Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Carved in Stone

Yesterday was a wonderful photography day!  The weather was cloudy, but bright, with sprinkles predicted for the afternoon.  In the morning, I rushed to get my chores finished, so I could skip out in the afternoon with my 'good' camera to one of my favorite places ... Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond!

A weathered marble dove on a pillar in the Crenshaw plot.


The weather didn't disappoint, and the light WAS perfect!  Because of the on-again, off-again sprinkles, the place was practically deserted and it almost felt like I had it all to myself.



It's difficult to describe Hollywood Cemetery to someone who has never been there.  It's a huge place, nestled into the hills overlooking the James River, adjacent to downtown Richmond.  Though the city, and Virginia Commonwealth University, are right outside the cemetery gates, the atmosphere inside is a world away.

In the background of this shot, you can see some of the tall buildings in downtown, and the Route 1 bridge over the James River.


The cemetery is full of sculptures, and trees, and ROSES!  The roses I will show you today are the beautiful ones that are carved on some of the monuments.







Everywhere I walked, I could point my camera and photograph something beautiful.





This sculpture is my very favorite!  It is on a grave adjacent to the grave of President Monroe (there are SOOOO many famous people buried in Hollywood Cemetery!) and it is in deep shade, so it's very challenging to get a decent photograph.  Yesterday, all the conditions were perfect, including the flower that someone (not me) had left there, and I finally got the perfect shot!



I'll finish today with a little tease to show you a bit of what's to come.  The Tea and China and Noisette roses throughout the cemetery were blooming their little butts off, and I captured some great photos of them.  There are so many that I will probably break them into two posts.  Trust me, it's worth the wait.

That's Safrano, a tea rose, beyond this statue.


Wandering a cemetery is such a peaceful thing to do on a cloudy afternoon.  Having one as beautiful as Hollywood Cemetery within an hour's drive of me is wonderful!

13 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful place Connie, I love all of the beautiful statuary and of course the roses. As you know, Hollywood is a special place for my family, next time I'll have to tag along.

    Kat :)

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  2. Beautiful pics ... wow! So happy to have found your blog ... will be back!

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  3. What a beautiful cemetery! And the statues are exquisite... so much detail and nicely captured. Great job! I love days like that when the natural light is so perfect!

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  4. Such beautiful statuary. You did an amazing job, glad the weather was ideal for it. So many of the cemeteries have gone to the flat plaques and limited headstones. Somehow, that just doesn't seem as fitting for a final resting place.

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  5. Connie, these are beautiful photos from the Hollywood Cemetery. I especially love the last one with 'Safrano' in the background of the statue. It hardly can get more romantic than that. Thanks for this great post!
    Christina

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  6. What a gorgeous cemetery. These old carved headstones are beautiful, and touching. So many feelings are evoked from them. Love that the roses there are thriving, too.

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  7. I lived a few blocks from here for a few years, and it was one of my favorite places to go. The pyramid is one of the most powerful memorials I know, rustic, rough hewn with no polished surfaces. The last time I was there was several decades ago, but it was a perfect fall day and the foliage was at peak.

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  8. Hi Connie, The photos are wonderful of your day at the cemetery, thanks for sharing. Also very fitting for my day as we sent the Angels a "Saint" today. Enjoy your October weather!

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  9. Ohh, such beautiful stone carvings!
    It reminds me of Mount Auburn Cemetery near Boston, MA. It is landscaped and filled with statuary and other stone monuments.

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  10. Gorgeous photos. Your framing is exceptional!

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  11. So beautiful. I could get lost there, taking photos just as you did.

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  12. What an incredible cemetery! Such beautiful carvings!....

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  13. What a beautiful place. I love the old statues and headstones. Wonderful photos.

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