The Carnivals Are in Town!

The December Carnivals have arrived here in town! For those who are new to the term "blogging carnival," think of a magazine (carnival) whose articles (posts)--all on a theme--are written by many authors (bloggers) at their home blogs. The table of contents for this digital magazine appears at the host's blog.  Each month, there are at least half a dozen genealogy carnivals available to read, or to contribute to, if you're a blogger. I list each upcoming carnival at my Calendar of Events posts, written on the first of each month. You can refer to each month's Calendar as much as you want, for whenever a new carnival is published, I update the post.

The 7th Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival has a Carousel (choose your own) theme. This carnival is always interesting even to those who may not have Canadian ancestors!

The 86th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy was a "two-fer"; in other words, it had two themes: The "Other" December Events, and Our Wish Lists for Genea-Santa. There were 17 submissions for the first theme and 22 for the second.

The 19th Edition of the Smile for the Camera Carnival has been published at Shades of the Departed. With "The Gift" being a theme, there were a record-breaking 62 submissions! Wow! My own story, Christmas Gifts, was also written for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories, as were many other submissions.

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As for upcoming carnivals, be on the lookout later this week for the Festival of Postcards (theme: White). Jessica is extending the deadline for the the 25th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy (Christmas or Hanukkah Traditions) until December 28th, and submissions for the January 2010 Edition of the Graveyard Rabbits Carnival (Final Resting Place) are due December 25th.

Other holiday events include the Holiday 2009 Geneabloggers Cookbook (free) and the annual Blog Caroling Event hosted by the footnoteMaven. And Donna has republished "'Twas Just Days Before Christmas" to the amusement of all!

Click on the Image Above to Adopt a Needy Child or Senior in Your Community

The 18th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival is Posted

Twenty-three bloggers have shared ancestral and modern photos around the theme "Travel" at Shades of the Departed's 18th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival. Be sure to check them out!

Now The Call For Submissions!

19th EDITION
Smile For The Camera
10 December 2009

The word prompt for the 19th Edition of Smile For The Camera is "Gift." It is the holiday season and a time for giving. So give Smile readers the gift of sharing, sharing a family photograph. It can be a gift given or received, it can be the gift of talent, it can be the gift of having the photograph itself. The interpretation of gift is yours. Admission is free with every photograph!

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Deadline for submission is midnight (PT)
10 December 2009

There are two options:

1. Send an email to the host, footnoteMaven. Include the title and permalink URL of the post you are submitting, your name, and the name of your blog. Put 'Smile For The Camera' clearly in the title of your email!

2. Use the handy submission form provided by Blog Carnival, or select the Bumper Sticker in the upper right hand corner.

See you at the Carnival!

Bling! Bling! My Garnet Ring

This garnet ring once belonged to my maternal grandmother, Ruth Lillian HOEKSTRA VALK DeVRIES. It's probably not extraordinarily valuable, although it does have four genuine garnets and is made of 14K gold. Garnets are not my birthstones; aquamarines are, having a March birth. It's not even an antique, but it's worth to me is in its sentimental value and the story of love behind it.

Ruth's mother, my great-grandmother Lillian Fern STRONG HOEKSTRA, was born January 10, 1897. The birthstone for January is the garnet. Over the years, my great-grandmother received several pieces of jewelry adorned with her red birthstone from my great-grandfather, John Martin HOEKSTRA. A little more than a year after Lillian died in 1967, John married their housekeeper, Anna STULP. Several years later, I recall overhearing a conversation between my parents. Apparently my mother had received a phone call or a letter from her mother in Western Michigan, in which my grandmother shared her frustration that her father had given Anna the garnet jewelry that once had belonged to her mother. Although I'm not sure, it possible that this occurred in early 1976, shortly after my great-grandfather's death in December of the previous year. It may be that this gift of the garnet jewelry to Anna was decreed in John's will; I'm not sure. Regardless, my grandmother was upset for a couple of reasons: she felt the jewelry, having belonged to her mother, ought to go to her and her sisters (it may even be that her mother once indicated it would); and also, my grandmother, having a January birthday herself, probably felt that having garnet jewelry would be extra special.

You must also understand that my grandmother was a generous, friendly person, and never a small, mean individual. My grandfather managed his money well, so although they lived frugally, they well could have afforded some nice jewelry. So Ruth's distress was not out of financial need, but was exacerbated by the fact that she felt she could not go to Anna and ask for the jewelry without appearing to be selfish and demanding.

From my childhood memory of the occasion, I believe I remember my mother being upset as well over the situation. I also believe that it was my father who came to the rescue and suggested that for their (birthday?) gift to my grandmother, they would order a nice garnet ring for her. It was likely ordered through Jafco, which is where we ordered all our jewelry in those days, living as we were far from any major stores on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska.

The ring was ordered and shipped to my grandmother. I know that she loved it and thanked my parents profusely. She was wearing the ring when I last saw her when I visited her in Grand Rapids in October 2000. The garnet jewelry of my great-grandmother's was not mentioned again, to my knowledge. After Anna's death in 1992, her family probably inherited it. It doesn't matter; to me, this ring is a precious statement of the love my parents had for my grandmother. When she died in 2001, I inherited it.

I don't wear it often; it slips on my ring finger just fine, but my knuckles tend to swell during the day, and often by afternoon, I can't get it off. Since I tend to be claustrophobic about such things, I wear it for special occasions only, for short periods of time. I never put it on without remembering the story behind it; someday, I hope to pass it on to either my daughter or a granddaughter.

Written for the 16th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival - Bling, Ancestor Bling

Carnivals Galore!

Three genealogy carnivals were published this weekend, so grab a cold drink (or a warm one, if you're in Chicago!), put up your feet, and enjoy reading the following online publications:

The 15th Edition of the Smile for the Camera! Carnival - They Worked Hard for the Family was posted yesterday at Shades of the Departed. Thirty-one bloggers share photographs of their ancestors engaged in some kind of labor or occupation. Next month's theme will be Bling, Ancestor Bling and will showcase ancestral jewelry.

The 76th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - How I Spent My Summer Vacation was posted today at Creative Gene. I really wish I had submitted a couple of posts to this one (and I may write them yet!), but regardless, twenty-three bloggers submitted their good ol' summertime essays. Next month's theme is a bit of a disaster. You'll just have to read my next post to discover why!

The 5th Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival was also summer-themed: Favorite Canadian Vacations (ok, not every vacation has to happen in the summer, but still!). It was also posted today, at looking4ancestors. There are five submissions. The theme of the 6th edition will be Home Sweet Home; the deadline for submission will be September 13th.

Plenty of great summer reading here, folks, while you're trying to keep cool (or warm!). Enjoy!

It's Carnival Time!

This week, two carnivals were posted. The 12th Edition of the "Smile for the Camera" Carnival was published April 15th at the Shades of the Departed Blog, with the theme being "A Noble Life." There were 20 submissions honoring the noble lives of ancestors, and the theme for the 13th edition will be "All Creatures Great and Small."

The 70th edition (70! Can you believe it!) of the Carnival of Genealogy was published this morning at Creative Gene. "Uncle, Uncle!" was the theme, and 33 posts were submitted. "Local History" will be the theme for the 71st edition.

Tim Abbott reports that the 18th edition of the Cabinet of Curiosities will be postponed indefinitely while he recovers from a case of pneumonia. We wish you a speedy recovery, Tim!

Remember, there are three more carnival deadlines coming up in the next week or so: the 18th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - Easter and Passover Traditions (April 20); the 3rd Edition of the Graveyard Rabbit Carnival - Cemetery Preservation (April 25); and the 4th Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival - Black Sheep Canadian Ancestors (April 26). Thomas should also be publishing the final installment of Bound for Mom - The World is Not Flat very shortly.

Enjoy the great reads!

The 9th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival is Posted

Strangers in the Box

Come, look with me inside this drawer,
In this box I've often seen,
At the pictures, black and white,
Faces proud, still, serene.

I wish I knew the people,
These strangers in the box,
Their names and all their memories
Are lost among my socks.

I wonder what their lives were like,
How did they spend their days?
What about their special times?
I'll never know their ways.

If only someone had taken time
To tell who, what, where, or when,
These faces of my heritage
Would come to life again.

Could this become the fate
Of the pictures we take today?
The faces and the memories
Someday to be passed away?

Make time to save your stories,
Seize the opportunity when it knocks,
Or someday you and yours could be
The strangers in the box.

Pam Harazim

footnoteMaven has just published the 9th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival - "Who Are You" over at her Shades of the Departed digital publication. Forty-seven bloggers posted their "strangers in a box," hoping to find some answers to their mysteries. Maven, I think you may have to publish an encore edition, as I'm sure these photographic puzzles shared are only the tip of the iceberg of some very deep boxes!

The word prompt for the 10th Edition of Smile For The Camera is Costume? No, not as in Halloween. Costume as in dress in general; especially the distinctive style of dress of a people, class, or period. Show us that picture that you found with your family collection or purchased that shows the costumes of the rich to the not so rich, from the civil war to the psychedelic sixties. I know you have them, so share. Admission is free with every photograph!

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Deadline for submission is midnight (PT) 10 February 2009. Posted - 15 February 2009.

Poem
Harazim, Pam. "Strangers in the Box." Date unknown. Viewed 16 January 2009 at http://www.scrapbook.com/poems/doc/8365/112.html.

Who Are You? A CROTHERS Family Member?

(click on any image for an enlarged view)

When I began researching my paternal grandmother's biological family, one of the first cousins I "met" online was Sharon. She had done quite a bit of research on our CROTHERS line (my paternal grandmother's birth surname was YORK, and her great-grandmother York's maiden name was Anna CROTHERS). Sharon and I exchanged quite a bit of information (she's related two, possibly three, ways!), and then she generously loaned me some negatives of photographs her daughter-in-law had taken of some CROTHERS family members' antique photographs held by a mutual cousin. This was in the days when most people didn't have scanners, as they were fairly expensive, and sending scanned photographs via e-mail wasn't convenient since dial-up Internet service was the norm. I had prints made from all the negatives and returned them to Sharon. She had been able to identify all the individuals in the photographs, probably because they were labeled, with the exception of the one above.

Ever since I laid eyes on this photograph, I've wondered, "Who are you?" For many years, I thought this woman could be my 3rd-great-grandmother, Anna (CROTHERS) YORK or even, perhaps, her mother, Mary "Polly" (WYCKOFF) CROTHERS CHAPPEL, who made the cross-stitch sampler I so serendipitously inherited. Using Uncovering Your Ancestry through Family Photographs by Maureen Taylor and Dating Old Photographs: 1840 - 1929 and More Dating Old Photographs: 1840 - 1929 by Moorshead Magazines, I was able to determine that this woman could not be either of my ancestors; she was much too young.

Now, it's too bad that I cannot see the mounting or frame of this photograph to tell whether it was on a cabinet card or framed and hanging on a wall somewhere. The mounting or back of the photo might have given me a clue as to the name and location of the photographer. I can't even tell what type of photography process was used, of course. But by examining the clothing and hairstyle, I was able to narrow down the time frame. I'm certainly no Photo Detective, but thanks to her writings and by comparing the styles in the Dating books, I am hopefully improving my deduction skills!

First of all, this woman's dress fabric has a shiny element to it. I'm hopelessly ignorant of fabrics, but what comes to mind is a dark-colored silk or satin. It has an elaborately made bodice, with lots of shirring, both vertical and horizontal. The opening appears to be fastened (probably by tiny thread loops) with miniature buttons set in threes. Additionally, there are larger, apparently cloth-covered buttons set at a diagonal at each side of the bodice, from the shoulder towards the center. The sleeves have some fullness in the upper part, but are not noticeably huge. The collar is stand-up with lace trim, with what appears to be a lace ribbon around the collar's circumference. Both laces are white or light-colored. Either the collar is very tight or the woman has a full neck. It is difficult to tell whether the bodice is tight-fitting or loose, but I venture to guess the latter. I first started estimating the dress in the 1885 - 1895 era, but the more I compared it with other photographs, the later I dated it, until I feel it compares well with those of the 1905 - 1910 era.

The woman's hairstyle was the clincher for me in dating the photo. Most women's hairstyles in the 1885 - 1895 era consisted of hair parted in the middle with a tight bun at the back of the head and frizzled bangs, even on mature women. In the 1905 - 1910 era, the bangs disappear, and we see loose buns at the top of the head like this. She wears no visible accessories, save for the pince-nez eyepiece with a hard bridge, popular from the 1890s on.

As to the woman herself, she is mature but not elderly; serious, but not stern. Her earlobes are unattached, her nose is medium-sized (as are many of her features), her light-to-medium-colored eyes are somewhat hooded, and her mouth is slightly turned down. Her skin is smooth and unwrinkled, except for some crow's feet. No dimples or cleft appear. Her dark hair shows no significant gray or white. I would wager that she is perhaps in her late forties or early fifties, placing her birth date in the 1855 - 1870 range. What was the occasion for this photograph? A milestone birthday or wedding anniversary, with a photograph of her husband missing from this collection?

The more I observe this photograph and compare it with others in the CROTHERS collection, the more I wonder if it is Nellie Etta (PHELPS) DRAKE (1865 - 1950). She was the daughter of Nancy Amanda (CROTHERS) PHELPS, who was sister to my ancestor, Anna (CROTHERS) YORK. Nancy was also Sharon's great-grandmother, and Nellie would have been her great-grandaunt. Here is a photograph of Nancy and her husband, John S. PHELPS, taken c. 1887:

I see similarities between our mystery woman's features, John's eyes and mouth, and Nancy's ears and nose. Both John and Nancy have very light-colored eyes. Below is a photograph of Nellie's children, Vernon, Ruth and Lawrence DRAKE:

Last is a photograph of Vernon as an adult with his wife and infant. This particular shot of "Vernie" bears a striking resemblance to our mystery woman, which is what has prompted my latest theory that she is Nellie (PHELPS) DRAKE, Vernon's mother.

The fact that both the mystery woman and Vernie wear glasses not only causes them to look similar, it makes me wonder about the genetic disposition towards vision problems.

Many of the photographs in this collection are of individuals in Nancy's branch of the CROTHERS tree, which certainly adds credence to my theory. The mystery is still unsolved, but we are a bit closer to its conclusion. I'd especially like to thank the footnoteMaven for giving us a chance to highlight our mystery photos and spend some time playing sleuth!

Written for the 9th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival: Who Are You? I'd Really Like to Know!

SOURCES AND CREDITS

Photographs:
Unidentified Woman. Second-copy print of original photographed c. 1996 by unnamed daughter-in-law of Sharon Crothers Flood, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Bay City, Michigan. Second-copy print held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. 2009.

Phelps, John S. and wife Nancy Amanda (Crothers). C. 1887. Second-copy print of original photographed c. 1996 by unnamed daughter-in-law of Sharon Crothers Flood, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Bay City, Michigan. Second-copy print held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. 2009.

Drake, Vernon P., Lawrence, and Ruth May. C. 1910. Second-copy print of original photographed c. 1996 by unnamed daughter-in-law of Sharon Crothers Flood, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Bay City, Michigan. Second-copy print held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. 2009.

Drake, Vernon and family. C. 1920. Second-copy print of original photographed c. 1996 by unnamed daughter-in-law of Sharon Crothers Flood, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Bay City, Michigan. Second-copy print held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. 2009.

Digital Scrapbooking Kits:
Butterfly Art Studio. "Aunt Jeannine's Attic Mini Kit." Embellishments. Viewed 3 November 2008 at http://www.myscrapshop.com/gallery/displayimage-20-27.html.

Frye, Trish. "A Moment in Time." Papers, frame, and embellishments. Viewed 13 November 2008 at http://www.myscrapshop.com/gallery/displayimage-20-32.html.

Books:
Moorshead, Halvor, editor. Dating Old Photographs: 1840 -1929. Toronto, Ontario: Moorshead Magazines, Ltd. 2004.

Ibid. More Dating Old Photographs: 1840 -1929. Toronto, Ontario: Moorshead Magazines, Ltd. 2006.

Taylor, Maureen. Uncovering Your Ancestry through Family Photographs. Second edition. Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books, 2005.

Websites:
Wikipedia, Pince-nez, viewed 10 January 2009 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pince-nez.

My Genealogical Stocking Stuffer

Source: Robbins, Miriam at The Salvation Army Metlakatla Corps, Metlakatla, Alaska. Photograph. December 1968. Original privately held by Bryan Robbins, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Colville, Washington. 2008.

This photo, shot by my dad, was used for my parents' 1968 photo Christmas card while they were officers (pastors) in a small corps (Salvation Army church) in a Native American village in Southeast Alaska. Dad recently e-mailed this scan, along with some ancestral photos I was very happy to receive, and I'd like to stuff this into the Christmas stocking of my children, so that they can see that I, too, was once a little child.

Written for the 8th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival.

This and That

Oh, Baby! The footnoteMaven has published the 7th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival at her digital publication site, Shades of the Departed. From babies on bearskins to twin babes to favorite snaps of grandbabies, this edition features 44 submissions from 43 bloggers, and is a sure winner!

"The word prompt for the 8th Edition of Smile For The Camera is Stocking Stuffer. Show us that picture that would make a great Stocking Stuffer and tell us whose stocking you'd stuff." Submission deadline is December 10th and can be entered here.

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poster courtesy of footnoteMaven

Yesterday, Jasia of Creative Gene posted the 60th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, on the very personal and moving subject of Alzheimer's Disease. November is Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, and many families (including mine) have been touched in one way or another. The ten stories that are shared here are difficult to read, but as Jasia says, "...Alzheimer's Disease won't be researched and cures won't be found by keeping the monster behind a curtain."

"The topic for the next edition of the COG will be: Traditions!...What traditions were passed on to you from an earlier generation? Do you keep those traditions? What tradition(s) will you or have you passed on to a younger generation? Do you think they will keep it up? Do you care if they do?...Write about your traditions and submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. The deadline for submissions is December 1st."

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Also published yesterday was the 11th Cabinet of Curiosities, hosted by M. Diane Rogers of CanadianGenealogy, or 'Jane's Your Aunt!' There's an eclectic collection of collections on parade here, something to suit every taste and fancy!

The 12th Cabinet of Curiosities will return home to Tim Abbott of Walking the Berkshires. The Cabinet is always published the third Monday of every month and can be entered here.

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Speaking of carnivals, Jessica of Jessica's Genejournal is looking for hosts for her 2009 Carnivals of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. If you're interested, please contact her at jess_history at yahoo dot com.

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Lisa Louise Cooke is getting ready for the holidays over at her Genealogy Gems News Blog and asked for a little help from Pat Richley of DearMYRT; Allison Stacy, Editor and Publisher of Family Tree Magazine; Genealogy Insider Blogger and Family Tree Magazine Managing Editor Diane Haddad, and myself. We were only to happy to comply; you can see our shenanigans at the Genealogy Holiday Hoe Down (shhh! don't tell my orthopedic surgeon about that cartwheel I did!).

The 5th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival is Posted!

The 5th Edition of the "I Smile For the Camera Carnival" has been posted by the Shady Maven at Shades of the Departed. The theme was "Crowning Glory" and there were a record-setting 54 articles by 52 participants writing about hair (or the lack thereof) or headgear of some sort. My entry was Trijntje Gerrits (DOLSTRA) VALK (1826 - 1912), where you can view a photograph of my 4th-great-grandmother in traditional Dutch clothing, complete with a cap!

Becky Wiseman of kinnexxions will be our host for the 6th Edition, whose topic is "Funny Bone."

Show us that picture that never fails to bring a smile to your face! An amusing incident, a funny face, an unusual situation. Share!

Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that tickles your Funny Bone and bring it to the carnival. Admission is free with every photograph!

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

The deadline is midnight, Pacific Daylight Time, October 10th. Submission options include:

1. Send an email to the host, Becky Wiseman. Include the title and permalink URL of the post you are submitting, and the name of your blog. Put "Smile For The Camera" clearly in the title of your email!

2. Use the handy submission form provided by Blog Carnival, or select the Bumper Sticker in the upper right hand corner.

Now, I'm off to do some reading...!

September Is...

...Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)

September 1: Labor Day (United States)
Labour Day (Canada)
("Labor Day and Ancestral Occupations" by Carolyn L. Barkley)

September 1: Ramadan begins

September 7: National Grandparents' Day (U.S. and Canada)
Father's Day (Australia and New Zealand)

September 11: Patriot Day (United States)

September 15: Independence Day
(Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua)

September 16: Independence Day (Mexico)

September 19: Independence Day (Saint Kitts and Nevis)

September 22: Autumnal Equinox (Northern Hemisphere)
Vernal Equinox (Southern Hemisphere)

September 29, sunset: Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)

Do any of the above events feature in or affect your heritage, culture, or family history?

September Carnivals and Events:

Posted September 4 - the 55th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - Show and Tell

Posted September 14 - Family Heirlooms Meme

Posted September 15 - the 5th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival - Crowning Glory

Posted September 15 - the 9th Edition of the Cabinet of Curiosities

Posted September 17 - the 56th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - Ten Essential Books in My Genealogy Library - Part I and Part II

Posted September 24 - 1st Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival - My Ancestor was Canadian, Eh!

Posted September 24 - 11th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - First (Given) Names

Posted September 25 - the 8th Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture - Back to School

September 1 - Data Backup Day

It's Data Backup Day
by Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family

Don't Be Blogged Gone: Tips for Keeping Your Blog Backed Up and Secure
by Elizabeth O'Neal of Little Bytes of Life

Scanfest: Sunday, September 28th, 11 AM - 2 PM, Pacific Daylight Time

Go here to learn how to join Scanfest and our group of chatting, scanning family archivists, historians, and bloggers!

Go here to add the above deadlines and dates to your Google Calendar,
courtesy of Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family.

The 4th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival is Posted!

courtesy of the footnoteMaven

The footnoteMaven has just published the 4th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival at her Shades of the Departed blog. The topic was "My Favorite Photograph," and boy, was it difficult for all of the 40 (yes, count 'em: 40!) submitters to choose just one (and some couldn't!). My submission is here, and you can see why it would be my favorite!

The Maven graciously credited the Genea-Blogger Group Games for the high attendance at this month's carnival. Maven, word is getting around about your funtastic digital publication, including a well-deserved mention in the latest article of Internet Genealogy magazine!

The word prompt for the 5th Edition of this carnival is "Crowning Glory."

Show us those wonderful photographs of hairdos and maybe even a few don'ts. Don't limit yourself to just hair fashion through the ages, got a great photograph of a hat, helmet, bonnet, or some other interesting headgear? Share!

Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that is the epitome of Crowning Glory and bring it to the carnival. Admission is free with every photograph!

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Submission deadline is midnight (Pacific Time) on 10 September 2008. You can e-mail footnoteMaven with the title and permalink URL of the post you are submitting, and the name of your blog (put "Smile For The Camera" clearly in the title of your email) or submit it here.

My Favorite Photograph

As part of the 4th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival hosted at footnoteMaven's Shades of the Departed online publication, participants must pick a favorite photograph and explain why it is so.

Like most family historians, I have many favorites for many reasons. Somehow, I narrowed them down to two. My favorite photo of ancestors would have to be one taken at my parents' wedding, because where else could I find a photograph of six biological and two step-ancestors? But if given a choice of only one photograph to keep of all the ones I own, it would be the following. I think it's obvious why.

Source: Midkiff, Matthew and Melissa. Photograph. December 1996. Original in the possession of Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. 2008.

The kids were watching Christmas specials on TV one afternoon and fell asleep. They used to love to sit in this big old comfortable chair (which we no longer own; it just got worn out), with their heads against one arm rest and, as they got older and longer, their feet over the other. The television is located just to the left of where I'm standing to take this photo. The antimacassar over the chair back was crocheted by my great-grandmother, Lillian Fern (STRONG) HOEKSTRA. This was the first Christmas in our "new" home (built 1907 - 08). My daughter had recently turned six and was in Kindergarten and my son was nearly three. Hard to believe that they'll be a high school senior and a freshman, respectively, this coming school year.

Because we didn't have a digital camera then, this is a scan of a printed photograph. You can't really see the detail of the Christmas tree in the background the way you can when you look at the original, or the soft flush of their chubby cheeks. I can almost hear their soft, measured breathing, see the rise and fall of their little chests, and smell the warm, baby smell of my toddler and the "No More Tears" shampoo scent in my daughter's hair.

This is one of those scenes that's going to stay with me as long as I live.

August Is...

...National Back to School Month (United States).

...Holiday Month (many European countries).

August 1: Anniversary of the 1st U.S. Federal Census
Swiss National Day

August 2 - 3: Twins Day in Twinsburg, Ohio
(Do twins run in your family?)

August 6: National Salvadoran-American Day (United States)

August 7: Purple Heart Day

August 8 - 24: 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China
(Any Olympians or athletic champions in your family tree?)

August 9: Singapore Independence Day

August 10: Ecuador Independence Day

August 14: Pakistan Independence Day

August 15: Korea Independence Day
India Independence Day

August 17: Indonesia Independence Day

August 21: Hawaii Statehood Day

August 25: Uruguay Independence Day

August 31: Malaysia Independence Day

Do any of the above events feature in or affect your heritage, culture, or family history?

August Carnivals:

Posted August 2 - 53rd Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - Carousel Edition

Posted August 5 - The Genea-Bloggers' Picnic

Posted August 13 - 4th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival - My Favorite Photograph

Posted August 18 - 54th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - The Family Language

Posted August 23 - 10th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - Carousel Edition

Submissions for the 8th Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture are not due until September 22. Read more here.

The Cabinet of Curiosities is on summer holiday until September. Tim Abbott is looking for hosts for future editions.

August 1 - Data Backup Day

Julie Miller writes on how to create a genealogy disaster plan.

Scanfest: Sunday, August 24th, 11 AM - 2 PM, Pacific Daylight Time

Scanfest will be held one week early (usually held the last Sunday of the month), due to August 31st being a part of Labor Day weekend.

Go here to learn how to join Scanfest and our group of chatting, scanning family archivists, historians, and bloggers!

Go here to add the above deadlines and dates to your Google Calendar, courtesy of Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family.

The 3rd Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival is Posted

logo courtesy of footnoteMaven

"Celebrate Home" is the topic of the 3rd edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival, which footnoteMaven has created on her new blog, Shades of the Departed, a free digital publication which highlights photography and genealogy. My entry for this carnival was "Home is Where the Heart Is," and was joined by 19 others. There are beautiful photos, thoughtful Wordles (you'll have to read the posts to discover what that is!), and heartwarming stories, all celebrating the ideal of Home.

The topic for the next edition is "My Favorite Photograph":

Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that is your favorite family photo or that photograph you've collected and wouldn't give up for a King's ransom.

Is it the only photograph of an ancestor, is it funny, poignant, or very rare? My favorite photograph is the first one I ever collected. What's yours? Share it with us! Then get back out in the summer sun.

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

The deadline is midnight, 10 August 2008. Submissions may be entered here.

Home is Where the Heart Is

Source: Lewis Family Reunion, probably in Muskegon Co., Michigan. Photograph. C. 1924. Original photograph in the possession of Jeanne Holst Robbins, Fulton, Texas. 2008. Cropped reprint in the possession of Miriam Robbins Midkiff, Spokane, Washington. 2008.

I didn't know what I was going to write for the 3rd Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival: Celebrate Home hosted by the footnoteMaven at Shades of the Departed. As a child, we moved around quite a bit, part and parcel of having parents who worked for The Salvation Army. I realized after living in my current house for six years that that was the longest I had ever lived at one address! My ancestors were awfully migratory, too. Even the homes in Michigan that my parents grew up in were not the homes that my grandparents lived in when we would visit them when I was a child. There isn't one location or old homestead that's been in my direct family line for generations, and I'm probably a pretty normal American in that respect.

So, then, what is home? If you read my profile, you'll read the following:

I consider three locations my "home" and blog frequently about them: Alaska (where I was born and grew up); Michigan (where most of my genealogical research takes place); and Eastern Washington (my residence since 1979).

All three of those places have a piece of my heart in them. Alaska is full of those precious and innocent childhood memories one carries through life...and one small grave of a little boy. Michigan contains happy thoughts of loving grandparents, doting aunts and uncles, and playful cousins, along with the deep, quiet knowledge that generation after generation of family have lived in this peninsula beginning from as early as the 1830s. Washington holds the physical homes of those I hold most dear: my immediate family, my parents, my siblings, my nephews and nieces, an aunt and cousins, numerous in-laws.

The home--or structure--in the photograph above may have been built by my carpenter 2nd-great-grandfather, George Emmett Lewis, who stands alone on the top step of the porch. Whether this was the Lewis home or not, this photograph symbolizes to me the idea of home: it's a place, whether a physical location (the old house or homestead), your memory (thoughts of times gone by), or a place in your heart (love for family and friends). Home is wherever your heart is!

July Is...

...not a month that has a particular heritage associated with it. However, there are a number of national holidays and a historical celebration during this month:

July 1: Canada Day

July 4 - Independence Day (United States)

July 9: Independence Day (Argentina)

July 14: Bastille Day (France)

July 17 - Constitution Day (South Korea)

July 20: Independence Day ( Colombia)

July 24: Pioneer Day (observed by the State of Utah and members of the LDS church)

Do any of the above events feature in or affect your heritage, culture, or family history?

Carnival Deadlines:

Posted July 4 - 51st Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - Independent Spirit

Posted July 14 - 3rd Edition of the Smile for the Camera Carnival - Celebrate Home

Posted July 18 - 52nd Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - Age

Posted July 18 - 9th Edition of the Carnival of Central and European Genealogy - Research Experiences and Techniques

Posted July 28 - 7th Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture - Summer Reading Challenge

The Cabinet of Curiosities is on summer holiday until September. Tim Abbott is looking for hosts for future editions.

July 1 - Data Backup Day

Ken Spangler of Beyond Fiction shares his close call in "A Very Scary Last Few Days". Don't let this happen to you!


Scanfest: Sunday, July 27th, 11 AM - 2 PM, Pacific Daylight Time

Go here to learn how to join our group of chatting, scanning family archivists, historians, and bloggers!

Go here to add the above deadlines and dates to your Google Calendar, courtesy of Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family.

Two More Carnivals Posted

In the past week, two favorite carnivals by two geneablogging friends have been posted.

My apologies to footnoteMaven for not highlighting her brand new "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival when it first was published last Sunday, May 11th. If you haven't heard, the Maven has a new blog, Shades of the Departed, in which she merges her love of genealogy, history and photography. In the "Smile" carnival, she invites other bloggers to share their personal photos centered around a specific theme. In honor of Mother's Day, her first edition of the carnival had the theme "Mother Love" or "Love of Mother." My submission is here.

The 2nd edition will feature "Belles and Beaus":

The 2nd Edition of Smile For The Camera takes its word prompts from the romance and weddings of the month of June. So, show us your belles and beaus. Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that shows a memorable wedding, courting/dating, or a photograph depicting young/old love.

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Deadline for the submission is midnight, 10 June 2008. You can submit your post here.

Yesterday, Jasia of Creative Gene published the 48th Carnival of Genealogy, whose topic was "Mom, How'd You Get So Smart?" In honor of Mother's Day and National Teacher Month, bloggers explored their mother's education, whether formal or informal. Twenty-three bloggers wrote 25 posts about their mothers, mothers-in-law, or as in my case, I invited my mother to write her own educational memories.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Swimsuit Edition! Why should Sports Illustrated have all the fun? This is your chance to show off the bathing beauties in your family. Pull out the old photos of Grandma Moses in her seaside bloomers, Auntie Mae in her pin-up girl suit from the 1940s or 50s, cousin Paula in her psychedelic bikini from the 1970s, or even yourself in your Speedo! Let's have some fun here! Memorial Weekend is knocking on the door and that means the start of the summer sun, sand, and seaside season so let's get in the mood with summer fun photos. What? You don't have any swimsuit photos you dare to share? No problem! Tell us your best family beach stories instead! The deadline for submissions is June 1st.

Thanks to the members of the ScanFest crew who suggested the Swimsuit Edition topic!

Images of Mother Love

As I reviewed the photos and scanned digital images in my personal collection to find something to reflect the love of mothers towards their children for footnoteMaven's new carnival, I Smile for the Camera, I realized it was not an easy task! Most of the photos in my collection either show complete families, or babies by themselves. Here were a couple I thought worth sharing.

The first is of the sisters of my Great-grandfather William VALK. Older sister Jennie James (VALK) HEIDEMA is shown on the left with her second-born, Gerritt John HEIDEMA, Jr., about two years old (firstborn child John James HEIDEMA died as an infant). On the right is younger sister Geertje "Gertrude" James (VALK) YSSELDYKE with firstborn child Jacob YSSELDYKE, Jr. Pride and joy are reflected in these mothers' eyes. At a time when infant mortality was still quite high, children (and mothers) who survived childbirth and infancy were fortunate.

Source: Sisters Jennie Valk Heidema and Gertrude Valk Ysseldyke with their sons Gerrit Heidema and Jacob Ysseldyke. Photocopy of photograph taken 1921. Original in the possession of John Heidema, Little Silver, New Jersey. 2000.

Mother love doesn't end when a child becomes an adult. Here we see my 2nd-great-grandmother, Mary Lucy (STRONG) WRIGHT with her daughter, Ethel Melissa (STRONG) HASTIE. Their love for each other is so evident in their postures and expressions. Ethel and her husband cared for Mary in the Pacific Northwest in her elder years after she was widowed.

Source: Strong, Mary Wright and daughter Melissa Strong Hastie. Reprint of photograph taken c. early 1940s. Original photograph in the possession of Avis Strong Russell, Italy, Texas. 2008.

Written for the 1st I Smile for the Camera Carnival, "Love of Mother/A Mother's Love".