This is my All Saints / All Souls post, I guess ...

Tim's project involved collecting fall leaves according to a few different and simple specifications: shape, color and texture.

I had been dying for a reason to tour the newly-opened Perrineville Lake Park, the latest county park property to be developed preserved.

But, instead, Tim wanted to conduct the nature walk through the Old Tennent Churchyard. I can't exactly say I've been dying to visit the cemetery - as I've never set foot there - but I supposed there would be a variety of trees with an occasion to stress good graveyard etiquette.

I grew up with the public cemetery practically in my backyard and I cut through it on the walk to church which had its own chain-link fence-enclosed cemetery. I never entered that one, as it belonged to the church. I had too much respect.

Old Tennent Churchyard is expansive enough to drive through, there are several paved loops and we encountered one or two other cars and the rare grounds truck. A white Lady of Lourdes statue frankly caught me off-guard as I thought the site exclusively Presbyterian. There were plenty of Irish and Italian names in that section which doesn't necessarily tell you much.

Kenny spotted some Hebrew lettering on a mausoleum which he mistook for Greek and I was able ... a little too proudly, I'm afraid ... to tell him it was the decalogue ... which is easy to recognize when one knows little else.

I stopped the car at interesting-looking trees, Timmy and I stepped out, plucked a leaf or two from the trees and got back in. I was in no position to walk, actually, especially with all the kids.

Near the tombstone of a young man in his 20's was a plastic case in the ground, filled with sand and toy construction vehicles. The headstone said something about building and excavating. I told Timmy that the grave had a memory of the dead man's life profession but all Timmy wanted to do was break through the plastic to remove the toys, as the man "wasn't using them anymore." The kid's utilitarianism scares even me at times.

I said the most he could do was call his other brothers over and show them the memento we'd found. I like it when folks have that flair, to put something so meaningful and permanent at a grave, especially for a young person who hasn't really defined himself fully.

I'd say it was a worthwhile outing and the completed collection of fall leaves was stunning. I know of a couple of other graveyards nearby, so I guess I can take the kids again sometime.