I fought the nature, and I won!

I go to my local graveyard to clean up overgrown graves. I thought I’d share my experience with today’s grave cleaning.

This is a mixture of memes and video. Botany and history were involved in this battle. This post is going to be lengthier than any future posts, because I go over my toolkit, and my process of actually unearthing the grave.

I started at 1pm, and ended at 5:30pm. This is the longest I have spent on a grave, and it was because that thing was buried at least 3.5 inches beneath the soil.

At one point, I was tearing up grass with my bare hands to get it cleaned off. There were roots that clung to my stone. Despite my best efforts, my trowel sometimes tapped against the stone, because the goddamn grass WOULD NOT DETACH FROM THE GRAVE!!

Anyway, here’s my tale of today’s adventures. Let’s start with what I take with me (since this is my first post about it).

I’m waiting for the day everything just falls out of it.

There are a couple of things I failed to show, including a clipboard, writing utensils, and two journals (one large, one small).

ONE EXTRA SIDE NOTE: I sometimes repeat myself when I talk, because I forgot that I already said something. In my videos, you might hear me say the same thing over again. I’m sorry, I’m working on it!

It turns out that there was some awkward elevation with the headstones, meaning I still accidentally struck it with my trowel on a couple of occasions.

Ideally, you don’t dig until you hit something hard. You dig enough to be able to remove the soil with your hands.

The carpet of grass was a fucking pain.

I want to add that I think all graves are equally important. You don’t need to be a veteran to matter. The section I am currently in just happens to be full of veteran graves, which is why I keep talking about them. I intend to do other graves as well.

Important PSA! Worms are a good thing!

I have accidentally dissected many worms on numerous occasions. This is the last time I talk about worms, I promise.

They were the most difficult to get off because they clung to the stone.

I really was confused as fuck when I first saw it. I’d NEVER seen such precise shapes in plant roots before.

What is this thing?

What is this beetle?

I kept finding little signs of people leaving “grave offerings” (I’m not sure what else to call it). I was especially bothered when I found that plastic flower. That was no doubt an offering for this departed soldier.

Citrine is not a natural stone in this environment, meaning it was deliberately placed there (as an offering). The second stone *looked* like it *might* be pyrite, but I couldn’t tell for sure.

The pennies were unusual. I found a cluster of them next to the ruined plastic flower, so I assumed they were part of the grave offering.

I was covered in damp soil when I was done. I looked like I’d done a Westley from the Princess Bride, and tumbled down a dirt hill hollering “AS YOU WIIISSHHHH!!”

I thoroughly lathered my hands in hand-sanitizer before eating my lunch. Normally it’s more than a bagel, but I was in a hurry to get out the door.

Sorry about all of the moving and shaking.

So normally the next step would be to pour water on it, and use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the dirt off of it. I also use a tiny brush and a twist-tie to dig out soil inside the letters of the grave. Then I checked the weather.

I realized that any work I would have to clean it off would immediately be undone by Mother Nature (yet another battle with her, but this time she wins).

Okay, one last reference to the worms as an extra-emphasis that they are wonderful for the environment and TO NOT KILL THEM!! RELOCATE THEM INSTEAD!!

I could not leave those gravestones with a ruined plastic flower, and dirty rocks and pennies. I drew a temporary flower in its place. I intend to actually draw one on the drawings tablet to make it prettier.

I obviously can’t just leave a thin piece of paper to the elements. I rolled it up in a sandwich bag, along with the pennies. I used the stalk of the plastic flower to nail that thing to the ground. If it survives the rain, then I know it’s good as it is. If not, I’ll make adjustments.

I am not going to turn down assistance in fighting mother nature to release the graves from her clutches.

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EDIT: I HAVE TRAINING IN GARDEN MAINTENANCE FROM TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNTIL YOU’VE TAKEN SOME FORM OF CLASS OR VOLUNTEER TRAINING IN MAINTENANCE!! YOU MIGHT DAMAGE THE STONE!!!