'Time expired'.....

Over the years I've seen some pretty interesting headstones
in literally scores of cemeteries. They ranged from the
 very simple to the very flamboyant, from a simple oak
 board marker to an inventive and creative marble stone.
When traveling out of state, which was very infrequent,
 I would try to drive through some of the older cemeteries
 to explore and be amazed by the sights you would see.
You can tell a lot about a person sometimes just by the
kind of marker that sits over their grave site.

From the serious to the humorous...many people have etched
their way into 'marker history' by the inscriptions rendered.

A small lamb or angel decorating a child's grave... as if to keep
watch over the little one tucked in below. A bench at the head
of the grave to give visitors a place to sit and 'chat' with their
loved one's.....what a nice idea. The one pictured here, the
expired parking meter has been seen many times around the
country.. and was once used I know by a lady who actually
retired as a meter maid... she thought it would be very
fitting to mark her grave to reflect her many years spent in
the profession.  I haven't seen a a granite donut on a grave yet,
but for those who are obsessed with such in life...it is
possible that that too may someday appear.

The big craze in the last few years is the addition of solar
cemetery lights.  They are indeed fantastic. We put one on
our mother's grave in 2001.. and it is still functioning nicely,
giving a soft glow and friendly appearance as soon as the
sun goes down.

With Christmas coming up...it's a sacred visit to make. If
your cemetery allows, take a small wreath or simple
artificial flower to adorn a loved one's grave....you'll
be overwhelmed with the feelings you'll receive!

You can learn a lot from visiting a cemetery. It's not the
mall, it's not the local pizza joint or sports arena.
It's a place you can discover, remember, honor, and
even learn a great deal. You might even 'run into' some
one you know there.