Visiting the Man in Black

While looking to add distance to my daily walks, I decided a couple of weeks ago to walk through a rather large cemetery about a mile away from my house. It's a neat place. My half sister Brandi is buried there. It's kinda nice to walk around and search out her grave. Sometimes I go see her. I have visited her grave more this summer than ever before. I also recognize names on graves sometimes. Really distant childhood memories. The name of a vice-principal, or the name of a Sunday school teacher's younger brother who committed suicide when I was 11. Anyway, you know, it's a very basic, respectable cemetery. The owners don't like a lot of stuff set on the gravestones. There are a lot of rules about the type of (artificial only) flowers you can put on the graves. That is except for one........The grave of Johnny Cash.

I love his grave. He and June are buried together in the front part of the cemetery. Their graves are covered with a large granite stone and surrounded by a small marble wall. All around their graves are large, colorful, and live wildflowers. (More in memory of June, than Johnny, I'm sure). It's the brightest spot in the whole place. Sunflowers, and big purple coneflowers , bright red Indian paintbrushes, and black-eyed susans are planted near the little marble wall. But the coolest thing, is what people leave behind in memory of Johnny. It is ever changing, and fascinating. Giant cans of beer, tons of colorful guitar picks, cds, personal messages, pennies, roses, lyrics to various songs. It is a constant rotating gallery of interesting detritus. (I am sure the cemetery owners are vigilant, and clean the graves off weekly, if not more!) I will try to remember to take my camera with me sometime. And even though I am usually focused on burning calories, it is really hard not to stop and look at all the things people leave behind. I should also mention that Mother Maybelle Carter, and many other members of the Carter family are also buried there. There are more often than not, very interesting things left for them as well. Sort of a small memorial to the Kings and Queens of Country Music.

SO, all in all, not a bad way to add extra mileage.......though I do have to stop and look at least a couple of times a week. Then, I go back on my way, walking hard and fast, and singing "Ring of Fire" as I go!