|
 Log in |
Register
|
|
Jane’s TMA Blog |
 Post to the TMA Blog |
All that remains
| Apologies for the exceptionally indulgent nature of this blog, as I suppose it could be considered to contravene the submission guidelines, but I know that many contributors to this website will want to know what happened. This weekend was spent scattering the ashes of my best friend treaclechops who died, aged only 38, back in January. She asked that her ashes be scattered "at as many ancient monuments as possible". We were concerned that while carrying out her dying wish, fragile neolithic archaeology should not be disturbed nor did we want to cause offence or be accused of littering, so we chose to sprinkle a very small quantity of ashes discreetly at each site - scattering them among undergrowth and grasses at the edge of the monuments that she so loved. Using our carefully prepared ashes scattering kit (a handy Wild Bean Cafe coffee cup)...  Kate with cunningly disguised ashes! ... we began at Avebury in Wiltshire. Treaclechops loved the huge beech trees growing at the south of the henge, overlooking the incredible stones of the south west quadrant, and as treaclechops's wife Kate scattered ashes among the gnarled roots there I read her words about this most ancient place.  Vybik John, Moth, Rupert, Cleo, Kate I first went to West Kennett long barrow with treaclechops many years ago and frequently returned; more often than not with her. For her it was the most important of all the monuments. As Kate scattered some ashes among some wet grasses overlooking Silbury Hill - the same place we had once sat with Rupert to have a picnic many years before - I read what she had written about the long barrow.  Vybik, Moth, Kate, Rupe and Clee It felt good here. Very good. We were doing the right thing. We sat in the same place as we had sat with treaclechops one evening last August and watched the swallows - probably the very same birds as we saw last year - swoop in and out the long barrow.  As treaclechops would say: 'Marvellous!' (Don't worry, the chalked word is on concrete, and NOT on a sarsen. Don't go round chalking on monuments, folks!) They'd been to Africa and back since we were last here, too. 'It's OK, life goes on, keep going', they seemed to say. It was marvellous! Be gone the delusion of organised religion! The real world, the natural world - here and now - provides all the comfort and beauty we need. Return of the native Next, we headed back into treaclechops's home county: Oxfordshire, and the Uffington White Horse, which has so many memories for me, many of which involve treaclechops, of course. One day I'd like to be scattered here, too. We found a patch of rough grasses and wild meadow flowers about 15 metres from the horse's head overlooking the whole of Oxfordshire for Kate to place treaclechops's ashes.  Cleo, John, Kate, Moth and Rupe As I read her words the larks rose all around us and for a few minutes the sun shone. Onwards and down the Ridgeway to Wayland's Smithy, a long barrow where we had arranged to meet up with a bunch of friends for a picnic.  Mark, Greggie, Thelma, Moss the dog, Jamie Wysefool, Kenny, Jos, Lissy, SAM, Cloudhigh, Kate, Vybik John, Cleo, Moth, Rupe, me and nigelswift As it happened, the heavens opened, but undeterred, we gathered with our memories, our flasks of tea, bottles of real ale, homemade cakes, waterproof clothing and handy black plastic bags! As Kate scattered ashes at the field's edge in line with the entrance to the ancient tomb, I read the words she had written about Barclodiad-y-Gawres a chambered cairn in Anglesey which had moved her so much. Today, Sunday, we continued treaclechops's ashes scattering odyssey in Oxfordshire, first visiting the Hoar Stone at Enstone...  Kate and Moth at the Hoar stone ... and then onto her beloved Hawk stone...  ... before reaching the Rollright stones.  Finally, just at the other side of the field we scattered some ashes near to the Whispering Knights.  Kate and Moth embrace at the Whispering Knights It all felt so right! How typical of treaclechops that even after death she still has the power to get people together to go yomping across the British countryside in the rain! How lucky I am to have known and loved this woman! Now the rains will wash her back into the earth and the memories, the love, the lessons she taught us and the laughter are all that remains. The stones have lost a very good friend indeed. |
Posted by Jane24th June 2007ce Edited 26th June 2007ce
Jane's TMA Blog
Latest TMA Blog Posts
|
Comments (5) |
|
| 38 is much too young. God rest her soul. |
Posted by Robert Carr 25th June 2007ce |
|
That's lovely Jane, really lovely. I hope you and Moth are OK. My thoughts were with you on the day and are with you now. All the best x |
Posted by jacksprat25th June 2007ce |
|
You did her proud, Jane. That was a beautiful thing. Peace to you Pilgrim X |
Posted by Pilgrim26th June 2007ce |
|
Terribly sad and terribly moving. I'm glad you were able to say goodbye in a way that had meaning for you and in a way that reflected your friend's life so aptly. |
Posted by doktoratomik26th June 2007ce |
|
Beautiful gesture, her presence will always be felt at these and all the other special places she loved so much. RIP |
Posted by Alan Lee 28th June 2007ce |
| You must be logged in to add a comment | |
Top of page