Beautiful Pigs!

I shall talk about these gorgeous Kunekune pigs first so you can skip the bit that follows about the Natural Burial Site if you wish. . Friend and Gardener were very hungry after 2 hours at the site, so we headed to a Cornish farm shop and tearoom nearby. The food was delicious, the shop sold Cornish tea, preserves, chocolate, cheese, freshly made speciality breads and some gorgeous artwork - drawings, tea towels, aprons, cushions, feltwork. But outside was the best bit - 4 pigs you could feed! Not by throwing food at them, but by buying a 25p bag of pellets that you put in the back of a wooden truck on a wooden run.You pulled a string, the truck trundled along the run and stopped at the end, the back of the truck tipped up and spilt the pellets to the pigs waiting below! As soon as two of the pigs saw us at the truck they came charging over, grunting all the way, and then stood there looking straight at me! Once the food fell, in a great big muddy puddle, they snorted and snuffled around finding every last pellet, sometimes butting each other to get to the pellets!  I was in piggie heaven as well as  a shopping heaven! More porcine beauty here!!

The visit to the Natural Burial Site was emotional and so good. It is a beautiful field looking out to the moors and even in the mizzle of a grey day was peaceful, tranquil and just perfect. Friend was most taken with the place and the round, open,wooden structure with a grass covered roof in the next field will be a place for the service to be held. I felt so fortunate to have been there with her so I will have that  memory when the time comes and can envision walking, sitting, talking, holding and crying with her there. I do so hope she can persuade her daughters to visit with her so that they can have the same -  the thought of knowing the next time they go there she will not be with them is too much for them to handle at present. 
I liked the place so much I  bought myself a plot too! We are both next to cherry trees, I am a bit down from her! I joked we could get a reduced price and when the woman came back she told us that there was a reduction as we were both buying a plot! Although I could have gone for a sixth of a plot as I think I want to be cremated, I did not want the thought of five other people being so close to me - I like my space!! The woman who showed us around and whose land it is, also gave friend some great information on local groups who advise on natural burials, and even hold Death cafes in various locations! She also gave her leaflets on a place that make felted shrouds and another that does green coffinless shrouds that have a bamboo base and loops so the body is carried at thigh height. We all left feeling soothed that Friend had found her final resting place and that another momentous decision had been made by her, with tears and laughter,  and in particular for friend, a place she felt comfortable  and at peace in, not only for it's natural beauty but embodied her beliefs and values.