Eastern Cemetery: Even Tombstones Die

Stones: An Ode to Eastern Cemetery

Some are white but most are grey
From time or lack of care.
Appearance means so little
Since no one visits there.

Some were grand but none withstand
Quiet time that tiptoes by
And leaves behind this epitaph:

Even tombstones die.
* * *
Louisville's Eastern Cemetery, located on Baxter Avenue next to Cave Hill Cemetery, is a controversial burial ground plagued by legal troubles. Born in 1848 as an act of philanthropy, the cemetery was closed by the attorney general 140 years later after decades of overburials and neglect. Today, the enduring monument of Eastern Cemetery is the love and affection of those who try to maintain it.

August's Sting

It has been dry in Louisville this August. All the insects are hiding or lethargic during the day.

But this fellow visited me at my window yesterday. We shared a little of the morning together. I enjoyed his company, and love his face. I hope you do as well.

Covington ascending

In rough geographic terms, Covington, Kentucky, is to Cincinnati as Hoboken, New Jersey, is to New York City. An evening in this riverfront city, an hour and a half upriver from Lousiville, reminded me of Covington's architectural and topographical beauty. Perhaps no other building in Covington is as eye-catching as The Ascent at Roebling's Bridge, designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind:

The Ascent at Roebling’s Bridge in Covington provides a dynamic addition to the skyline of the greater Cincinnati area and is a dramatic departure from the surrounding waterfront buildings. Its curving crescent form and sloping roof line are designed to maximize views, with each unit having an unobstructed view of the Cincinnati skyline. . . . The building was completed in March 2008.

Not everyone admires The Ascent. Archidose.org confesses a little vertigo upon viewing The Ascent's "swooping form" and "its skin, its solid/void patterning and [its] mirrored glass."

Covington also boasts a rich collection of older structures, such as the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption on Madison Avenue (left) and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge (right):

Tibetan Monk Makes Sand Mandala @ Louisville

A Prayer for World Peace

Entitled "Prayer for World Peace", designed and created by Tibetan monk Yeshi Palden who traveled from New York to Louisville to make the sand painting at Zen Garden. Completed April 13, 2008.

Cave Hill Cemetery

Cave Hill Cemetery is a beautiful place to walk, to reflect, to honor. There are many monuments of note there. Some monuments honor well-known members of the Louisville community. Some monuments are testament to the love and pain felt by those left behind.

If you are living in Louisville (or visiting), I can assure you, Cave Hill is worth a visit.

Above are a couple photos of the Tingley Fountain. You can see other photos from Cave Hill on my Flickr site.

Louisville from the Air (July 18, 2008)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/86764746@N00/sets/72157606345711678/ (Picture gallery of Louisville from the air taken July 18, 2008)

The Dinka Mona Lisa

Louisville is home to a growing Sudanese Dinka community. Here a Dinka woman arrives early for a church service in south Louisville.

Fixin' to get ready to get started

On the eve of the implosion of the Riverview Square Office Building to make way for the new Louisville arena (the site is visible on the right at the terminus of the Clark Memorial Bridge), no one could forsee that the arena financing would also implode within days.

An Afternoon at the Louisville Zoo

Afternoon in late July may not be the best time to see animals at their most active, but it is a good, lazy way to spend the day. As I've mentioned before, the zoo is a lovely place to take children, but it's also a great place to animal watch, people watch, and take a look at what nature has to offer. The Louisville Zoo offers great walking, beautiful habitats, and a few opportunities for food and drink.

Gorilla Forest provides information about gorilla habitat and information about the issues surrounding poaching, shrinking habitat, and conservation efforts.

Scotty is the name of our baby elephant. Now a year old, Scotty is enjoying new foods, playing in the water and basically acting like any excited, happy child.

The Zoo has a refurbished carousel that is both beautiful to see and (based on enthusiastic laughter of children) a joy to ride.

For more photos from the Louisville Zoo, please feel free to visit my Flickr site.