Trees

An addendum to 28 November: At Colin's funeral we suggested that, instead of spending money on flowers, people might like to make a donation in his memory to The Woodland Trust.   Subsequently we discovered amongst his papers a cutting of the poem "Woodland Burial" by Pam Ayres -


   Don’t lay me in some gloomy churchyard shaded by a wall
   Where the dust of ancient bones has spread a dryness over all,
   Lay me in some leafy loam where, sheltered from the cold
   Little seeds investigate and tender leaves unfold.
   There kindly and affectionately, plant a native tree
   To grow resplendent before God and hold some part of me.
   The roots will not disturb me as they wend their peaceful way
   To build the fine and bountiful, from closure and decay.
   To seek their small requirements so that when their work is done
   I’ll be tall and standing strongly in the beauty of the sun.


It seems that our suggestion would have met with our brother's whole-hearted approval!