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Who knew cemeteries could be so all-fired photogenic on Halloween?
Sunday, October 31, 2010 at 01:44AM 
As they say in some circles, I really "tied one on" yesterday, y'all.
TG took me 'taphing and I took four hundred pictures.
I have picked out fewer than sixty of them to show you.
Do you know how difficult that was to do?
I know you probably don't want to drop what you are doing and look at between fifty and sixty pictures.
It being Halloween and all that, and a Sunday.
However.
I promise you they're good pictures! And I do believe my commentary is sparkling. At least in places.
And you can always come back if you don't finish in one sitting.
Don't bother to leave a comment if you don't have time.
Just enjoy my pictures. That's all I ask. They're almost all clickable so you can see them bigger, in case you want to.
To begin with, we visited several cemeteries. I don't even want to bother you with their geographic coordinates except to say, they were all in downtown Columbia.
One was a Catholic cemetery; that's where you'll notice quite a few Irish names. One was a Lutheran cemetery, and that's where the German sounding monikers are. Our last stop was a Hebrew cemetery, and ... you guessed it! Jewish names.
We also hung around outside the Governor's Mansion for awhile and I think you'll like those pictures too.
If there are any graves in there, they're not marked.
My blogging buddy, Irene of Irene's Desk, remarked a few weeks ago that she wanted to see what our southern cemeteries look like when autumn comes.
(Irene lives in Canada; it's probably snowing there now. Here, we're still in short-sleeved mode.)
Well, today was the first day the temperature was comfortable enough AND there was finally color enough AND I had time to provide photographic evidence of fall coming to South Carolina cemeteries!
I hope you like the pictures, dear Irene.
I'm always arrested by broken tombstones -- especially those flush with the ground, never to rise again -- but today's were unusually beautiful.
Some are hanging in there by a thread, with the temporary help of a sinking base.
Some are one with the ground. A few more years and there will be no sign of them.
Somehow more heartbreaking still are those that have been mended. There's just something about it that makes me want to cry.
Some look strong and determined; others not so much.
Some create a shadow that appears more sturdy than the stone that casts it.
Some seem to have had a chunk removed, then apologetically replaced.
Others merely lean against their own broken bases with an air of resignation.
I noticed a lot of famous names today ... only I don't think any of them are THE famous person whose name they bear.
Like, John Dooly of the hang-down-your-head-and-cry folk lyric? I think that John Dooley had an "e" in it.
Charlie Chaplin?
Virginia Dare ... Kane? Not the first baby born in America, I think.
Ben Stein ... anyone? Bueller?
Ellen O'Hara ... but not mistress of Tara.
The flowers and foliage were all going out on a limb for me today too. There are so many late-blooming roses!
Do you see the butterfly?
The Governor's Mansion grounds drip with crimson.
Late-day-sun-spangled droplets are flung from a three-tiered fountain in the mansion's courtyard.
A handsome man posed for me! That's my TG.
Wrought iron was everywhere today.
From gates ...
... to benches (with curious kittehs) ...
... to more (and more) gates ...
... to cast-aside gates ...
... to ornate embellishments.
In cemeteries, the iron, so carefully and artfully wrought, gives extra beauty and a feeling of eternal safety.
At the end of the day, the gates don't keep anybody in ... only out.
There's some good reading to be had in cemeteries ...
... and much to see, from both far and near.
Cemeteries are, to me, places to ponder life's breathtaking brevity.
As the seasons, go the years.
How potentially interesting and unusual are our lives ...
... and how certain to end in only one way, speaking in earthly terms.
And so I thank you for spending part of your brief, busy life with me.
God bless you today and always.
Reader Comments (9)
Aaaahhh! I loved that. There is something to peaceful about wandering around an old cemetery. Yours are better than ours - lots of older stones. It was nice seeing it in the Fall too.
the pictures are stunning with all the emotion and foliage...wow Jen u outdid yourself....(Halloween hugsssss!)
Beautiful, as always.
There were 60 pictures there? Seriously? It didn't feel like it. And I'm too lazy to go back and count.
The colors are beautiful. Some of those stones are really old, falling apart, so sad. Great pictures as always. Wish I had your talent.
You're still so green, and short sleeves! Now I was out chasing the squirrels off my bulb this morning in my p.j.s. But when I dressed it was in a full "warm" jacket and socks. Thank you for sharing such a special post, and yes indeed there is some good reading in cemeteries. I've never been able to take photos but I do walk through and read. I actually spent Thursday there most of the day, my time just flies when I'm there. My son wanted to know who I saw? smart a_s. The unfortunate part is I'd have to stand on a chair to smack him. "Localized Snow" is the forecast for tonight.
Amazing post. I know you enjoyed taking the photos, but thank you for sharing some with us, too.
It looks just lovely down South there. :-)
Oh that wrought iron!
And some of those photos are...... just amazing. Color and light and etc.
Thank you!
Happy Halloween/Samhain!
@Mari ... I hoped you'd like it! The "oldness" of our cemeteries is what I enjoy too. Newer ones don't have nearly as much character.
@Angel ... thanks luvvy, and thanks as always for stopping by!
@Sue ... not quite 60 but thanks for saying that! I hoped it wouldn't be too many but I couldn't leave any of those out!
@Debbie ... I'm sure you have much more talent than you realize.
@Irene ... the mental image of you getting up on a chair to smack that great big grown-up boy cracks me up. I'll bet he's "scared of Mama" just as much as he needs to be. Glad you liked the autumnal stroll in our cemeteries!
@AA ... I enjoyed taking them and sharing them! Having such wonderful people to share them with makes all the work worthwhile. I know you know what I mean, being a very sharing blogger yourself! Happy November!
Even the dead are dying to be photographed ;-) *ducking boos and throwd stuff*
Great series of photos!
What a wonderful post. Gorgeous photos indeed.