Cemetery Etiquette

We stopped by one of the largest cemeteries around today, which happens to be about a mile from our house. It's a wonderful place to run around, especially in the fall. I found myself wondering about all sorts of things related to Proper Play at a Cemetery. For instance, is it okay for Anna to hop from one grave marker to another? So gleefully uninformed of what she's hopping on? She was quite respectful when it came to observing the enormous angels, and a little uneasy about the sculptures who were missing various limbs and digits. But I started to wonder: when is the right age to tell her what a cemetery really is? Is it okay to take a magnolia cone home with you? How far should I let Anna go on her own before I tell her to stop and head back toward me? And when she takes my hand and commands me to run, how far should we venture away from the car, where little Eli is sound asleep and unaware?

After poking around on the computer, I found some rules and guidelines regarding cemeteries:

1.Take only photos, leave only footprints. (Check)

2. Do not touch the memorials or artifacts. They are privately owned outdoor sculptures. (Oops)

3. Do not bring alcohol, firearms, or entertainment items into cemeteries. (Anna was entertaining, but I think that's okay; most of the time she provides entertainment without the aid of alcohol and firearms)

4. Maintain supervision of children and teach them respect for cemeteries. (Supervision of the child who was awake, yes...)

5. Do not litter, this includes cigarette butts. (Check)

6. Do not interfere with the plants or wildlife that inhabits the cemetery. (There was that magnolia cone)

7. Keep a respectful silence. Speak to your companions in a low tone of voice. (Totally broke this one)

8. Leave tombstones where you find them. (Oh, we weren't supposed to toss those around?)

9. Do not apply shaving cream to stones. (Um, check. I think this was for cemetery photographers, but it's definitely my favorite rule)

And I also learned that "Picnics are usually acceptable as long as you clean up afterwards." (Hurray!)

Then there's the countless wonderful names. I remember being pregnant with Anna and wandering through a similar cemetery, making notes and deciding we'd have to have a ridiculously large family in order to satisfy my longing to use so many wonderful names. Today there was "Millie Bell," "Mary England," Wellington McConnell," "Zulette Crumley," and "Ola Bob Jester Harbour." Mom, Dad, this is our newest child, Ola Bob.

*Note--I didn't have my camera; these photos are from last Thanksgiving