Not literally, of course– that would be disrespectful and downright creepy. No, I dig them in the sense that they are places of beauty where I find myself drawn when I’m in need of peace and solitude.
Cemeteries also happen to be one of my absolute favorite photographic subjects. I love the beautiful statues, the tombstones, the blooms of lichen that form on everything as if nature was reclaiming it all as her own. But mostly, cemeteries tell stories that makes me feel connected to the past and lucky to be alive.
One of my favorite things to do in the summertime is drive around in search of new cemeteries to explore. I don’t always know anybody who rests there, but that’s ok by me. I have, however, been lucky enough to have visit a few cemeteries nestled in the farmlands of Wisconsin, the seaside towns of Connecticut, and the mountains of West Virginia in which some of my ancestors are buried. I have also visited the grave of Edgar Allen Poe in Baltimore and walked through the catacombs of Paris, where the bones of ancient people are piled neatly in underground caverns below the city.
If you take your time, you can really discover a lot about a place by its cemetery. Names provide hints about the ethnic groups that lived in the area. Dates of death allude to quality of life, telling you whether people lived long or died young. Beyond name and age though, tombstones also offer more intimate details that can say so much of the persons they memorialize. Are they simple or ornate? Do they bear epitaphs for the world to read long into the future? Have plants, flowers, or other items placed there lovingly by people left behind?
Something else I find really interesting about cemeteries is that, because they remain relatively undisturbed by human activity, they can serve as reservoirs for rare and endangered flora and fauna. Old cemeteries of the Midwest, for example, have been found to contain remnants of prairies that once covered the region. It’s fascinating to think how places that symbolize death can play critical roles in conserving biological diversity that might otherwise be lost from this world.
Another fact not often considered by most people is that cemeteries are GREAT places to have a picnic. Seriously– it’s not as morbid of an idea as you might think. During the romantic movement of the 1800s, some cemeteries were specifically designed as a sanctuary for public recreation. People visited them to honor the departed and enjoy nature. In fact, the American Parks movement, as well as the field of landscape architecture in the United States, were ultimately inspired by the popularity of these “garden cemeteries”, as they are known. But in my humble opinion, picnicking in churchyard and rural cemeteries is just as enjoyable. Cheese sandwiches in particular are best enjoyed in these settings. Here is a recipe for my favorite:
Cream Cheese & Olives, w/Tomato and Sprouts on Pumpernickel:
Mix together 2- 8oz packages of softened cream cheese with one jar of sliced, green olives, and a handful of chopped walnuts. Spread some cream cheese mix on a slice of pumpernickel bread, add slices of fresh garden tomatoes & a bunch of sprouts, then top with another piece of bread. To serve sandwiches, cut in half and eat them with your best friend in the quietness of a beautiful cemetery.
Cheese Sandwiches at the Dousman Grave
