Resaca, Georgia

The Cemetery as an Aviary:  The vivid red color of the cardinal matches the color worn by cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. Their color marks them as high-ranking birds, if for no other reason than they really do attract attention (especially in the winter). And, don't forget: The cardinal is the state bird of seven American states. In cemetery art, the cardinal is often used as a symbol of truth, beauty, and power. Now, wouldn't you like to know the story behind the 'name train' on this headstone? Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery. [2013]

Worcester, Massachusetts

The Cemetery as an Aviary:  The most common bird in the aviary is the dove, often portrayed (as here) carrying an olive branch. As the rains subsided, Noah sent forth, in succession, three birds. The third one, a second dove, returned to the ark with proof that humanity's home planet had not been permanently destroyed. A rebirth was coming: a foreshadowing of the rebirth that would be possible in Jesus Christ. The dove is seen as a symbol of peace, hope, love, and in this case, the wind beneath their wings. Notre Dame Cemetery. [2013]

Charlottesville, Virginia

A Symbol of Home ~ The Bird House:  A birdhouse by a grave may represent a place where the soul can remain on earth just a little longer, but it may also be just a way of giving birds a place to nest, a way of  making cemeteries serve environmental needs. Think of the cemetery as a nature preserve. The bird house here lords over what is called a 'false tomb.' Daughters of Zion Cemetery. [2013]

Appleton, Alabama

A Symbol of Home ~ The Bird House:  We often conceptualize the soul as a bird. Well before the Christian Era, in fact, the Egyptians symbolized one aspect of the soul by a bird with a human head. And, Plato reminded us that "the soul takes flight to the world that is invisible but there arriving she is sure of bliss and forever dwells in paradise." So, a bird house in a cemetery makes perfect sense. Perhaps this bird house is meant to be a way station on the soul's flight to heaven. Weaver Cemetery. [2017]

Vineland, New Jersey

A Symbol of Home ~ The Bird House:  In bereavement art, birds are often used to symbolize the soul. So, a stationary bird house near a grave may suggest that the soul has a place to stay on earth just a little bit longer. What do you make of the names and dates on this headstone? Vineland Cemetery. [2017]

Falmouth, Virginia

Garden Flags as Aides Memoires:  You know he must have spent many hours at home keeping an eye on the birdhouses (probably more than one!) in his back yard. It's good to know those doves on his tombstone will have a place to nest tonight. New Hope United Methodist Church Cemetery. [2017]

Gouldtown, New Jersey

Garden Flags as Aides Memoires:  An Indian lies buried here: a member of the Lenni Lenapi tribe. That may mean the owl symbolizes tribal wisdom. The Lenni Lenapi were the original inhabitants of the Delaware Valley, but the dreamcatcher has become a symbol of unity shared by all North American Indians. He probably caught many a dream in that dreamcatcher. Hope so, anyway. Gouldtown Memorial Park. [2013]

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Garden Flags as Aides Memoires:  She loved the farm: the cows, the pigs, the sheep, the goats. She loved the violets that bloomed everywhere in the spring, too. Now, she reminds everybody of the things that made a difference in her life. That just might include her husband, too. Is that him standing out in the pasture? Mechanicsburg Cemetery. [2014]

Big Pool, Maryland

Garden Flags as Aides Memoires:  Welcome. Your family wants to make your new home as much like your old home as possible. Remember the vincas that loved to welcome visitors? Remember the rabbits that used to put on quite a show in the spring? Remember the flag that flew in front of the house? Remember the street lights that turned night into day? And never forget the church in whose graveyard you now lie. St. Paul's United Methodist Church Cemetery. [2015]

Paris, Kentucky

Garden Flags as Aides Memoires:  "Thank heaven for Little Boys" says this garden flag, which actually finds itself in a small garden. The little master would have had such fun growing up riding all those horses, but he could only stick around 121 days. Still, he was a God-send, a gift from heaven, to which he was called back too soon. Paris is in the heart of the Kentucky Blue Grass. Paris Cemetery. [2015]

Dillsburg, Pennsylvania

Garden Flags as Aides Memoires:  Small decorative flags are becoming ever more common in cemeteries. They are usually chosen to accentuate the virtues of a life well lived. The bereaved use them to bring out the personalities of their loved ones. What does this garden banner say about the person it honors? Patriotic, loved, memorable. The slogan "Always in Our Hearts" seems made for a cemetery, but most garden flags are simply repurposed to make graveyards feel more like home. Dillsburg Cemetery. [2013]

Meridian, Mississippi

The Lone Star Flag is Very Much Alive!  The Lone Star Flag is very much alive wherever you find transplanted Texans, including here in Mississippi. This is a group marker. It honors "the men from Texas who are known to be buried here and to all Texans who passed this way." The boldest type is reserved for this, however: "NOTHING IS ENDED UNTIL IT IS FORGOTTEN." What does that mean? That the Civil War isn't (and never will be) over? Rose Hill Cemetery. [2013]

Pahrump, Nevada

The Lone Star Flag is Very Much Alive! The Lone Star Flag is very much alive wherever there are transplanted Texans, including here in Nevada. Clearly, this husband, father, and grandfather was a Texan at heart, or maybe a Texan-American. Notice that the the Texas flag flies at the same level as the U.S. flag, almost as if each was an independent country of its own. Flag representations like this are usually reserved for two sovereignties on par with each other. Chief Tecopa Cemetery New West. [2016]