Don't do that again.
"What?" you ask.
Don't take a two-hour tour of a cemetary (even a relatively small one) on a day with 84 degree temperatures and 90% humidity, especially when the weather has been cold prior to that and your body is not yet used to the heat again. And not when the cemetary is an older one that is a "lumpy" one, full of hills.
The tour was fun, though. We learned that today's cemetaries have to be built differently. They cannot have all the lumps and bumps of cemetaries of the past.
We learned that in the 1800s, if a grave site had a scupture of a tree stump, it was probably a child. The stump represented a life cut down too soon. A lamb also represented a child.
We learned that vandalism is not unusual in cemetaries. In this picture, you can see where one pillar was pushed down to the ground for a while.
We learned that at least one slave was buried in this cemetary. Ohio was a free state and very instrumental in the Underground Railroad. This grave site was also vandalized. It used to have a cross on top.
We learned that our local cemetary has civil war veterans in it.
We learned that the Oddfellows made sure that poor people had proper burials.
And we learned that one man had two wives. One preceded him in death - his consort. One died after he did - his relic. That is the way they were identified on their grave stones - consort of...and relic of...
And we learned that the camera on my cell phone has a problem. (We knew that, but this trip proved it!) For some reason, I can be looking at an object and take the picture, but have it turn out a piece of ground instead. Or on the phone, the picture will look perfect, but when you hit "view" the picture will change and turn into something entirely different, usually a piece of what was shown in the smaller version.
After the tour of the cemetary, we also got to tour the water tower next to the cemetary. It was the first time since it was built that they allowed the public inside. What a treat it was to go inside into the cool after being so hot outside.
We learned that the water tower was begun in 1932 and not finished until 1939. It's not like "normal" water towers that you see all over the U.S. This one has concrete all around it, and each piece was hand made at the site.
After all of that, we could have gone across the street to listen to bluegrass music and have a free glass of wine. But we were in no shape to do that.
Having fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue and arthritis stinks. Especially when you forget that you have all of those and think you're going to be like regular folks and have a fun afternoon exploring parts of the neighborhood.
Note to self. Remember that while fibro doesn't define you, it does affect every part of your life. Sad but true.
Note to self. Before embarking on another adventure like this, consider taking pain medication and muscle relaxer before all that hiking.
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Comments: 20
very interesting!
That seems like a really interesting cemetery. So why is it that newer cemeteries need to be built differently?
In the old days, graves were dug by hand, so they could have graves on hillsides. In fact, in the winter at this cemetary, they stored bodies under the floor of the mortuary until the ground thawed, since they couldn't dig graves in the frozen ground.
Now, since they use backhoes to dig graves and riding mowers to mow the grass, they have to have more level ground for safety reasons.
great pictures!!
I agree with charity.
It looks like 2 great places to tour, sorry it was so hot out!
Very interesting! What cemetary was this?
It's the Mt. Washington Cemetary in Cincinnati. I'm going to do a better photo essay when we get the pictures hubby took back from Walgreens.
Interesting!
I think this is a great photo essay in of itself and can't wait for the next installment! people forget how historic a simple cemetary can be. I can't wait to go explore Crown Hill here in Indianapolis ... I have heard lots about it and what it holds! I think I will take a clue from you and wait till it is cooler tho. Sorry for all the pain and suffering you endured to get your wonderful essay!
Thanks, Katherine. Hubby and I are actually going to brave another cemetary adventure tomorrow too. (That's why we're resting up today.) We're going to one where they're having someone dress up as Abe Lincoln. Hubby has family in that one, and his dad informed us that it's the largest cemetary in the US next to Arlington. Not sure if that's true, but if it is, I know I won't be walking too much myself.
I can relate to the pain while walking around here. I have lost cappilary action in one of my legs, and it swells badly when I walk around for more than an hour. 1 hour walking, and about 4 hours lying down to get rid of the painful swelling. I feel for you. But you got through it, and that's a good thing!
I feel for you too, Beverly. My hubby is napping right now. The pain really zaps our strength.
Hey Marilyn! I have fibromyalgia too and I know how painful it is!! I get migraines with it too! Loved your pics of the cemetary. I need to go on a cemetary drive here where I live soon. My daughter loves it and she is just 10!
I like touring old cemetaries, its amazing how much history is there to read. I also find it depressing that people vandalize them, any tour of a Civil war battlefield hgihlights that.
I am with you on the pain killers and muscle relaxers. I would need them also. A great tour of the cemetary, I never knew that the tree headstone mostly symbolized a child had died. See we all can learn something new everyday.
thanks for sharing your day with us.
that was cool thanks for sharing.....
Oh sweetie! What a great photo essay! I can see why you were so sore :-(. So why do modern cemetaries have to be built without all the lumps? I never knew so much about cemetaries. What lovely pictures, I wish I was there with you!
We went to Gettysburg last year, my first time there. We walked around the cemetaries there, but I didn't take pictures. It was very interesting to see all the old headstones from the time of the Civil war. Very interesting!
Looks like an interesting tour.
cool photos