Mysteries Solved

New words intrigue me. New words spread around town on multiple signs on restaurants and stores give me pangs of curiosity.

After moving to Michigan, I saw "coneys" and "grave blankets" on signs for the first time, so I went on their trail.

One down:

You can't drive more than a few miles without seeing coney spots, and now I know why.

Coneys, which are worth a brake, are a standard-size hot dog on a steamed bun, topped most often with chili sauce, yellow mustard, and a sprinkling of chopped, raw onions. Hmmm, tasty.


Two down:

Grave blankets are a cold-climate variation of leaving bouquets and other tributes at a grave. They're evergreen rectangles that literally blanket a last resting place and tuck it in for the winter. These reverential tributes to the deceased are placed on graves from around Thanksgiving to almost St. Patrick's Day, when cemeteries remove the boughs and bows.

The local florist says her family makes a Christmastime trip to the cemetery with a grave blanket to honor her parents. They add a string of blinking Christmas lights to the evergreen blanket and sing carols graveside, for a family flourish.

At last, my curiosity can rest in peace.