Do you remember that rock that Hubby found out in the field? Â I told you about it awhile back in this blog post. Â Well here’s an update…well lets start a little further back.
Hubby was in the field picking rock. Â For those of you who aren’t farmers- The fields often have rocks in them. Â Farmers pick the rocks and take them out of the field whenever possible. Â The machinery can catch on or hit the rocks and that can damage the equipment. Â Damaged equipment means break downs and break downs mean delayed plans. Â Anyway, farmers hate rocks in their field and pick them. Â Rocks aren’t everywhere though. Â We have rocks on the farm in our area. Â A half hour east of us where Kelli lives, there is MUCH less rock. Â Where the rocks are is dependent on where the glaciers went through.
Anyway…he found this rock just peaking out of the soil. Â He got the skid loader and worked to get the rock out and loaded. Â He immediately loved the rock. Â It has a flat surface on two of the sides. Â It’s very unusual.
He asked his boss if he could have the rock and his boss said -sure. Â Then the rock sat. Â One reason it sat is because we didn’t know anyone who engraved them…two we were still living at the farm. Â Although we lived in the house we felt awkward having a huge rock out front that said “KRAMER” on it when the farm wasn’t Kramer’s. Â It was a problem.
Well fast forward to now. Â The rock has been sitting there for likely 5 years. Â Hubby’s boss was cleaning out around where the rock was and asked Hubby about the rock. Â That prompted us to start talking about it again.
Then Kalissa gave us a gift certificate for our anniversary to have the rock engraved.
A guy in the area has started an engraving business and has done a wonderful job…so that part was settled. Â Now to figure out what design we wanted…Decision time and you all know I hate that.
We contacted Reicks Monument to see if they could start us in the process of figuring out what to do with the rock. Â Hubby had to deliver the rock there which he did and then we asked Chris, the owner, if he could come up with a design. Â He asked for suggestions and we thought “The Kramers” and “est. 1986” should be on it. Â Well the design came back and we didn’t like it.
Hubby asked if I wanted to design something. Â I said no. Â We talked and talked about it. Â I finally said, how about we had a “K” in a circle? Â I explained that growing up my parents had a circle and a “J” as their farm logo. Â That ways the circle was me and the K was him. Â PERFECT. Â We both loved that idea.
Then I looked on the internet and found a company that makes some neat designs…like this…
We didn’t want that design but we told him Chris, the engraver, that liked something more like this with a “K” in circle and prominent. Â We wanted our last name only and we wanted the established part. Â We told him we wanted different fonts and different sized fonts.
Chris came back with a few designs. Â We actually were fine with all of them but ended up picking this…
We both really like it. Â The rock is better than we imagined.
Of course it doesn’t end there. Â Next we were debating on where to put it. Â We are calling this it’s home for now…and for now, we are waiting til spring for the landscaping around it.
Here’s a closer up picture.
Little by little we get things done.  Considering how long the rock was in the field and  how long it was at the farm, waiting until spring is no big deal.
Hubby wishes we could use it as a tombstone. Â The back side is flat and blank. Â He thought we could put our names and dates there. Â Cemeteries don’t let you do that though..do they?
Well that’s the rock story…at least the first chapter…stay tuned.
Yes, you should be able to use your rock as your monument. Just check with the cemetery where you will be buried. Some cemeteries have restrictions on size, type and material of headstones.
My husband owns a monument business and has had customers bring in large rocks that they wanted to use for their monuments.
Your rock looks great! I love it! I can hardly wait to see how you landscape it and how lovely it will look then.
What a great looking rock, cant wait to see what you end up doing with it now that its etched.
My first thought was, “Perfect gravestone” hehe! Why wouldn’t the cemetery let you use it if it was properly installed? Have considered putting it in front of the house, close to the front of the porch, kind of centered between the steps and the corner? Some flowers, rock, some flowers (or shrubs). Just a thought. Anyway, I think your rock is really cool…..sure wouldn’t want to hit something like that in the field with the combine head or something.
Wow! It is beautiful. Who knew that a rock found in a farmer’s field could look so good.
That rock turned out pretty nice. A beauty of a rock to display your name in the front yard. I agree it would look nice as a tombstone monument as well,
Wow, I really like that. Our rocks have no personality.
My first thought when I saw the engraving is that it looks like a grave marker.
I think cemeteries all have there own requirements as to what’s allowed.
A beautiful stone, excellent engraving. I saw a picture of a gravestone on Pinterest. The reverse side of the woman’s headstone was a Christmas cookie recipe. Apparently, she’d always said she’d share the recipe “over my dead body.” So her kids took her literally!
Since you live in the country look for a small rural old cemetery. My brother is buried in a country cemetery in ND and his grave is next to the wheat field. Fitting since he was the 3rd generation wheat farmer on our family farm.
Your rock looks great. A cemetery might not let you use it for a grave stone now, but buy the time you and hubby would need it they may have changed the rules.
I see no reason for a cemetery would refuse your rock. When Dad died, Mom had a double headstone made and engraved all us kids (6) names on the back so that shouldn’t be frowned upon either if you want your names on the flipside.
That turned out very nice!! And what a great idea for future use!
It does kind of look like a tombstone. It would be worth an ask. I do enjoy reading about the goings on in your life on the farm!
Love the rock! Where you have it currently, it reminds me of the start of your own personal cemetery for Halloween!! For the other headstones, I would use cardboard or Styrofoam and the babysitting kids could help decorate the headstones. Something for them to do every day until Halloween!!!
Check with the cemetery where you want to be buried. Several allow them now.
I wonder how many years that rock sat, waiting for Roger to discover it? You choose a great design and Chris did an excellent job with the engraving. It will look so welcoming, especially when you are able to do some landscaping around it next spring.
Very nice stone. The cemetery will tell you the restrictions, if any. One thing to consider is when would the rock be moved there, when will it be engraved (when one of you dies or after both of y have died)? I’m glad your foot is progressing. I still have your birthday block to mail to you. The next time I see it in my sewing stuff, I’ll mail it.
SO cool, great story. I admire how your home is made up of all thing you and your husband, love. At this time in your lives, y’all are able to make just about every aspect of it a representation of your 20+ years together. That’s saying something!
Your “rock” turned out beautiful. What a nice way to mark your yard.