Eddleston Graveyard

We had an away day followed by more exercise than planned. First we went to an exhibition in Peebles where I found some very tempting art about which I'm going to think awhile and then decide if I want to buy. On the way home we popped into Eddleston graveyard, as you do. It's almost becoming a daily event for me at least. The above momument was part of the church wall and it looks like a knight's grave. It features not only the usual skull but also shields displaying coats of arms. It looks in pretty good nick, considering the age it must be.

A beautiful winged hour-glass, a much used symbol of time passing and the end coming ever nearer. Hour-glasses are quite common on gravestones but winged ones are rarer to find.

I just love the stones that try and fit as many mortality symbols as possible on their surface, to make sure you really get the message that we all must die. Here is an hour-glass, a skull, as well as cross-bones, and also the winged soul at the top, on it's way to heaven. The original inscription reads: Hora fugit (the hour flies) and probably at a later date the Memento Mori was also added although it's now hardly visible anymore.

This must be the most cheerful skull I've come across so far on one of the end of a pedestal gravestone. He looks like he's having a riotous time, which somehow makes the Memento Mori text nearby sound like a cheerful prospect. We might all have to die but hey, it could be fun!

Finally this gravestone, although perhaps this one really falls into the category of grave monument. It was erected by a widower to commemorate both his wife and children. A timely remainder as are most old graveyards, of just how many children died early, in what is really only recent history. Also of just how many children people had, no doubt just for that same reason as well as because of the lack of efficient birth control which was also frowned upon by the various religions.

And the exercise? That happened when we walked the dogs along the old railway line at home and Rueben decided to have his own little adventure and disappeared for about 2 hours. Total panic ensued (that was me!) and John took the car out to look around the lanes while I ventured into the wood screaming and shouting. I almost lost one of my pink crocs in a drainage ditch and little sticks found their way into my long hair. Finally as I was rescuing my croc for the second time from peaty water, Rueben appeared from the woods behind me. We embraced, rolling around in the heather and I was profoundly grateful to whatever brought him back to me. Also for the fact there was no-one around with a camera because as I discovered once back home I looked like the wild woman from the woods. My jeans are torn and my T-shirt is a write-off, my feet are black and it will take hours to get the twigs from my hair again. But who cares, my darling boy is back with us again, unharmed and wondering about all the fuss.