Doesn’t everybody??? And yes, I really do have a cemetery in my yard – so if you’re bothered by gravestones and cemeteries you might want to just move along now.
When we were deciding where to put our house my mother was mortified about where it was going. “But you’ll have a cemetery in your yard.” My response, “You know, they’ll be great neighbors. They won’t bother me and I won’t bother them.”
This is a small family cemetery that occupies a very special place in my yard and I’m honored that it’s here. I don’t take care of it nearly as well as I’d like – it takes more energy than I usually have. Currently there are some tall pines loosing limbs. I know, I know – I should never have left the pines grow. DH told me that. Having a couple of the cut soon. I love pines, and I love pine straw <sigh> but I just can’t keep up with it. I could blow the graves off every day and they would still have pine straw on them.
There’s a number of things he told me, but agreed to anyway, that very much annoy me now because he was right. But that’s another story too.
So, back to my cemetery.
The first grave was that of “Millie Arthur Creighton Crooks Foster” in 1883. She was the wife of General Ira R. Foster (Civil War). Their daughter (Nancy) married Albert M. Ayres I, and the cemetery has been continuously maintained by a member of the Ayres family from that time until the present.
Vandals got to it between the time that my Dad died and we moved back to Alabama 🙁 so now this portion of that first tombstone lays own on the solid stone.
The last grave was my late husband in 2005 – my spot is right there and my name is on the headstone also. 🙂
The youngest is a baby only 1 year old 🙁 who was born after his father died – both baby and father are here.
And of course, we have the furbabies. The first two were the dogs we had when we moved back here… and I was creative enough to make ‘headstones’. There’s one more dog that was my husband’s that I want to make one for (when I have the time and/or energy).
And these are various kitties and one bird:
I had a couple of benches made from some of the rocks from the foundation of the original house on the property (also another post). You can see one off to the side of the above picture – and the other is closer to the tombstones. Though I must say – they’re not very comfty to sit on for very long.
And then, oldest son arrived for his last visit with this absolutely wonderful bench. It’s ‘teak’ and will last forever (or at least my forever) and I absolutely love it. It belonged to a friend who was downsizing. I’m so happy it came to live in my cemetery.
After dealing with my cemetery for a while I got involved with Find A Grave – and some genealogy, though it’s kinda a come and go. It’s totally fascinating and can take up a LOT of time. I get back to it on and off. Hope you’ve enjoyed my cemetery tour.
Grace & Peace,
Iris
I also love cemeteries, the older the better. I have such fond memories of visiting the cemetery every sunday after church when I was little, spending summers in California with my mother’s family. At first the only one there was her sister Bettie (my namesake) who died when she was only 21…but eventually my maternal grandparents were there…and then my uncle…and my father…and then my mother. But the cemetery was beautiful, like a park, with rolling grassy hills, giant shade trees, a large pond with fountains and swans. We’d bring a picnic lunch and visit with Bettie awhile…though mostly my… Read more »
Love your cemetery memories. I want to do another post about ‘southern cemeteries’. Just need go get out and take some pictures before the weather gets cold.
Grace & Peace, Iris
I love cemetaries! One of my favorite tours on a recent trip to New Orleans was the cemetary tour. I like to see the headstones and speculate on the people and how they lived their lives. On the genealogy, I’ve been dabbling on Ancestry.com for a year or so. It’s a rabbit hole I can spend hours and hours in!
Oh yeah, genealogy is a huge rabbit hole and totally fascinating to me. And, once you jump in, it’s difficult to get out 🙂 I love cemeteries too, especially the old ones. Have you gotten involved in Find A Grave? I’ve found some good info there.
Grace & Peace, Iris