"Welcome to the Weekend Chat!" All Members Invited!! February 19th - 21st, 2021 [closed]

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CHANGE TO BEST ANSWER PROCESS:  After much discussion we have come to the conclusion that all answers in the Weekend Chat are of equal importance and weight.  So we are going to discontinue the Best Answer portion as it adds points and then takes them away from posters and is causing some hurt feelings.  So in the interest of everyone is equal and valued we will delete any best answers given which will deduct those points because it has been pointed out that to give everyone best answer is also not a viable option. 

Weekend Chat is for everyone. It's a place to catch up on what people are up to and to share what you've been doing.  New members can say hello, introduce themselves, ask questions, and meet each other.  Our seasoned members can share progress or successes from their projects, give tips and advice, or chime in on hot topics.

Post as many answers and comments as you wish. It doesn't hurt anyone to post a lot and enjoy the multitude of topics.

Enjoy yourselves and spread the love!

Comments

In Canada we say 'Bonne fête' on people's birthdays, literally translated it means Good Party.

In the rest of the French speaking world 'Bonne fête' means Happy Saints Day as in the saint you are named for.

The rest of the French speaking world says ' Joyeux or bon anniversaire' on birthdays. The anniversary of your birth.

In England a fête is a fundraising event almost like a fall fair with food, drink, entertainment and games.

Pip whichever your wife prefers I hope she has a great day.

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{{{Pip}}} so sorry to hear about your step-brother! Condolences are never enough, but sending love to all of you in this trying time! Also sending birthday greetings to your wife. My dad's birthday was also February 19th.

Glad to hear the church renovations will move forward, and good luck on the land purchase.

Thanks again for hosting this chat, Pip, and for all you do on WikiTree!

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I think IMO he ought to get her a 6 ft long 6 ft wide faux fur blanket and a faux fur robe to match ...

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Happy Birthday Greek! (And now we know what name to put on your Christmas card besides "Mrs. Pip". Although I'm not sure what the name "Greek" has to do with honeybees.)

(And, yes, I am being silly. I suspect that Pip left out a few words there. )

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Pip calls Mrs. Pip the same thing I call mine, "Commander", translation "She Who Must be Obeyed".

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My youngest daughter has always acknowledged all those she knows birthdays as "hatch days" so a very happy hatch day to your wife Pip.

Thoughts are with you all too on your lose.

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Hau'oli Lā Hānau to Mrs. Pip. That's Hawaiian for Happy Birthday.

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Sweet- the very trendy honeybee brooch you see everywhere on everything? I hope it was actual Gucci since your celebration was combined! I actually this week found myself deeply saddened by the loss of my wifi.. how does one seek aide without said communication? How in rural areas are we to receive rescue from yet another disaster? There should have been a line down text (from anybody) pre-ensuing danger. Yet, there on the other hand are those although this morning replaced by AOC imported from New York to Texas lol who with tail between their legs resort vacationers who instead of digging themselves out of despair along with the constituents who afforded the hired security guard for his cute little poodle. Whom might I add coincidently was named Snowflake!!! Speaking of genealogy I believe you summed up my entire life on Wikitree so far with the surprise call from kin -oh the merging- and let’s not forget the randomest family connection!!!

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Herzlichen Glückwunsch nachträglich zum Geburtstag und alles Gute zum kommenden Lebensjahr!
Der Herr segne dich und behüte dich;
der Herr lasse sein Angesicht leuchten über dir und sei dir gnädig; der Herr hebe sein Angesicht über dich und gebe dir Frieden.

That's enough German for now - all the best and God bless.

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Thank you, Frances! So very kind!

Answer 1

Prynhawn da Pip, as usual thanks for hosting. 

Today is National Tartar Sauce Day, first Friday after Ash Wednesday, it's not just for fish!

Two years ago All I had was my birth name and where I was born, this week I found my Norman invader relatives, not something I mention to some of my Anglo Saxon neighbors, boy do they hold a grudge.

Only 309 days until Christmas, can't wait.

Comments

Now, James, I am sure you would like some summer between now and Christmas. I know it is rather wet today and the wind is increasing but the sun was with us yesterday.

I am sure I have some Norman ancestor somewhere with all my southern English heritage.

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Sut dach chi? Hilary, took my daughter to Llangollen to the GP this morning, the weather between Cowen and there was all the difference you could imagine.

Just checked, the difference between Denbigh Morrison's and Rhyl Morrison's petrol and diesel is 10 pense a litre, I've got a Disco 2 for the difference, I'm moving up by you.

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Re: The parking lot king, when my daughter had to do the Shakespeare play in high school, she always referred to him as Dick the three.

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James, interestingly, we have a Horseshoe Falls near us, like you do near Llangollen. Looks like a lot of cool places to eat there, too (curtesy of Google Maps).

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The River Dee is 113 kilometres long and if you ever had the time to walk it you would love every minute of it.

One of the best sites to see is the Pontcysyllte Aquaduct, a World Heritage Site.,completed in 1805, built by Thomas Telford, crosses over the Dee at 128 feet high, andabout 1000 feet long, it carries the Llangollen Canal across the gorge. The Aquaduct carries narrowboats across and carries water down to the Shropshire Canal.

I lived on a 70 foot narrowboat for 14 years, we couldn't cruise the Dee, but tgere are3000 miles of navigable canals and rivers  throughout the U.K.

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James,  As Carol says, ' Wikitree can be such fun!'  Cicely's parents are the common ancestors of us and my wife and, as well, Kathy supposedly descends from Edward's wife.....as for Vikings and Anglo Saxons wasn't the solution.....marry your enemy.....I seem to be seeing it on WikiTree.

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Hello John, I am never not amazed by the things I find being connected on here.

As I have said many times before, it's found me the family I never had.

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James, I have noted, with interest, when you have mentioned narrowboats, as I found and studied them in the past, when I was on Google Maps looking up some of my ancestor's towns.

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Good morning John, it's 00;43 here.

Yes narrowboats first were used her as early as the 1700's, they could carry tons of everything from pottery and china to coal. And one horse could pull them. A lot better than wagons on bumpy roads.

Mine was 70 feet long I designed and project managed it. Two bedrooms 1 and 1/2 baths with tub and shower. 15ft. X 6ft 6 living room, kitchen dishwasher washer dryer frig and freezer and full cooker. Satilite tv, wifi central heating and wood stove.

The best part is if you want to take off or if you don't like your neighbors just unty and you take your house with you. Or wait til late and unty them and let them float away.

With 3000 miles of navigable canals and rivers to travel, you have a long time ti cruise.

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I had a hard time with that tartar .. I kept reading it as tartan ... but I took a nap and it got straightened out ...

Answer 2

Today is also.....

           

  NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MINT DAY

Recognized by the US National Confectioners Association, National Chocolate Mint Day is observed annually across the nation on February 19th. This holiday has been set aside for all the chocolate mint lovers to eat their favorite treats all day long.

The Aztecs and Mayans are given much credit for their ways with chocolate. And while chocolate was brought back to Europeans, they were not fond of the dark, bitter bean, so they used more for medicinal purposes.

As it was mostly consumed as a hot beverage, Europeans mixed mint, cinnamon and other spices to make it more palatable. Over time, they added sugar, and the combination of chocolate and mint became fashionable.

Fast forward to the mid-1800s when inventions and improvements in processes made it possible for confectioners to begin mass-producing chocolates. Even then, small candy shops served a local public. Advertisements for mint chocolates, or chocolate mints, did not start showing up in newspapers until the turn of the century.

One of the earliest mass-producers of chocolate mints was Huyler’s in New York. Their chain of stores spread across the country. 

Today we find mint chocolate in everything from ice cream to brownies, cookies and candies, liquors and sauces. Girl Scouts first sold Thin Mint cookies in 1953 and are still their most popular cookie. Mint chocolate is also the name of an herb with edible leaves that tastes like chocolate and mint.

HOW TO OBSERVE Chocolate Mint Day:

Below is a favorite frosting recipe for chocolate cake. It looks great decorated with chocolate mint candies, a perfect way to celebrate National Chocolate Mint Day!

Mint Frosting for Chocolate Cake

1 package cream cheese (8 0z), softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon mint extract
Green food coloring

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.  On low speed, beat in mint extract, 2 to 3 drops of green food coloring and 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar until mixed.  Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Store frosted cake in refrigerator.

The following are some other chocolate mint recipes for you to try:

Layered Mint Chocolate Fudge
Chocolate Mint Brownies
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Mint Pie

Comments

Oh my, I looked up the recipe for Chocolate Mint Pie and about died! Now to convince the wife that mint is good for her.  Thanks, Dorothy. I love these weekend goodies!

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Hi Dorothy! Thanks for the 'National Day' news. When it comes to chocolate mint, I like my chocolate straight up, no mint. Just doesn't seem right to my taste! You have a good week and stay safe. Hugs!

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Yep, read it and weep for the Days of Yore when I could indulge ... thank you for provoking nostalgia (seriously, it was a nice 4 minute drool over my chocolate mints past ) 

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Ah memories... in college working with the actual title "part time temporary long distance operator for Camp Drum, New York working in Syracuse, New York" we had an old fashioned switchboard, and of course you aren't supposed to eat at the board but we did. So there were some Peppermint Patties being passed around and someone said "I don't like the middle, I just like the chocolate" but opened the key too soon and said to some poor surprised soldier "chocolate, operator may I help you"

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I love Girl Scout Thin Mints but there’s baking Andes those could replace chocolate chips for another version of Chocolate chip cookies.

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After Eights are the best mint and chocolate treat.

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Kay, Camp Drum is that the same as Fort Drum?

Not too far from where my DH 5 X GGF bought land in Cherry Valley in 1773.

5 years later he was a Butler's Ranger and later one of the founding families of what became Niagara on the Lake, Ontario.

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Yes.  Pine Camp in Second World War days,  Camp Drum, now Fort Drum.  Near Watertown and Black River, New York

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Thank you (I prefer chocolate mint to tartar sauce) 

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Beulah; I have that wrong, it was Fort Plank/Plain. It was the historian at Fort Plank that provided information about my husband's 5 X GGM ( a British loyalist family) being exchanged in 1780 for a prisoner taken by Butler's Rangers at Cherry Valley 1778 and sent to Upper Canada.

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I knew Cherry Valley was way south of us but I'm not second guessing someone else's entries when I don't know any thing different.  One trade for another and we are even:  corrections on purifiers and military records.

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i love the ones that used to be available at the cashier's stand in a restaurant ... only time I ever got to have a choco-mint ... until I was in my 30s and found some, a meager amount, in a long box in a store ... there's not enough in the box, not ever ...

Answer 3

Thank you very much for hosting yet again, Pip!

I took the chance to perhaps be the first to answer 

In southern Sweden, it's wet. The snow is melting away. As a nice change, we saw the sun this afternoon, at least twice 

I have had several break throughs in my research lately. Two more generations on one line, mostly thanks to another good researcher. Found out that one of my ancestors was buried in my city, just where today's city library is situated!

Comments

Haha, not first, with such a lot of people sitting ready at their keyboards 
Have a nice weekend everyone!

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Hi there, Maria! We saw sun for the first time in days this morning. Glad of it, too! It's been very wet and cold here lately.

Congratulations on your new ancestors! I'm wondering about the burial and the library. Is the library built over the cemetery?

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Hi Pip,
The medieval church and the cemetery are part of a small park that is next to the library. The cemetery had its last burial in 1816. Even if it's a bit unclear (to me), it seems like the cemetery is not built directly upon.
My city had "loads" of churches, and the one that stood where the library / park now is, was torn down already soon after the reformation in 1536.

Some info in English:
https://kulturportallund.se/en/notes-to-the-history-of-lund/
 

and a page where you can see a lot of the plaques put up at locations of churches that no longer stand:

https://kulturportallund.se/lund-som-medeltida-kyrkligt-centrum/

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What a fascinating history, Maria! Is the church still in use?

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I felt I had to add some info, so check my edited comment out Pip.
The cathedral of Lund has some parts that are original, but almost all of its exterior has been rebuilt.

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Thanks for that link, Maria! What a beautiful church.

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I just thought it was mind boggling (correct thing to say in this case?) to learn that my ancestor was buried in that graveyard in 1777, and I've been walking over the graveyard many times without knowing.

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I bet that has been the case with me, Maria. I grandfather often took me to cemeteries and would mention that so-and-so was buried in the cemetery without a headstone.

Answer 4

Thank You for hosting the Chat Pip,

Monday we were expecting a major storm. That means we needed our heavy coats where I live. Diane had to turn in the key for her job, she quit due to health reasons, and we made one last grocery run before the storm hit on the way home. I then went with the grandson to pick up a file cabinet and his school bag because he was told to stay with us after work. The storm did hit but he made it safely to work and back. We already have 69.8 inches of snow so far this year and with another 9 to 14 on the way it sounds much worse than it is.

Tuesday I worked on putting the stuff in the file cabinet, still gotta organize that but at least it is in one place for now.

Wednesday, it was COLD! -20 C (-4 F)!!! I went out to snow blow enough to move the car over a bit and for Diane to be able to get out of the drive so that she could go to one of her doctor appointments and in less than a half hour my fingers got to the point where I was losing feeling even with gloves on. At least she got out of the drive. We decided to take advantage of the clear day and order Chinese takeout for dinner, She got shrimp because it was Ash Wednesday but that was not an option for me due to my allergy to shrimp. I finished moving things around in the small bedroom and next on the list is the other spare room that is becoming my office. The good news is that Diane's visit with the doctor went better than we expected. She has no restrictions on any food but rather it is just a matter of changing some minor things to improve her eating habits.

Thursday, yet another snow storm. This one with only about 3 inches of snow. For us that is nothing. I worked on organizing the stuff in the new to me file cabinet because I have a virtual meeting on Monday so that room should look neat for that meeting. I saw on the news that they found a film, actually a commercial for electricity, made about 1924. It is a silent film but it shows Cleveland, Ohio, United States as it was in the early 1920's before interstate highways and even before the Terminal Tower was built. view it from this page, https://www.hagley.org/librarynews/heart-cleveland-film-lost-gem-cinecraft-archive , if you wish to see a blast from the past. Thursday is also the day we decided to let our dog Oscar run loose all night. He did spend part of the night in his crate, that is his safe space, but the door was wide open and not latched. He was fine but I am not ready to leave him loose when we go out on errands yet, he gets quite anxious when even one of us goes out so I am a bit worried about what will happen if no one is home with him.

That brings us to Friday, today. I have the mess mostly cleaned up in the office and have no major plans for the day. They are predicting even more snow today, not much this time, less than half an inch, but there is good news on the horizon. They are saying that starting Sunday our daytime high's should get above freezing so some of this white stuff should start to melt. Soon I hope to start to scan in some documents I have and add them to some profiles but that is going to be a slow process because I have to carefully read each document and make sure it gets attached to the proper profile. I might use a free space page to upload them and attach them to the proper profile later, I am not sure yet.

Just in Diane decided she wants to clean the house. I have to find some excuse not to do that.

Genealogy, I am going back to my roots for now. I plan on working mostly on my actual family and weed out a lot of these lines that are not actually my family but rather very distant uncertain connections.

Enjoy the weekend and stay safe

Comments

Dale, when I read about how much snow you've had already, it makes me want to quit complaining about our few flakes (two to three inches twice this season). I am really glad to hear how your wife's doctor visit turned out. I know you are feeling a sense of relief.

I was stunned to see that young fella (was that you? ) chopping wood barefooted! What a great video. I'm betting that that farm is now covered with homes and businesses. That poor wife. I was taught that no one could start eating until the cook had sat down, and there they were, all eating away before she even finished serving. What a great find, this video!!

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Pip, I no longer chop wood but back when I did I would never chop barefoot even in the summer.

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Dale, did you recognize any of the buildings or other landmarks in the video? (I'm trying to help you get out of cleaning.)

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Pip, some of the buildings are still there around the square but down by the flats, the river area, has changed the most because of the interstate highways that were built. I remember back when I was a young boy going with my grandfather down in the flats where he worked and watching them build the interbelt bridge (I90 and I71) way over our heads.

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(Dale, is this working... getting you out of cleaning the house?) That film is wonderful. Makes me want to see others like it (not the Hollywood kind).

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Pip, Yes and No. I am going to have to help eventually. That link should allow some other films and pictures. to be shown. If not they have a youtube page here, https://www.youtube.com/c/HagleyMuseumandLibrary/videos . I don't know everything they have but that could be fun to check out

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Good to know things are pretty much on track in your home at least even if it SOUNDS like your home is under 8 ft of snow ... I doubt it is though

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Sounds like you have had some snow. Does your lake effect snow taper off once the lake freezes over? Your weather descriptions make me think of "there's a reason that February is the shortest month"....

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Kay, yes it does slow way down when the lake freezes, But, there are several "cracks" in the frozen surface with the largest one being 3 miles wide and 35 miles long meaning the water can still evaporate and cause "Lake Effect" snow.

Answer 5

Greetings from the Old Pueblo. It's 7:30am and a very chilly 36F (2.2 C) with an expected high of 73F (22.8C). I do wish we could send some of our expected high to all the folks suffering from the severe cold in Texas. I have colleagues there and am wishing them well and send positive intention for warm weather, water and all the basic needs for comfort and survival. This is, indeed, a human tragedy. And a pandemic on top of all this.

I had my third Mastering Genealogical Documentation class via zoom this past Wednesday. It is a great group. Cyndi Ingle, CG, is teaching the course through Genealogy Pants. It is very detailed learning, yet I truly believe it will improve my sourcing skills. There are 36 people in the class from across the nation. Our member from Texas was 'on and off' based on electricity, but made it through most of the class. We got first-hand information about the disaster in Texas and we gave first-hand support as best possible. I've had little time this past week due to university tasks and will have less time next week as I must travel up to Phoenix to do work at my university office, then get my 2nd COVID vaccine next Friday.

I did very little Wikitree work this past week; however, I did have to work on a few Baldwin profiles. We have a relatively new Wikitreer who has a penchant for making duplicate profiles and not sourcing, or writing 'first hand knowledge' on 17th and 18th century profiles. Some of these are in 16th century England. I've had to go back and merge duplicates and repair profiles that have already been established. It has been frustrating and I'll be recommending a mentor.

Pip, it does sound like you have had a week! Please extend by best wishes to your wife for a Happy Birthday! I am very sorry to hear of your step-brother's death. Sincere condolences to you and your family.

It is good to know, Mr Scotland, that you are enjoying the Tartan Trail in your tartan! I'm sure you are very outlander and you trek along the Land of the Thistle. Did you know the thistle was adopted as the flower of Scotland after a battle with the Norwegians? Don't believe me? Just ask Alexa!  Gus an ath sheachdain!

Comments

Howdy, Carol! Great to hear from you. No, I never knew the story of the thistle and had to look it up. You're just sharing this to make me more Scottish? 

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Nemo me impune lassecit?

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Ahhh, the motto of the Order of the Thistle!

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Hahaha! Is it even possible to make you more Scottish? Nemo me impune lassecit? As in Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado"??? All about not attacking with impunity. Great short story! 

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Haha! I'm becoming more Scottish by the minute!

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Hugs neighbor! Sounds like you're one very busy lady! I still haven't found time to profile my Irish Brennan ancestors. After the struggle I had with the White side of my family, I haven't been anxious to get started though my Aunt Sue did the major work. LOL

I feel so blessed because my shot is close to home without need to travel so many miles. Have you decided to travel to the Midwest after you get your second vaccine next week?

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Hi Diane, It is a challenge to drive solo to and from Tucson/Phoenix, especially following the 2nd shot. I envy you that short distance, but am very fortunate to receive the vaccine while so many others still wait in line!

I am very likely going to fly to Wisconsin, probably toward the end of March when my niece, Elyse, a Senior II in nursing school will be home on spring break. She and I can work together to care-give mum and give my sister and her husband a break from caregiving. Thanks much for asking and I would like to keep you apprised. Another reason to go is that this isolation is really starting to nag at me. I am a major proponent of mental health for all, which is dreadfully overlooked. It's ok to have a broken bone or heart disease and people empathize. Few empathize with depression, PTSD etc. and keep mental health hidden as family secrets. It's as real as a broken bone and needs as much empathy. OK...that's my bandwagon for today and I'll hop off. Wikitree has been my solace during this pandemic, but I do need human contact and to see mum even if she doesn't remember me. A mum hug is a real hug, memory present or not. Thanks for asking, Diane. You are such a nice person!

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Speaking of mental health, have you read The Boy Between: A Mother and Son’s Journey From a World Gone Grey? As someone who previously experienced depression, it was fascinating. I also think everyone should read this one. So many people do not understand what depression does to the one suffering it. I know my family didn't understand!

You're a nice person too, but you always seem to make me blush! I look forward to hearing about your future trip.

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Hi Diane, I will put this on my must read! My daughter and my mum have histories of depression. My son-in-law has PTSD. He did four tours of duty in the Middle East. Unless one has a history, or have family with histories, no one understands the toll that it takes on the person, those they love, and the ones who love them no matter what. Thank you for having the courage to share! We never know how our honest sharing might help others to know that they are valued no matter what their health condition. Personally, I think the worst health conditions are apathy and lack of compassion!

Answer 6

My tip of the day is for anyone who does not know where the water shutoff(s) in your home are, find them now and tag them.  Also close and open them every 4th of July and Christmas to keep them so they can be moved.  Hard water will solidify them after several years, speaking from experience.  If they are shut off and the pipes freeze and burst, at least all you should get is a small water leak, not enough to take down your ceilings!  Remember other leaks
can also occur besides freezing and it saves a lot of emergencies being able to get the water stopped quickly.

I am enjoying my breakfast of Cream of Wheat and the memories it provides.  My father died before I was two and left my mother with four children under the age of five and very few finances to raise us with.  We ate the cheapest breakfast foods available and I have to admit I still do not like Corn Flakes and it took me a few years to really enjoy oatmeal, by choice, with the addition of raisins, cinnamon, brown sugar, etc,  to make it palatable.  She did serve us some other cereals but not very often.  It reminds me of her memories of her stepfather.  He was the twin of the literacy
evil stepmother.  He was a very poor tenant farmer and almost every year between the ages of about 5-10 they moved.  This was not uncommon in the 19(teen) years .  She had bitter memories of one winter when all they had to eat was oatmeal with NOTHING on it and turnips which were a common cattle food.  They were large roots similar in size to a medium, Halloween  jack-o-lantern size.   And tough fibered and not sweet and tasty as the small baseball size ones most people have to eat today.   As we grew up she maintained three large gardens and I remember weeding, harvesting and canning many crops.  However, she never grew turnips and we all knew why.  At least we had sugar and milk on our cereals.  As an adult and raising my own family with rather comfortable conditions I have to marvel at how well she did to raise us under the situation she found herself in.  There was no welfare, food stamps, etc. at that time.  We all worked for our school lunches in the cafeteria of the school, often the most filling meal of the day.  And there were no free or reduced lunch programs.

Comments

Beulah, you need to write a book (and it is one that I would read!).

Are you speaking about the water shutoff valve by experience? I hope you didn't have a leak... or a flood.

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When we went to Florida we would drain all of the water in the pipes, and the hot and cold pressure tanks.  Then when we had a two week loss of electricity and were the very last area repaired in the state, while we were in Florida, there was nothing to freeze and burst.  After Herb died I knew how to drain everything and keep doing it.  It costs $100 to have a plumber drive in the driveway plus hourly costs.  I
can do a lot of other things with that money.  Some people may live in apartments etc. that do not have individual shut offs but it sure is handy if you have that availability.  I have had to use it several times to replace or repair faucets.

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Ah, I haven't had any Cream of Wheat in some time, but also like it. I've always wondered if my mother's aversion to rice (and her sister's) was because they had way too much rice pudding in the 1920s. To this day my cousins won't eat squash -- its food for the cows, not for people.

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Do you remember the radio ditty "Cream of Wheat is so good to eat that we have it every day.  We sing this song, 'cause it makes us strong and it makes us shout Hurray!  It's good for growing babies and grownups too to eat.  For all the family's breakfast you can't beat Cream of Wheat."?

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I remember when I was a student we were advised by the university authorities to turn off the water when we went home for Christmas. So very conscientiously we turned it off at the stop-cock. When we came back in January there was a note from the landlord (we rented privately) apologising for the lack of hot water, but he had been in to do some maintenance, turned the water back on and didn't turn it off again. Result burst pipe in the boiler and no hot water for two weeks!

 

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Thank you for sharing your story. Your words paint a vivid picture.

Answer 7

Snow here in Ottawa, with a further chance of snow until May. :-) Sending love and warmth to those suffering in Texas! Texas Strong.

I chatted about WikiTree this week with Cheryl Hudson Passey and Genfriends if you are interested!

Getting ready for my Roots Tech Presentation on Saturday morning AND working on my limbs in our great big ole shared Tree!

Mags

Comments

Thanks for that link. Mags. I've saved it to watch later. The more I learn, the more I know. And, I'm looking forward to your Rootstech presentation!

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My son married a lady from Ottawa last July and moved there permanently in January.  He had to quarantine for 14 days and just got out last week.  I am missing him, after his living 1/4 mile up the road for the last 30 years, but know he now has a loving wife and will be able to come to visit when the borders are open again.   He has a lot more years to look forward to with her than with me and I am happy to see the future they have together.

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Oh, Beulah what a loss for you and such a gain for Ottawa! Love finds a way. :-)

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Hi Mags! I signed up for RootsTech and will look for you next Saturday!

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I haven't caught up with that video yet but will do at some point. Our snow has gone now back to wind and rain but I am not complaining when I see what is happening to other WikiTreers

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I would love to be able to look out your North Wales window and see any weather, Hilary.

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Hi Mags, my daughter now lives in Stittsville, a few years ago she lived in Munster. Is the Rideau Canal going to be open for skating?

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It's been open for about two weeks I think, but they were discouraging people other than the ones who live very close from using it. Not sure if that has changed since the Stay-at-home order has been lifted. I am assuming more people are allowed now, with masks and social distancing.

Answer 8

Good Morning from Texas! We hit a low of 0F in many areas and 1F at my house. First time This part of Texas has had these temps since 1899.

It has been a very long week here and I hardly know where to begin. We began the week with no power on Monday and yes, it was cold. Then, when power came on in brief spurts we discovered that our downstairs heating unit was not working. We used our gas fireplace and were able to heat food on the gas cooktop but it was uncomfortably cold so we slept in the guest room upstairs. For the next two days the power was on for about 10 minutes and then off for about an hour. When we first had power for thirty minutes it was a miracle!! My handy husband found the problem with the heating unit and fixed it for now.

One of our daughters in Plano, TX - just 20 minutes to our South - lost power and did not get it back until after her house temp went down to 39F. They have frozen pipes upstairs and their pool was completely iced. The other daughter just north of us never lost power. They found out they are on the same power grid as a large county complex including the jail. So far, we do not have to boil our water and we do not have frozen pipes so thankful for the small stuff.

Needless to say, I did not get a ton of stuff done in the genealogy department except offline - some organization and a bit of cleaning up computer files. Many thanks to Pip and Karen Butler for covering my greeting duties.

Don't forget RootsTech begins next Thursday - it is all free and virtual this year! It is not too late to sign up. Have a great week and I hope for better weather for everyone in the coming week.

Comments

Ginny, my nephew in Houston was hunkered down during the outages. He said he was staying in bed under several covers and only came out to warm up and charge his phone in his truck. Says he's never experienced anything like this. All weekend, Texas was the news, and I kept watching just to check on all our Texas greeters. I haven't ever been in cold such as you describe.

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Sadly, the after effects are not over. Many are now having to boil their water - if they even have water. I understand water is difficult to find in many areas. Also, grocery shelves are sparse as delivery trucks have not been able to be out as the roads were too dangerous, since power was out stores were closed, etc. Thank goodness, I am an old hand at being over-stocked from years on the boat and the past year of the pandemic. We have a mini-market in our pantry and the two freezers!

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Same here, Ginny. We stay stocked up! Fortunately, we also have a gas stove and a generator.

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CORRECTION How many do not realize a gallon of water can be purified with 16 drops of Clorox, and left to sit for an hour.  They can melt snow or clear up any water they can collect.         The previous comment on rubbing alcohol referred to hand purifier made with alcohol.

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THANK You Beulah, that is a Worthy Household Hint (life hack or household hack .. hack is the new word for hint) and I have noted it in my booklet

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It sounds like it's been quite a week with the weather. Certainly am glad you are doing okay now. It made me think of something I saw (was it a facebook post?)... The story of this weather event is just the type of thing that becomes a treasure when future generations are researching their ancestor's genealogy and someone has written about it.

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That tip is from the course we all took when the volunteer fire department was organized and they signed we women up to furnish enough members.  It was in the book of survival and first aid training we all took.  Remember the same kind of survival information was published in the cold war duration when we had drills sitting under the desks at school?

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Kay, I thought about the historical aspect of this also. Back in 1899 when these temps hit this part of Texas, my grandmother was 19 years old living with her parents and siblings in a big farmhouse in East Texas. Being out of power was not a problem as there was none but, I can only imagine a drafty house when it was 0F. Of course, the fireplaces and the wood stove would have been roaring! The tough part was that the cows would still have to have been milked twice a day, the chickens protected from freezing and the eggs gathered - all the farm chores. Makes our experience pale by comparison.

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Or you can use non-scented household bleach; .25 teaspoon per gallon to purify water.

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Absolutely correct M.  See my correction above.  I like your
measurement, it is hard to count drops into a container.

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We have an Emergency preparedness booklet published I think for Y2K, from Public Safety Canada, it's been on my recipe book shelf for a long time.

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I remember the damned drills and me sitting under the desk and looking at a wall of windows (natural light) FILLED with glass and thinking that -- as I sat under my desk -- "SITTING under my desk is not going to keep me alive."  Thinking we'd be safer in the coat closet, all 35 of us. Or the hallway. Anywhere but in that room with a wall of glass  that would shatter and kill us

Yes, and I was all of 8 or so and even then knew I was vulnerable and could die (nowadays it translates to I'm mortal, period) 

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I remember those water purification methods from my Boy Scout days back in the 60's. For Y2K I was activated and on alert stationed at a local commercial radio station just in case the computers caused problems, my ham gear of that time had no computer components. I have always kept a lot of disaster related items on hand and probably will keep the stock up until the day they lower me in the ground.

Answer 9

Hails and horns, Wikipeeps!

On the genealogy front:

I wrote a blog about unusual sources and here's what I came up with: https://allroadhaverhill.blogspot.com/2021/02/52-ancestors-week-7-unusual-source.html

It's a good book and it's not that expensive. Order now on Amazon! Or better yet check out the category I made.

Speaking of categories, Natalie Trott and I set the gold standard for Italian category naming conventions. Check out the details here.

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1189223/updated-italian-location-categories

This came about because in Italy people mail things or get letters province name rather than the region. You'd be mailing stuff to San Pietro a Maida, Catanzaro. Not San Pietro a Maida, Calabria. It's the same as mailing something to Boston, Mass. You wouldn't be mailing it to Boston, New England.

I hope that makes sense! It's explained more in the thread.

I also got pictures of my great-grandfather's brothers and sisters. I'm missing a picture of his sister, Caterina. She and her husband went to Argentina and my cousin kept in touch with the cousins in Argentina until her mom passed away. There hasn't been much contact since. Hopefully, they have a pic. Not to mention an exact birthday....

Next week is Rootstech. Are you registered? I am. Not sure what classes I'll check out. BUT! I will see some. I am also interested in checking out the cousins I have. Apparently I have over 3,000. If this site is any indication, most are gonna be on my mother's side. Though, I should probably have Google Translate on standby....

On the non genealogy front, it is currently snowing here and I am watching WandaVision. You need to see this show! NOW! Oh and this week's episode has a mid credit's scene!  =D I missed the MCU. 

Comments

You're running late today, Chris. Whatcha been doing all morning?

Keep hunting down those photos! You seem to have a knack for that, and you have some great ones.

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I wasn't late. You posted early! =D

Thanks, man.

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Thanks for the heads up!  We've usually been watching through the credits anyways, but we'll be sure to this week.

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No problem, Lis! =D Have fun! No spoilers!

Answer 10

GEN-TALK -- Man's father was a bigamist. Well, actually, a serial bigamist, four, five, possibly more women, with some children sprinkled in there by various women ... man wants to know how to report that ... basic advice, if he's going to say anything about the bigamy (serial) is stick to the facts, and avoid those adjectives that come so readily to the mouth and the keyboard ... and in any case don't report anything you don't have documented ... and THAT is a tactic that is rewarding (trust me on that) ... 

GENEALOGY -- straight out of the gate on Monday past, I thought I would test my skills in making Connections to the Big Tree and in Sourcing (ought to be renamed LaLa Land, but Sources, Sourcing, and what IS a Source is a field filled with landmines)  .. 

None of the people I worked over (LOL) belong to my genetic pool (so far as I recall, anyway, but I could check my Contributions Log and sift what's there to double check that idea) ... 

I'm here to say that although I'm not entirely certain about the concept of making Connections to the Big Tree I did manage to take some lonely heart or lonely couple and find a path to another cluster of people already in WT ... 

I am supposing that is the idea behind Connections (the Unconnected) .. 

Unsourced is obvious, we want to nail someone to reality with documentation ... locate them in times/space ... jeepers peepers I found some dropped into WT in 2014 left to molder (so to speak) ... 

AND in puttering around in these two fields of "this needs attention" I didn't do much in the way of revising my watchlist. On the other hand it didn't get longer with more profiles added (I have 3,614 currently) which I will classify as Good News.  

HOME FRONT -- the forced air unit on the roof was subjected to inspection and testing and pronounced alive and well (it's about a decade old now) ... 

It has not rained this last week .. no, think it rained before Wednesday, but l was buried in chasing Sources and in making Connections and did not pay much attention ... 

I will say it has been freaking cold outside some mornings in the mid to high 30's and ...  laugh all you want while you grapple with temps below 32 F but from where I'm sitting that's freaking cold ... 

And while "cold" is a perceptual debate depending on what you are accustomed to and how you define "cold" ... isn't there some sort of objective measure? Well, yes, 32 F (0 Centigrade?) ...  

I don't know what the temp is for "hot" ... 72 F is considered too warm for offices and office equipment and 69 F is considered to be a productivity-provoking temp in submarines ... and in some offices ... and there's people who actually keep their home interior around 69 F ... (brr) ... I tried that and my muscles locked up ... movement became sheer hell ... 

I DO know I keep the thermostat at 71 for the "cold part of the year" and at 80 for the warm part of the year and it seems to work out okay for the two of us 

How much of a comfy air temp is "real" and how much is "subjective" I do not know 

Comments

Susan, I'm going to leave it to you (for right now) to get that Probst line back!  I've got too much on my plate.

Out thermostat stays on 65° at night, and maybe 66° or 67° during the day in winter. Keeps the electric bill down. Summertime means maybe 70° in the house.

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If I recall the Propst line I worked on it looked like one of those 17 degrees charts, bunch of siblings and marriages and births thrown into the pot to see whether it turned into gumbo or pig slop ... 

Think that was Velma Alabama (Clanton) Windham w/spouse James Henry WIndham (original had him listed a "John", which threw things off center) ... James' daddy was Nathaniel Bascom Windham (you can see where that is going) who married a Propst, Margaret Isabella Propst, whose daddy was Jacob Propst, mother was Nancy Elizabeth Brotherton, ... let's see ... ah, and the connecting point was with sister of Margaret Isabella, one Josephine Eudora Propst ...SHE was married to Cathey Alexander White ... so far, nothing much is happening, BUT Cathey and Josephine had a daughter, Velma Josephine White who married Smith William Ribble ... 

FINALLY we have arrived at a major cluster ... Smith William Ribble has 12 ancestors and currently 7 descendants ... but it IS a major cluster connected to .... Velma Alabama Clanton (which is who I started with) ... 

And ain't NONE of them on my watchlist ... not if I attended to that last step of orphaning any not in my genetic pool or married to someone in my genetic pool and any 7th cousins (might also toss out 6th cousins, but I am still debating that idea) 

Came out of that experience and a couple more with a much increased respect for what the volunteers and 'thoners experience in trying to connect clusters in the Big Tree ... 

I guess the worst case scenario would be you create 30 profiles and add 52 profiles and FINALLY arrive at a cluster already in WT .. something like that might take a few days or a week if you did nothing else I suppose .. 

Answer 11

Just heard that Myko Clelland is doing some talks about Scottish records for RootsTech Connect next week.

I think I may have found someone who I was querying actually existed. I had a Sarah Buckell as sister of my 2 x gt grandfather born about 1830. I think she was christened and buried using her mother's maiden name of Richards.

Looking forward to RootsTech Connect next week.

Comments

Thanks for the tip on the Scottish records, Hilary. I'll be looking into that.

Answer 12

Hello from north Georgia!

Pip, thanks for hosting the chat!

No measurable snow here at my home. The worst of the two major winter storms tracked north of us. But we did get much rain and, to us, cold temperatures. Below freezing but not below zero, so I won't complain. We lost power for only a while one night due to a tree which fell on lines just around the bend from us. I feel just terrible about the folks who were so devastated by these storms.

We had a good visit with step-son and his wife last Sunday-Monday.

I started physical therapy for my back on Tuesday. I had a x-ray of my back yesterday. I've been faithfully doing my prescribed exercises at home and I already have some relief. I've also been counting carbs and calories and doing okay. It's been an adjustment.

We made arrangements to lease a new propane tank. Unfortunately, it will be three weeks minimum before we can get it. I hope we don't really need it before then. Again, I think of all those people who rely solely on electricity for heat and have been without this week.

Though I've been working on WikiTree, I can't think of anything exciting to share. It is was routine work--moving sources inline, revising profiles as needed, creating profiles for spouses and children where there were none, etc. 

I read at night to unwind before I go to sleep. The book I'm currently reading is Murder in an Irish Churchyard by Carlene O'Connor. It's a light mystery and third in a series by this author. It has genealogy connection--the murdered fellow is an American who is in Ireland tracing his roots.

Take care, everyone, and I hope you have a good weekend!

Comments

Three weeks?!? Long time to wait on a tank, Nelda.

Since we get the same weather (or it seems so), I'm going to assign you to give my weather report. It'll give me more room to yak!  Hang in there with those exercises. I have to do them myself, for various reasons, if only for the stretching that helps so much.

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We are very lucky that our natural gas fireplace works when the power is out, if necessary it would keep the whole main floor warm.

Another thought we probably have much better insulation then people in warmer climes.

Answer 13

It’s a cold morning in Texas following the winter hell storm that caused so much tragedy it should be in Shakespeare. This morning I sit and wait after many days of sit and wait with my animals nearby where I reside. It’s been 24 hours since back on the grid after a small bit of sleet started Sunday and incessantly swept the area into complete darkness. Without power and a claim by news the water pressure was low in hospitals many went without the sufficient faucet drip causing nearly most homes on my street pipes to burst. My home was destroyed by the water and almost trapped me and the kitten barely impacted my fully trained heroic pittie. I hadn’t even noticed how many were affected until a drive to Home Depot! Gas stations were closed it was exactly like shutdown curfew and apocalypse. We had only 2 incidents although the news reported price gouging. The senator fled his home to vacay in Cancun hiding behind a group of children he had in tow to validate his trip. A mayor who compared our needs during crisis to ‘handout entitlement’? Off the grid off the grid would you know it not even wifi was safe!!! My home went into dark 45 minutes after my birthday ended. There were messages across the board about how They were experiencing Excessive traffic, They were having difficulties tracking blackouts online, They decided to discontinue phone in reporting. What really hurt during the freeze was the silence as my electric weaned ever so slowly off the actual grid. It was like watching a train wreck (that of which is now my life).

Comments

Well, Guadalupe, you did survive, and I'm glad of that. My nephew kept giving us a blow by blow of the conditions there. We also watched the Weather Channel for updates since we have so many friends in Texas.

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And I am glad your nephew is safe! It is still not over last night the weather changed yet again tonight was supposed to warm up and instead is going to be a surprise extra freeze night. It’s cold as if you were near ice. Today it was supposed to be 60’s tomorrow 60’s Sunday 70’s and its 47•, 58•, and a forgivable 67•... fair enough!

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Hello Guadalupe, you and the people of Texas are in my meditations and I hope for a break in the weather and potable water soon. And a belated Happy Birthday! I'm sorry it was under such terrible circumstances.

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Thanks- my birthday was a gorgeous snow day, this chill this freeze lasted too long. There are many shipments arriving by air for bottled water. It’s sad that this is the bare essentials that people normally and freely get from their sink. Maybe a lot more people take this for granted there’s so much that should have been done and mobilized by now and so many many more needy that are living horrid conditions. Tomorrow the world even the weather will go on as if nothing occurred? The ones left behind have the devastating living conditions as a constant reminder. The scarce supply cannot help all to repair help clean up and also in extreme cases even feed.

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Guadalupe, you have the most exciting life in the Real World.  (The real world is anything not done on WikiTree.)  

I guess exciting isn't the right word ... stress-provoking is a better word 

Ah, you have a life that is filled with events that would send me into a fit of  screaming-meemies 

Stay warm 

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Stress there is and actually it’s often the people that never had actual public water electricity and food supply that go overlooked. I am lucky for what I don’t and didn’t go through. It’s so easy to implement a plan but actually there’s some that start from zero and end in zero. Happens every time.. if they had a voice they might have options. I wish there was an evacuation a checklist available maybe even a emergency supply of household goods that went first. Those of course are not options- just signs and symptoms of concern and empathy.

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Guadalupe, not sure which agency has the FAQ on Disaster Preparedness, but those lists are available online and include suggestions for water (min. is a gallon per day per person), food, warmth, first aid, grooming, tarps to shield from rain etc, and more etc ... and those lists usually suggest enough supplies per person for a week ... 

In my observation over the years, it's better to have supplies for 3 or 4 weeks per person ... for whatever reasons, it usually takes a minimum for four days after the disaster for FEMA or Red Cross or anyone else to get into the disaster zone ... 

Possibly as many as a quarter of the people adversely affected by the weather this last 10 days will stop and think and decide to build their own Disaster Package just in case there's a "next time"

Answer 14

It certainly has been a difficult week weather-wise for much of the United States. We have been fortunate (or moderated by the nearby ocean) that we have only had lots (lots) of rain. There were a couple of tornadoes not too far away in North Carolina. Other than watching the rain, we've been orchestrating numerous doctor appointments.

Genealogy wise... I've worked some on my upcoming presentation for our local genealogy society. I've also done a few things for my PIP Voyage. For the weekly profile with an Unusual Source it was difficult to find one using Bio Check, so I just settled for a profile whose only sources was "to be added". There was another that just had "viewed records", but that profile would need someone versed in German research.

The new suggestion for an unreachable URL led me to find that the research done by descendants of a common gg grandfather was no longer online. I found the PDF and heard back from a cousin who said her mother and grandmother would be very pleased if this were made available. It's a lot of research that they did, fairly recently, to join DAR.

I'm looking forward to the next Ancestor challenge, since there were ancestors who lived within 30 miles of where I had lived. I'm currently working on my gg grand uncle to take the referenced local county histories and make them available via source space pages. I also plan to go dig through my old photos, as I have some pictures from Tug Hill that might add some color to some profiles (or lack of color with lots of snow up to the bottom of the power lines, etc.)

Comments

Blizzard of 1977 or just Barnes Corners?  Combine the two and you have rotary plowed walls of snow 8-10 feet high and smooth like an easel.  Our local college art professor took his classes up there and they spray painted pictures on the snow banks.  It created a national sensation!.. It also started his career as a world wide winner class of snow sculpture teams.

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Beulah,

I'm pretty sure I have some pictures from 77. We took a ride north on Rt 26 from West Branch and yes it was a tunnel of sorts dug by a snowblower with snow to the bottom of the power lines. I hope I can find this photo. Anyone who has seen this won't forget it.

I think I also have some pictures riding around Osceola and Redfield toward 46 Corners with the garages -- summer by the house and winter by the road -- and the mailboxes, one at normal height and one about 8' high.

The family was in Lowville and Boonville, and probably up by Turin and Copenhagen. I might also have some summer pictures, although those are likely to have me holding a trout. I know I have some Lyons Falls pictures, but those aren't quite the right area.

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Kay, my PIP profile had two sources and with some digging I was able to find a few more. I'm still missing a Georgia pension application for Confederate service. And, somewhere in my mess I have a letter to my grandmother from one of my profile's children with lots of history in it. I really just have to find that letter.

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@Pip - Well mine is a never-ending research in the Reeds, since she has so many unanswered questions. I do need to clean up some source references and her research notes https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Reed-16536

Answer 15

Greetings All, As long as we are talking about this wonderful weather, I'll give my report. I'm in Stillwater, Oklahoma. This past week on Monday, 15 Feb 2021, we set a record low temperature for that date in history. At 7:00 AM, we were at -14F. Previous record was -8F set on 15 Feb 2005. -14F also tied our ALL TIME record low, ever (since records started being kept). We didn't get as much snow as a lot of places, about 7 inches total for the week. We are now having a heat wave, 26F right now. It's supposed to be up to 62F by next Tuesday. There goes all our snow. I have an electric 3-wheel scooter and got it out yesterday and went for a short ride to my brother's and by the mailbox. Should've seen me trying to get through the snow! The sidewalks hadn't been cleared yet. Apartment complex maintenance finally got out this morning and cleared some. Kind of a short winter wonderland for us. I know south of me Texas really got hit. Maybe it'll clear up in a few days.

     I did some more sourcing this morning. Got a start on the Saturday sourcing (early?) As a side, if Debi Hoag sees this, I haven't gotten my owl for January yet. Not complaning or begging but, hey, I like getting the perks. Here's another one... when I do sourcing, I go to Family Search to see if the person in question is there somewhere and it's a good place to find sources. Jumpin Jiminy, there sure are a lot of duplicates on there sometimes. I found a person this morning to get sources and there were 4 duplicates. O well...

Have fun everyone.

Comments

Luther, that's the tough part, all those duplicates on FS. Sometimes, I'll find a profile there for a person I'm researching, only to find another (couple) with better sources. I'm too tired to merge all of those. I have a hard enough time keeping up with mine!

Answer 16

Hi from southern Ontario; where it has been snowing since Tuesday night. By yesterday morning it was about knee deep, at least measured on my legs. I think it may have stopped for about 30 minutes about noon yesterday but it has been non-stop since early afternoon yesterday. It isn't heavy snow, no wind, not cold about -5C just quiet flakes fluttering down hour after hour. The street has not been ploughed.  The odd neighbour seems to be shoveling her back lawn!

Family history progress: this has been a weird week, I have been dutifully working on my profile completeness suggestions and on Tuesday they were gone, all 1800 of them, well I'm not that speedy. 

It turned out when I had edited my own profile last weekend, I had deleted the profile completeness category. I added it again and we'll see what's there next week. 

In the news this morning; an article that made me think how important accuracy is and not just here on WT. A province of New Brunswick government sent out a letter to local residents (the topic is not important) including a phone number to call for more information, someone wasn't paying enough attention to detail and the number given was for "Welcome to America's Hottest Talkline! Guys, hot ladies are waiting to talk to you … Ladies, to talk to interesting and exciting guys free, press 2 now."

Covid news; an announcement will be made today; will the lockdown be lifted in Peel region on Sunday or will it be extended for another 2 weeks. 

You know you're bored when you clean the pantry! I did that already. 

The sun looks like it's coming out, time to shovel the drive, then find my snowshoes and go for a walk! 

Take care everyone, stay healthy. 

Comments

Our lockdown is now extended to March 8, that will be 105 days! In some ways it doesn't make much difference to what I do, except that it would be nice to get my hair cut by someone who knows what they are doing.

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M, we are still under restrictions until the 298, but who knows what our governor will order nearing that date. But, like you, these restrictions don't affect us much, homebodies that we are. 

I wonder how long before New Brunswick corrected the phone number. 

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Pip, when is the 298?

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Ha! I hate typos when I make them. February 28th.

Answer 17

Virtual Vacation!

In 1999 we drove west from Ontario across Canada to the Pacific coast, we left on August 1 and returned home on August 29. It was quite the adventure. Total distance travelled 11,352 km. that doesn't count 440 km and 18 hours on a ferry. 

One of my favourite places on that trip was Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada. The park is in the southwest corner of Alberta it is the Canadian part of the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park. Glacier NP is in Montana. 

It is quite different from many of our Rocky mountain parks because there are no foothills. It is ' Where the mountains meet the prairie', you're driving through flat prairie and suddenly there are mountains right in front of you. We saw buffalo, grizzly bears, mountain sheep, elk, mule deer, colombian ground squirrels and hundreds of chipmunks 

The first picture is from Parks Canada, overheads are very difficult for a 5ft 4 inch person! You can see the townsite on the right side of the picture. The other pics are mine. 

Wildlife is everywhere, these mountain sheep were quite happy hanging around a hotel front door, they were also quite sure no one was going in or out of that door. 

From the lakeside, Upper Waterton Lake

On the Bertha lake trail about 6 km one way while going up 620 metres (1800 feet) 

Bertha Lake this picture was taken on 24 August, the snow piles are melting and spring blooming plants are starting to peek out from under the snow. 

Red Rock Canyon, the red rock has oxidized iron

And the bear, one of three who were eating berries on the side of the road, I was told by the ranger 'Get back in your car mam' the pic was taken with a telephoto lens but not a good one and I was only about 100 ft away. 

Comments

Hi M! Just what I was waiting for and needed. The vicarious trip is wonderful! It reminded me of my first vacay with my dad, mum and sibs through the badlands and throughout the Dakota's. It was 1951 and I was 6 years old. I still have those images of seeing bison, including a white buffalo and so much more. Downside was I got chicken pox going while my younger sis and bro got them on return!

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The pictures are amazing thank you  

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These photos are breathtaking!

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M.: I always enjoy your photos so much. Thank you so much for sharing them. Anne

Answer 18

This week my entire house smells like hyacinths.  I purchased two hyacinth bulbs in glass jars and they bloomed this week.  They smell heavenly! This is a welcome change from the cold, snowy weather we have outside and makes me think of Spring.

This week I did not get much done with my genealogy projects even though I am stuck at home due to the weather. I did find many newspaper articles from the Newspapers.com publisher's edition free weekend.  I will have to sort them out and add this new information to profiles. They have a pretty good offer for a six-month subscription and I think I will take them up on it and see what else I can find.

Hope everyone is safe and has electricity and water.

Comments

Oh for smell-a-wiki.

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sounds delightful 

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REALLY a nice looking flower ... and strongly scented, you say?   

Can't tell if that's more blue or more purple ... have decided it is a blue purple ..

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I have always loved hyacinths, Michelle. I should follow suit and get some. When I was a little boy, there were some in our backyard. Mom said they were not planted on purpose, and I have no idea how they came to be there. In any case, as a little boy, I used to lie in the grass with my face in them, enjoying the smell.

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M. Ross, our resident master gardener, may clear this up for us, but I understand rodents dig out some flower bulbs and replace them somewhere else as food.  Bingo, new flower next spring.  I know they don't bother daffodils but love tulips.
Garden advice to people planting beds of vulnerable bulbs, lay hardware wire screening over the top of the bulbs for protection and cover it.  The plants will grow up through the open grate square holes but rodents can't eat or take the bulbs so easily.

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Squirrels are the culprit when you find eaten bulbs, they are the bad toddlers of the animal world. They just want to see what it is and they want to taste it, if they don't like the taste they just toss them. A bit like your 3 year old who wants to taste what the adults are eating and the adults say ; You are not going to like this, but they insist and then spit it out.

They do like tulips especially if they easy to get at, are planted in pots or shallowly planted. There are several solutions. You can plant them deep at least 3 times the vertical height of the bulb, you can plant them in wire baskets made of hardware cloth, and you can put hardware cloth or chicken wire over the top of the soil after the bulbs are planted.

If the soil looks disturbed after you plant the bulbs, squirrels think another animal has buried something and dig up the soil to steal or eat the stash. If you smooth the soil, tamp it down and cover it with a layer of leaves it doesn't look interesting.

They seem to like the new bulb scent, sort of like the new car scent. If you can protect them the first year chances are squirrels will leave them alone in subsequent years.

None of those ideas will stop them ripping the tulip flowers off the stems. If you watch them they just walk by the flowers, rip them off and toss them, they seldom eat them, they are just vandals.  

If the damage looks like a miniature lawn mower has been run over your flowering bulb patch especially crocuses, the culprit is rabbits.

Deer eat the whole stem and flowers down to ground level. If this happens dig up the bulb and throw them in the compost, they will never flower again.

Another option is to buy a repellant, one of the best is called Plantskydd, its available as a powder or liquid, it is organic and made of dried blood, vegetable oil and water and it smells absolutely awful. It will also repel deer, rabbits and other creatures.

https://www.plantskydd.com/prodfaq.html

Another option especially with tulips is to buy species tulips not fancy man made hybrids. Species tulips are the originals, they come from the steep mountain sides in Turkey and Afghanistan, they are usually short, almost all of them under 10 inches, they bloom really early, and they self seed, squirrels do not eat them.

You can Google species tulips to see pictures.  

Squirrels bury nuts but don't transplant bulbs. No animals eat daffodils.

Hope that helps,

The Garden Lady-that's my business name!

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From your article I conclude my eventual lose is due to deer.
I never saw them in warm weather but know they usually browse late at night in the summer.  Right now I have three does that are living on spruce needles on every tree they can
reach.  I'm usually in Florida and don't spend the winter here.
One even came up on the porch and looked in my windows.

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I adore hyacinths. My favourite spring scent. 

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Beulah, Is the problem the deer eating the spruce needles or eating your tulips.

If it's the spruce there really isn't much you can do, they have been doing that every year while you were in Florida, everyone needs to eat.

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Susan, The color is more of a 'grape' purple, but the light through the petals make them appear more dark blue in places.

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I don't have a problem with the deer trying to survive the winter.  We have way too many deer in the area that need thinning out in my opinion.  Some people feed them but I don't.  More deer are killed by cars than by hunters every year.  My daughter in law has totaled one car and ruined two others with deer.  My daughter has had about four fender bender, car door dent type accidents, and several grandchild in the ditch accidents have occurred around here.  Of course they all drive faster than I do.  My husband was an excellent hunter and always had venison in the freezer.  We got into the squirrel conversation when I gave
my version, which seems to be wrong, to Pip to explain how the flowers were started.  About 20 years ago my husband planted tulips all over the place and as far as I can count only one remains.  He planted them so we had flowers for Memorial Day.  With climate change every year I now have lilacs to take to the cemetery instead.  So basically I just let nature take its course with both  of them.  But I do wage war on squirrels in my attic and woodchucks in my garden, back when I planted one!!  You had a very
interesting lesson on the squirrel problem.
Edit,  the deer apparently ate the tulip tops instead of the squirrels eating the bulbs

Answer 19

Hello everyone and greetings from wet and windy Wiltshire. (don't you love alliteration?)

This has been a week to start to get to grips with executing my father’s will, with many phone calls emails to banks and pension providers. Thankfully my sister has agreed to look after the sale of the house, but there are still many minor jobs to do, including tidying the house and garden. The latter hasn’t had much attention for years and looks more like a jungle than a suburban garden.

Looking through some entries in WikiTree for possible ancestors I found one for a birth in 1611 where the source was given as “Firsthand knowledge”.  Really!  Was the author of that profile there at the time, perhaps she was the midwife? If so can she fill us in with some other events that have happened since then?

But seriously though this has been a quieter week.  Genealogy time was mainly spent on the Parr family profiles, revisiting some of the early ones I wrote to improve them and then extending back another generation or two. This has led me towards solving a family mystery. I have a grandfather or long-case clock that was passed down from my mother, and she got it from her mother. And, I believe it had, in turn, belonged to her mother. The maker’s name on the face is from Hungerford and I had been led to believe the clock had been in a family home in Hungerford.  Until this week I had found no family connection to the town. 

After she was widowed my great great grandmother, Elizabeth Parr (nee Milton), moved from Bristol and became housekeeper to her brother-in-law, who lived in Charnham Street, Hungerford.  It also explains why there are two old photographs of Charnham Street in an old album.

Comments

Martin, at one time the computer added" first hand information" to all profiles being entered without sources.

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Thank you Beulah, having only been a member for the last seven months or so I know little of the WikiTree history and its peculiarities.

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Similar to the statement issued now that "xxxx will add sources by (the next day)" that were printed at least a year ago.  Didn't make sense then or now except as a reminder
of what is expected, not what will happen.

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What a fascinating mystery, Martin. Do you have any idea how old the clock is?

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Hi Pip, going by the websites of how to date a grandfather clock it would appear to be from between 1780 to 1820. Some factors date it earlier in the period, others date it later. When lockdown is eased I want to have some repairs made to the clock and hopefully the repairer can date it more accurately. With luck it will carry for another 2 centuries.

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Another two centuries? Now that's an heirloom, Martin!

Answer 20

Sad anniversary, 20 years since the start of the Foot and Mouth Disaster, any from here will remember all to well.

Comments

This I have no knowledge of. What happened, James?

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God morning Pip, Cadlywydd Pen-blwydd (Happy Birthday Commander), the best thing I can tell you is Google Foot and Mouth Disease 2001, I have seen a lot of things in my life but this and the "Mad Cow " disease in 1994-5 were among the saddest here in the U.K..

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It was tragic, and the culling was unnecessary as far as I can see. The BSE story continues to have repercussions - I'm not allowed to be a blood donor here in Germany, as I stayed in the UK during the BSE outbreak. They think my blood is contaminated. Their loss.

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Good afternoon Frances, I agree, we were staying in London during the outbreak and the reaction was medieval. Even Mac Donald's made sure everybody knew their burgers came from Denmark.

Because I lived and worked in Nigeria, and took anti malaria medicine, I couldn't give blood for 2 years.

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Utterly crazy. More like mad humans than mad cows. I suppose it was too expensive to test an individual person's blood for contaminants. What a System we all live in!

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Yes, I'll never forget the sight of those cows trying to walk across the yard.

The government was just as unprepared then as it was now for dealing openly with things like these.

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Right. I suppose each government encounters its own new crisis, and because those who might be able to do something about it, (because they've learnt from experience) are no longer there, governments make the same mistakes over and over again.  Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

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If their book of "let'get it done eveb if we make mistakes" was half as thick as their book of "we think you are stupid enough to believe our  lame excuses" and "Lessons have been Learned" how much better off would we all be.

The Book of BS is the cornerstone of governments around the world.

The best T-shirt I ever had said "If you can't dazzle'em with Brilliance Baffle'em with BS.

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Exactly.