Dia de los Muertos

November 2 is the date of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the traditional Mexican ceremonies honoring family and friends who have died. Over the past few years, Forest Hills Cemetery has served as a location for such a ceremony, and this year was no exception. The ceremony began at 4:00pm, as the sun was setting, and the weather was clear and cold with temperatures in the low 40s. Hundreds of people, including families with children, attended and participated with their own private remembrances. I was honored to be asked to take photos of the ceremony, which you can see by clicking here. Feel free to make comments on the photos, the ceremony, or other aspects of the event.

Fall Foliage at Forest Hills

A friend and fellow photographer who lives in Dedham, MA, joined me for a photo expedition to Forest Hills on October 11. The day was clear and cool, with a beautiful blue sky and brilliant fall foliage not quite at peak . . . but close. You can view some of my foliage photos by clicking here. Comments are welcome!

Cemetery in Late September

It rained for most of this weekend, but there was a break in the showers on Saturday morning (Sept. 27), so I headed out the door for a couple of hours of photo shooting at the cemetery. It was a little foggy and drizzly, and the light was diffuse, which made for great color saturation. A few of the leaves were turning or falling, but most of the summer's foliage was still on the bushes and trees. You can see photos from my expedition here.

Forest Hills in Snow

We had a lovely snowfall the afternoon and evening of February 22, so the next morning I brought my camera to the cemetery and tromped around for a couple of hours. The grounds crew had plowed the roadways, but the snow on the trees, bushes, markers, and monuments was undisturbed. The sky was overcast, so the light was flat and the scenes monochromatic, creating a classic cemetery mood. The next day was clear and brilliantly sunny, so I went back with my camera and (for the most part) retraced my steps from the previous day’s shooting. You can see the results of both days’ walks here. I am interested in reader reactions to these photographs. If you’d like to respond, feel free to use the “Comment” feature. I hope you enjoy the tours.

Why a blog?

Forest Hills is a place of constant discovery. It is akin to an enormous museum containing marvelous art and evocative artifacts, and you can always find something new in its vast collection. But unlike a museum, it is outdoors, and thus full of life and constantly changing. Weather and the seasons transform the trees and landscape. Birds make a home and raise their young, or migrate through. Time changes the appearance of marble carvings, wearing away inscriptions in a process that mirrors the erosion of memory as generations come and go.

This blog offers a forum for the people who explore, study, and care for Forest Hills to share their stories and photos. Al Maze, Elise Ciregna, Cecily Miller, Jon Clark and Kevin Lynch have all agreed to start writing about their observations and discoveries. If you are someone who visits often and want to join us as a regular contributor, please let us know.

Who are Al, Elise, Jon and Kevin?
Al has been leading tours at Forest Hills for more than 10 years, discovering countless stories of the people buried here (such as the inventor of the fountain pen, shoe vamp machine, 8-hour workday, and birth control pill to name a few). Elise is a scholar with a passion for Victorian material culture – the stuff produced by people of the 19th century and its meaning – and cemetery stone carvings. Cecily has been the Trust's director since 2001 and Jon is the Trust's newest staffer. Kevin is the arborist for Forest Hills; in addition to caring for its mighty trees, Kevin is usually the first to spot a nest of baby owls or a hive of wild bees.

We hope you enjoy this, and invite you to participate.