Cemetery Scavenger Hunt

I looked for several hours online for memorial day ideas before finding this little gem. I found a few gems this weekend. It was a productive weekend. This gem, however took place at 7 at night and we were so sweaty and smelly when we returned home it was embarrassing. Thankfully we’re all forgiving and love each other although no hugs were immediately exchanged. Behind our yard is a corn field and beyond that is a cemetery. Cemeteries always weirded me out as a kid. I guess the idea that a dead person could reach up and grab my leg was just too much. When I turned 19 I realized this was foolish so developed a fondness for them.

Kidding.

 

I actually do dig cemeteries now. They’re peaceful and beautiful and the final resting place for people I’ll never know or meet or recognize, but wish I could. Just knowing every stone and name and flower has a memory and a story is so intriguing for me. If you are reading the Couch to 5k Diaries series of posts, it’s through the cemetery that I am running. It works out well because I can get lost in thought and not focus on the clock. I find myself imagining what life was like for a person born in 1850 and dead by 1901. Or the lady, Mrs P. I will call her, who is not buried with her husband (at least he’s not represented on the stone) but she is sharing a grave with her 4 children dead at ages 6, 4, 2 and 1 year old. What happened that this poor woman lost all these babies so close together. I try to imagine the noise in her house, the look of her house, the smells of her house, the agony of her loss. Who was left to ensure the stone was properly carved?? I could go on and on and on. If I’m close to losing you, hang in there. I promise to make a point. 

Anyway I digress.

Memorial day and all is a tme to reflect on those gone before us. I hope this doesn’t cause you to give me an ugh!!! and a weird face but we did a scavenger hunt. We took 2 stripped of paper crayons, 2 loooooooooooong sheets of paper (one per team), designate our team and hauled buns. Bring back A-Z, all 26 names. Can be first, middle or last (no initials) and no designations. A lot of stones have mother, daughter, son, that sort of thing on it. Can’t use those (wouldn’t be as fun).

The results!? There are NO NAMES that begin with U, X or Q in that entire cemetery!!!! I know because as a family we scoured the thing and I was surprised. Not a Unger, Xavier or Quinn in the entire house!! Even the newer part where people take more liberties with naming their children. We had fun. We were also prepare to explain to any family we might have accidentally encountered what our goal was and it was NOT disrespect, but a creative activity for a family to roam through the cemetery and create a memory for us as a family. We did avoid all people and were not approved or even seen as far as I know. 

Here are some pictures. Now share with me your memorial day fun!! Did you do anything unique to celebrate or to bring your family together? Got any other creative cemetery or scavenger hunt ideas? I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM!!!!!!!!! This stuff always gets me jazzed.

Karen