Tree Shaped Tombstones - The La Crosse Carver Part II

After roaming the quiet lanes of Oak Grove Cemetery I resumed my actual mission in La Crosse, which was to check out a possible brewery cave.  More on this another day.  But my interest was diverted once again by another unexpected cemetery, this time the Catholic Cemetery of La Crosse.

Although this one is a bit newer it also had considerable promise as there seems to be a slight tendency towards "Tree Shaped Tombstones" in Catholic grave yards.  This proved to be an unusual cemetery.

You may recall that I left Oak Grove with photos of a "Rustic Cross" style monument.  Here are two more in the Catholic Cemetery that are clearly the work of the same hand.  One is a little more modest than the others, but otherwise...sturdy base, Dying Dove on right branch, wing held upwards....

Next up was a surprise.  These stumps are unusually not subsidiary to a family monument. They are stand alones.  And again the local craftsman's attention to detail on these is clear.

The hand of nature has improved upon the hand of Man here.  The yellow lichen almost looks like painted on highlights.  Very pleasing work.

I'm going to wander off topic a little, but the Catholic Cemetery of La Crosse had some odd stuff in it.  There were a bunch of these grottos, most in need of some repair.

There were also quite a few of these stark metal monuments.  I think this is a European style because they all appear to be associated with Czech names.

I'm sure it was a commerical product, not hand made.  But it also had some nice details.  See here where the soul cluching a bouquet of flowers ascends Heavenward from a very Old World looking city.