Title get your attention? Joe always says "everyone has a story". Most people's story continues in the legacy of their children, business, or contribution to society. Some people want to make sure their story goes on - just look at their grave decor! "What Will Your Legacy Be?" could be a blog in itself, but that's not my topic today. I just wanted to upload some recent photos taken in local cemeteries and add a comment or two.
Why was she wandering around the cemetery taking pictures? you ask. My son needed to do some location scouting for a commercial shoot (most of the photo credits here go to him). The assignment: find a cemetery with a cluster of old looking headstones. They needed to be sizable to fill the shot. He knew exactly what to look for, something like Archer Cemetery in Chicago where the director is from and where my son had worked on a film when he was in school. I asked to go along because I think cemeteries are quite interesting. Where I grew up there are some fascinating old, old cemeteries.
The headstones are huge monuments to the people underneath them. My favorite is a bigger-than-life statue of a man standing between two women who are facing opposite directions. He was the founder of the local upscale department store and, so the story goes, the ladies were his wife and mistress. I don't know if that's true, but it's a local legend memorialized in stone for many years to come.
I found these pictures online but no other information. I've never seen a cemetery like this here, but someone pointed out that this is a young state. Given it's prairie/settler history, who had time or money for elaborate graves? But next time I go back east, I'm going to add cemetery photographing to my bridge photographing list. Such a party girl I am.
This statue really touched my heart. I wonder what the story is behind it? That young father protecting his family...poignant.
I liked the look of the ivy hanging over the arch. But no story here. Just liked the shot.
Ooooohh, I could say so many things here, all of them potentially offensive. And there were several graves decorated like this for the holidays. I was amazed.
When son wanted to go to school in Chicago, I fretted over the details, like, how are we going to pay for this? Plus the idea of him living in the heart of a major city...aack! But one day, as I was thinking (worrying) about it, the Lord spoke to me and said, just take the first step. That's the faith walk summed up in five words.
Life Goes On would be a perfect title for this picture. But alas, it's just a plastic flower laying forgotten amongst the dead leaves in a cemetery. Hmm, maybe it says more than I realized.
There was a whole flock of these guys tramping around on the graves. Two thoughts. First, it's a nice shot. Second, leave it to nature to keep us humble. You might want to consider that if you're planning to have a big ol' statue of yourself put on your grave.
