Autumn in a Cemetery

On a beautiful blue sky day, my husband and I took a drive up into the mountains, to see some of the autumn colors, and came upon an 1865 cemetery upon a hillside outside of Central City. It was the Rocky Mountain Independent Order of Odd Fellows #2 Cemetery. The Independent Odd Fellows is a benevolent fraternal organization that was founded in North America in the early 1800s

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That is a big name for this small, quiet, and changing aspen shaded place of final rest for some of the early pioneer families of this area.

Many of the headstones were in good condition, considering all the weather they have endured over the years. The gravestones' symbolic funerary art designs and inscriptions were very beautiful.

One of the most unusual makers in the cemetery was the small limestone cabin with the name "Walter."  This poignant symbol of home marks the family plot for the children of this family. The sad reality of the times, one hundred and fifty years ago, was that many children died young, from disease, injury, or natural disasters.

So, on this glorious autumn day in Colorado, amid aspens trees of gold, we walked and reflected upon the seasons of the year and the seasons of life itself.  The only sound we heard was the crunching of leaves beneath our feet and the gentle breeze in the air. There is beauty all around us, even in a cemetery--especially in autumn.

Come back in a few days and I'll show you more of Autumn in Colorado. We recently visited two mountain passes where we saw exceptional color,