I love to walk in the cemetery. The stones are quite beautiful, as is the landscape. Is it sad? Yes, but its not creepy or scary. Many of these people have been forgotten. Though at the time of their death, their family did not think they would be – nor perhaps did those people before they died. I find it sad to come across fallen or broken stones, stones that have been overgrown with weeds or a well-intended shrub that has now taken over the space after 100 years or so.  Stones covered so heavily in lichens that you cannot read the name of the person buried there invokes sadness and is worrisome for the damage the lichen can do. The young children, infants, teenagers, and young adults – that is all the more painful – as they were short-changed on life. But the old people – those who lived a full and very long life – they got all the time. And while it’s sad, they are gone, their life was full – no cut off at an early age.

I have written about cemeteries before. I have noted that I clean stone monuments (gravestones) and run a workshop once a year to teach people how to properly clean stones. There is a bit of a movement afoot – especially with Instagram and TikTok – where people record themselves cleaning stones and showing people how to do it. Please be careful – some people are not trained and are doing it the wrong way. The sound of a metal scraper sets my teeth on edge – that is NOT how you clean historic gravestones – THAT erodes the stone and damages it forever. So, until you have some in-person training by someone who is qualified, do not do it! 

JNLF

This year’s stone cleaning workshop will be Saturday, June 13 from 10-Noon. Registration is necessary and there is a small fee – it covers the cost of the supplies.