When someone we care about passes away, we do all in our power to come to terms with the loss of that person.
After deciding to make a physical memorial for their lost loved ones, a lot of people attempt to go on with their life, comforted by the knowledge that their cherished ones are now in a better place and by the fact that the memorial they crafted for them is a tangible object.
After suffering the loss of his wife, a farmer made the decision to build something wonderful, and 17 years later, the fruits of his labor were revealed.
When Winston Howes first met the woman who would become the love of his life, Janet, it was in 1962. Shortly afterwards, the couple made the decision to wed and spend the rest of their lives together in wedded bliss.
They spent the next 33 years of their lives together in wedded happiness until Janet’s passing in 1995, which was brought on by a heart failure. Winston desired to accomplish anything in remembrance of his cherished wife and made the decision to go out into the countryside.
Winston, who owned a farm that was 112 acres in size and was located near Wickwar in South Gloucestershire, planted thousands of oak seedlings in one section of his land as a memorial to his late wife. However, his project hid a secret that was not revealed to anyone outside of the family until much later.
When a hot air balloonist happened across a stunning clearing in the form of a heart, Winston was forced to divulge his secret. He said, “After Janet passed away, I had the notion to create a heart in the clearing of the field.
I had a sudden insight that it would be a good idea—it came to me like a flash of inspiration—and as a result, I planted many thousand oak trees.
He then went on to remark, “The heart points towards Wotton Hill, which is where Janet is from. We put daffodils in the center so that they bloom in the spring, and the result is a beautiful display.
I do so on occasion, and when I’m there, I take a seat in the bench that I built. About five years ago, I flew over it personally, so I can speak to its beauty.”