The community of this piece reaches far and wide...family, old friends...and new.
Ellen (Bateman) Bulterman of the blog Tree Fishing joins the family of Remembrance,
My Mom and Dad on their wedding day
Jesse Benjamin Bateman, Jr. August 20, 1924 - July 21, 2009
Peggy Lee Deese Bateman December 13, 1931 – June 13, 1994
My father had the most wonderful, hearty laugh. Many, many years ago before my parents had even met, they were both at a party and my mother heard him across the room laughing. She told her girlfriend that evening that she was going to marry that man.
My Great-Grandmother (standing in her garden)
Bessie Gertrude Walker Woffard January 25, 1884 – August 18, 1983
My great-grandmother collected salt & pepper shakers and was known for her flower gardens and her out-of-this-world cooking.
My Great-Aunt and Great-Uncle
Harvey Bates Littlejohn May 13, 1912 – February 3, 2001
Wylma Kate Wofford Littlejohn January 19, 1913 – December 19, 1992
Willie and Bates loved to dance. At that time it was illegal to dance in the county where they lived, so they often traveled to the adjoining county and danced the night away.
My Grandmother
Ora Elizabeth Gilley Bateman November 28,1893 – May 15, 1980
Whenever Grandma came to visit, she always had little gift surprises tucked in her suitcase for my two sisters and me.
the Art of Remembrance is another offspring the magical Monarch migration, this gathering of souls and stories woven into the fabric of this Goddess...Ellen shared another story that I would love to share with you too
Last November my husband and I visited a butterfly conservatory in Scottsdale, AZ. It included a very cool animated film on the monarch butterfly, which really made an impression on me (along with your artwork and additional articles I have read). In April I bought two milkweed plants (and talked my sister into three plants) from our local nature center's plant sale (my small way of helping out). I have very little sunny space in my yard, but there are two spots in which I hoped they would grow. And grow they did. Over the summer I saw only one monarch but was thrilled... one is still one. I didn't think much more about it until last week when I discovered healthy monarch caterpillars all over both plants. I was stunned! As of today I count seven caterpillars on one plant and four on the other, all fat and still eating. A couple of days ago I release a small army of ladybugs to get rid of aphids that had invaded the plants (they're all gone... another amazing feat). I'm hoping there's only about a week left before the caterpillars move on to their next metamorphosis. I hope I have the privilege to see them through the whole process and off on their migratory route. Each day I check on them... you'd think I was birthing them myself. Mother Nature is pretty amazing.
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