It feels a bit funny saying that, when things have already been pretty quiet here, but summer is short and I need to take advantage. Plus there are still so many stories I want to explore.
I’ve got a couple of road trips planned, plus some beach days sprinkled in between. I want to make sure I actually take a break. A bit of exploring, a bit of driving around, and a bit of doing absolutely nothing for once.
Yes, beach days mean I’ll probably have a book with me, but research can still be relaxing, right?
So, the blog will be quiet for about two weeks, but I’ll still be posting on social media like usual, and I’ll likely throw up a few reels here and there from whatever I get up to.
I’ll be back after the break with new photos and stories from what I find along the way.
I hope everyone gets a bit of time this summer to step away from routine and do something you enjoy.
It’s the perfect time to fire up the grill, gather friends and family, and enjoy long summer evenings filled with good food and good company. So while researching gravestone recipes online, I came across what felt like the perfect summer cemetery recipe to try.
The grave of Jono Bot features more than just his name and dates. His monument also includes one of his favourite marinade recipes, permanently etched in stone. It features an airbrushed image of Jono grilling at a barbecue, with a recipe inscribed in his own handwriting.1
The Story Behind the Stone
Jon Breen “Jono” Bot was born on January 26, 1956.² He grew up near Luverne, Minnesota, before building a name for himself in nearby Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There, he owned several restaurants and bars that became gathering places for good food, live music, and spending time with friends and family.3
One of his best-known contributions was JonoFest, a music event named after him that celebrated local bands and became a Sioux Falls tradition.3 The festival drew thousands of people over the years and reflected his strong connection to the local music scene and community.
That love of food and hospitality comes through clearly in his memorial. Instead of choosing a traditional design, Jono’s gravestone celebrates something he genuinely loved doing. The result is a very personal memorial that immediately catches your attention.
Recipe gravestones are always fascinating because they preserve something from everyday life. Some memorials focus on careers, hobbies, or favourite quotes. Others, like this one, celebrate the simple moments that bring people together.
Jono passed away on September 25, 2018, at the age of 62.2 He is laid to rest at Saint Catherine Cemetery in Luverne, Minnesota. His obituary opens with the line, “After the band finished the final encore and the house lights came up, Jono Bot left the show and stepped out into the hands of God.”3 It feels especially fitting considering how connected he was to music, community events, and bringing people together.
Gravestone of Jon Bot. Saint Catherine Cemetery in Luverne, Minnesota. Photo by Find a Grave contributor, Denise1964. Photo used with permission.
Here is the recipe exactly as it appears on the gravestone:
Jono’s Jack Daniel’s Marinade
1 1/2 cup water
2/3 cup soy
1/2 cup bourbon
3 tb spoon Worch
2 “ lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
A couple things stood out to me right away. First, “Worch” is shorthand for Worcestershire sauce. Second, despite the title mentioning Jack Daniel’s, the recipe itself simply says “bourbon.”
Since this is a marinade, I assumed the meat should sit for at least a couple of hours, or ideally overnight, before cooking. I decided to try it on pork chops.
In the Kitchen
This recipe was incredibly easy to put together. I only needed to pick up a few things from the grocery store. I had run out of soy sauce, needed a fresh lemon, and, of course, I needed the whiskey.
That sent me down an interesting rabbit hole about the difference between bourbon and whiskey.
The recipe is called Jono’s Jack Daniel’s Marinade, but the ingredients on the gravestone simply list bourbon. Since I was curious about the difference, I stopped by my local LCBO and asked one of the staff members for some advice.
There was one small problem right away. At the moment, American alcohol has been removed from LCBO shelves as part of Ontario’s response to the ongoing trade dispute between Canada and the United States. That meant Jack Daniel’s wasn’t an option.
Instead, the staff member recommended Jameson’s Irish Whiskey. He explained that, because Jack Daniel’s is made using the sour mash process, Jameson’s would be one of the closest alternatives currently available.
I also asked about the bourbon versus whiskey question.
He explained that all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. It turns out that bourbon has to meet some specific legal requirements, including being made in the United States from a mash containing at least 51% corn and aged in new, charred oak barrels. Even though he suggested another whiskey that was a little closer to a traditional bourbon, I decided to stick with something closer to Jack Daniel’s since that’s what the recipe is named after.
Once I had all the ingredients, making the marinade couldn’t have been easier. I grabbed a large bowl, measured out all the ingredients, and mixed them in the same order as they appear on the gravestone.
The first thing I noticed was the smell. With half a cup of whiskey in the recipe, it definitely had a strong aroma. The marinade was also very dark, which made it a bit tricky to photograph.
To test it out, I thawed two pork chops from my freezer and let them marinate overnight. They were completely submerged, so I probably could have added another piece or two of meat, but that’s all I had. The next morning, I flipped them over and let them continue marinating until it was time to barbecue after work.
Dinner almost went exactly as planned.
I fired up the barbecue and added the pork chops, along with some corn and green beans. Then, halfway through cooking, I ran out of propane! Thankfully, I was able to finish everything off in the oven. My mom also shared some of her potato wedges, that she had made, to round out the dish.
Despite the unexpected interruption, the pork chops turned out fantastic. They were flavourful, juicy, and had just the right balance of sweetness and savoury flavour. This is definitely a recipe I’ll be making again. It’s so simple to prepare, perfect for summer barbecues, and one I can easily see serving to friends and family.
A favourite barbecue recipe may seem simple, but it can say a lot about a person and the memories they shared with others.
Jono’s gravestone does exactly that. Even years later, it still encourages people to fire up the grill and try something that clearly meant a lot to him.
Thanks for reading!
References:
To Die For: ACookbook of Gravestone Recipes by Rosie Grant | Book
At the beginning of June, my fiancé and I packed up the car and headed east to Matane, Quebec, for the Gaspesian Metal Fest. Since it’s about a 14-hour drive from home, we decided to turn the trip into a full cemetery road trip adventure!
Our first stop was Gatineau, where we stayed with an old friend for the night. While we were there, he took us to a very cool spot in Ottawa called Pub Italia. The place had such an interesting vibe. The decor was full of vintage church pieces and religious items, most of them apparently thrifted over the years. It honestly felt like wandering through an old church basement, mixed with a pub. They also have something called the Beer Bible, which was a massive menu packed with beer choices from all over the place. It was fun flipping through and seeing the huge variety they offered. They don’t serve flights, but they were happy to offer samples so you could try a few different beers before deciding.
The following morning, we hit the road again and made the long drive the rest of the way to Matane. After spending so many hours in the car, we were more than happy to stretch our legs once we arrived. Matane sits right beside the St. Lawrence River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, so the entire town has beautiful seaside views.
The tide was out when we stopped along the shore, so we wandered out across the rocks and walked the beach for a little bit. Chris found a piece of sea glass, and I found a couple of empty crab shells that absolutely came home with me. I can’t resist bringing home little nature treasures from road trips.
After checking into our hotel, we headed downtown to visit the local craft brewery and grab supper. We ordered deep fried pickles that we both agreed were some of the best we’ve ever had. We also had a couple of beer flights so we could sample different brews.
The next morning was dedicated to cemetery exploring.
The first cemeteries we visited were right along the coast, and the ocean views were beautiful. Some of them had large statues, mixed in with smaller obelisks and older gravestones. I also started noticing similarities in the cemetery gates as we visited more places. A couple of them had “R.I.P.” worked directly into the gate designs, which I thought was an interesting detail.
One thing I noticed on my last Quebec cemetery road trip was that many cemeteries seem to simply take the name of the town they are located in instead of having distinct names like Woodland Cemetery or Parklawn Cemetery. That seemed to be true in eastern Quebec as well. Most of the cemeteries didn’t have signs at the entrances. Instead, I found a few stones deeper inside the cemeteries that had the cemetery names carved into them.
Between cemetery stops, we visited the Matane Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. This ended up being one of the highlights of the trip for me. Built in 1907, the lighthouse still overlooks the shoreline and has become one of Matane’s best-known landmarks. We practically had the whole place to ourselves, so we wandered through the exhibits before climbing to the top of the lighthouse.
The audio tour was well done, and part of the experience included carrying a large keyring filled with old skeleton keys to the lighthouse tower itself. Since the tower stays locked, you need the key to make your way up the spiral staircase, which honestly made it feel like we were lighthouse keepers heading up to check on the light.
The tour ended with a local folktale about mermaids that claimed sea glass was actually mermaid tears. That felt especially fitting since Chris had found a piece of sea glass the day before. Folklore can be such a fun part of travelling because every area seems to have its own stories and legends.
After the lighthouse, we visited a few nearby villages and stopped at a couple more cemeteries before grabbing lunch. The last cemetery we visited was right across the street from a Dixie Lee, so it felt like a natural place to stop and grab something to eat after exploring. We ended up learning it was actually a chain restaurant, but it hit the spot after a busy morning on the road.
Matane is pretty well known for its shrimp and seafood. We had been hoping to try shrimp poutine and lobster rolls while we were there, but unfortunately we were a little too early in the season. I still managed to get some popcorn shrimp at Dixie Lee though, so at least I got a small taste of the local seafood.
Later that afternoon, we freshened up and headed to the Gaspesian Metal Fest. The venue is right on the waterfront, so it was easy to settle in on the patio with a drink, listen to the bands, and watch the waves roll in at the same time.
That night, we had supper with the guys from Sandveiss, who we had travelled specifically to see. They were super cool, and we had some good conversations throughout the evening. Their set was fantastic and completely worth the drive.
Before leaving, we grabbed some band merch and said goodbye to everyone. The only disappointing part was missing out on the festival t-shirt because they had completely sold out by the time we got there. The design featured a shrimp throwing the horns, which honestly sounds perfect for a metal festival in Matane.
The next day was spent driving the 14 hours back home. Since the trip back was so long, we didn’t stop at any cemeteries along the way, though I definitely took screenshots on Google Maps for future trips.
By the time we finally got home, we were both exhausted, sore, and very ready to sleep. Still, it was such a fun trip, and I am really glad we turned a concert weekend into a full cemetery road trip adventure.
Last month, I ran into some pretty devastating technical issues that threw a major wrench into both my workflow and my organization system. Thankfully, I’ve managed to sort out most of the big problems, but now comes the long process of going through files, reorganizing folders, and figuring out exactly where everything ended up. That is definitely shaping up to be a winter project.
Right now, though, summer is calling.
Around here, nice weather never lasts long enough, and I fully intend to take advantage of every road trip, cemetery visit, and photography adventure I can before the snow flies again and I retreat into hibernation mode at my computer.
The good news is that while the blog may have been quiet, I certainly haven’t been.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve collected a lot of stories, photos, and cemetery experiences that I’m excited to finally start sharing. There are seaside cemeteries overlooking the water, historic burial grounds filled with fascinating history, and even an enchanted kingdom that felt like something straight out of a storybook.
A little taste of my most recent cemetery road trips.
I’ve also visited some beautiful small towns, discovered hidden details tucked away in old cemeteries, and stumbled across a few unexpected stories that I can’t wait to dive deeper into. Honestly, that is one of my favourite parts of cemetery photography. You never really know what you’re going to uncover until you start exploring.
So, consider this my official “I’m back” post.
I’m looking forward to getting back into a regular posting schedule again, sharing more road trips, more history, more photography, and probably a few odd little discoveries along the way, too.
Thanks for hanging around while I worked through the technical mess behind the scenes. I’m happy to be back and can’t wait to share more cemetery adventures soon.
This week’s blog post is going to look a little different.
Earlier this week, my cat stepped on my keyboard and somehow managed to delete my entire cemetery photography folder. Years of cemetery photos, research, blog drafts, and organizing work disappeared in an instant. Needless to say, it has been a stressful few days.
Thankfully, I do have a backup from early 2025, so not everything is gone. I’ve also been working through recovery software trying to salvage as much as possible from my hard drive. So far, I think I’ve managed to recover most of it, but there are still around 800 files missing, and I’m not yet sure exactly what was lost.
Right now, my main focus is rebuilding and reorganizing everything. Once I finish recovering what I can, I’ll need to merge those files with my backup and basically piece my archive back together folder by folder. It’s going to take some time.
Unfortunately, that also means the post I had planned for this week is going to be delayed while I sort everything out.
This has been a painful reminder about the importance of backups. I had actually planned to buy a new terabyte drive earlier this year and start doing more regular backups, but I kept putting it off.
I definitely regret that decision now.
Once everything is stabilized again, I’ll be setting up a much cleaner backup system and doing monthly backups moving forward.
I’m not going to pretend this week has been easy. I’ve lost sleep over it, and seeing years of work suddenly disappear was honestly heartbreaking. But I’m trying to stay hopeful. I think most of the archive can be recovered, even if rebuilding everything will take a while.
So if things seem a little quieter here over the next little bit, that’s why. And if there’s one thing I can pass along from this experience: back up your files.
Seriously. Don’t wait until something goes wrong.
Thanks for sticking with me while I get things back in order.
Some cemetery stories come from wandering through the rows of gravestones in person, but others show up through research, photographs, and the unexpected things people choose to leave behind on a memorial.
This is one of those stories.
A French Silk Pie recipe engraved on a gravestone somehow manages to feel sweet, funny, personal, and a little unexpected all at once. It turns a memorial into something that feels almost like a family recipe card left behind for anyone curious enough to stop and read it.
Sharon Kay Edwards is remembered in a way that feels very real and relatable. The front of her memorial carries the line: “Well, that didn’t go how I thought it would…” which genuinely made me laugh the first time I read it.
She is buried in Friends Cemetery, a cemetery that also holds the graves of baseball brothers Clete Boyer, Cloyd Boyer, and Ken Boyer.¹
Sharon’s obituary talks about her life, family, and the people she loved, but there is absolutely no mention of French Silk Pie.² No hints. No baking references. Nothing that prepares you for what is carved onto the back of her headstone.
On the back of her tombstone is a full French Silk Pie recipe, engraved into the stone as though it was always meant to be shared and passed around.
Sharon’s French Silk Pie gravestone recipe. Photo by Jill Petracek.
Here is the recipe exactly as it appears on the stone :
Sharon’s French Silk Pie
1 Stick butter
3/4 C. Sugar
2 Squares Choc.
Unsweetened. Melted. Cooled
1 Tsp. Vanilla
2 Eggs
Cream Butter. Add sugar gradually. Cream well. Blend in choc. and vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time. Beat 5 min after each egg.
Crust
2 Cups flour
1 Cup chopped pecans
1 Tsp. Vanilla
2 Sticks butter (1 cup)
Melt butter. Add 1st 3 ingredients. Press into pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees until brown.
In the Kitchen
This recipe has a surprisingly small ingredient list, so pulling everything together was pretty easy.
The raw eggs were the first thing that piqued my interest. I had to look into that a little bit. Traditional French Silk Pie recipes often relied on them for that smooth, rich texture, but modern versions usually recommend pasteurized eggs or other safer methods while still aiming for that same silky finish.³
I was not able to find pasteurized eggs at my local grocery store, so I decided to live dangerously and use regular eggs.
I started with the crust first.
I mixed everything into a rough dough and pressed it into a pie plate. I have long acrylic nails, so this was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. I ended up using my knuckles and the palm of my hand to flatten everything out and get it somewhat even.
The recipe doesn’t mention pie weights, but some of my research had suggested them. I don’t have any pie weights anyway, so instead I just poked holes in the crust with a fork and hoped for the best.
Into the oven it went for 15 minutes. After checking on it, I put it back in for another five. It probably could have baked a little longer, but I was scared of burning it and ruining the whole thing.
After 20 minutes total, I pulled it out and left it on a wire rack to cool while I started the filling.
The filling definitely took more effort. I followed the instructions exactly as written and used my hand mixer to save my wrists a bit, but beating each egg for five full minutes still felt like an upper-body workout.
As soon as I added the first egg, the texture noticeably changed and became lighter and fluffier. It actually reminded me a bit of making meringue. I kept scraping down the sides of the bowl while mixing to make sure everything blended properly.
Once it looked smooth enough, I spread the filling into the crust with a spatula and hoped for the best.
The crust was buttery and flaky, and the filling was rich with that smooth, silky texture French Silk Pie is known for. And so far, no ill effects from the raw eggs, which feels like a win.
Trying it once felt worth the risk for the experience, though I think I would want pasteurized eggs before tempting fate a second time.
It’s funny how a recipe like this can also reflect how cooking habits and food safety awareness have changed over time, while still hanging onto the comfort and nostalgia of a classic dessert.
At the end of the day, this whole story comes back to something pretty simple: pie.
It is the kind of dessert that probably showed up at family gatherings, holidays, and kitchen tables for years. The kind people went back for seconds, even when they claimed they were full.
Seeing a recipe like this engraved on a gravestone adds a completely different layer to that idea. It turns a dessert into part of someone’s legacy, which is kind of amazing.
And somewhere out there, Sharon’s pie recipe is still being made.
If you have ever wandered through a cemetery with me, you already know I tend to slow right down. I look at everything. The lettering, the symbols, the little details that most people walk right past. It’s one part curiosity, and one part appreciation.
Gravestone rubbing is one of those things I have heard about for years but never actually tried, and after looking into it more, I don’t think I will. It always sounded kind of fun in theory. A little bit of history, a little bit of art. But once I started digging into it, I realized it might not be as harmless as it seems.
Gravestone rubbing is the process of placing paper over a headstone and gently rubbing it with charcoal, crayon, or graphite to capture the inscription and design underneath.1 The raised lettering and carvings transfer onto the paper, and the results can be surprisingly detailed.
The practice has been around for a long time and really took off in the 19th and 20th centuries as a way to record older or hard-to-read stones.2 It was especially popular with historians and genealogists trying to preserve inscriptions before they faded away.
One of the most well-known examples comes from Daniel and Jessie Lie Farber.3 Over several decades, they created thousands of gravestone rubbings between 1938 and 1969, documenting early American gravestone art in incredible detail. The Farber Gravestone Collection is still referenced today, and even without seeing the stones in person, you can get a real sense of how intricate and expressive these carvings can be. Some of the rubbings feel almost like artwork on their own, capturing not just names and dates, but patterns and symbolism that would otherwise be easy to miss.
Know Better, Do Better
This is where things get a little tricky.
Even though gravestone rubbing was once seen as helpful, it’s now widely frowned upon.
The biggest reason is pretty simple: it can cause damage.
Even a gentle rubbing puts pressure on the surface of a stone. Many older stones, especially ones made of slate, sandstone, or marble, are already fragile after years of weather exposure.4 When you add repeated rubbing into the mix, it can lead to flaking, cracking, or losing those fine details altogether.
A really good example of this is the Bean Puzzle Tombstone. It’s a unique and popular stone that has had a lot of hands on it over the years, including people doing rubbings.5 You can actually see how all that attention has added up over time.
Because of concerns like this, gravestone rubbing is now illegal in some U.S. states and restricted in others.6 In Canada, it’s not outright illegal, but many cemeteries have their own rules against it or require permission first.
Groups like Cemetery Conservators for United Standards have also spoken out about it.7 Their focus is on protecting these stones for the long term, which usually means limiting physical contact as much as possible.
Alternatives
The good news is you don’t have to miss out on those details.
One method I always find kind of clever is the mirror method. You use a mirror to reflect sunlight across the surface of the stone at an angle, which helps bring out the lettering and carvings.7 It’s simple, but it works. If you don’t have a mirror handy, even a flashlight can do the trick.
This is my go-to. You can capture everything you need without ever touching the stone. Changing your angle or adjusting the lighting can reveal details you might not have noticed at first glance.
The more I learn about cemetery practices, the more I realize how much things change over time. What once seemed like a good idea does not always hold up, especially when preservation is involved.
As much as I love the idea of gravestone rubbings, it’s not something I see myself trying.
For me, it always comes back to that same mindset I bring into every visit: respect the space and leave it as you found it. Do no harm.
There are so many ways to document and share these stories without causing damage. Sometimes all it takes is a little patience and a different way of looking at things.
April always makes me think of the Titanic. It’s hard not to, with the anniversary of that tragic sinking approaching. This year, I spent some time reading Titanic Victims in Halifax Graveyards, a book my mom found while thrifting. She’s always been fascinated by Titanic history, and after finishing it, she knew I would love it too, so she passed it along.
Written by Blair Beed and first published in 2001, this book is a deep dive into the stories of Titanic victims who ended up in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Beed, a Halifax resident, brings his experience as a tour guide and tourism professional to the page, giving the book both historical context and local insight.
“For eighty-five years dozens of victims of one of the most famous ships in history rested quietly in Halifax, Nova Scotia, until the 1997 film Titanic created a renewed interest in the burial sites. Visitors to Halifax have many questions about the city’s connection to the infamous ship. Of the 328 bodies found, why were some buried at sea? Why were 59 bodies sent elsewhere for burial and the rest buried in Halifax? Titanic Victims in Halifax Graveyards answers those questions while telling the intriguing and little-known story of the 150 passengers and crew who were buried in the port city of Halifax. Using official reports and newspaper articles, author Blair Beed provides an outline of life on board the Titanic, describes society as it was in 1912, and highlights the care for the dead taken by the crews of the recovery ships and those who met them on arrival in Halifax. This revised edition, with two new chapters and an updated design, is an important addition to any Titanic library.”
I love that my copy still had the receipt tucked inside. It was purchased at the Maritime Museum in Halifax, which houses many Titanic artifacts. It may seem odd, but I’ve kept the receipt with the book. It feels like a small, tangible connection to the city and the history it preserves.
The book is meticulously researched, walking readers through the victims’ stories with care and detail. It would make an excellent companion if you’re planning to visit the Halifax cemeteries, which I hope to do someday. I’d love to take my mom along too, since she shares my fascination with this history.
The details blew me away! From the recovery mission itself, to how every piece of clothing and even tattoos were documented to help identify the victims. I also appreciated how Beed organizes the book: part historical narrative, part cemetery guide, making it easy to follow the locations and stories of each burial site.
I absolutely loved this book. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in Titanic history, Halifax’s maritime past, or even just those with a morbid curiosity. It’s incredible to realize how much there is still to learn about this tragic event, even 114 years later.
Thanks for reading!
I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you!
Some gravestones tell stories through symbols, epitaphs, or carvings. Others share something even sweeter.
Gravestone recipes are one of those rare connections between memory and tradition, offering a way to bring the past into your kitchen.
Fleda Jane Osburn Shearer’s sugar cookies are a perfect example. They were more than just cookies; they were a way to bring people together, share comfort, and create memories that last. Known affectionately by some as “Funeral Cookies,” Fleda often baked them for gatherings in Arkansas.1
Visitors to her grave can now sit at a bench engraved with her recipe and bake a batch themselves, keeping her warmth and hospitality alive.2
Fleda was born on March 5, 1934, and passed away on June 3, 2017, at the age of 83.3 One of the most memorable ways she touched her community was through her baking. Her sugar cookies were served at funerals, family gatherings, and casual visits alike.1
After she passed away, her family honoured her by placing the recipe for these cookies on a bench at her grave in Magness Cemetery in Heber Springs, Arkansas.² At her funeral, the cookies were served alongside lemonade beneath a large tree, just as she would have done in life.2 The bench near her grave even features a small starburst design, echoing the pattern she pressed into each cookie, inviting visitors to sit and remember her.2
The recipe engraved at Fleda’s grave is simple, classic, and delicious, exactly the kind of cookie that just melts on your tongue.
Gravestone recipe for Fleda’s sugar cookies. Photo credit: Jill Petracek
Here is the recipe, as engraved on the stone bench at her graveside:
Sugar Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup margarine
1 cup cooking oil
2 eggs
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon extract (optional)
4 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. Salt
Combine sugars, margarine & oil. Add eggs – stir in flavorings. Add all dry ingredients, mix well. Use 3/4 oz cookie scoop. Flatten with cookie press or glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. ENJOY!
In the Kitchen
These cookies were surprisingly simple to make, which honestly makes them even more special. The ingredients were basic and easy to pull together, which made the whole process feel really approachable. I did have to make one small substitution. I didn’t have lemon extract, so I used lemon zest instead.
Once everything was ready, the dough came together easily. There was nothing complicated about it, which made the process feel relaxed and enjoyable from the start.
Portioning the dough was a bit of a guessing game. I don’t have a cookie scoop, so I used a loose-leaf tea measuring spoon, which probably made my cookies larger than intended. They did spread quite a bit in the oven, so even though I spaced them out, some ended up touching. It wasn’t a big issue, just something to keep in mind if you try out this recipe.
One of my favourite parts was stamping the cookies. I didn’t have a decorative drinking glass at home, so I borrowed one from my mom that had a patterned base. I dipped it in sugar and used it to press each cookie before baking. It added such a fun and unique touch, and it’s an easy way to change up the look of the cookies depending on what you use.
I baked them for 12 minutes, which turned out to be just right. Nothing burned, which always feels like a win. Since it’s Easter weekend, I wanted to give them a bit of a spring feel. Since I didn’t have any yellow sanding sugar, I sprinkled a little extra lemon zest on top of the cookies after baking. It worked really well, and the helped the lemon flavour come through.
This recipe made a big batch. Even with making larger cookies, I ended up with about 40 cookies across four trays.
Right out of the oven, the cookies were soft, fluffy, and tender. They were lightly sweet without being overpowering, exactly what you want from a classic sugar cookie. The lemon flavour was not that noticeable when I had one straight out of the oven. But Later on, the lemon flavour became more pronounced.
I brought some of the cookies to a game night that same evening, and everyone agreed they were very tasty.
Overall, these are easy, comforting, and fun to make. I can absolutely see why they became such a meaningful part of Fleda’s legacy.
Gravestone recipes like Fleda’s show that memory can be sweet, simple, and deeply personal. Each batch of cookies is more than flour and sugar. It is a little piece of someone’s life and hospitality that can be enjoyed anywhere.
You can make the cookies at home, share them with family and friends, and continue a tradition of comfort and connection that Fleda started in her kitchen long ago.
Some cemeteries are small and quiet, tucked behind a church or hidden along a country road. Others are so large they feel more like cities for the dead. Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges in Montreal definitely falls into that second category.
Located on the slopes of Mount Royal, this cemetery is the largest in Canada and one of the largest in North America. With winding roads, towering monuments, and thousands of trees, it feels less like a cemetery and more like a historic park filled with stories.
Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges was founded in 1854 by the parish of Notre-Dame in Montreal. The first burial took place on May 29, 1855, for a 35-year-old Irish woman named Jane Gilroy.¹ Earlier cemeteries had been located near churches, but space and hygiene concerns, along with a 1853 city bylaw, forced a move to Mount Royal.1
Sitting on the mountain gives the cemetery symbolic meaning in Catholic tradition, representing hope for the promised resurrection. Surrounded by nature, it also offers a quiet place for reflection. Walking among the trees and winding paths, visitors can feel the combination of history, art, and natural beauty all at once, which also makes it a great spot for photography.
Today, Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges is recognized as the largest cemetery in Canada and the third largest in North America.²
The cemetery was designed during a time when burial grounds were being reimagined as peaceful landscapes rather than crowded churchyards. Its layout was influenced by the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, with winding paths, scenic views, and carefully planned monuments.³
The cemetery also functions as a large natural park, with more than 13,500 trees spread across its grounds.3 Because of its historical, cultural, and artistic importance, the cemetery was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1999.5
Haunted
With a cemetery this old and this large, it probably comes as no surprise that there are plenty of ghost stories attached to it.
One of the most well-known spirits is that of Sarah Ellen Page King, also called Sadie. Witnesses say her grave site is haunted by the sounds of a woman and infant weeping and crying.6 Sadie’s story is a tragic one. After losing her infant son George, she was sent to the Saint-Jean-de-Dieu Lunatic Asylum, likely for depression, and remained there for 24 years until she died in 1946.6 Her family never visited or even acknowledged her, and when she was buried beside her son, no tombstone was placed in her memory.6
While other alleged spirits haunt the cemetery, Sadie’s story is the one most often told for its tragic and haunting presence.6
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it’s easy to see how the atmosphere of such a large and historic place could spark a few spooky legends.
My Visit
I visited in July of last year while I was in Montreal with my fiancé. He had a tattoo appointment, which meant I had some time to myself.
Naturally, I decided to spend it wandering around the cemetery.
Before I arrived, I made a short list of graves I wanted to visit, including “The Rocket” Richard and La Bolduc.
Even with Google Maps to guide me, I still got completely turned around. At one point, I wandered over to the maintenance office just as a bus full of workers was about to head out for the workday. I asked them for directions to the main office, and they kindly offered me a ride. I accepted and took a seat near the front.
They were the grass crew heading out to cut grass and clean up weeds around the cemetery. I happened to be wearing a T-shirt with my logo on it, which sparked a few curious questions. When I told them I was a cemetery photographer, they seemed genuinely interested. Everyone was very kind, and after a short drive, they dropped me off at the main office before heading off to start their workday.
I always try to visit the cemetery office, when there is one, because you never know what kind of interesting things they might have. The office was fairly busy, so I didn’t want to take up too much of their time. I asked if they had any brochures or maps, and they were able to give me a few pamphlets and they had a small booklet for sale. The only booklet they had left was in French, but I happily bought it anyway, since my mother speaks French and could translate it for me later.
Booklet, map and pamphlet from Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Montreal QC
To say the cemetery is big is an understatement.
I spent several hours walking the grounds and still only saw a small portion of it. It also happened to be an extremely hot day, so I took plenty of breaks in shady spots to cool down and catch my breath.
I did not manage to visit every grave on my list, but that just means I will have to go back and explore another section of the cemetery.
Even after several hours of walking, I felt like I had only scratched the surface of Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges. The size alone makes it an adventure, and every path seems to lead to another interesting monument or historic grave.
Next time I visit Montreal, this cemetery will definitely be on my list again. After all, there are still plenty of stories waiting to be discovered.
Cemetery Photography by Chantal Larochelle 