Cemetery Thoughts

The gates down at the cemetery are always open.  The past few days they have been frosty.

I spend a fair amount of time taking photographs in this cemetery.  It is not far from our house and  it is on the way down to the river.

It is all fenced.

I am not sure if that is to keep people in..or to keep them out.  Perhaps they just define the space. 

Along this fence row is where we buried my cousin several years ago..he was young.  Little did I know when I took this photo..his only sister was losing her battle after a pulmonary embolism and a heart attack.  She died yesterday..she was just 41 years old a few days ago.  She is survived by four brothers. She was never married and she had no children.  One of my other girl cousins became her guardian after both of her parents died. She had special needs..but was able to care for herself..she just needed a little help to make good decisions.  I was nineteen years old when she was born.  She was my Uncle and Aunts only daughter, and they were just thrilled when she was born.  I am sure they were just as thrilled to see her again yesterday.

I saw her in the Clinic a few weeks ago..I just said a quick “Hi, how are you doing?”  I wish I had taken the time to give her a hug..but she wasn’t a touchy feely type of person that enjoyed hugs anyway..she liked her own personal space.

I have a whole bunch of cousins on that side of my family..41 cousins and now 3 are gone..dead.  So I only have 38.  That may seem like a lot to you..but it really isn’t.  I know many of them quite well.   My cousins range in age from 73 to 40.  When the older ones can remember when the younger ones were born..and then the younger ones die..it is difficult.

So we will have a funeral one day this week.  And lunch..with hotdish and rainbow Jell-O and cake..here in Minnesota we always eat well after a funeral.

We drove by the Cemetery last night..a number of people now have solar lights  decorating their graves.  Far Guy finds the lights a bit disturbing, and a lot spooky.  I think they are pretty.  I wondered aloud  “What would happen if someone bought a whole bunch of lights and spelled out something that could be seen from an airplane?”  Far Guy inquired  “What would you write?”  I said “Help Me” and then we both laughed:)