8.7.11

rockin' bones

(1950s dress, antique lace collar and sash, Stetson boots, thrifted vintage basket purse)

Down the road a piece from my house there's a pretty magical old graveyard that I often visit on my evening strolls. The oldest grave I've found there is from 1793 (!!) and it goes up to about the 1910s, making all the headstones delightfully old fashioned, with beautiful fonts and sometimes sweet/sometimes grim little epitaphs. Cemeteries with more modern graves can be a little creepy to me sometimes, but I just don't get that feeling at all in this lovely historical resting place. I could spend hours meandering around, reading all the names and lifespans, and it seems each time I discover a new headstone. It feels so peaceful there. I also enjoy giving some of my thoughts to these folks; I mean, they've been dead and buried for almost two centuries, and have probably been just about forgotten by everyone else. Oh, and it's also quite fun to read all the family names, as many correspond to road names and old farming families that are still around here today!




I also have these pictures taken back in May, back when I had hair and all. I look frumpy, as it was just a lazy day outfit (a cozy '30s day dress/smock thing and Remix wedges) but the photos are much prettier, as they're taken with my nice camera before it broke:



Moses Van Doorn's epitaph (seen below) is my favorite:
Behold ye aged and ye young,
This scene before you set:
Here is the place, the narrow tomb,
With which you soon must meet.

Thank you for the cheery sentiments, Moses. Also, he died on Valentine's Day!

 



Well, now I must sound like quite the gloomy, morbid little thing, hangin' around graveyards and abandoned houses all the time, haha! Whatever, I guess objectively it is a little creepy, but I love all the history attached to it.
 Have a great weekend, y'all!!!

16 comments:

  1. Pretty! I love old cemeteries :O)

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  2. Such a sweet old soul. I adore your white 50s dress. I'm hoping to stumble upon a heap of 50s white dresses soon.

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  3. I've always loved abandoned houses and cemeteries! My favorite epitaph: "Behold young friends as you pass by /As you are now so once was I / As I am now so you must be / Prepare for death and follow me" I worked it up in an embroidered sampler in college!

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  4. I don't think you sound gloomy at all, just a lovely romantic, sentimental soul. :) I love old cemeteries for the exact same reasons, they are so beautiful and peaceful.
    My old school was built next to a church and graveyard, we all had to walk through it to get home. So now cemeteries bring back nostalgic memories of my school days which is nice.

    I love that Epitaph that B Peep has written in her comment. xxx

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  5. It is really great to read some of the engravings on those. Really lovely. I've seen my husband's great-grand grandfather's grave but all it says is their last name planted on the grass. It is almost unreadable now too with all the erosion.

    It is cool to see someo f the dates and you know that they rest there but no one even recalls who they are or if they are even related to them. Kinda sad.

    You make the graveyard sparkle with pretty outfits.

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  6. They are lovely to read wouldnt it be great to know more about these people?Your hair is growing fast it will be down to your waist again before you know it

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  7. Thank you for the kind comments, darlings!! I feel less morbid knowing I'm not the only one who just loves these places.

    Bopeep, I love that epitaph! What a brilliant idea for a sampler!!!

    Nelly, I wish it was that long already, but the second set of pictures is from back in May :( And yes, I wish there was an easily accessible record book or something so I could learn more about these people!! Especially the ones who died young.

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  8. I love how your photos offer an occasional surprise glimpse of real, honest-to-goodness seamed stockings! They are so lovely and elegant, and they really put together an outfit, don't you think? What are your favorite brands/styles of seamed stockings?

    xo

    Kat :)

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  9. Beautiful picture, I love the combination of the pretty dress with cowboy boots so perfect. I love walking around old graveyards I feel relaxed and intrigued visiting them. x

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  10. Kat, for everyday use, I just wear the cheap, stretchy seamed stockings that you can find at adult stores and goth stores and the like! We have a vintage/costume store in my area that caters to drag queens where I usually buy mine ;) I'm pretty hard on my stockings and tights, and although I have a few pairs of vintage 40s and 50s fully fashioneds, I save them for special occasions.

    Thank you Hannah!!

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  11. No way is it creepy, old graveyards are rich sources of local history and I love wandering through such places. You look utterly delish in both sets of pics, you look so timeless!! Thank you for sharing your wanderings here:)) xoxo

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  12. Yay another one of your lovely blue frocks, sadly I don't own many blue dresses despite it being my favorite colour!

    Chicago has HUGE graveyards in the middle of the city, it's funny looking outside the window of our elevated subway and seeing them.

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  13. i just love this post!!! you look so pretty ! i like how you have something huanting next to pretty! love it!!! i know in md we have some really interesting grave yards, where Francis Scott Key was buried, the UnKnown grave yard, where they have no markings in 1600.. its really weird!

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  14. gosh your style is so incredibly inspiring to me, you look lovely and these cemetery shots are always so morbidly photogenic :D

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