comments from friends of the cemetery
Date: Sat, 17 May 2003 23:50:50 -0500
From: WizardMarks <wizardmarks@earthlink.net>
To: mpls issues <mpls@mnforum.org>
Subject: [Mpls] Arbor Day at Layman's Cemetery
Sue Weir and her cohorts in Friends of the Cemetery, which collects
the history of persons buried and organizes resources to maintain
the Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery, made a lovely Arbor Day out
of today.
When I walked in from Cedar Ave., dozens of people from the city,
the Tree Trust, a scout troop from Westminster Church and Phillips
residents planted 150 trees in about three hours while the Minneapolis
Police Band played "I talk to the trees" among other tunes.
This was followed by presentation of proclamations, "speechifyin,"
thanking everyone for their hard work, led by one Mr. Goodhue, Editor
of the Pioneer, an English language newspaper of the 1800's. This
was followed by ceremonial planting of one tree with assistance
from Heart of the Beast puppets.
For a finish root beer floats and rides for kids on a cherry picker,
and tours of various graves in the cemetery with Sue providing a
running narrative, something she is very good at. It's a mania one
has to watch to appreciate fully.
Interesting. Masterful. It had the flavor of a small town social,
chairs set up in the shade among the gravestones, platform with
speakers following a small band. Quirky, a wrinkle in time.
The day was a joy to experience, warm, blue sky, peaceful. The
peaceful was noticeable even though we were cornered by both Lake
St. and Cedar Ave., with a strip mall on a third side.
Thanks Sue and Friends, that was very nice.
WizardMarks, Central
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