----- ............Cemetery Walk: An afternoon of discovery! Every stone has a story. And they are waiting to be told........... -----

Friday, March 11, 2011

Dust off the Cemetery Kit / Cart

Spring is in the air. At least today. A little cooler next week, but it will be here to stay soon. Right? I need to get my cemetery kit back in order. During the winter months I removed it from my SUV and so I need to get better organized. I showed you my cart back in 2009.


I thought I had posted my kit list here on the blog, but I guess not. Hmmm. I will try to create a list without having to make a trip to the garage.

Gale's Kit:
  • Cart
  • Crates - storage / seats
  • Cell phone
  • Camera[s] / memory cards
  • Clipboard
  • Project list / notes
  • Maps - county / cemetery / lots
  • Paper & pens
  • GPS [does my new camera do this?]
  • Reflector [foil over cardboard]
  • First aid items
  • Big stick - for critters
  • Hat / sunglasses
  • Jacket / sweatshirt [changing seasons]
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect spray
  • Small broom / brush*
  • Hand towel / paper towels
  • Trash bags - to pick up trash
  • Baby wipes
  • Gloves - pulling back briars / brush / limbs
  • Bottled water - wet stones to read
  • Cooler (small) - with drinks & lunch / snacks
  • Lawn chairs - another option vs. the crates for resting / eating
* I use on family stones / lots. Limited use elsewhere.
I used to take a camcorder. My new camera does video so one less thing to take.

Things you won't find in my kit:
  • Clippers or shears
  • Chalk, shaving cream, etc - Confession: when I first started my genealogy research I used these suggested techniques I found posted online. No more. A much debated subject in the genealogy community.
Fill up the gas tank and always take someone with you. My boneyard buddy, Kathleen, and I have been working together since 2006. We're already making our list of cemetery walks for the coming weeks. About the only time I will go alone is when the cemetery is in a very public area, generally inside city limits.

I bought this cart at an auction. You can find a smaller rolling crate at most office stores. (Office Max where I live). I use one like that for transporting my stuff to our genealogy meetings.

Did I forget anything? [Edit: YES - thanks to PugBug over at Gravestoned for reminding me of my foil covered cardboard that I use to reflect light on dark and shadowed stones]

Do you use an item I haven't listed? Please share in the comments.

Edit: I added a cemetery kit page so I can find it easier in the future!

5 comments:

  1. Yes...let's get ready for spring!

    I always carry aluminum foil and a 3-inch paint brush for enhancing hard-to-read markers. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it doesn't.

    I am itching to get back to the graveyard!

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  2. LOL at the "always take someone with you". I rarely take anyone with me, unless it's my 3-year old son. I guess it's good I live in a rural area where the worst I get is scared by critters or cows. It's hard to find someone who is willing to go and able to go at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks PugBug for the reminder of my reflector - fancy way of saying foil covered cardboard. Lol.

    GenieBeth I too live in a rural area and that is where I had my spook. I really felt I had escaped a close call. Keep safe.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Only thing left off the list I take is a taser. We have ventured into some areas where its either the wild dogs or the scary hill people that made me get one. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. You forgot the dogs:-) My 2 black labs are always up for a trip to sniff and hunt rabbits, squirrels and other critters. They love going so much they start whimpering as soon as they see the stones. No one else wants to go with me except for Shadow and Lilly

    Sandy

    ReplyDelete

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