Two readers have shared their personal and creative methods for scattering the ashes of their loved ones, responding to a recent article by Zoe Williams about spreading her mother's ashes.
A Red Handkerchief Tribute
Maggie Rylance from Winchester recalls her father, a farmer who always carried a red spotted handkerchief. He used it to check wind direction while muck-spreading to protect the tractor cab. The family turned this into a joke, using the same handkerchief to scatter his and her mother's ashes. It worked perfectly, with no one getting covered in ash.
A Longing for the Parthenon
Terry O'Hara from Maghull, Merseyside, writes about his father, a lifelong Philhellene and campaigner for the return of the Parthenon Marbles. After his father's death, visiting the Parthenon, they knew leaving anything was forbidden, yet they longed to tuck a teaspoon of him near the Erechtheion. They spent the day devising Great Escape-style plans involving trouser legs and discreet shuffling, but no rules were broken. The plotting itself felt like a fitting tribute.
These stories highlight the creativity and love that go into honoring the departed, blending humor and respect in unique ways.
