On the Table with Ashley D+D Series: Death and Honey - In Conversation with Former Estate Planning Attorney and Current Beekeeper, Ashley Kirkham
Beekeeping is on the table today! In this episode, we are joined by Ashley Kirkham, former estate planner turned beekeeper. Ashley received her JD from the University of Utah College of Law and an LLM in Taxation from New York State University School of Law. After a 15-year legal career in New York, Ashley retired to follow a new passion—beekeeping. Inspired in part by her family’s experiences in the field, she earned a certificate in beekeeping, immersing herself in the fascinating world of bees.
Ashley joins On the Table to reflect on the lessons learned during her legal career—how estate planning deepened her understanding of familial relationships and cultivated her existential maturity around death. She also shares the profound insights she’s gained from beekeeping, including its lessons on life, death, and the importance of connecting with the world around us.
Grief often stifles us. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics of death and grief. Our hope is that, with an open heart and curiosity, we can support important causes, learn how to show up for people in our lives who are suffering, increase our meaningful connection to one another, and hopefully find more peace. No subject is off-limits in our pursuit of meaningful connection.
Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.
Listen to our episode with Susan Turnball.
Read A Beginner's Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death by B.J Miller M.D and Shoshana Berger.
Read The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning:How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margaretta Magnusson.
Read the Tiffany Aching Series by Terry Pratchett.
Read When Death Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
Read Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Read The Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.
On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.
If you have ideas for new episodes or guests, or just want to share feedback, email us at reachoutanytime@ameatendre.com.