Theodore Redlein - Forest Lawn

Many times I have walked by the cenotaph (person buried elswhere) erected in Forest Lawn in memory of Theodore Redlein. It is close to a roadway, so I was sure that he would get a flag on Memorial Day, but I bought a small one, just in case. Nope, so I stuck it in the ground, thinking maybe I should have spent a few more quarters on the next size up...

The boy scouts and other volunteers put in place hundreds of flags in the more traditional burial area for those who have served, so maybe this being on the other side of the expanse is why it wasn't on a list.  Wouldn't have been the only one. Maybe because he's actually buried in Belgium. At any rate, it was just something I felt a need to do.  Later on I went by and the urns had been filled with geraniums!

Again, don't know if this was another walker/jogger, family, or there are arrangements with the cemetery to take care of this. However it worked out, he now is definitely remembered! Later, I went to the store to pick up a larger flag.

I also found some of his background online, including this:

Thank you for your service Lt. Redlein, and for giving your life....

Forest Lawn Wildlife and Still Life

So, continuing on with the subject of Forest Lawn...What?  It's been a few months? Time flies...and so do Canadian geese...While WGRZ has a goose watch cam set up on their site of a goose nesting in a sculpture around Mirror Lake,I've had a few goose run-ins myself, the first being the most memorable.

So there I was, walking briskly and minding my own business, when suddenly to the right of me I hear this loud sound, like a helicopter "whoomphwhoomphwhoompph" and I freak out a bit and end up somehow standing on one leg with my arm around my head, all kind of curled up in a protective stance, like that would have helped.  A guard goose! I yelled at him that he was being rude and tried to walk away, but made the mistake of turning my back..."whoophwhoomphwhoomph"...Geesh!! I backed away after that, keeping an eye on him.

The next day I came back with my camera. I'm prepared.  However, come to find out that as soon as I heard the sound and whipped around, the goose got all casual...well, except for the neck thing...that means he's got an attitude...

...also vocalizes said attitude a bit when he decides to try the in your face intimidation routine....

A step in his direction though, and the casual act returns...until I turned my back....Put it this way...he's fast...but maybe you get the idea...

A few weeks later maybe I finally found the urn he was protecting, and everyone had flown the coop...he did a good job distracting me, that's for sure.

Meanwhile, the past few days have seen eggs hatching all over the place.  I saw at least 5 goose families around and about...

...the ducks just hanging out, watching the festivities...

One time the resident deer accompanied me for quite a while as I was walking about, but I didn't have my camera...rarely do when I see him...

Some wild turkeys were hanging around in the Fall...cars do not impress them...

Also saw a groundhog, then saw his burrow, and finally saw him peeking out...with the zoom on the camera! Not sticking my face that close!

Nearby, some still life...

...somewhat similar, a sphinx is in another section...

...and as long as I'm posting pictures from Forest Lawn, the headstone of Edward Austin Kent, who perished on the Titanic...

....that overlooks Mirror Lake...you know, back where this post started...and ends...

3407 Memorial at Forest Lawn

After picking up a new map of Forest Lawn I noticed that there is now a Flight 3407 Memorial in the northeast corner (section 36), next to the Birchwood Mausoleum. 3 years ago today...Rest in Peace.

(an older map is at the link)

Forest Lawn Tour - Part 2

Last Sunday Forest Lawn held their last bunch of historical tours, and I opted to check it out for the first time even though I've been there many times before.  Thought a different perspective would be nice along with the exercise involved in walking for 2 hours.

Different historical figures pop up at a few grave sites and give a small speech.  Among them "Irving Berlin's wife" sang, and "George Pierce" was excellent! Nice touch.

Early on I noticed that a few facts that the guide offered didn't line up with what I thought I knew, but I kept it to myself.  For one, the Franklin Square Cemetery was where old County Hall is, not the Rath Building, but they may have been scattered all over for all I really know.  However, this coincided with the guide indulging in a small rant regarding the latter building, which made me chuckle at first, but soon hit me as inappropriate on a tour.  Whatever.  I ceased listening as closely though.

Later on after another spotlighted sight she tossed off something to the effect of "Rick James is over there if you care; I don't even know why he's buried here unless it's because his mother is" and proceeded to go into rant regarding him, and still managed to mangle facts along with it.  Totally inappropriate.

I'm not trying to say he was a choirboy, wrongly convicted of various crimes and other failings.  Not at all.  The point, however, is that the man has family, friends, and fans of his music that visit his grave (in fact multiple fans were on the tour). Also, his family paid for a spot and as such are "customers" who do not deserve to be treated shoddily, especially by the cemetery itself via a volunteer guide.

At the end of the tour I pulled her aside to tell her that I found her remarks offensive and inappropriate, but got no further than one short sentence when she uttered a curt thank you, turned her back on me, and walked away.  How rude! I wasn't done yet!

All that needs to be said is that Rick James achieved international fame as a musician.  He was born and raised in Buffalo, which heavily influenced his songwriting, especially in the early days. The end. Personal opinions need not apply.

Other than that, it was a nice day for a walk.

Wordless Wednesday on Thursday: Forest Lawn Tour

Wordless Wednesday: On top of the hill near Mirror Lake in Forest Lawn

Family Farm

I was looking to see if I could find some Parker High/Elementary School related photographs for an alumni of '75 (which I think makes him a Clarence alumnus of '81 ot thereabouts). Reason being is that there's a new Facebook page for Parkerites (?) and a photo of the school was lacking.

Now I know my mom's yearbooks probably have some from the 40's, but I was into a right now kind of thing.

So I scanned a picture from Oneta Baker's History of the Town of Clarence.


For good measure I also sent along a photo I took of Jared Parker's monument in Forest Lawn, where he is seen favoring the Napoleanic look. I wrote about him previously here.


Then I went back to the book to see if there were any more pictures. Reading a bit more on Parker who had donated much money for a large school, later known as Parker, of course.

I noticed buried within a paragraph that at one time he lived on Lapp Road, at what later became known as the Hartwig farm. My great-grandparents! They were the ones without electricity, and the grandchildren looked forward to spending the night and playing checkers by candlelight.

Recently I had attempted to take a picture, but the house is back at the end of a long driveway, the way a lot of farmers set up their land, and I didn't want to go up all the way up. Didn't want to get out of the car in case dogs were roaming around either. At least they moved the school bus. Anyway, the picture is what it is.


The Hall family lives there now, but the farm acreage is now undeveloped County land and is known as Beeman Creek Park.

The things I learn by reading, and would have learned sooner if I didn't hop through a lot of non-fiction books. Now you can say you learned something today too :)

Forest Lawn Encounter

It was a nice day yesterday so I decided to go to Forest Lawn, since my previous visits had been in the dead of winter last year. When over near the area where some relatives are buried I found that I was not alone.


A deer seems to have taken up residence in one section. It was not afraid. In fact, if I'd had a treat it probably would have walked right up to me. As it was, it staked a claim to it's "spot" and wasn't leaving. I didn't challenge it either. However, it did listen to me chatter away at it without the slightest bit of interest, sort of like some humans.


As it turned out, I was a section over from where I intended to be, so we parted ways for the time being. Next time I'll have fresh batteries in my camera.