Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh Scotland.

Three late 1700s early 1800s memorials from Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh Scotland.

West Norwood Cemetery, London.

The final curtain, West Norwood cemetery.

Paris

Angel with child from a cemetery in Paris, this wonderful monument is made from a white iron.

That Thing Thursday

When I was in Bally looking for my family, I saw these guys walking in a trench in front of my car.

I don't see Mallards often, but I was thrilled when I saw them. Of course, I got in my car and parked closer to the church instead of going around them, just in case I got them angry.

Pere Lachaise, Paris

I’ve never seen another quite like this – an unusual mirrored monument from Pere Lachaise, Paris with tiny figures depicting the life of the man buried there.

West Norwood Cemetery, London.

Columbarium at West Norwood cemetery, London.

Ironwork, West Norwood Cemetery

A wonderful monument with virtually intact ironwork from the Greek cemetery at West Norwood cemetery London.

Pere Lachaise, Paris.

An unusual Buddhist memorial from Pere Lachaise cemetery Paris. It has ‘faces’ on all four sides.

Another Day in the Hunt for My Family Tree

I was so happy. I figured out where my great great great great grandparents, Mary and Daniel Eck, where buried. They are at the Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Bally, PA. I had a day planned to go walk the cemetery. I put on my walking clothes and my best sneakers and got into the car. I put the church's address into my GPS. I drove there. I got into the parking lot. I went into the cemetery and couldn't find them.

That's right, I couldn't find them. I went into the new cemetery. They died in the early and mid 1800's. Of course I'm not going to find them there! The dates averaged late 1800's. I thought, this isn't right. There has to got to be some place else.

So I went for a walk around the church. I was very surprised to see this:

Unmarked graves! The tombstones were put up against a wall and were piled 5-6 stones deep. I walked around it hoping to find them but I had no luck. So, I went home and did some research.

During the 1950's, Hurricane Diane came through Pennsylvania. It flooded many places. Bally happened to be one of them. Most of the stones were destroyed. The ones that did survive were found in a nearby creek. They were put in a U shape around the church.

So, Daniel and Mary Eck are currently in an unmarked grave. I doubt if the stones still exist and I can't afford to put one on their graves with a Pharmacy Technician's salary. At least I know where they are.

The worms of Southend Cemetery

This is the amazing scene at Southend Cemetery in Essex UK. Millions of caterpillars spinning their silk webs all over the trees. In their caterpillar stage, the bugs, known as web worms, weave leaves of trees together and eat them. They are bird cherry tree ermine moths and when they emerge fully grown, they become distinctive white moths with five rows of black dots. It gives the cemetery a kind of eerie winter wonderland feel!

Burnham, Essex UK

I discovered this coffin shaped memorial in St Mary the Virgin’s churchyard in Burnham, Essex and dubbed it the camouflage coffin!

City of London Cemetery

This woman from the City of London cemetery always makes me shiver no matter how warm the weather is, there is something a little creepy about her and she is also very difficult to photograph well. Her features appear very lifelike.