Sunday, May 31, 2009

Pet's Rest Cemetery and Crematory - Colma, California

It's that time again: time to move. I've moved more than a dozen times in the past 20 years so you'd think I'd learn the basics: don't collect too much stuff. Stay organized. Live minimally. I've accomplished none of this. But I do know not to unpack every box because there's always the chance that I'll be moving again in a few years. And with me, that chance is high.

So trying to sort out the gazillions of photographs I've taken over the years, I came across a few from Pet's Rest Cemetery. Colma is a weird place south of San Francisco that is foggy and full of cemeteries. It's famous for having more dead people within its population than live. That's because most of its land is taken up by cemeteries. Within the parameters of this set-up, lies Pet's Rest, which has been burying and cremating the area's beloved animals for 60 years now. My cat Caz was cremated there because his veterinarian had a deal with Pet's Rest. It wasn't that expensive and I got his ashes in a little wooden box, which I painted with his portrait.

Because he was such a great cat (one of those "dog-like" cats) who was truly a wonderful companion, I can kind of see the inclination people have to honor their pets. I personally don't go in for burials for people or animals due to land-use issues but I do like visiting graveyards, especially old ones with lots of statuary and inscriptions. It's sobering, eerie and sometimes humorous to dwell on our final resting place and the mark we leave behind.

"Sandy - Here Lies the Only Four Legged Human God Ever Put on this Earth."


"Chico," "Sniffy," and "Ms. Ming."


The photo insert is touching.


"Betsy" - I guess I liked that Connie, Susie and Bunny all sound like pet names, yet Betsy does not.


"Fluffy" takes prominence but "Our Beloved Baby Gave us More Love Than Any Human" is pretty good stuff.


"Mitzie B - 13 Years of Love."


"Cocoa Tea Bean - My Baby, My Precious, Now, in God's Arms Purring."


Also of interest:
- Colma: The Musical.
- Official site.

Trailer


Colma Stays But I Have to Go
at

2 comments:

  1. michelle robinson6:37 PM

    Did i ever tell you about my father having 2 dachshund's when he was growing up? Well the funny thing is, My mom's parents were named Fritzi and Sammy, the same names as his childhood dogs. fate? Possible? Or great dog/parent names?

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  2. Mildred Davenport5:58 PM

    I like this. It makes me think there should be a book for grieving pet owners that consists solely of nice gravestone photos from pet cemeteries around the world.

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