A scavenger hunt in a cemetery? You know I'm there! I excitedly played along for the next edition of the Graveyard Rabbit Carnival. I chose to try and find all the suggested items at one cemetery. That could have been a challenge in itself, but I put the odds in my favor by selecting Riverside Cemetery in Macon, Georgia as my hunting ground. This cemetery was established in 1887 and covers a beautiful 125 acres. It is a delightful mix of old and new tombstones. I especially love it because even the "new" sections have maintained an increasingly "old style" look. Upright markers are the norm, and plots can be decorated to the hilt. I know this makes upkeep more challenging, but I am grateful Riverside has chosen to continue with this layout.
Fifteen items were on the list -- from crosses to flowers to stars to mausoleums -- and I found them all! Some were challenging, though. Grab some lemonade (it's HOT here in Georgia) and come along with me as I show you my findings and a little bit of Riverside Cemetery.
Item 1: the Cross.
Item 2: a heart. This one was slightly difficult, but I found a couple!
Item 3: a fraternal symbol.
Item 4: monuments. I chose works that memorialized more than one individual.
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| Click to enlarge. The roughly cut granite marker in the middle at the left contains a beautiful prayer. |
Item 5: flowers. There were many flowers carved in stone, but I chose to go with the vibrant colors of the living!
Item 6: hands. I tried to find hands standing alone, and that proved to be difficult! I thought for sure I would see some "fingers pointing up" or "clasped hands," but I did not.
Item 7: Angels.
Item 8: a bird. I never thought I'd get this one. Turns out I was wrong.
Item 9: trees. I elected to go with live ones again. The Riverside Cemetery landscape is summer green right now, and I want you to see it.
Item 10: a star. This was the hardest thing for me to find! On a final go around, I got creative.
Item 11: an obelisk.
Item 12: four-legged animals. Too cute! I think my favorite has to be the frogs playing cards.
Item 13: a photo. These are the best finds. Surprising to me, they are all new. The etchings in the black granite are awesome.
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| The center photo was trimmed to fit in the collage. I would like you to be sure of his full name - Thomas McRae Hamilton Robinson. |
Item 14: a military gravestone. There were too many of these to count. Here is a sampling.
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| The grave of Hugh Smalling shown in the upper right corner helped make Riverside Cemetery a finalist in the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "This Place Matters" contest. |
Item 15: a mausoleum.
That's it! I hope you enjoyed seeing my scavenger hunt findings. There's still time for you to join in the fun, too. The deadline for carnival submissions is June 25th. Take part in the scavenger hunt and share your discoveries!
See this post too late to join the carnival? No worries. Search your cemeteries, post your findings on your blog, and leave a link here in the comments. The more the merrier!
Comments
SIMPLY FABOULOUS!!!
Loved the collages!