Graveyard
No matter where I live, there is one spot which I am always surprised to see. It is as if it doesn’t belong to its surroundings, so in my mind I block it out. In Ithaca there was a stretch of road that gave me the feeling of being somewhere else, and there was a street in Springfield, OH that had the same affect on me. / Peter and I were walking in downtown Amherst yesterday and as I looked to my left down an alley, I saw this graveyard. It is literally in the very center of town, but is situated in such a way that it is not visible unless you are really looking for it. Emily Dickinson is buried here, so there are almost always vague looking people wandering around paying their respects.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
Hi Jon, Just checking out some of your archive photos. This one caught my interest (among so many!). Graveyards have always been interesting to me. There is so much history and untold stories! The words on the tombstones are always interesting to read and give a peek into the persons personality or the emotion behind the passing of a loved one. I don’t even know if you get the “comments” from your past posts, but I just felt that I wanted to make a comment. I love your work…you bring meaning to things that might have been forgotten and cause me to stop and meditate. Thank you….I will keep “checking out” your older posts.
Barbara, I always look at the comments and am so happy you are looking back through my old posts. Sometimes when I read them, I am amazed that I was the author. There are a few other graveyard posts; one dealing with Willard and one titled “memento mori”. They are somewhere in the archives. Thanks so much for commenting and telling me what you get from my photos. It means the world to me. Best, Jon
Yes, It is in an odd spot, isn’t it? Almost invisible in a way, and rather like the most famous occupant. I think I liked the pencil stubs (!) left at her grave the most. Boy, there are some great old burial grounds in your neck of the woods. The ones with the grim carvings and graphic descriptions of demises are quite eerie: “Honor & Prudence Killed by Indians” and “Dorcas & Faithfull struck by Lightning”…Yikes!
Hank, no kidding. I imagine you spent a little time there when you were here in the valley. Haven’t posted anything yet (not sure why) but we picked up Olive on Wednesday. Yellow, black nose; very sweet when she is not chewing on us. I’ll send some pics to you directly. Cheers, Jon
Olive! Great stuff! This is wonderful news. Can’t wait to see her and hear all about your adventures, Jon!
I think a new dog addition to the family is bittersweet, especially when they follow the loss of a beloved older one…which they always do. The memory of them just sticks in the craw, even if many years have passed since the loss. I think it isn’t until we get to know the new pup and absorb his/her own uniqueness that our hearts can place him or her in the ranks with the ones who have come before. Sigh. How loved they are, and irreplaceable, each one.
Congratulations, and….whoopee!