Graveyard

Feelin' a bit down in the dumps today? Want a pick-me-up? Want to feel good all over about yourself? Have I got the cure. I was up the other morning at 4 AM and listening to Coast to Coast AM. It's a talkshow with lots of crazy talk. You know the paranormal, alien abductions, time travel, conspiracies and the doomsdayers. The talk of the night was about the "Doomsday Preppers". You know them maybe as the 'end is near' faction. They are stockpiling food and ammunition, building underground shelters in their homes, and all around fearing the worst on the political, economic and nuclear fronts. The Apocalypse or a killer comet crashing to earth and taking us all at once looms around every corner for them. They fear the worst in everything and everybody. They seem to be 'living' those words of Dylan, "that he not busy being born is busy dying." If their lives weren't so sad and pathetic, it would be laughable. Ok, I'm grinning! So this morning, I'm feeling pretty darn good about myself and my life. And I thought the scariest thing in the world was walking by a graveyard at night. Boy, was I wrong!
Now, admit it, you do feel better about yourself and your life now. Don't you?

Boulder

Nope! We're not in Colorado. Ever spend quite a lot of time around someplace, and then out of the blue see something you've never, ever seen before? I think we all have, a time or two. We're up on the Western Prom this morning in Western Cemetery, the city's second oldest cemetery with interments dating back to the late 1700's. I stopped by and caught sight of this large boulder, that I had never seen before. Now, why was this? Given the number of times I have wandered around the grounds, I sat in my truck and wondered. Had it been added? Dug up? Why hadn't I seen it before? After a few more moments the mystery was solved. They have removed the black fencing on this side of the burial grounds. No need to walk through the narrow entranceway any more to get inside. At least for now, just walk in at any point here on Vaughn Street, but watch where you walk. Years ago, it was basically an 'off-leash dog park', where dogs were apparently welcomed to relieve themselves on your relatives graves from dawn to dusk. This, along with a large number of grave desecrations years back, tended to give this cemetery quite a seedy reputation. The city is attempting to 'clean this up' in more ways then one, and so maybe a new fence along Vaughn is in the plans. Hope so. Heck, they even broke into Longfellow's family's tomb back a few years ago but interestingly found no remains. No respect at all!

Holy Card

This is the backside of Chisholm Tomb at Evergreen Cemetery. I've driven by it many times and have even worked on it, but have never taken a good, long look from this angle. This is a stained glass window that depicts the Ascension of Christ. Each year at St. Joseph's Grammar School, we got a brand new catechism to use throughout the year, and along with it we got a holy card to use as a bookmark. The small cards are lithographed pictures illustrating biblical tales and parables. At funerals, they are available to family and friends with the name of the deceased and a small prayer. In school, the nuns told us they were blessed, and that we better take care of them. Have I told you certain nuns could be VERY intimidating to small boys?

Sistah, Sistah, Sistah!