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Life in this Eden takes on a Very Serious Aspect: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 31
Posted on February 14, 2022 Leave a Comment
April 1 – Eilene came over to Berkeley and I cut her black silk dress. “ 2 – Wed Morning Choral practice. Called on Mrs Fryer at St Marks Eilene went home. “ 3 – Washed and cleaned house. Spent afternoon sewing on Eilenes dress. “ 4 Fri – Eilene came again to work on […]
Heirlooms Gone, but not Forgotten
Posted on February 13, 2022 8 Comments
We keep some things so close, that even though we do not own them, they are never far away. The things that are indelible. The things that in a millisecond transport you back to the beginnings of our time, upon this earth. Their texture, fragrance, as close to you now as they were then, a […]
Who Gets to Write History? Who Are We Keeping Out?
Posted on February 9, 2022 9 Comments
A bit of a kerfuffle over who gets to write history and ask why, along with a series of emails with an Oxford educated historian and a local political scandal has me thinking about the parameters genealogists are “supposed” to operate within when writing our family histories. People act as if “facts” are truth. Sadly […]
It Matters: Intergenerational Family Trauma
Posted on January 27, 2022 6 Comments
Okay not your ordinary genealogy topic…but reading my grandfather’s letters and his mother’s diary [Lulu: A Soprano’s Aria]. We can’t help but wonder how much trauma gets passed down through families and the sometimes maladapted ways we deal with it. I am talking the spectrum from Wars, to early loses, abuse, dysfunction the whole gambit. […]
Writing Challenge: What Reminds you of your Grandmother
Posted on January 12, 2022 3 Comments
What is something that always reminds you of your grandma? This was a question that was asked by Connections-Experiment in a Twitter post. My first reaction was instantaneous. Grandma’s Trinket Chest. Before I tell you more about this former candy box, as we all know we have at least two grandmothers. I only had the […]
What Got you Started in Genealogy?: Writing Challenge
Posted on January 10, 2022 3 Comments
This gets asked periodically, especially on Twitter and I usually reply with my true, but fairly rote answer. But thinking about what got you into Genealogy might be a good exercise for all of us, whether beginning or seasoned, genealogists. It does not matter how well you write or whether you plan to share this. You […]
Music & Dressmaking, Singing as I Sew: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 30
Posted on January 5, 2022 Leave a Comment
Sat Feb 1 – Nothing particular to chronicle Sun “ 2 – Mrs Miller Essie & Herbie came over to look at a house and call on us. Lolita and Charlie also came had a very pleasant time. Mon “ 3 – Eilenes birthday J [Jessie] & I were almost ready to go to town […]
The Tea Kettle Sings Merrily. All is Calm. All is Bright.: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 28
Posted on December 20, 2021 Leave a Comment
Nov 29 – J. did not go to work so we washed the laundry and went down to Oakland. I could not get Milos Christmas box there so we did a little shopping and came home. J. went to S. F., Found Eilene sick in bed. Got Milos sox that Mrs Johanna Wahl knit for […]
Christmas Expectations
Posted on December 19, 2021 5 Comments
A fellow blogger Genea- musings asked: What are your most vivid memories of Christmas times past? The expectations would begin right after Thanksgiving with my Mother’s long Christmas gift list. Then every Christmas Eve starting around 2 in the afternoon we would load up the car with Christmas packages for friends of my parents and […]
One Thing Leads to Another: Our Ira ALLEN not “the” Ira ALLEN
Posted on December 13, 2021 3 Comments
While I was writing my post Ice Cream Melons & Foxes [ now many months ago] I was surprised to find several mentions of Daniel COATS’ father-in-law Ira ALLEN in the History of De Kalb County, Indiana 1885. So I parked that with the thought—okay that needs exploring, so here I am staring at the […]
Wheaton Wood 