I've mentioned my love of cemeteries before. Today I was able to indulge that macabre love of visiting the resting place of the dead three times.
@Bookmark61 and I are on a road trip and we took a few detours today. Our first stop was near Elwood, Illinois, at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. I've been to a few national cemeteries, but never one this big. It was sobering to see hundreds and hundreds of uniform headstones, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Occasionally, the uniformity was disrupted by a splash of colorful flowers.
Our next stop was a small community cemetery north of Bloomington, IL. We were looking for a geocache. I took one look at the jungle-like growth and decided I wasn't wading into it wearing capris and a sleeveless blouse. Brett dived right in and found the cache. Hopefully he won't pay for it with a poison ivy rash in the next day or two.
Once the cache was found, the log signed, Brett safely out of the jungle and the burs picked out of his socks and shoelaces, we pulled over to a shady spot for a picnic lunch. Then we explored the rather ostentatious mausoleum nearby. I think the animals on top were supposed to be sheep, but their faces looked like dogs. It was all rather bizarre.
Our last stop was a tiny family cemetery nestled between Route 66 and I-44 like an oasis in the desert. This was my favorite stop of the day. The wall around it was erected as a memorial to the builder's grandparents.
Friday we will take a detour through Devil's Elbow and the Hooker Cut. Hopefully I won't wilt in the heat. It was 105 degrees as we approached St. Louis this afternoon. Brett bet me it would get to 108 in the city. I said it would hold at 105, since evening was coming on and there were clouds moving in. It got to 108 and kept on going, peaking at 110 degrees before cooling down to the mid-90s. I am looking forward to autumn.
Comments (18)
Interesting! I love walking in cemeteries! There is such interesting history to be learned. This makes me miss working on my family tree. I hope I get back to it someday.
Say "hi" to all my old friends in St. Louis.
Wow -- 210 degrees is HOT! Sounds like a good road trip, though, with cemeteries and caches. Hope you guys can avoid the poison oak (oops -- poison ivy!)!
@slmret - Ha! Blogging in my sleep... it's fixed now.
call me morbid but cemeteries are quite beautiful. They tell stories, you know, of generations past.
@saintvi - Sleep well
!!!
@slmret - "210" degrees! That's a funny typo, but it sure felt that way when stepping out of the van. You can guess how SaintVi was feeling.
Oooh, somebody else likes my sick little habit! It's always very fascinating for me to read headstones; it just makes me imagine their life. When you come across a child's headstone, do you wonder in your mind how the child passed away?
I do okay with hot but even this is getting a bit ridiculous
@BookMark61 - I lived in Sacramento for a while -- it would get to 120 several times a year, and the peak heat was always at 6 pm -- it often felt like 210 degrees when we got off work. Fortunately, it dropped off very quickly, and by 7 it would be 20 deg cooler!
your husband didn't take a post digger this time? lol lol lol
Cemeteries are peaceful and usually beautiful, a nice place for a walk.
I love cemeteries! Walking in there and taking pictures is a hobby of mine as well. It's 90F in Pennsylvania right now, I am sure it will be hotter later. Great pictures! I've never had poison ivy before but I know people who've had it and it sucked for them. Have a good day! :)
West Central MO hit 111 yesterday and is already so hot this morning that I'm in for the day.
Gah! 111! I'm melting!! It got to 102 here but heck - 102 or 111 either way it is too Darn Hot! hehe! Hope the drive is plesant and the AC holds out!!
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Ditto about looking FORWARD TO FALL!!! It is hot here in FL TOO! Feels like ya can't breathe when u walk outside! ARGG!.... Anyhow about the cemeteries... Looks beautiful.. The very first one looks alot like where my dad is buried... which is also a national cemetery... It's "Florida National Cemetery" ***In Bushnell , Fl** ..It also had uniform headstones as far as the eye could see... One thing I like about my dad's cemetery though is there is alot of trees... and scenery... IDK About other national cemeteries but.. @ My dad's cemetery they the lil vases that you can take to put in the ground for the flowers you bring... and when they come pick up the flowers *they clear the graves about every week or 2* They put it back in the vase bin to re-use* ... It's crazy that they do that but it's nice! <3 Enjoy the rest of your trip will be looking fw to more pics of where you stop <3
I too love cemeteries. They are fascinating places- peaceful and full of interesting stones and epitaphs...