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It might seem unusual to wander through a cemetery on your birthday, but that's what I did yesterday.

There's a small one dating from the 1850's down the highway toward Marble Falls. When I heard it was blanketed with bluebonnets, I couldn't wait to visit it. There's just something about wildflowers growing beside a headstone that I find quite beautiful.  A reminder of fragility of life, the cycle of life, of life after death.

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How appropriate for a birthday, especially one that falls on Good Friday, right?

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After exploring the cemetery, offering prayers for the souls of those resting there and their families, we drove on to Marble Falls, where we visited a few eclectic antique and art shops in the old part of town (Tom and Daniel are such good sports!), and enjoyed dinner at a restaurant overlooking the lake.

Best of all, later that evening I got to share the traditional birthday cheesecake with all three of my kids. 

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Just icing on a week full of sweet! moments…

Sunday: fields of bluebonnets and prairie verbena; pizza from a brick oven; sitting on the back deck on a beautiful spring night with your son and talking for hours

Monday: daily chats with your mom; finding a pair of shoes in your closet you'd forgotten about; butterflies; talking about your day over dinner with your sweetie

Tuesday: four-year-olds… especially their smiles and hugs and imaginations; working with a friend; reading a new book

Wednesday: a surprise birthday lunch with friends; creme brulee; a vineyard, caliche road and tin roof glowing in moonlight

Thursday: birthday cards in the mail; a birthday call from a dear friend and your uncle; practicing the drums; a full moon welcoming your birthday

Friday: greeting another birthday morning; breakfast, courtesy of your husband and son; birthday surprises in the mailbox; birthday wishes via phone, email and Facebook; bluebonnets blanketing a cemetery; sharing cheesecake and a movie with all three kids

Saturday: a lazy Saturday at home 

I hope you had a week full of sweet! moments, too!

 

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29 responses to “Traipsing through Cemeteries and other Sweet!s”

  1. Lissa @ lafcustomdesigns Avatar

    Happy birthday, Barbara! What great pictures. I love the different perspectives. I don’t do much on Easter anymore. Wishing you a nice one. ;->

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  2. Jennifer Richardson Avatar

    I love it….what a sweet, sweet way to spend your birthday
    and those gorgeous wildflowers adorning the headstones
    …pure art:)
    hope the birthday goodness lingers for days,
    Jennifer

    Like

  3. Debbie B Avatar
    Debbie B

    Barbara, what a perfect way to spend your Birthday! I love your photographs of the cemetery wrapped with wildflowers. I especially like the depth of field in the 3rd photo above. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Happy Easter!

    Like

  4. Wolf Pascoe Avatar

    If you’re ever in Boston, go to the Mt. Auburn Cemetery. That’s all I’m saying.

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  5. Pauline Avatar

    Happy Birthday! Thanks for giving us all a present – your photos are lovely. In fact, this blog is one of my weekly sweets 🙂

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  6. Walker Thornton Avatar

    I’m fashionably late! I love photograph three…. looks like a lovely place for you to meander on your special day.
    Sweet week indeed. I envy you for having children close at hand.
    May this year bring innumberable sweetness.

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  7. Agnes Avatar

    Belated happy birthday Barbara. I love the photos.

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  8. linlah Avatar

    Happy Birthday, April is a good month to be born in.

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  9. Otto von Münchow Avatar

    I do understand why one would visit a cemetery on a birthday. There is a clear link between the two and it’s a place for contemplation. And I agree with you, there is something very beautiful about wild flowers next to a headstone – as your pictures so compellingly shows. Happy Birthday – at little belated.

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  10. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    I agree!! Love getting all of these flowers!!
     

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  11. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Thank you, Agnes!
     

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  12. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Thanks, Walker! I know having all three of them home at once is very rare, so I soak it up while I can!! Hope you've had a beautiful Easter!

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  13. Debbie B Avatar
    Debbie B

    I think the way you celebrated your birthday was perfect! I love your photos, especially the 3rd one — the depth of field is great!

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  14. Debbie B Avatar
    Debbie B

    OOPS…I see that my previous post did actually show up…it didn’t on my smartphone….sorry for the duplicate 🙂

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  15. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    No problem!!!!
     

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  16. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Thanks, Otto! It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in my thinking!
     

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  17. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Thank you, Pauline! I feel the same about yours!
     

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  18. Lady Fi Avatar

    Beautiful shots. Glad to hear you had a good birthday.
    Cemeteries are very soothing as they remind us to appreciate what we do have.

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  19. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    I googled it – beautiful! If I ever make it to Boston, I'll make sure I go. I just hope I make it to Boston one day!
     

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  20. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    I googled it – beautiful! If I ever make it to Boston, I'll make sure I go. I just hope I make it to Boston one day!
     

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  21. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Thank you, Fiona! I think that's a lot of it for sure! 

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  22. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Thank you, Lissa! I hope you had a beautiful Easter, no matter what you did!

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  23. Hilary Avatar

    Belated Happy Birthday to you, you young puppy! Frank and I wandered a nearby graveyard ourselves this weekend. I find them such interesting places.

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  24. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    What a coincidence! I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds them interesting. Thank you for the birthday wishes and for calling me 'young puppy'!!

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  25. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    What a coincidence! I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds them interesting. Thank you for the birthday wishes and for calling me 'young puppy'!!

    Like

  26. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Thank you, Jennifer! I have a feeling it will!

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  27. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    For some reason, my reply didn't go through to you the first time, so I'm sending it again…  I just wanted to say thank you, Debbie, and I hope you had a blessed Easter, too!

    Like

  28. Ronni Avatar
    Ronni

    In a desperate search to find something worthwhile on the Internet & wanting to connect with someone positive, I found your post.
    I was brought to tears. Literally!
    Thank you so much for sharing this! What a beautiful testament to life and positivity!
    I really can’t tell you how very much I needed this.
    Thank you so much!
    A passerby, who just might stay. . .

    Like

  29. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Ronni, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment! I always hope that the thoughts I scribble here will touch someone somehow. I appreciate you letting me know you enjoyed reading this one.

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