PLAN B?

I don't know why I don't expect some things to ever change but yesterday I certainly found that they can. I was at the Landsborough Cemetery a few weeks ago and took these photos of my Great Great Grand Parents grave. The grave dates back to 1877 and in the time since I was last there the old rose on the grave had grown a lot. It is a very old maybe a moss rose as it has a very hairy type of bud, bright red flowers and the most wonderful perfume. If I was able to at the time I would have pruned the rose but there was no bin to put the pruning in and I planned to do something next time I was back there. 

You can see that it is difficult to read the writing on the headstone.  This weekend has been the 150th celebration of the Landsborugh township and prior to the celebrations a crew from a local prison was put to task to clean up the Cemetery. So yesterday armed with my camera and sketch book, I went back to do some drawings and hopefully see some green growth on the rose. But alas the entire rose is now gone! Who knows how long it had been there, the grave has a wrought iron fence around it and I have always thought that the rose was planted at the same time that the headstone and surround was put there. I have been mulling over weaving the first photo, not that I am keen on weaving text, but it is the first connection to Australia that my Mother's side of the family has. I had hoped to be able to photograph the rose when it was out in flower. Maybe it will just have to be the way it is above. There is something about the image that resonates with me.