It has been such a wonderful time here in Monterey, that we have decided to stay an entire week. The weather has been perfect and there is an endless supply of fabulous things to do and see. The County Fairgrounds are spacious, the bathrooms clean and Ray, our host, has been very helpful and accommodating. We have full hook-ups and are using our shower now after I remove Callie’s litter box. We have had the RV since December and are only just now using the shower! Everything must be done at its own pace and time.
My daughter Lara and I have been exploring the Fairgrounds and we came across some interesting murals and sculptures that are up against an art building that must offer art classes periodically. The murals are from an era when clowns and county fairs were very popular. You can almost feel the ghosts of 4-H and FFA animals: chickens, cows, and pigs that have perished from another time when agriculture was closer to the hearts and minds of all individuals. We have become so removed from the animals we eat, and from the soil that grows our food.
We are parked under massive oak trees that are protected and can no longer be cut down without city approval. I have mulled over the idea that when I die, I would like to be part of the new craze of planting a tree and your ashes are used as fertilizer. I love the idea of having a mighty oak sapling planted in my honor and supporting the young trees early growth with the nutrients used from my remains. There are too many cemeteries taking up much-needed space, and too many people buried in them. I want to become a tree that provides much-needed oxygen and gives something back to the earth. Why not? We are all made of stardust anyway! Let the cycle of life continue instead of being placed in a coffin after having been exhumed.
So I have let my daughter and husband know of my wishes- that I want to become a tree after I die. The only problem that I can foresee for the future, is where to plant me so that I don’t get cut down!