If you are going to the cemetery to read or photograph tombstones,, be sure to take a mirror with you. It will help you read and photograph hard-to-read tombstones. Some people use brushes or chemicals to clean the stones but that can damage the stones and the inscriptions. You should never brush the stones or put chemicals on hard-to-read tombstones. Here's a message I sent to MOLAWREN about the technique last fall. I'll send it again for those of you who might be going to visit cemeteries this spring or for Decoration Day. Sorry I did not think to send it earlier. A suggestion for reading "unreadable" tombstone inscriptions easily and safely, which requires only a mirror and the sun. I use a mirror about 10 in by 12 in, but almost any size will do. Stand in a position so that you can reflect sunlight off the mirror onto inscriptions on the stone. It is easier if the sun is behind the inscription side of the stone or to the side and not shining directly on it. If the sun is already shining on the stone have someone else stand to throw a shadow on the stone, then reflect the sunlight off the mirror onto the stone. This is sometimes tricky and sometimes it is not possible to cover the entire inscription at one time. The amount of the inscription that is "revealed" depends on the size of the mirror and the angle of the sun and mirror and stone. This will bring out the letters and numbers very sharply without having to clean the lichen, moss, etc. It also sharpens the lettering on stones that are quite worn. It also makes them ver! y easy to photograph or video. I used this technique on several old faint and covered stones that are "unreadable" at the Rutledge Cemetery (Grainger County, TN) last October -- some of my Moore, Turley, etc., relatives. I was able to read the stones easily and got some great photos and videos. Ross Cameron