Wednesday, May 12, 2010

CEMETERY VISIT

Today started off on a beautiful note,bird singing note that is. It is always so nice to wake up and hear birds having their joyous morning conversations.
After breakfast and weight lifting I did a late load of laundry and sorted through more old pics.
After lunch I made a trip to the cemetery where most of dad's family is buried. I can't remember ever looking up those graves before,but when I walked up the steps from the road into the cemetery I walked straight to his families grave sites. That truly gave me an erily strange feeling and as I took pictures of the head stones of each one I was overcome with emotions that I can't explain. I fought tears the whole time I was there and I kept scolding myself as I did not know any of these people,they were all dead long before I was even thought of. I am not an emotional person so this reaction is very odd for me.
Anyway I found the grave of one of my dad's wives,she died at the age of 39 in 1951. Now I know her name at least. My dad must have liked younger women. He was born in 1901 ,so he would have been 50 years old at the time of this lady's death and he married my mom in 1952 and she was 36. He must have been quite the charmer. 5 of dad's brother's and sister's were buried here in a semi-circle around his mom and dad and another of his dad's wives.
In all the old cemeteries I have visited what surprises me most is all the very young children's graves. This family did not escape this as right next to my grandmother was this little stone with a small rock square in front of it.
Someone in the family must have been a rock mason because 2 other graves from the mid twenties had amazing rock structures,but the later ones did not.
Both these siblings were born before my dad but met with early fates.
Homer who I heard dad speak of many times was 28 when he dove into a shallow pool of water and broke his neck.
Winnifred died in childbirth of her first child,who is still alive today. Being that these 2 are the only graves with this elaborate rockwork I wonder if my cousin knows who did it and why only these 2,I'll definitely be asking.I have never seen work like this in any cemetery I've been to.
They died only 3 years apart but the rockwork sure looks different between them.More mysteries!!! And no the picture isn't crooked,one side of the structure on the left is sinking into the ground.
I'm probably going to find more questions than I find answers in this endeaver. But after the overwhelming feelings I had today there's no stopping now.
As for the rest of my day I came home and went to work in my shop. I sewed 3 full length aprons and 1 child's tool apron.It is so much faster to sew things now that I don't have to spend so much time finding cloth.
When hubbie came home from work we had a nice visit from #2 son, I had already got to visit with #1 son earlier. I love living close so I can see the kids often.
After supper hubbie and I planted our garden all but the later pumpkins and squash.We got all our plants set out,hubbie's specialty is tomatoes,that's them with lime mixed into the soil around them. I pretty much set out and planted everything else while he worked with his babies. But we usually have wonderful tomatoes so I'm not complaining!Our potatoes have done well,that's them on the right in raised rows.These are my unique herb beds and I filled these with basil and cilantro this year. Gotta love livin on a farm!!!!!
Sorry this is such a morbid post but it's part of the history that I want to leave for future generations.
I have my cakes iced and all the weekly paperwork done tonight,it is midnight and the temperature is still a balmy 63 degrees. They say tomorrow is going to be a scorcher.
Market day tomorrow so I'm off to bed.
Thanking God for my blessings today and everyday.
Good Night and God Bless.

3 comments:

Gail said...

This was not morbid at all. It is part of our history and you were just reconnecting with that.

The garden looks great. I predict plenty of good eating coming out of those rows.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Marilyn, Genealogy is not morbid at all.. I have found working on my Family HIstory quite rewarding. But--I can get emotional when going to a cemetery sometimes. Of course, I AM an emotional person for sure!!!!

Those rock graves are interesting... Hope you can find out more about them.

Your garden is going to be fabulous!!!! I'll come and take some of those fresh veggies from you --if you are trying to get rid of them ... ha

Hugs,
Betsy

NCmountainwoman said...

I also love old cemeteries, even when I know none of the people buried there. We often find old family cemeteries on our hikes and I think how difficult their lives must have been in the rugged mountains so long ago.

One of these days you're going to be surprised to find me popping by on Market Day. Don't know if we'll make it while my daughter is here, but I've got to have one of your caramel cakes!