The Gray plot captured my attention and I am mesmerized. The contrast between the exquisite polished pink granite and the unkempt abandoned state had my imagination going. I love the entryway with the massive spheres on each side of the gate, gleaming in the afternoon sun. Like much of the cemetery, the overgrown, abandoned state has much to offer, aesthetically and spiritually, telling a compelling story about our world and our existential state as a species and society.
Many of our past posts have delved into the nuts and bolts of environmental restoration issues, dealing mainly with invasive plant removal and the stabilization of existing native plant populations and many ongoing conversations have focused on this.
Lately, in our renewed and invigorated state as a blog, there is an interest in urban planning, land use and just the current state of the modern landscape. All of these things are interconnected, and please stay with us as we navigate through this complex ecosystem!
Enjoy the next seven photos of this intriguing cemetery plot, here in West Philadelphia!
One of many overgrown parts of Mt Moriah Cemetery, which is getting much needed attention from volunteers who are working hard to bring it back.
Today I had an early afternoon appointment with Pacifico Ford to get our cargo van serviced. New tires (82,000 miles on two of them which is great) inspection and all that. It was going to take the bulk of the afternoon so I brought my bike. At the last minute it dawned on me that Mt Moriah Cemetery was only about one mile away. This is a place that I have been visiting, photographing and volunteering at for the past 32 years. My customer service agent told me they were understaffed, so could I please be patient today. That was my cue to go. I hadn’t been in some years and I’m on the Facebook group and try to keep up and stuff so I was excited to see it. I visited the grave of my old friend and neighbor Tony next to the gatehouse. I also revisited a plot that I worked on restoring 9 years ago. I set out to find the grave of the Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan. I found his plot, and I hope to discuss this adventure in the next post or two. After spending an hour taking photographs and exploring, I found a lost garden clippers on the ground, rusty and forgotten, in an area that volunteers had worked on previously. A serendipitous moment!
I decided to do some work with the clippers and clear out a gravesite from invasive vegetation. I found the perfect plot and set to work removing the invasive Japanese Honeysuckle, *Lonicera Japonica* and the bittersweet vine. Also some problematic grape vines, all of which I methodically pulled out by the roots. The rusty clippers got more agile with use and I was able to work with them effectively. It was fun, and hopefully my efforts will help the more regular volunteers who will now not have to worry about this one and get other stuff done.
This Cemetery is still in a state of ruin and may be for a long time yet!
After pulling the vines away from the tombstones I could read the inscriptions and it tells a very sad story. This family definitely needs to have someone do a little bit of care on their gravesite plot after so many years of neglect!
After an hour and a half I was done and ready to go back to the Ford dealership. I had no idea any of this would happen this morning when I set out to bring the van in. This is serendipity at its best, how I want to roll!
A great day.
The before picture About an hour and fifteen minutes after I started.A close up before picture. Be sure to try to read the inscriptionsThe after picture. I worked hard to pull out the roots of the invasive vegetation and smooth out the soil around the monument.
Blooming daffodils this afternoon, Sunday February 19, 2023 in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
Where the heck is the snow?!?
At this point in time I should be complaining and cursing about the snow. Now I’m left complaining that I am not complaining. I should be rightfully completely annoyed at the nonstop snow and ice parade outside our door. Having to constantly shovel. The endless salting and sanding of the public right of ways we are responsible for maintaining, and all of the mess it inevitably brings into the house. The snow piles get bigger and filthier, nothing gets hidden from the grotesque, increasingly unwelcome snow piles. Nothing is picked up and everything is stuck to the ice. Out come the illegal cones and folding chairs and icy parking spaces and the spinning tires and the complete loss of temperament as the conditions grind on through February into March until who knows when. The heavy coats, boots, thick gloves on and on. Then another one comes through, pretty to watch while cozy at home, that blizzard rips in blowing up drifts and covering the old dirty snow. If the timing is right, we go sledding up on the Belmont Plateau the very next day. I polish the steel runners of my ancient trash picked sled with fine sandpaper and off we go into the bright snowscape and enjoy the winter to the fullest extent possible. A rare moment this is though. It is fun to go zooming down the huge hill with the city skyline in the distance on such a fast sled. Passing all the lumbering plastic sled sledders in my wood and metal 1950s era runner sled. Heads start turning and people start getting envious of this old school sled. The afternoon sun changes and within 24 hours I am back to categorically condemning this reprehensible season wondering when will spring ever come. Where’s the daffodils??
