I've been asked to flesh out (heh heh) a few more details of the graveyard at Bellemaison. Actually, this time of year, there are two. We have the one, our really special place, The Pet Cemetery. It sits at the bottom of the big rock and near the Angel That Beckons. Here rests the best members of our family: Damon, Junior, JC, Diego, Stanley the Jewish Teddy Bear Hamster and that archangel of seraphic proportion, The Puss. The Pet Cemetery is a visit to our youth, our age of innocence, our time of thinking that Everything was simple. The lions that guard Pope Leo's tomb guard our beloved here, too, courtesy of The Museum Store and we are always comforted knowing that we valued these relationships beyond everything except each other. A walk in the garden is never a real walk without pausing at The Pet Cemetery with a prayer of thanks and a promise to be better. Such small creatures, such powerful consolation.

Then there's the other graveyard that goes up just this time of year for a few brief days. It represents those spoken unspoken words and feelings, those of our evil twin brothers and sisters. Yes, the expressions of idle time and fervant ambitions toward the last word spring to life (oh, I am cracking myself up here) close to Halloween each year.






Take for instance, this one that adorns the dollar sign:
"Joseph of XXXXX
His need was greed
Too late he see'd
The error of his ways"




Then there in the simple one that says much: "I.H. a female dog" I believe that was a soccer competitor from a rival high school that inspired our sweet little girl to such generosity.








But you can also see who is loved and admired in this family. This to a former coach of that same little girl, who still fiercely loves a good soccer game:
"Sir Eddy Birrer
We All Die?
We Shall All Die
All Die Shall We
Die All We Shall
He was fond of play of all kind
Soccer, word, keen of mind
Alas! he succumbed! Oh why!
The poor bloke choked on a fry"











Another coach merited this:

"I passed I kicked I shot I scored

I was not soft I tackled hard

But the whistle blew the crowd roared

Death issued a Red Card

Brian Meier

1995"

It was a few trips to the UK that inspired the boys and girl that used to live here to reenact their fascination with Celtic gravestones to Halloween immortality at Bellemaison and even the parents got their shot in on year, a comment on life in the new millenium:





















JBelle
Bellemaison
The 'Kan EWA