Monday, August 17, 2009

Pear Tree Cemetery



Click on the image above for a better glimpse of the Confederate flag waaaay in the background.

(It's easy enough to see the one in the foreground unless, like me, you need reading glasses for up close vision and contact lenses for distance vision and regular old glasses for watching TV and...could someone just call Mathews Convalescent Center and reserve a room for me? Thanks.)

Below is one of my favorite pictures of late, if only I had zoomed in a little more and put the tombstones in balance and centered/focused on the flag a little more. The flag peeking around the corner of the tombstone just does something to me, I'm not quite sure what. Perhaps it's the stark contrast between the drab, ancient tombstones and the bright, vivid colors of the flag. Maybe it's the flag taking a furtive glimpse around the corner to see if anyone's looking.



The other day, realizing I hadn't taken any new pictures in a month of Sundays, I ventured out in search of new things. Many times I've driven by Pear Tree Cemetery down Onemo, but I never took the time to stop and absorb it. What looks like a tiny, ordinary cemetery from the road actually is quite a wonderland after you turn into the driveway.

One of the biggest surprises was the abundance of Confederate graves.

Tomorrow I'll write more about what I found, but right now my computer is begging me to beat it with a sledgehammer and I am trying to be polite and suggest that maybe we just need some time apart to let the tension cool off a bit.

However, in case there is no Life in Mathews post on Tuesday, understand that I am attending a funeral service for my computer, only there will be no flags waving on the grave.

There might be a frizzy-haired woman dancing on top of it, though.

17 comments:

Maria from NJ said...

If it comes to that please document the dance. At times I fear I will find myself taking a machete to mine!

Annie said...

Definitely spooky to have little flags peaking around tombstones!

Yes, cemeteries are very interesting places..for the living. Not sure about the dead.

I do hope the computer survives, or we mightn't hear from you ..again..? What would we do without you?

Angel Mama said...

I love cemeteries. Especially old ones. I agree the flag peeking is very - well I don't have a word for it. It is very early in the morning, too! I might come up with a word later. But I love the picture.

Linda said...

There is something about cemeteries isn't there? My laptop is on it's last leg too. Grrrr!

Caution/Lisa said...

How old are those graves?

Do document your dance. You could win big-time on America's Funniest Videos.

nativedevil said...

Anyone on here remember going to Kate and Mary's house? There was an old graveyard on the left side of the dirt road going to their house. Used to give me the creeps when I rode by on my bike.
When I was older, I helped my dad cut the church yard. I used to walk through the cemetery and look at the old graves. One was of a lady who was murdered when I was in first grade. They never found her killer/killers. A few years ago, a reporter contacted the family about re-opening the case, but they asked him not to. Just let it be.

Meg McCormick said...

Oh, old cemeteries. Something about 'em. I look forward to hearing more about this one.

Mental P Mama said...

I love old southern cemeteries. And please try to keep your computer alive. We need you right here;)

Unknown said...

I love old cemeteries. I especially love reading the inscriptons on the gravestones. Hurry up and take some pics and maybe a bit of Confederate history.

Daryl said...

Oh good there is an old age home in Mathews .. just checking .. and um its Virginia .. were you really surprised at the rebel, er, Confederate flags? Really?

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

There are lots of cemeteries here. Oh the stories of days gone by!Nice shots!

foolery said...

You couldn't improve upon that photo if you tried.

Next time you go to the cemetery, see if there are lots of graves from 1918. Our old cemetery in the hills has grave markers for whole families wiped out in a week from the Spanish Flu pandemic. Hello, H1N1?

The Good Life in Virginia said...

great snaps...
cemetaries are one of my favorite places to snap shots of all sorts of things.

Pueblo girl said...

I like that confederate flag peeking out, like "is it all right to come out now?" and " I still haven't gone away, you know".

Not sure I like what it stands for though, but what do I know, British and brought up on "South = pro-slavery" and "North = pro-human rights"?

Country Girl said...

I once threw a printer out the window. It was a very very bad printer.

AverettLadyNana said...

I love old cemeteries. I haven't been down to Pear Tree in many many years.

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Hey, everyone. The computer and I seem to have resolved our differences, at least for the moment. Thanks to all of you for commenting. Just a few quick remarks...

NativeDevil, that is fascinating. I never heard the story; if it's something that can be shared--even generically speaking--please send it along or post it in the comments section. These are the stories that need to be told, and thanks for conjuring up the image of walking around the church cemetery....I belong(ed) to Old Baptist and there's many an old grave there.

Also, when I was doing a quick search on the Confederates of Mathews, I discovered that many are buried in st. paul's.

Foolery - I remember my mother talking about my great-grandfather the blacksmith...believe he also did caskets on the side and he had them stacked to the ceiling and could not make them fast enough for that particular outbreak. (I could have the year and/or the outbreak wrong, but I don't think so.)

ALso, don't get me started on the H1N1. That virus is clinging to my skin just waiting for the opportunity to leap headfirst into my nasal passages and/or bloodstream.

Signed,
Not At All Paranoid