What a lovely image your poem evokes; I could skip the brandy--maybe Bailey's Irish Cream, instead?--but the chocolates and warm fire make me envious. Echoing Oscar, "Another good one Lilo Thank you"

I had a very twilight-zone feeling when I read that poem. It seemed so familiar. I looked through my collection of quotes and have the very same one. The copy in my folder is not attributed but it's prefaced with "Cremation for me - ashes to be buried among my animal friends on the property. Actually, I'd rather have the "Buzzard Funeral", my daughter wrote the following poem, which expresses my feelings exactly." What a small world!

That's great Pete. If I may hitch these to your cart - hope the authors don't mind - saved from a few years ago. Posted by: fishead KY zone 6 (My Page) on Mon, Nov 17, 03 at 15:33 Neighbors frown at my pile Though its been there a while The eggshells, the hay, The old crème brulee Neighbors in my compost wacko land Peels and rines, grounds and grass Turn your pile, for the right gas TheyÂll never believe, The compost theyÂll see Neighbors in my compost wacko land In the backyard we can build a tumbler And disguise it from my neighbors sight TheyÂll say did you get rid of that garbage? WeÂll say yes, and turn it at night Later on, when weÂre planting And the neighbors are raving and ranting What is you use To grow them that huge? Neighbors in my wacko compost land Posted by: Nora_in_Vancouver On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me A part of a chipped up pear tree. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me Two spoiled eggs and A part of a chipped up pear tree. On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me Three bales of hay Two spoiled eggs and A part of a chipped up pear tree. On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Five Banana Peels! Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Six bags of leaves, Five Banana Peels! Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me Seven slimy seaweeds Six bags of leaves, Five Banana Peels! Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Eight moldy bread loaves Seven slimy seaweeds Six bags of leaves, Five Banana Peels! Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Nine gallons of grounds, Eight moldy bread loaves Seven slimy seaweeds Six bags of leaves, Five Banana Peels! Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Ten potato peels Nine gallons of grounds, Eight moldy bread loaves Seven slimy seaweeds Six bags of leaves, Five Banana Peels! Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me Eleven rotten pumpkins Ten potato peels Nine gallons of grounds, Eight moldy bread loaves Seven slimy seaweeds Six bags of leaves, Five Banana Peels! Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Twelve fresh manures Eleven rotten pumpkins Ten potato peels Nine gallons of grounds, Eight moldy bread loaves Seven slimy seaweeds Six bags of leaves, Five Banana Peels! Four crawling worms, Three bales of hay, Two spoiled eggs And a part of a chipped up pear tree. Whew! What more could a girl want? Posted by: helen123 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 19, 03 at 11:32 Pumpkie, the brown stemed pumkin, had a very shiny stem, and if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows All of the other pumpkins, use to laugh and call him names, they never let poor pumpkie, enter into the compost bin, Then one foggy, stormy night Helen came to say, Pumpkie with your stem so bright, Let me squash your head tonight, Then all of the other pumpkins laughed and shouted out with glee, Pumpkie, the brown stemed pumpkin you'll be smelling just like pee. Posted by: BabsCT z6 CT (My Page) on Tue, Dec 2, 03 at 21:14 The first bag of leaves I ever did take Was because there were no more in my yard to rake, But in the neighborÂs yard rested five big bags full So I bribed his old Shepherd and made off with the haul. Oh . . . browns ohhh browns ohhh browns ohhh browns Now I need green stuff to break this stuff down. Then soon did I beg at my coffee shop For two buckets of used grounds, and now I canÂt stop EvÂry day is the same; I take in my pails. And slosh to my hatchback in rain, sleet or hail Oh . . . greens ohhh greens ohhh greens ohhh greens This is much less embarrassing than it once seemed. Now I go to the farm to collect my manure Rope-handled buckets stacked neatly help me procure And if husband complains that he hates the odor I tell him that is what God made air fresheners for Oh . . . whacked ohhh whacked ohhh whacked ohhh whacked The joy I get from what I stuff in my hatchback.

Wonderful! Keep writing, and gardening. Another Susan