Late Afternoon at the Cemetery on the Hill
Yesterday was a perfectly beautiful day. We slept in, which is always nice. We stopped for breakfast on the way into town, then picked up my bonus daughter and son-in-law. They didn’t know where some of the family graves were, so we took them with us. Every year it’s the same thing. We know where all but one of the graves are in this huge cemetery. We walked around for a good forty-five minutes when I had the bright idea to look at the picture we took a couple of years ago of the headstone we were looking for. We all studied the photo, then fanned out and our son-in-law had it in less than a minute. Thank goodness it wasn’t as hot as it was out there last year.
We Found the Elusive Headstone
Our high yesterday was only 72 and I consider that perfect. Even in the sun, you aren’t over heated. We decorated all the graves then I realized, same as last year…I hadn’t bought enough. We went to Dollar Tree and they were sold out. Then we went to Michael’s. They had flowers, but I wasn’t going to pay $5 for one flower when the cemetery is going to throw the decorations away in ten days. So, I bought pinwheels. They were festive and colorful and move in the wind.
A Stunning Lily Growing at a Gravesite
We dropped the kids off and headed out to the country to my family’s cemetery. On the way, Mr. FixIt asked if I wanted to drive through the state park that’s on the way. It was a lovely day. The sun was shining, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the trees are all fully leafed out and provided a full canopy that cast a fresh green hue over everything. One campground was nearly empty…the other nearly full. We figure the empty one is where the families camp most often. The people in the other campgrounds seemed more our age.
We arrived at the cemetery and I once again was struck by how beautiful and well kept it is. Nearly every headstone was decorated…and all military graves were decorated with flags. I love that so many people have peonies planted on the graves. My grandma would love that. I am going to propagate some of Grandma’s peonies from the farm. I’ll plant some for us here at home and some up at the cemetery. We wandered around and looked at the headstones and the dates and thought of the families who had to say goodbye.
As I placed flowers on my grandparents’ grave, I told them the farm had been sold and we’ve al been working hard getting things out of there. I told Grandma all about Frank & Beans and how they already love the farm. They have grand-babies so there will be little ones in the house again some of these days. I told her she would be really proud of the way we took care of the farm all these years without her and that we will still be able to visit the old home-place because Frank & Beans really get it. They know how much we love the place.
A Carpet of Rhododendron Blossoms
On our way home, we stopped at the farm and brought another load of things home. There are only three things left in the basement, Grandma’s bed/bedding, and what little is in the outbuilding and barn. We drove home as the sun was setting and decided it was a really good day all the way around.
It is a brand new month…and, my heart is full and happy.
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“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out…..”
John 5:28 ESV