Some Kind of Wonderful

Shadow and I go for a walk through the town cemetery at least 3 times a week.  It’s a safe place away from traffic and isn’t a bad place for training.  We often meet new dog friends there.  We’ve walked through there with all our dogs over the 15 years we’ve lived here and it’s amazing how many things one can miss.  I always appreciated this headstone because it is very different from most of the rest, but just recently I actually read what was on it.

If you can’t see it, here’s a detail: 

Spiro Christoff

Born May 17, 1889 Prilep-Macedenia, Yougoslavia

Died Aug 21, 1956 Greer, SC

I now wonder what’s the story.  Who was Spiro and how did he end up in Greer, SC?  Where exactly is Prilep?  What I found is that it is now the Republic of Macedonia on the northern border of Greece.  Prilep is almost central.  You can check out the Google map.  The photos from there are quite scenic with the mountain ranges.

As far as Spiro, he may have been driven out during one of the world wars.  The fact that it says Yougoslavia, makes me think WWII, since the Kingdom of Yugoslavia did not start until 1929.  But after the war, he didn’t go back.  I like to think he fell in love.  What do you think?

I’ll leave you with this headstone.  It catches my eye, because, of course, it reads Penland and reminds me of the school in Bakersville, NC.  Again, I finally read the stone and was shocked at what I saw.  Do you see it????