Adventures in Grave Hunting by Lisa Burks

Let The Sun Shine In

The sun finally came out today after a recent record-breaking streak of June Gloom overcast days here in SoCal.

However welcome the rays, their shining through the stained glass inside Grand View Memorial Park's West Mausoleum made for an interesting photography challenge.  I kept getting my own reflection and dust orbs.

On the other hand, they provided a unique opportunity to snap an eerily cool self-portrait in the Immortality Niche Room and another study of my favorite angel statue located in the Rohde-Adams family room.

It's been two weeks since we had visitation rights inside Grand View, so it was great to get back to work there.  Our merry band of volunteers showed up in full force and as a result many, many photo requests were fulfilled.  I found four people who have on my list for eons, quite by accident. Yay!  I think those finds are always the most thrilling. 

Grand View Snaps of the Day

Today was a fairly wild-n-wooly day at the Grand View Memorial Park visitation.  And that was just the weather!  Sunshine, wind, rain, ominous clouds.  All rotating through within minutes of each other. I loved it, quite stimulating.

I took almost 300 photographs, mainly headstone verification requests and my own general research.  It's an adventure just finding markers these days, even with the grass cut there is a ton of vegetation growth.  I had exact locations mapped out in advance for graves and still couldn't find them.

Section K is turning into my newest nightmare, running neck and neck with Section M (for the muther of all areas to find people.) Half of Section K seems to be the place where Hispanic clients were relegated to early on, and about 90% of the graves are un-marked.  AGH!

Along the way, just as I was beginning to feel pull-my-hair-out frustrated, I snapped shots out of pure pleasure.   It was as if the spirits of Grand View were with me today, nudging me to notice people and things that weren't on my to-do list, but were just as interesting if not moreso.

These are the surprises that caught my eye, excited the researcher in me, touched my heart or tickled my funny bone:

Lovely Lorenza ~ Section K

Junk 'N the Trunk ~ Section K





Rose blooming outside West Mausoleum



Rain, Wind and Sun...all in one day



Speaking of Rain....



Garden of Prayer Jesus Stained Glass



One of oldest marked graves I've found yet - 1896

Pixeling in the rain

Headstone of the Day:

As in BRR, it's cold outside!  Last weekend temps hit the sweltering 100s and now it's low 60s and rain.  Crazy weather, but that didn't stop me from making a quick run to Forest Lawn Glendale to get some photo requests and do a bit of my own research.

I love visiting the old section of this cemetery, and taking photos of the same statues in variations of natural light depending on the weather, time of day and time of year. 

You might think that being in a cemetery on a such a drab day would be depressing, but I find that it's one of the best elements in which to take pictures, especially the contrasting white statuary with the bleak sky and just watered-by-God greenery.

Burr memorial with Williamson plot angel in background.

Bibb family plot angel, always a treat to photograph, especially on days like today.

Complete photo set from today can be viewed here on Flickr.