Wellsville, New York

Honoring Our Public Servants ~ Rescue Workers:  Rescue has been added to the responsibilities of many fire departments. And, as a loyal public servant, if you were chosen to be responsible for the Jaws of Life, you and your family would probably want to proclaim it to the world. That seems to be the case here. Woodlawn Cemetery. [2013]

Earlville, New York

Honoring Our Public Servants ~ Firefighters:  Being a firefighter is no walk in the park. It's a ride on the engine, Engine No. 7 to be exact. What is even more impressive about this public servant is that he did the job as a volunteer and he did it for life. Wilcox Cemetery. [2017]

Cortland, New York

Adjacencies ~ Water Tanks: What is adjacent to the cemetery? Water tanks not water towers. Where are local cemeteries often situated? On a hill outside of town? What else craves the heights? Municipal water supplies that depend on gravity feed. These two tanks don't need to be water towers because they already have the elevation needed for down-hill flow. Judging from the logo, this water might be destined for the SUNY campus which is right next door. Cortland Rural Cemetery. [2017]

Cortland, New York

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ W:  The letter W is the 15th most frequently used letter in the English language. It is actually a compound letter that got its own place in the alphabet. Its life began as a "double U." Now, it is shaped like a double V, which only adds to the confusion. Cortland Rural Cemetery. [2017]

Cortland, New York

Mistakes Were Made:  Just ask Mr. Jorgenson Jorgensen. Even though both spellings mean "son of," the correct Danish and Norwegian version is Jorgensen (actually Jørgensen). Changing the last syllable to "son" almost deprives you of your heritage! Both names mean "son of George." Cortland Rural Cemetery. [2017]

Cohocton, New York

January is for Palindromes:  Numbers can be palindromes, too: numerical palindromes. Here's a boy who was born on the ides of March in the first and only palindromal year of the 20th century, 2002. See, it's the same year forwards and backwards. Maple View Cemetery. [2013]

Cortland, New York

Balloon Rides to Heaven:  Why not go out with a little flare and fashion. Let your spirit depart this earth in a hot air balloon: up above the birds you rise, up above the sun. Take one last look at what your are leaving behind: Next stop is paradise! Cortland Rural Cemetery. [2017]

Kirkwood, New York

Fantastical Birds and Where to Find Them:  If you have even a small yard, set up a bird feeder, and watch throngs of fantastical birds appear. As I write this post, I am looking out the window at our feeder, which is filled with fantastical: goldfinches, cardinals, woodpeckers, and sparrows. A few months ago, we even saw one very rare visitor, a painted bunting. Kirkwood Cemetery. [2017]

Earlville, New York

The Cemetery as an Aviary: Owls are not cute, not graceful, and not flirtatious. They often get bypassed in the race to choose a symbol for the ages. Yet, the owl has its devotees. It stands as a symbol of wisdom, learning, intelligence, status, and wealth  Maybe surprising it is not seen more often in cemeteries. Wilcox Cemetery. [2017]

Bolivar, New York

Across the Last Divide via Camper:  They must have said welcome to many friends, birds included, as they made America's highways their own. Then, one of them took a different turn in the road and hurried off to heaven, the ultimate campground! Maple Lawn Cemetery. [2013]

Wellsville, New York

The Promise of the Wind Waker:  "The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails." So said Joshua Slocum, the first man to sail single-handedly around the world. Will your circumnavigation end in the same port where you started? Have you charted your course to your final port of call, wherever it might be? Woodlawn Cemetery. [2013]

Perry, New York

Donor Rondelles:  As a Gift of Life Donor, he went on living even after death. Somebody may have gotten his eyes, his heart or another organ, some skin or bone tissue. That was his last deed, and it certainly speaks louder than his words ever could. Now, his donor medal is permanently affixed to the center of his headstone. Prospect Hill Cemetery. [2013]

New York, New York

V is for Vachon:   For over two hundred years, the body of this Revolutionary War solder has lain in the churchyard of St. Paul's Chapel in Lower Manhattan. What makes his grave interesting is the mixture of languages on his headstone.  French and English are both there: His last name is clearly French (from vache, meaning cow) but his first name is clearly anglicized from François. Here's proof that New York was already one of the world's commercial hubs, whose fortunes are always built on diverse cultural geographies. In fact, Mr. Vachon's French language may have served him well in the corridors of commerce along the waterfront. In some small way, his life contributed to the triumph of New York over Philadelphia as the nation's largest city. St. Paul's Churchyard. [2014]

Hinsdale, New York

Ailurophilia:  Here, ailurophilia ('love of cats') is supplemented by ailurocentricity ('cat centeredness'). What image occupies the geometric center of this headstone? What image is subordinated? In fact, we might call this quadruailurophilia and quadruailurocentricity. Hinsdale Cemetery. [2013]

Perry, New York

Veteran Pilots:  "It is the easiest thing in the world to die. The hardest is to live." That's the attitude that makes you a good pilot and a good human being. Or, at least, that's the opinion of the greatest fighter pilot of World War II, Eddie Rickenbacker. "Fly High Rick." Say Hi to Eddie up there. You'll have lots to talk about! Prospect Hill Cemetery. [2013]

Wellsville, New York

Don't Know When I'll Be Back Again . . . :  They have reached their cruising altitude and are enjoying a few last glimpses of home. Then, they hear the announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have just been cleared to pass through the pearly gates. The attendant angels will be passing through the cabin one last, very last, time to make a final, very final, compliance check." Woodlawn Cemetery. [2013]

Wellsville, New York

"Chase the Shades of Night Away": Copy art comes to the graveyard. The idea that the vertical edge of a tombstone can make a lighthouse look almost three-dimensional inspires others to want the same thing. Soon, supply follows demand, and variations on the theme proliferate. Woodlawn Cemetery. [2013]

South Wales, New York

Here's to Non-Conformists Everywhere!  For the conformists: granite (maybe marble), vertical (maybe horizontal). For the non-conformists: field stone (reminder of home). South Wales Cemetery. [2013]

Arcade, New York

Focus on Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Cemetery:  From all the homesteads and farmsteads in SS Peter and Paul Cemetery, you might conclude that the locals loved their place on earth so much they wanted to take it with them into the afterlife. Good ideas spread and often transform landscapes: In this case, someone had the idea to memorialize home on their headstone. Lots of others thought it was a good idea and did the same thing. One small cemetery; one big idea. [2013]

Arcade, New York

Focus on Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Cemetery:  The barn is large; the house is small; both are off-center in deference to portraying what German geographers would call landschaft, and what Americans would call landscape. Read as a sentence, what does it say? 'We didn't live in the house; we lived on the land and we put it in the center of our lives.' [2013]