November 21, 2020

Cave Creek Canyon, Southeast corner of Arizona
Ritual for my Mom
My mom died here in our home in Tucson on 8 /20/ 2020 at 8am.
Part of my grieving process is making art, doing ritual, remembering.
This weekend David and I traveled down to southern Arizona where we stayed in a remarkable place and did 4 different hikes.
I brought some personal items of Momβs and gathered some other items from nature to assemble into a reliquary to leave in this beautiful place for the natural world to incorporate into its daily life.
An ephemeral love note for mom.

A metal butterfly with an Indian head penny, both from her collection
Some of her ashes wrapped in the last piece of the homemade paper David and I made from the cards and flowers we received after Bianca died.
Three silk roses, for Moms 3 children.
Some Lichen and an Autumn sycamore leaf, mom always loved the fall leafs. I sent them to her for years when I lived in places where we had them.
2 pine cones, Douglas fir and Ponderosa.
A key to her house and a Kennedy 50 cent piece, all wired together in a very old, very fine wire.

In the afternoon, we found a place off the beaten path to the east of two massive monolith cliffs covered in lime green lichen. Worn down from ancient volcanos, now their geology explained as Cave Creek Rhyolite, Silver peak Dacite and Horseshoe canyon tuff.

I hung the piece on a Sycamore tree which was embracing a Juniper.

We said goodbye yet again.
I think this last parent of mine will require many more goodbyes.
Cantrell
Oh honey, how beautiful. Touches deeply. Yes, this will require many more goodbyes. Xoxoxo
So beautiful. Thank you. I love you.
On Wed, Nov 25, 2020 at 8:10 AM Cantrella’s Missive wrote:
> cantrella posted: ” November 21, 2020 Cave Creek Canyon, Southeast corner > of Arizona Ritual for my Mom My mom died here in our home in Tucson on 8 > /20/ 2020 at 8am. Part of my grieving process is making art, doing ritual, > remembering. This weekend David a” >
And I here the song love you
Hello dearest, friend. Blessings to you for sharing a sacred, personal, creative ritual. It moved me to respond. Will send it to you when I am done. Love to you, David and all your loved ones. Elin β€οΈπππππππβ€οΈ
Lovely tribute!
This is very sweet and profound. Would love to talk about your journey. Maybe later today or tomorrow. I need to get an herbal care package to my brother in Illinois who is dealing with the virus.
Much love Pamela
Darling love, this is so beautiful and so very YOU. I think about you often, think about your journey…itβs a long slow rocky path with many steep climbs and beautiful vistas along the way. May you find peace at the difficult turns and solace in the process. I love you so much. Missing you especially now. At this time offamily and orphan gatherings. Wrapping you in a warm embrace. XooooKaren
Sis, these pictures reach down to the well of my being. The images rock me and bring me back to a center that only our desert can. As I stare out at my amazing yet dreary frozen fall panorama, I can see around the corner to the bright sunshine of the brisk sunrise sky island vistas… our country. I took the time yesterday to lose myself in a deep box of photos of all of us. I wept at our togetherness and kissed the smiles on our faces, love and peace, ceferino.
Oh my heart, you are a gem and a love
Reading this, I remember and retrace my walking with you and David on Mt. Lemon. Walking, honoring Bianca, her candle having blown itself out. All of us gathering in Love and Grief, moving through the trees. Sometimes the things that are ephemeral have ties stronger than steel. Love transcends and connects us beyond the veil. One day a leaf will drop upon your shoulder, slide through your hair, touch your heart and ride away on the wind. A mother’s kiss in recognition of the long goodby and infinite caring that you placed among the sycamores and junipers.
My dearest, sister of my heart. We are one.
Inspiration in so many forms…these moments, tethered deep in our hearts, take courage and intention. Thank you for sharing your intimate walk forward Cantrell…you are inspiring mine. XOXOX Diane
breathing together, we inspire each other
sincere touching beauty
love you both
Cantrella, such a beautiful tribute to your Mom and the gifts to nature for her and her passing, simply put, the truest of connections to her in the spirit world. Thank you for sharing. See you soon. Blessings, Shery