471. Happy Easter, among other things

Happy Easter.

Along with my dear friend Migael Dickerson, who called me fresh out of bed at 9:55 a.m. to say he would be joining me at 10:30 a.m. for Easter Mass, I attended church at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, at the top of Broadway on Baxter Avenue. (Migael arrived during the Second Reading). After the lighting of the Easter Candle by the deacon, the Reverend Dr. Eva Markham, the homily was delivered by the Reverend Dr. Tim Mitchell, centering on Jesus being the light of the world, a light which despite much of what happens as life goes on and on, and much does happen, the light can not be extinguished. It was a very good sermon.

Afterwards, the congregation celebrated with champagne and chocolates, set upon a table on what the parishioners call "the point" which is the sliver of land north of the church where Cherokee Road and Baxter Avenue come together opposite Broadway on the west and Cave Hill Cemetery on the east. Last week we used the perimeter of "the point" to make our Passion Sunday Procession into the church. I'm big on processionals and recessionals, in and out of the church, although I joined the Roman Catholic Church too late in life to fully understand "the old days" of Mary feasts, Corpus Christi, and others. Still, I like the ritual.

That point where we celebrated with champagne and chocolates was created when Louisville's "first subdivision" was built in the late 19th century, the beginnings of what is now called the Cherokee Triangle. It began by piercing Broadway across Baxter Avenue, and angled to the southeast, a new road which we now call Cherokee Road, but what originally known as New Broadway. The piercing of the street crossed over property which had been a part of Cave Hill Cemetery and the small amount of cemetery land south of this new road and north of Baxter, now detached from the main tract and unsuitable for burials, became home to the Episcopal Churh of the Advent, first in the form of a lease, and later by passage of title.

They also had organge juice available, which helped me with the champagne, something I truly do not like the taste of. But, a little organge juice makes for a mimosa, something I can handle, especially on a beautiful morning as we had today. From church, I visited the grave of my late uncle, among others, who is buried in Calvary Cemetery, a mile and a half south of the church. Calvary is one of Louisville's Catholic Cemeteries, of which there are officially four, the others being Saint Louis, Saint Michael's, and Saint John's (which is also known as Saint Mary's). There are at least two other Catholic Cemeteries, although they are privately controlled. Saint Andrews is a bucolic spot on top of one of the Seven Hills of southwestern Jefferson County, located off Saint Andrews Church Road on Saint Anthony's Church Road - see the picture above. The other is Saint Stephen, which is a small cemetery along the west side of S. Preston Street, a few blocks north of Eastern Parkway. There is some story having to do with the establishment of Saint Stephen's being centered on a rise of the fees associated with the opening and closing of a grave. I'm not clear on the story so I'll leave it at that.

I eventually made it to my mother's where I was fed, as is usally the case. She had chicken and potatoes and three-bean salad - and root beer to drink. There may have been other items available, but that's what I had. Thus ended my Easter celebration.

*****

Yesterday I was in Frankfort for a meeting of the Kentucky Democratic Party State Central Executive Committee. Other than confirming the governor's choice for a Vice Chair, nothing of note happened although it was relatively interesting and exciting meeting, as our meetings go. Our new vice chair is Bath Coumnty Judge Executive Caroyn Belcher, a CPA from Owingsville. Bath County, whose courthouse is pictured at left, is a few counties east of Fayette along I-64. It is one of five counties in Kentucky which is represented in two different congressional districts, the 4th and the 5th; the other four being Lincoln (1st and 6th), Ohio (1st and 2nd), Scott (4th and 6th), and Jefferson, where twelve precincts mostly in Okolona are in the 2nd rather than the 3rd. After the meeting, I had a lenghthy conversation with George Mills who is the SCEC By-Laws Committee Chair. We talked about divided districts, whether they be these congressional divisions, or the 46 legislative districts in more than one county, such as the 39th in Fayette and Jessamine or the 59th in Jefferson and Oldham, or senate districts such as the 7th, which is in several counties in central Kentucky.

In my last term on the SCEC, I had proposed several by-law amendments which addressed shortcomings (in my opinion) of our by-laws, but my efforts were defeated in February 2008, the day the lawyers stuck together and eventually tabled those efforts. I am hopeful the conversation I had with Mr. Mills will afford an opportunity to reopen those discussions, with a friendlier reception.

Leaving the meeting, I made stops at several cemeteries on my way home. First was Sunset Memorial Gardens, where several generations of my Lewis and Collins and Hockensmith relations are buried, including my grandparents who raised me. From there I went through downtown Frankfort, emerging on the west side of the county along Benson Creek and made my way to Beech Ridge Cemetery in Shelby County. Here are even older generations from my Hockensmith, Perkins, and Peters branches. I also found a cemetery on Bob Rogers Road in that same area with some Perkins and Smith burials. I'm confident the Perkinses there are kin, although I'm not sure as to how. I arrived in Shelbyville along Benson Pike and from there made my way back home.

Finally, trivia.

Since this is entry #471, can anyone tell me where the highway known (but not marked) as KY471 is located?