Follow My Bliss: A Family Gathers in Ohio

Sunday, March 26, 2017

A Family Gathers in Ohio

Lucy M. Cabot March 12, 1927-August 16, 2016

From March 10-20 my husband I visited his family's hometown in the suburbs of Cleveland Ohio. Other family members arrived daily (our daughter Aria and son in law Daniele and grand-daughter Sofia from Missouri, Mike's brother Tony, sister in law Linda and their son Trace from Las Vegas, their daughter Dani and her boyfriend Al from NYC, my nephew J and his wife Celina and son Rex from California), also Mike's brother Rocky, his wife Mary and their daughter Amanda who live in Ohio were there to receive all the family . The weather was unpredictable, flights delayed but at long last everyone did arrive for a few days or more of family time together. The following several blogposts will be dedicated to the week of family time in Ohio. The reason for our coming together was to honor Mike's mother "Lucy" who had passed away August of 2016. Her wishes were that when she passed her ashes would be laid to rest along with her husbands. During this week we were all able to honor her wishes together.
During the months after Lucy's passing Mike's youngest brother Rocky labored over making a beautiful sculptured urn to hold his mother's ashes. The following are a few photos of the urn in process and the finished piece. It was a true labor of love and an extraordinary tribute to his mother.

The urn was completely designed, and sculpted by Rocky, with a special powdered substance that hardens when mixed with liquid. The walls, columns steps, door etc were cast and constructed by hand, windows, doors and reliefs were carved into the cast walls by hand. Steps were carved and every piece sanded smooth. This original urn was thoughtfully and lovingly worked on for many many months. A true labour of love.

This relief on the ceiling top of the urn was carved by hand.

Windows on either side were delicate scenes of things Lucy loved. her garden, flowers, hummingbirds

The domed ceiling on top of the urn was molded plexiglass which had been heated to follow the curve of the carved wooden frame of the dome encasing the relief atop the urn. A white raven symbolizing the bird that guards the souls of the departed sits atop the dome.