Aug 26 2022 - Those Hunger Stones

 

From Snopes: “Hunger stones” are geological inscriptions found on river stones in Central Europe that serve as records of past droughts. According to Reuters, some were indeed visible in Germany’s River Rhine as of mid-August 2022, indicating drought conditions there. The above-displayed tweet, though, was misleading: The photographs of that stone in Děčín were actually taken during a different historic drought, in 2018, according to a reverse image search. According to science and technology news site Ars Technica, there are multiple carvings in the Děčín stone that serve as traces of historical droughts. Carvings in the stone commemorate droughts going all the way back to the 1400s.  But, based on our research, it was unknown whether that particular stone was visible in August 2022 and, if so, why.  Ars Technica noted, “It’s actually possible to see this particular stone some 126 days out of the year, thanks to the construction of a dam that was built on a tributary of the Elbe in 1926.” The Wikipedia entry describes hunger stones more fully - a type of hydrological landmark common in Central Europe serving as famine memorials and warnings.  They have been seen during droughts and there seems to be lots of them over time.  The one that's shown up in articles and social media is one of the most famous and the oldest in the Elbe river.   There's a long list HERE in the Wikipedia article. It still is spooky to see the declaration "If you see me, weep".

My pictures of carved stones are from Mount Pleasant cemetery in Toronto. I imagine that this beautiful palm frond symbolized death and eternal peace, referencing Palm Sunday.    Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

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Mount Pleasant Cemetery - Sites and Sights

Today we look at the eccentricities of the deceased at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.  The first is William Alexander Farlinger  (1929 - 2005) complete with glasses. He was a well-known Burlington philanthropist, and there's a youtube video of the family putting on the glasses. What is the lady with what appears to be a red heart in her arms? I haven't found a reference on a google search.  It does stand out, though.  Perhaps one of our Toronto residents can provide the story on this one.

Angel Voices

I always look at cemeteries in search of angel statues.  They are remarkable and very interesting to photograph.  This one was in Strassburg, PA.

My nearby cemetery has a most unusual Japanese Maple tree that is twined around a headstone.  Everything about it looks like a human form, embracing the headstone.