How to be a (patient) Victorian

Yesterday after class my friends from work (all of us happen to be history majors and take classes at the same University, go figure!) and I visited the University Bookstore. From time to time I enjoy perusing the history section to see what new books are out. By chance, because I rarely look at the European History section, I happened upon How to be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman.

Today I purchased the book (using a gift card I had received at a history award event... nothing like some book money), and have read the preface. I am restraining myself from reading anymore until I am finished the semester... but oh I can tell it will be hard!!!

The author, Ruth Goodman, is what I would call a "practical historian." Ms. Goodman's involvement with the Farm series, particularly her time on Victorian Farm and Victorian Pharmacy, has provided her with first hand experience of everyday Victorian life. The Edwardian, Wartime and Victorian Farm shows have provided me with hours of entertainment, and have provided me with much inspiration.

I would love to do something like Ruth and her co-workers(stars?) have done one day - spending a year living on an historical farm would be a fascinating and unique experience.

For now I shall have to content myself with the excitement of getting to read about Ruth's experiences in How to be a Victorian... 

Waxing Philosophical and a Skirt

I have not been doing so well at maintaining my keener academic status lately... I haven't done any substantial research for my honours thesis in almost 3 weeks, I have somehow forgotten to do readings for my classes, I don't study French and I took an entire week to write a 5-page (double spaced) paper. Its just sad. Also I forget that I need to get groceries.
I have been looking to distract myself from the craziness that is life and school, when really I should just be using school to distract me from all the stuff that has been happening in life lately.
The future has seemed really close and important lately - part of the reason I haven't felt the necessity to push myself into schoolwork has come from the need to get stuff ready for grad school applications. The decision to finish my undergrad by August 2014 was rather last minute, and then came all the stuff that goes with it - like being able to assert what you are going to research and what it contributes to the field of history before you have even started. I have never spent so much time editing and re-hashing a single page of work. Ever.
In my desire to ensure that I have everything set for the next 2 years of my life, I have forgotten the things I need to focus on in the present; which , incidentally, have an impact on the future.

In an attempt to distract myself this weekend I decided to sew a skirt, because what else does one do with there are other, more important things that they should be dealing with? (It is supposed to be 1930s inspired.)

Okay, I am off to make myself a schedule... and have a nap.

"Rural" Cemeteries vs. Rural Cemeteries

Today I have another meeting with my honours advisor. I get really excited about my meetings, because it is so exciting to share what I have been learning. This week I haven't actually done any reading... which is not at all good, being as that is kind of what my entire job is for this term. I have been sick and I was just falling asleep anytime I started to read or study anything. Also I had a mid-term in a different course, which was nerve wracking because it was a music listening exam, which is something I am not always confident on.

While I feel like I have been completely unproductive, I am also feeling kind of good about what I accomplished this weekend on my trip home to see my family. (It was my dad's 50th Birthday, my mom planned a surprise for him. It was awesome!) My mom and dad came with me/took me to see three cemeteries that are nearby our home. Sometimes I find it really hard to think that me going to cemeteries is actually me doing research because it is so much fun for me. 

First let me explain that when I am referring to "rural cemeteries" I am generally talking about urban cemeteries. A rural cemetery is generally found in urban centres that were cities at the turn of the century. They are laid out in a park like manner, with landscaped trees and pathways, maybe even a water feature. Rural cemeteries are often on hills, and are located away from what would have been the centre of town when a city was younger... perhaps it was even in what would have been the country. (Makes sense considering the land for the cemetery was typically purchased from a farmer.) There are typically no grave covers, and there are often no iron or picket fences around graves or plots either. The rural cemetery is not associated with a specific religious group, though they are generally the Protestant cemetery in the area, and they are laid out in a way that will offer people a connection that will help them to grieve by restoring a relationship with nature that has been lost in the busy urban world. They are as much a city park as a city cemetery.

Second, there seems to be an issue with calling cemeteries in rural areas "rural cemeteries," as they are more like the old church graveyards (and often still are church graveyards.) So I think I may have to call the "country cemeteries" to avoid confusion. That being said, there are some differences I have found in country cemeteries that suggests, perhaps, a different attitude towards death than was present in the city. I don't know if there is actually a difference in attitudes however, as it seems that a reason for creating a rural cemetery in the city was to give the city folk a place to escape to the slowness and heritage of the country that they have left behind. And as the country folk are still connected with the land, they are obviously not going to need to have a peaceful "rural cemetery." Additionally, the population being less, there isn't really the money to maintain a manicured and landscaped cemetery. 

There are some more physical things that I have found to be different in country cemeteries I have visited so far. There are, for one thing, more grave covers. I don't know yet why this is. Family plots are also a bit different, with the graves being very close together. Also there are a few plots that had trees planted on top of them, which would never happen in a rural cemetery, as there are rules in order to maintain the landscape.
(At this point the internet in the library cut out, so I have not idea what I was going to say after this...)

Here are some pictures:

We found this friendly black cat at the cemetery... I thought it funny.