A brief but pleasant stop that’s typical of my pioneer cemetery visits.
On a recent trip into the Willamette Valley, I stopped by the Wisner Cemetery near Scio, Oregon for a short break, as I was tired from the heat, and this was a cemetery I hadn’t photographed yet. Before I even set foot in it, I could tell immediately that someone pays attention to this cemetery. Most rural cemeteries I’ve visited have either no gate or an unlocked gate. Sometimes there’s a locked gate with a man gate that admits a person but not a car, as at Wisner, which means someone cares about the place.
Often at a cemetery I take stock of the man-made features first, to get a sense of how well the cemetery is maintained. At Wisner, there are several nice and new-ish improvements: a port-a-potty (locked, so I still had to pee behind the yard debris pile), a nice sign and map with a cute little roof, and a shelter or pavilion which would be perfect for a service, as well as a tidy-looking shed. Again, all good signs that someone is paying attention here.
I took a brief walking tour of the cemetery. I always take several landscape shots, framing them as best I can, for Google Maps and Findagrave. I also take at least one photo of a random headstone, to help me identify the cemetery in case I forget which one it is, later. I make a point to photograph the lambs, zinkers, and other interesting, artistic or unusual memorials. At Wisner, I found at least one zinker and a very nicely detailed stump and lamb, and the lamb even had both of its ears still!
I lay down in the neatly mowed grass to relax for awhile. Despite the hot late summer day, it was cool enough in the shade, and I enjoyed watching and listening to the birds. The assortment of avians included robins, swallows and other birds I couldn’t identify.
The Wisner Cemetery is very clean and well-maintained, yet not obsessively so. Sometimes, volunteers (especially retired older people) can go a little overboard and get anal-retentive about grooming a cemetery, no pebble out of place, which detracts from its ambiance (in my opinion). Not the case here (at least not yet). A nice place to rest, for a half hour, or forever.
Stump and Lamb explores personal growth and meaning via travels to pioneer cemeteries of the West.
This post was originally published at michellerau.com.
michelle rau 