Does anyone else find visiting cemeteries interesting? I do. On my way home from the yoga retreat last weekend I stopped at a little old church with a cemetery. I have stopped there before but not for a few years. There are many very old graves, you know the ones. I did take photos but the one which stood out to me was this one. I remember it from last time. I took photos because the grave was so lovingly decorated. It has changed now, over three years later. I told my fam I would like a grave decorated in a similar way. Here are some photos of it from 2018 and now. She must have been a very special woman. Dearly loved and missed by her family.

Interesting you should ask this now. We live around the corner from a beautiful old cemetery. My DD had been asking to go for a walk through for a while (we did it about a year ago) as she likes looking at all the names and the dates (some are from the 1800s). I’m always a bit reluctant because I don’t know how appropriate it is for us as random people to go wandering through the cemetery, especially with kids who ca get a bit noisy. (Curious what everyone’s thoughts are about this!) Anyway, we finally went yesterday afternoon and it felt quite magical as it was nearing sunset. DD wanted to find graves with names of everyone she knows and she was particularly pleased to find one woman who had my name as her first name and DD’s name as her middle name. We didn’t see anything as wonderful as the grave you saw, OP. That is a great idea and I like that they used rocks which should last quite a while. So many of the graves we saw yesterday had plastic flowers, and there’s a children’s section which was covered in toys, but all were fading and cracking from exposure, which feels very sad. Colourful rocks are a lovely idea.

Yes, they’re fascinating, especially older ones, as I’m rather into history. I always find myself wondering what their stories were. It’s always sad when you come across a whole family wiped out by something like measles though. Those colourful rocks are lovely. Reminds me of the classic Women’s Weekly Kit Kat Smartie corral cake that even I can make. Perhaps that was her speciality? (Nice Young Ones reference in the thread title, by the way!)

SeaStar So many of the graves we saw yesterday had plastic flowers, and there’s a children’s section which was covered in toys, but all were fading and cracking from exposure, which feels very sad. I agree. I feel sad when I see those things too. It feels forgotten. Lonely etc. SeaStar I’m always a bit reluctant because I don’t know how appropriate it is for us as random people to go wandering through the cemetery, especially with kids who ca get a bit noisy. (Curious what everyone’s thoughts are about this!) I agree with squeekums, I think cemeteries are for everyone too. As long as people are respectful, not climbing all over graves, damaging them or whatnot. Jane-Jetson Yes, they’re fascinating, especially older ones, as I’m rather into history. I always find myself wondering what their stories were. It’s always sad when you come across a whole family wiped out by something like measles though. Those colourful rocks are lovely. Reminds me of the classic Women’s Weekly Kit Kat Smartie corral cake that even I can make. Perhaps that was her speciality? (Nice Young Ones reference in the thread title, by the way!) Same here, I love history and also wonder about their lives and stories. One of my favourite childhood movies is called ‘The Bluebird’ with Shirley Temple. There is a scene where her and her little brother visit a cemetery and come across their grandparent’s graves. The scene changes from cemetery to the front garden of the grandparent’s house. The grandparents greet the kids with such happiness and gratitide. ‘When you think of us, we come to life’. While we are reading the headstones, looking at the photographs on some, we are thinking of those people. The people in the graves with the faded soft toys and faded, weathered plastic flowers are being remembered for a few moments. Now that you mention the WW cake book, I can see it! I was hoping someone would get the reference. 😆

SeaStar Oh, I think it’s lovely and quite acceptable to respectfully enjoy a cemetary. My husband and I enjoyed a tour through Brisbane’s Toowong cemetary (old and picturesque and full of quite the who’s who from back in the day so very historically interesting) and went back later on with our toddling daughter. She loved it and we saw so many locals enjoying a brisk walk through a beautiful place. Everyone was quite friendly. Back in our travelling days we checked out a lot of cemetaries in the older European cities. It’s a great insight into the history before you and often a lovely little oasis of quiet in the middle of a busy town. As JJ says it’s quite tragic looking at grouped family headstones with dates within days of each other and really drives home how brutal life was before antibiotics and obstetric care (thinking specifically about Edinburgh and Ravenswood Qld but can apply everywhere old enough).

Do you dig graves? Yeah, they're alright, yeah.

AprilEthereal

Does anyone else find visiting cemeteries interesting? I do. On my way home from the yoga retreat la...