Monday, April 9, 2012

Taphophile Tragics: shh!

Walking around Mt. View the other day, I spotted this grave marker.  I was attracted by the hearts and musical notes which I haven't seen anywhere else.  Then I noticed Eleanor's heart.  She must have made it very clear that she did NOT want her birth year made public.  The way it was handled is like a wink and a laugh from the grave.  I bet she was a lot of fun at a party.  I found no information on either her or her husband.  For more cemetery wanderings, visit Taphophile Tragics.
Posted by Oakland Daily Photo at 11:00 PM
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20 comments:

  1. Kranky GrannyApril 9, 2012 at 11:11 PM

    Agree, a very interesting headstone. Nice to know that I am not the only one who takes a camera to the cemetery.

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  2. CarraolApril 10, 2012 at 12:02 AM

    Interesting post, four lives and endless stories!

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  3. JulieApril 10, 2012 at 1:22 AM

    It is a wonderfully idiosyncratic headstone, Carolyn. I wonder why the musical notes? Perhaps they were a family of musicians, or perhaps by living they brought music into the lives of others.

    Eleanor may have been a fine wine if she were born anywhere near the time of old Herbert there.

    Excellent find!

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  4. Herding CatsApril 10, 2012 at 4:15 AM

    That is brilliant. Fantastic find.

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  5. HalcyonApril 10, 2012 at 5:34 AM

    I like those hearts! They would have attracted me too. :)

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  6. SondraApril 10, 2012 at 5:45 AM

    Very whimsical marker, great find!!

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  7. Greensboro Daily PhotoApril 10, 2012 at 6:36 AM

    What a way to bring some levity to death. This family must have known how to LIVE!

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  8. UnknownApril 10, 2012 at 8:02 AM

    This looks lovely amidst the weeds. Great find.

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  9. VioletSkyApril 10, 2012 at 9:37 AM

    I rather like those hearts! One does get the impression this was a fun loving family.

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  10. Gemma WisemanApril 10, 2012 at 3:04 PM

    Love the "SHH!" There is a feeling that here is a musical garden spreading a new kind of music for those who happen to wander here! A whimsical delight!

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  11. JackApril 10, 2012 at 6:59 PM

    You don't find a lot of humor in cemeteries. Good for her! Though it will mess up the geneologists.

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  12. alexApril 10, 2012 at 8:28 PM

    whimsical yet very meaningful. great catch.

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  13. PeterApril 11, 2012 at 1:41 AM

    Absolutely fantastic! Thanks also for your comments on WW1, as you probably know it is the war that we tend to focus on, probably due to ANZAC Day. The Vietnam war has kind of been buried under the carpet, sadly.

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  14. GeneApril 11, 2012 at 11:36 AM

    Nice find! The wheat on the left is for the harvest, and represents a long life, which Hebert James and presumably Elanor had. The music notes may have been because they were musicians, or just because they loved music.

    The coloring around the names is interesting. Did someone color in with a crayon so the names will stand out more once the surface rubs off? Or is that the design of the marker?

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  15. Melbourne Australia PhotosApril 11, 2012 at 1:58 PM

    Not something you can say often about a grave marker - that it is "fun"! :-) Good one!

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  16. DyannaApril 11, 2012 at 8:28 PM

    I enjoyed seeing this. I love that she was "not telling" about her age!

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  17. Louis la VacheApril 13, 2012 at 3:16 AM

    Good catch with the camera for the meme, Carolyn!

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  18. CaTApril 13, 2012 at 8:11 PM

    ooh, that is funny... im surprised at how personal some markers are, and how impersonal most others..

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  19. Pat @ Mille Fiori FavoritiApril 13, 2012 at 8:40 PM

    Eleanor was very clever to reqiest her age be kept secret in this way. Only she and her family know the truth! :)

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  20. FranciscaApril 14, 2012 at 12:04 AM

    Can't say I often laugh at the sight of a grave marker, but this family clearly had love and a sense of humor. Wonderful how they communicate that to visitors to their grave. Eleanor, I'd agree with Julie and Gene, probably lived close to a century but wasn't gonna tell, shhhh! Fun find, Carolyn.

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