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True Love Poem

TRUE LOVE 
True love comes only once in a lifetime
yet it lasts an eternity
It has the power to crush someone so deeply
while at the same time they know
there’s no one else in the world they’d rather be with
True love will knock down the walls of difficulty
to be with that special one
It will take your hand and fly over the world
into a place where there’s no pain, no tears
True love will withstand the test of time,
forever waiting until its love is returned
It never fails, never dies, never lets go of the one they love.

Cremation Is on the Rise, but Where to Put the Ashes?

As an article in the current issue of TIME explains, (“The American Way of Death” by Josh Sanburn,) by 2017, one out of two Americans will choose cremation over burial. The ashes of the deceased—funeral directors call them “cremains”—are mostly mineral, harmless, and highly portable.

But finding a final resting place for them can be tricky. According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), one-third of people who receive cremains bury them, one third keep them, and the last third scatter them. It’s the scattering that can present the most challenges, since states, counties, and cities have stitched together an uneven patchwork of laws about where human ashes can end up.

Lots of people like the ideas of scattering ashes at sea, but boats and planes must be at least three nautical miles from shore before any ashes go overboard, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Note that only biodegradable objects, such as cremains, flowers, and wreaths, are permitted in the ocean—no urns or other objects—and pet ashes are prohibited. Scatterings are supposed to be reported to the regional administrator of the EPA within thirty days.

If you’re thinking about scattering on the beach, many states, such as California, have rules that prohibit seaside sprinklings. (Although if you’re willing to wade out a bit, California does allow scatterings five hundred yards from shore.)

The non-profit Funeral Consumers Alliance says that many states turn a blind eye to shoreside scattering into public waters, preferring to save their enforcement actions for big-time polluters. But that doesn’t mean it’s legal.

As for the great wide open, many national parks (including the Grand Canyon) allow scattering with a permit and permission from the chief park ranger. However, ashes must be finely pulverized and widely distributed to avoid leaving any potentially alarming chunks of tooth or bone.

The rules at national parks also require staying away from roads, developed areas, and bodies of water. In some areas, scattering is prohibited to avoid contaminating future archeological explorations.

Private lands require permission from the owner. Central Park is out, as is Disneyland, at least if you want to stay on the right side of the law. Ditto most stadiums. In 2005, a man ran onto Lincoln Financial Field during a game and began sprinkling the ashes of his late mother, who was apparently a big Philadelphia Eagles fan.

He was arrested, fined $100, and sentenced to fifty hours of community service. (Disneyland is reportedly a favored place for “wildcat scatterers,” people who distribute ashes without permission. The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean are said to be the most popular spots for such dustings.)



The Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t prohibit cremains to be scattered from airplanes, as long as there’s no hazard to people or property. Many states prohibit scattering ashes over developed areas or bodies of water, and in some states, pilots have to be flying at a minimum altitude before they start scattering. But note that dropping ashes from a plane isn’t a job for amateurs, who can easily end up with a face full of grandpa.

Jeff Jorgenson, owner of Elemental Cremation and Burial in Seattle and a funeral director with a background in aviation, tells the story of a pilot friend who got more than she bargained for while scattering ashes. “She got out into the yonder and opened the window … A sizable portion of the person swirled back into the cockpit and covered everything. She ended up having to divert to the nearest airport to clean the plane out. I can’t even imagine what a mess that would be.”

Fortunately, if you’re just planning to transport the ashes by air—not scatter them—many airlines will give you the option of bringing the ashes in a carry-on or checking them in luggage. Mailing human ashes is legal, with the right forms, although only the US Postal Service will oblige. FedEx and UPS won’t be any help in this situation. All in all, says Jorgenson, “The costs of notifying authorities and getting a permit are minimal. Why would you risk the fines and hassle by not doing it properly?”

Source: Time Magazine

New Product from ASHinGlass.com

 

Ashinglass memory globes is an elegant way to memorialize the precious life of a family member, friend, or beloved pet.


Having an everlasting reminder of a loved one provides much comfort and closure.

We create everlasting memories from cremation ash.

The Memory Globes sparked a deep vision to create something magical. 

A new product will be released the week of July 11th.  The DOG BONE .

It’s you I turn to
when my heart needs a hug;
It’s you I look to
when my worlds come undone;
It’s you I can count on
to lend me strength when I have none.

It’s you I trust with my
deepest and wildest of dreams;
It’s you I trust with my
most cherished things;
It’s you I appreciatein a million ways;
It’s you I thank my lucky stars
for every single day.


Top Glass Artisanal Maker, Muffin Spencer-Devlin

Muffin Spencer-Devlin spent the better part of her formative years chasing a golf ball toward fame and fortune. She traveled and played and traveled and played on the LPGA Tour for twenty-one years. She won three LPGA events; the MasterCard International in 1985, the United Virginia Bank Classic in 1986 and the Ping Cellular-One in 1989. She crossed the million dollar mark in career earnings in 1999.

She retired to Laguna Beach, California in early 2000. Other than to support a yearly charity event for H.O.M.E.S. (Helping Our Mentally Ill Experience Success) at Mesa Verde C.C., she looked for stimulation beyond the realm of sport and professional golf. She spent a year as studio assistant to famed sculptor, Cheryl Ekstrom. She learned to weld at OCC. she tried the stone sculpting course at LCAD. She even tried a year of handymanning around town, yet nothing sparked her imagination or ignited her passion.

Until 2006 when she first watched her best friend, Megan Ekstrom blow glass. And she watched for a long time. The heat was intense and the fear factor high. When she finally dipped a hot pipe into the furnace and brought out some molten glass... She was hooked. Megan graciously agreed to teach and they embarked on a project of 160 wedding paperweights. It was Muffin's literal trial by fire.

Bitten hard by the glass bug, she showed up every week to stand in front of the fire and blow stuff with Megan. "Little bowls at first," she explained, " I was put off by getting anything bigger than a small bowl into the annealer by myself. And then I'd love what I'd made and realized I could put it in my pocket and gift it to a friend with great flair, as if I'd had a precious jewel to present.

In the summer of 2009, famed Laguna Beach glass blower, John Barber asked Muffin to assist him during his glass demonstrations at the Sawdust Art Festival. She was thrilled and scared poopless all at the same time. "I pointed out to John that I had no experience in the realm he was talking about, but he reassured me and let me know he'd tell me what to do as we went along. And he did and I learned 22 new things every time! It was an amazing summer."

Muffin spent 4 years as John's apprentice. In 2012 she went off on her own to pursue her own company, Trophy Glass. "Now I am my own Master and currently engaged in a fascination with bringing elements of my old life into this new one."

You may find more information about Muffin Spencer-Devlin’s golf career at www.lpga.com.


Do you want to Scatter Ashes ? Laws & Regulations

The lack of choices one is presented to carry on a loved ones remembrance was the main motivation behind the creation of our product. Our custom made artisanal glass globes will allow you to have a token other than an urn or cremation box to honor your loved one.


We can bring an added element of beauty to an otherwise distasteful ceremony.

A lot of us are not sure where it is legal to scatter our loved ones ashes. This article consolidates information found on the ICCFA, CANA, and CremationSolutions websites as well as some creative new ways to lay, or launch, your loved one into the next world.

Where Can I Scatter Cremated Remains or Ashes?

Private Property: It is appropriate to scatter your loved ones ashes on private property if it is your own property. If you want to scatter their ashes on another persons property it is only okay if they consent to it.

Public Property: If you are trying to scatter ashes in a publicly controlled place like a park, you should have to check with the local laws and regulations of your municipality before doing so. You may need a permit in order to scatter the ashes. If you are trying to scatter cremains somewhere public that is not regulated like a forest then you should also check with the local authorities as to whether it is permissible to scatter ashes there. If it is okay, you should scatter the ashes at least 100 yards away from trails to respect other people who may be offended or disturbed by watching this.

Scattering Ashes in Water: When scattering ashes in the water, you must scatter the ashes at a distance of at least 3 nautical miles and the water must be at least 600 feet deep. Some places will require the water to be deeper. For example, Florida requires the water to be 1,800 feet deep. You can also throw things overboard with the ashes like flowers. However, everything that is thrown with the ashes must be able to decompose. Within the first 30 days of disposing of the ashes you must contact the EPA .

The guidelines above are good to keep in mind, however a good rule or thumb reiterated by many reputable industry organizations is “Don’t ask, don’t tell”. They key is to be respectful of others when scattering the cremated ashes of a loved one.


Remembrance Gift Cards

Are you searching shopping websites and store aisles this holiday season, captive to that frenzied, loving and exasperated hunt for perfect holiday gifts, here’s a little gift, of sorts, from researchers who study gift giving and receiving: Think gift card.

Because the less specific the gift, the more it will be appreciated.

You shudder, you recoil. But the sad truth is that while gift cards constitute a minority of holiday gifts, according to the National Retail Federation, they have been the most popular gift request since 2007.

ASHinGLASS will be offering a special Remembrance gift card for the holidays.