Member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits

Thursday, April 26, 2012

A Room With A View

Okay, so the title is tacky, but when I pranced around in the mud looking for a grave of an ancestor at Sunrise Memorial Cemetery, I wasn't expecting to find such views.  It's not like I haven't been to Sunrise before; in fact, I've been out there more times than I can count.  So why am I just seeing it this way for the first time?  I just don't know!


I guess perhaps it was in the way I treated this visit that changed my perception of the cemetery.  What I normally do is look throughout a cemetery and capture a picture or two of a gravestone that is ornate.  Perhaps the person lived a very long time, or maybe not long at all.  There may be a large family buried together, or one solitary stone crying out for attention.  Whatever it is that stands out, I take a photo.

Two days ago, it was the peacefulness of the cemetery that stood out.  It was a quiet day, cool and windy.  I was alone at the cemetery, besides the countless souls buried beneath my feet, and a squirrel or two that ran along the side of the road.  I didn't hear any people or cars.  I didn't see any trash or debris.  It was just me and nature.

I was searching for a particular grave, but I began to click my camera-phone, not paying much attention to the usual things so much.  I saw some interesting things, like...

A wooden door.  How eerie!  It looks like I can push this door down easily.

A Day of the Dead tribute??  All I know is that I wasn't going to get
any closer.

Gravestones are sinking!  I thought the Newcomb stone looked like
it was sliding.  I didn't notice the stone on the left until I looked 
at the picture.

Many, many squirrels.  I stopped counting at 70.

The office hasn't been open to the public in at least a year, and I never did find a particular grave I was searching.  That means I'll be back out here soon to search again.  I just hope the stones will still be standing.

Please support the funding of your local cemeteries.