Clear evidence that space aliens visited my back yard: a lawn circle.
Note also that the grass is unusually green for August. Clear evidence that it has been raining a lot around here, or at least it was until early last week.
Vibrant green was also in display recently at Forest Hill Cemetery in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, when I stopped by.
Forest Hill has no hills that I could tell, but there are enough trees and bushes to make a small forest.
The dead have been buried there since 1848, according to a sign on site, or 1833, according to the cemetery web site.
Either way, it’s been quite a while. Long enough to sport a nice collection of weather-worn stones.
Including a scattering for those who fought for the Union.
And who died in later wars.
As an active cemetery, there are more recent stones, some of which lushly adorned.
I don’t think Scamper and Jasper are here, except as fond memories.
The only memorial I’ve ever seen featuring swans.
Find-a-Grave lists two “famous” permanent residents of Forest Hill, whose stones I didn’t happen to see, but which memorialize a father and son who both died in similar accidents. Namely, race car accidents.
From Find-a-Grave:
Don Vogler (d. 1981): He was killed in a one car accident during warm ups for a United States Auto Club midget car race at the Indianapolis Speedrome. He was pronounced dead at Community Hospital following the accident. Some witnesses said that they saw Vogler clutch his chest before the mishap. His car went out of control and flipped over the track’s outside wall.
Rich Vogler (d. 1990): In the last race of his life, July 21, 1990, during an ESPN Saturday Night Thunder national broadcast, he was killed while leading a sprint car race at the Salem (Indiana) Speedway with a little over a lap remaining. He was posthumously declared the winner. “White Lightning” was reconstructed and has been driven by Steve Butler, Robbie Stanley (who also lost his life in this car) and Johnny Parsons. The car is still racing today.
Naturally, a short video about the deaths in “White Lightning” has been posted on YouTube.