Flag Planting At Fairview Cemetery

Once again, I marked Memorial Day (Monday May 29, 2017) by participating in the flag planting on the Saturday before. I almost didn't do it this year because it is actually about recognizing veterans rather than those who perished in war (per the original intent). However, this has become something of a tradition for me since moving to West Hartford (2016, 2015, & 2013). It is also a way for me to honor a holiday that has essentially lost its meaning for most Americans other than the start of summer and a long weekend to party.

Map of Fairview Cemetery.

This year was sort of different for me because the previous two years I was assigned (randomly) to section 13 but this year I got to the opposite side in Section 15 (see map above-my section is highlighted in yellow). The task is straight forward: plant a flag at any stone/marker that indicates a veteran is buried there.

Panoramic view of Section 3 looking south. 

I was also given a list with 4 names who are veterans buried here but their markers don't identify them as veterans. I spent a lot of time in Section 9 looking for "God" (actually Gadue) but when I found him, a flag had already been planted since his marker did show him as a veteran.

Panoramic view of Section 3 looking West.

Section 5C is dedicated to Veterans and has a monument that recognizes the major branches of the military: Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force. The monument sits in a kind of pool (not a fountain).

Veterans Monument..
Wreath reads "We Remember"

It had rained the past couple days and the sky was overcast at the start (but later turned sunny after we were finished). Due to the rain, the ground was pretty soft, so I only had to use the screwdriver I brought a couple time to begin a starter hole.

I was there about an hour and half and planted about 50 flags. I was one of the last to leave.

Entrance.

Ironically, the threat of rain on the morning of Memorial Day resulted in the cancellation of the parade and outdoor services. This was the second year in a row that it happened and both times the rain never happened.

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Links:

http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2016/05/flags-for-memorial-day.html

http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2015/05/planting-flags.html
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Written Sunday June 11, 2017.

Bird Hunting

This morning was the "Feathered Friends Walk" at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Since "the early bird catches the worm", the walk started at 6:30 a.m. Someone forgot to tell the sun because it was a gray morning (actually all day). Someone also forgot to coordinate with the birds because we saw very few compared to last year.

Despite the early hour, there was a large crowd (at least at the start): ~60 people. This is one of the most popular walks at Cedar Hill. Jay Kaplan of the Roaring Brook Nature Center, as in the past, led this annual bird walk through the ornamental foreground of the cemetery.

Map of Cedar Hill Cemetery

I learned from last year and wore long pants this year instead of shorts. We started at the east end of the cemetery (near the main gate) and walked  along the east side and then the west side of the Llyn Mawr. Outside of a few ducks and a heron , though, not much was seen (unless you count robins and sparrows).

Then we piled in cars and worked our way around a couple spots. At the extreme west end, there is a quarry below. Outside of a few crows, didn't see much.

Trooping towards the quarry.

View of the quarry.

Then we moved NE on to the "scenic overlook."

View of the Valley (looking west).

Disappointed with the lack of birds, we trooped back down into the cemetery where we had better luck at the finish.

"Do you see it? It's on that branch at the right."

Last year, we cataloged nearly 60 species of birds; this year we were lucky to get 40.  If you want to see pictures of some of  the birds we saw this year, there are a few good pictures on the Cemetery Foundation's FB page.

I did have some luck with my binoculars (they are indispensable for bird watching). Sort of hard for being deaf in one ear. I have no sense of sound direction, so it's difficult for me to know where to look. Still, it was enjoyable and satisfying to get up and outside early trying to spot these fascinating creations of God.

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Links:
http://www.cedarhillcemetery.org
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2016/05/bird-walk.html
http://www.roaringbrook.org/home.html
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154745697818525.1073741850.80325463524&type=3

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Written Monday 29 May 2017 (Memorial Day).

Cedar Hill Season Opener

Today was the the season opener for walking tours at Cedar Hill Cemetery.  The theme was "Wethersfield Notables."  Melissa Josefiak discussed notable Wethersfield, Connecticut personages who now reside at Cedar Hill including:

• Wealthy seedsman Silas Robbins
• Civil War chaplain John Morris
• Tuskegee Airman Lemuel Custis (also see here)
• CT State Prison warden William Willard
• Pioneering female pilot Mary Goodrich Jenson (also see here)

Tour leader Melissa Josefiak is at left (purple with beige bag). I am 2nd from right.
(Photo courtesy of Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation FB page)

10 a.m. start. The weather was gray and damp and the wind periodically  sent a chill. So it was no wonder only a small group took advantage of this 90 minute walk.

This time I did not bring my camera or use my phone to take pictures. I did not bring a notepad to jot down notes. Instead, I just listened and enjoyed.

Next weekend is the bird watching walk. Looking forward to that.

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Links:
http://www.cedarhillcemetery.org/
http://wethersfieldhistory.org/articles-from-the-community/lemuel-custis-first-class-tuskegee-airmen/
http://cedarhillfoundation.org/notable-residents/lemuel-r-custis/
http://www.odmp.org/officer/16799-warden-william-willard
http://wethersfieldhistory.org/collections/girl-pilot-mary-goodrich-jenson/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Goodrich_Jenson
https://www.facebook.com/cedarhillcemeteryfoundation/
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Written Wednesday 17 May 2017.