Green Lawn Cemetery of Columbus, Ohio - One of the Cemeteries Affected by the Storms that Struck Central Ohio This Past Weekend

As those of us who live in Ohio already know, the change in weather this past weekend and the last couple of days have brought us much needed rain, however,  unfortunately with some of the rain came a 'wall of wind' -- straight-line windstorms, as our TV and radio weather forecasters tell us are called Derecho.  

The aftermath from these storms have left a wake of extensive damage done to property including at Ohio's cemeteries.

Sharing below a photo generously shared by Brent Nimmo who is a good friend to Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio: 

  

Brent reports Green Lawn is working on extensive clean up efforts at the cemetery.  

I hope to receive more reports about the restoration of the stones that were damaged at Green Lawn from Brent and other sources.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY AMERICA -- Let's Make the Connection!

Wishing everyone, including this blog's fantastic followers, a very Happy Fourth of July 2012 as we celebrate America's 236th birthday today.  

We have so many reasons to give thanks and be proud of our country's past and current contributions to the world.  Today, let's not forget to pause and honor those who have gone before us who rest in peace in city cemeteries and rural burying grounds across America.  

To help us toward that goal, I've chosen to spotlight a link to Find A Grave's "Success Stories".  

This is where people express their gratitude to strangers.  To strangers who have become contributors who generously share their knowledge so others can connect to their past by learning more about the lives of their deceased relatives and ancestors.   

Making these connections have enriched many people's lives, who, in turn, will be able to pass that history down to younger generations through story telling and from activities like painstakingly transcribing ancestral information found in personal old diaries and heavy family bibles.  

Yes those old books we walk past that silently sit on shelves in homes, libraries, and museums.  If they could, they would beg us to pick them up and look at their pages hidden inside their hardbound dust laden covers before they crumble under the weight of time.  What we can learn from them is almost limitless.

Thus, Americans have much reason to celebrate and many blessings to be thankful for on this Fourth Of July 2012.  As we reflect on American history, let's remember not only the 'how and why' but also most importantly, the 'who' -- the people who blazed the unpaved pioneering trails of times long past.  For without them, we could not fully appreciate our American heritage today.