We discovered these two lovely roses on the gates this morning when we arrived to open for visitation.
There was no note attached so we didn't know who they were meant for. Whoever left them, please know we put them in water and a vase and placed them on the table just inside the office door so everyone who visited today saw their beauty.
Visitation Sundays continue to be busy but not hectic. Lots of regulars make weekly pilgrimages to spend time at the graves of loved ones and leave flowers. We also meet a lot of folks who are coming out for the first time in years, and who tell us that they are pleased at how well the grounds look and that they appreciate all the work that everyone has done. Thank you to all who come in the office to say hello and offer feedback!
One comment we hear often is that folks are noticing that many of the flat grave markers are covered with grass. The good news is that the watering system is working and the grass is green and growing! The bad news is that the grass is growing! The system is constantly being tweaked to address brown spots and to ensure all the grass is getting hydrated, but we don't have enough volunteers to do weekly weedwhacking.
The lawn is being cut once a week with regular hand and riding mowers, however the crew doing the work is not a typical cemetery grounds crew that manicures around each marker. We expect things to change when the cemetery is sold and it resumes regular operations -- we have no new information about when that will happen, but when we do you'll read about it here.
In the meantime, if you plan to visit, bring along gardening gloves and clippers, and be sure to stop in the office for guidance and maps if you have problems locating the marker of your loved one.
Grand View Memorial Park is opened by a staff of volunteers every Sunday until further notice, from 12 noon until 4pm, with gates closing to incoming traffic at 3:45pm.
