope the boot sale goes well, then rest please, rest. X Danette
It sounds like the day went to plan, and the colourful flowers are a wonderful tribute to Keith. Have a calm weekend. xx
ReplyDeleteLovely colours in the flowers. Glad it went as well as it could.x
ReplyDeleteI think you all did him proud and the colour of the flowers is just wonderful. At least you still have Tam and Rosie with you. We have just taken our granddaughter back to Mummy, she enjoyed some retail therapy, new school bag but 30% off and some books from the charity shop. We are still waiting on our house move (sigh). I feel like I'm living in limbo and just want to get going. Hugs. Xx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers and the music, which I am listening to right now is haunting but with a hint of joy there too.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your kind words and I'm glad you enjoyed the music. We loved that whole album and played it again and again when we were driving up to Skye. I will try and answer properly tomorrow but am feeling very tired tonight as preparing for the car boot sale meant a ginormous sort out and clambering over Keith's "useful bits of wood - small, in barrels" to reach a Lloyd Loom chair and a painted Chinesey table, both of which were Bad Buys a couple of years ago. Anyway, all packed now and am about to sit down with a glass of wine, with a Very Tired Rosie grizzling in the background. She was so good for me earlier on though - Tam was desperate for her first bath since February (showers only, quick ones, since Rosie arrived) so I said have a good soak, and don't worry about us. Gram managed to keep Rosie entertained and Tam felt wonderful when she came down :)
ReplyDeleteP.S. Will definitely REST all day Monday, and sit around at the car boot sale tomorrow. I promise.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers were beautifully chosen and arranged, what a special tribute to a special man, as was the music. It's good you have written this post, memories to hold in your heart. My mom usually a prolific journaler, didn't write about my dad's memorial celebration or our private ashes burial---and she remembered nothing, was so in shock. Years later she'd still ask us why we didn't have a funeral, and why there was no military tradition observed, etc etc. Writing your experience will I hope help you as the days and months arrive. Love and hopeful thoughts to you all.
ReplyDeleteGood for baby Rosie, doing great w her Gram, and yay for Tam, finally a bath.
lizzy
Gorgeous flowers, I love the idea of being able to make posies to share. Take a rest as soon as you can, you have been so very busy.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I was thinking of you through all of yesterday. The flowers are absolutely gorgeous and the assorted containers you have them in complement them perfectly. At some point you will be able to take a deep breath and regroup.
ReplyDeleteGlad the day went well. The flowers were beautiful. Are you able to dry or press any of them? Monday should definitely be a rest day,
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are gorgeous and perfect choices for Keith. It sounds like all went well. Yes, please do rest soon! You must be exhausted.
ReplyDeleteOh, the unsigned anonymous just posted was me, Celie.
ReplyDeleteNow rest and contemplate all those beautiful flowers and think back to the happy times. X
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers, and a lovely idea to take them home. I was quite surprised to see that you had to go to Aberystwyth. How on earth do people without cars manage? Take it slowly now, and regain your srength.
ReplyDeleteThe choice of crematoriums was either Aberystwyth or Hereford. The latter is more . . . municipal and towny - the Aber one in beautiful countryside and I had been there before. Even in Carms, we had to go to Narberth when mum was cremated. Nothing is local in Wales!
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