No gophers, but I did find a hole.

 
​I went to Graceland Park Cemetery in Omaha the other day looking for tree stones to take pictures of for a new blog post. I stepped into another topic on accident and ended up chasing a squirrel. Not a literal squirrel, but a figurative one - ya know, like I do :)

Graceland Park Cemetery, Omaha, Douglas Co., NE

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I found a squirrel in that hole at Graceland Park Cemetery, Omaha, Douglas Co., NE

I ​spotted some interesting stones and stopped to take a few pictures when I accidentally stepped in a hole. It happens when you frequent the cemetery. They do, after all, exist in nature, and one learns how to walk...differently. It's not exactly a cautious gait but you learn to keep your balance when you step on strange things like hidden gravestones, cut down tree stumps, zombie claws, etc.

​So there I was, meandering about when I stepped in a hole. I went on about my business and kept on walking, ended up cleaning an old stone to read the inscription, and then headed back to the car. For reasons I can't quite understand, I revisited the hole I stepped in. I had an inkling it might be more than just a hole.
​Turns out, I was right. Good thing too, otherwise this blog would end here and would be rather boring. 

Gravestone for Draginja Medakovic, Graceland Park Cemetery, Omaha, Douglas Co., NE

Below you can see what I found. The stone had quite a bit of mud on it, but the amazing thing about this is, I would bet you good money someone is watching after this stone. Someone has been here recently (within the year) and has cleaned up this stone. Someone is still remembering this memorial. 

Consider this my fellow grave diggers - how many stones no longer have holes for us to stumble into? Some of them aren't even dips in the ground anymore. They're completely covered, just lying there, waiting for someone to come along and dig them up...literally!

Thurman Cemetery, Fremont Co., IA

​So the next time you go to the cemetery and you don't see a stone where you expect to find one, it's not necessarily accurate to assume there isn't one there. Check with the cemetery office, ask them if they know a) if a stone was placed and b) what kind of stone it was. A flat stone may be hiding just under the surface.

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Prospect Hill Cemetery, Omaha, Douglas Co., NE

Do a little research digging before you pull out a shovel, but let's remember -  when you're in the cemetery, just because you don't see it, that doesn't mean it isn't there :)
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​Happy hunting!