Some Recent Photos

[Bingo]

As many of you know, I'm a bit of an amateur photographer, having posted quite a few pics here before.

Over Christmas I went back to Atlanta to go visit family and friends. One of the things I've always loved taking pictures of are old Cemeteries. The ones with the really impressive old architecture. It's something of a lost art, I think - the mausoleums, elaborate stonework and intricate statuary. To really put it into perspective - the Cemetery has an "information" building which is staffed all day and even sells items (Yeah, almost a gift shop in a cemetery).

It's pretty amazing, but right off the edge of downtown Atlanta is an amazing old cemetery called Oakland Cemetery. It's H-U-G-E and has absolutely stunning work.

It was founded in 1850 and covers 88 acres. Like I said, it's huge.

I went down there and took a few pictures. Unfortunately I only had a bit over an hour which isn't nearly enough to see all of it.

One amusing note - I went with my Dad (He's a photographer too) and while in the Information Building I noticed amongst other things for sale, they had a copy of one of my Dad's books. That was odd.

So here's a link to the set on my Flickr page. Some of you might find it pretty interesting. Here's an example of the kind of works there.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/bingo2/sets/72157612326683485/

Here's an example of the kind of works there.

[OUTLAWS Dixie Chick]

Those are really fascinating. I think my favorite was the lion. I found that beloved wife one (the one that the statue was headless) quiet humorous. Was there any story behind that particular one, or had it just not weathered well and fell off? Thanks for sharing.

[Goober]

The craftmanship in the old days is just amazing. Now days, they want you to just put a bronze plaque flush with the ground so the grounds keeper won't have to weedeat around the headstone.
Great pics Bingo, always appreciate you sharing them with us.

Now that my daughter lives outside Atlanta I may have to drop by that place for a look see.

[Bingo]

Those are really fascinating. I think my favorite was the lion. I found that beloved wife one (the one that the statue was headless) quiet humorous. Was there any story behind that particular one, or had it just not weathered well and fell off? Thanks for sharing.

If you notice, she's also missing an arm and a leg too.

To my knowledge, it's just that she didn't fare well. Many of the graves in that section (And in fact, the whole place) no longer have any decendants caring for them or even have any decendants period. So the Oakland Assosciation cares for them as best they can.

There was also a HUGE amount of damage to everything there from the Tornado that hit Atlanta earlier this year. This is pretty much right in the heart of the main area that was damaged. If you saw the building that was all over the news that had an entire corner ripped off - you can actually see part of that building in the backround of several pictures. It's the big brick building with the water tower next to it.

By the way, the Lion is a memorial to all the Confederate Soldiers as the Confederate version of Arlington is there at Oakland. It's in the middle of the Confederate section. This is a shot near the Lion looking down. There's another section on each side of this that looks just the same. There are just under 7,000 graves in the confederate section.

While I'm not a Civil War guy or anything, looking out across all those fields of markers is still pretty impressive and sobering. I can't imagine what Arlington is like, being so much larger.

[Bingo]

The craftmanship in the old days is just amazing. Now days, they want you to just put a bronze plaque flush with the ground so the grounds keeper won't have to weedeat around the headstone.
Great pics Bingo, always appreciate you sharing them with us.

Now that my daughter lives outside Atlanta I may have to drop by that place for a look see.

You should. It's obviously free of course and there are so many interesting and beautiful things there.
And it really is right in downtown. If you look in some of the pictures, you'll see the cloud-wrapped buildings of downtown (It was bordering on raining when we were there) - so if you hit up Atlanta-proper it would make an easy side trip.

Where's she live, by the way? I'm still really wanting to move back there. I never realized how much I liked the area until I moved to Florida. Heh.

[SASQUATCH]

Nice going Bingo, very sharp and uniquely taken.

[Sirc]

Great pictures Bingo, as usual. :thumbs:

It's interesting to see people memorialized in such elaborate ways.

Personally, I'd like to be buried in field somewhere in a biodegradable box and have an oak tree planted above my body. My remains would become part of the oak tree as it grew and absorbed the nutrients I leave behind. The tree would be a home for squirrels and birds, and the acorns would provide food for the squirrels, and perhaps some of them would be buried buy the squirrels and forgotten and grow to be new oak trees. A forest of oak trees could eventually grow, and I'd be a part of it all. For me, that would be heaven.

Or I'd end up being someone's kitchen cabinets. :rolleyes:

[SASQUATCH]

Great pictures Bingo, as usual. :thumbs:

It's interesting to see people memorialized in such elaborate ways.

Personally, I'd like to be buried in field somewhere in a biodegradable box and have an oak tree planted above my body. My remains would become part of the oak tree as it grew and absorbed the nutrients I leave behind. The tree would be a home for squirrels and birds, and the acorns would provide food for the squirrels, and perhaps some of them would be buried buy the squirrels and forgotten and grow to be new oak trees. A forest of oak trees could eventually grow, and I'd be a part of it all. For me, that would be heaven.

Or I'd end up being someone's kitchen cabinets. :rolleyes:

LMAO

With me it wouldn't be Absorbed with Nutrients, it would be more like junk food Nutrients. LOL hehehehe

Probably a spoiled tomato of some kind. hehehehe

[OUTLAWS WHOCARES]

My will states as follows: Burn me in a cardboard box. Flush exactly 3 teaspoons down the toilet in order to be put into the water supply. :)

[Death Engineer]

Great pictures Bingo, as usual. :thumbs:

It's interesting to see people memorialized in such elaborate ways.

Personally, I'd like to be buried in field somewhere in a biodegradable box and have an oak tree planted above my body. My remains would become part of the oak tree as it grew and absorbed the nutrients I leave behind. The tree would be a home for squirrels and birds, and the acorns would provide food for the squirrels, and perhaps some of them would be buried buy the squirrels and forgotten and grow to be new oak trees. A forest of oak trees could eventually grow, and I'd be a part of it all. For me, that would be heaven.

Or I'd end up being someone's kitchen cabinets. :rolleyes:

Why wait until you die? You could plant a tree today! Don't forget to hug it when it's big enough.

[Sirc]

Why wait until you die?

I always knew you didn't like me. :eek:

Besides, if they buried me alive then the tree and it's decedents would be haunted. And whoever ended up with those oak cabinets wouldn't be able to keep anything in them, because every night at 3am the doors would fly open and the contents would be flung all over the kitchen.

Is that what you want? Is it? :mad:








Oh wait, I just re-read your post. Never mind. ;)

[Pure_Evil]

I always knew you didn't like me. :eek:

Besides, if they buried me alive then the tree and it's decedents would be haunted. And whoever ended up with those oak cabinets wouldn't be able to keep anything in them, because every night at 3am the doors would fly open and the contents would be flung all over the kitchen.

Is that what you want? Is it? :mad:








Oh wait, I just re-read your post. Never mind. ;)

There's always a good chance you'd burn in a forest fire or just one of my camp fires, since I burn scrap wood :D :devil:

[Death Engineer]

I was not advocating burning you alive. ;) When did I ever say I didn't like you? I'm probably not aligned with you politically or religiously (or many other ways), but isn't that one of the things that makes this country great? Diversity! I can agree to disagree and still respect others. *shrug*

[Sirc]

I was not advocating burning you alive. ;) When did I ever say I didn't like you? I'm probably not aligned with you politically or religiously (or many other ways), but isn't that one of the things that makes this country great? Diversity! I can agree to disagree and still respect others. *shrug*

First of all, I was just joking. Second, Pure was the only one talking about "burning". I just thought your "Why wait until you die" line was funny considering I was talking about my burial.

It's all good. :)