Teague wanted to visit Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Arlington, Massachusetts to locate the graves of an aunt, uncle, and their daughter, a cousin. Teague asked if I wanted to go on a cemetery hop. You bet.
But I've been bothered by the fact that the title cemetery hop somehow sounds frivolous or worse disrespectful. I wanted a cool name for the thing we do. Part genealogy and for me, part admiring the skill and art of the stone cutters.
People who explore caves are called Spelunkers and they go spelunking. That's cool. I did find that people that visit cemeteries to look at the grave stones are called Gravers. Teague suggested Grave Hunters, but that made me think of Ghost Hunters or Grave Robbers. I was thinking about a name most of the day.
At Mt. Pleasant, Teague was trying to remember the location of the graves. There was also something about the cemetery was a military cemetery for those who served in the Air Force.
While Teague was trying to get her bearings, I found this monument on the side of the main road. A sweet, stone bunny. Did some bunny like bunnies? Was it a nick name?
The main road was by the chapel and overlooked a flat area. We drove around the block trying to find the section marked on a map Teague had. The map was marked. The cemetery was not. Finally, she decided to go in the chapel to see if there was an office and someone could give directions. Turns out, we had to drive across a brook over a narrow bridge to another flat area beyond where we had looked. Teague also asked about the military connection. I had told there were only 3 military cemeteries in the state. The national cemetery in Bourne, and two state cemeteries, one in Agawam where my parents are buried and the other in Winchendon. If you were a resident of Arlington and had served in the military, you could be buried in an area designated for servicemen and women.
We wandered around a bit and found the graves. The uncle and cousin were buried together. Both had a bronze plaque with their ranks, service, dates. The aunt couldn't be buried with her husband as she had not served in the military, but her grave was not too far away. While Teague paid her respects I wandered around
This little lamb was upside down in the middle of a grassy area between rows of plaques in the ground. We had had heavy winds and rain the week before so who knows where this little fella was supposed to be. I set him upright and took his picture.
I was surprised to see figures and mementos left by loved ones. The practice is not allowed in the national or state military cemeteries in Massachusetts.
This little frog made me smile. Mr. Cook's occupation, perhaps a play on his occupation and last name?
The little lamb sits all by his lone.
Harry and Ruth don't have a bronze military plaque. Someone was a sports fan as there's a hockey puck and a baseball.
Corporal Ahern served in a tank division during the Korean War.
The monument honoring the servicemen and women.
We were off to two other parts for this outing. So my ticket in for this post, as Teddy would say, is this opalescent teacup, saucer, and tea strainer. For those who have followed the Thursday Notebook posts, both of these belonged to Doris
Oh, and while driving home and trying to come up with a name for visiting cemeteries I came up with Grave Siting also Grave Sighting. A play on words. As we go to grave sites and look for graves. Grave Sighters.
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