Opening Ceremonies of the Summer 2008 Genea-Blogging Group Games: The Parade of Delegates

(please turn on your speakers)

Welcome to the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer 2008 Genea-Blogging Group Games



In the Spirit of

Unity

Friendly Competition

Quality Standards

and Achievement

we present to you the participants of

the Summer 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games.





Delegates are listed in alphabetical order by blog title. Blog titles are linked so that you can easily return to your favorite blogs during the Games to check on the bloggers' progress. A link to each blogger's post describing the categories they are competing in is listed as "Categories Entered."







100 Years in America
A Light that Shines Again
Small-leaved Shamrock
by Lisa
Categories Entered: 1, 2, 3
(posting on all three blogs)

Lisa's flag represents her Irish, Croatian, and Hungarian heritage.







All My Branches Genealogy
by Wendy Littrell
Categories Entered

Her American, British, and German heritage are represented in this flag.







Amy's Genealogy, etc. Blog
by Amy Johnson Crow
Categories Entered

The flag represents being an American of Scottish and Irish heritage. The blue in the lower left is from the Union Jack and represents Scotland.







Ancestor Search Blog
by
Kathi Reid
Categories Entered

Kathi's flag meshes the elements of the flags of the United States, France and Romania to represent how these different ethnic groups have come together in her family. France and Romania were chosen to honor her two grandmothers who were born there.







AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors
by Miriam Robbins Midkiff
Categories Entered

The colors and stripes of Miriam's flag symbolize her current residence and ancestral heritage: The United States, the Netherlands, Friesland, England, Scotland, Canada and France.







Bluebonnet Country Genealogy
by Ruth Stephens
Categories Entered

Ruth's flag symbolizes the United States, where she resides; Ireland, her heritage; and Israel, where she hopes to visit. Our Lone Star blogger is also proud of her Texas heritage!







CanadaGenealogy, or "Jane's Your Aunt"
by M. Diane Rogers
Categories Entered

The Canadian maple leaf flag represents Diane's Canadian heritage, the Canadian Red Ensign represents her own English, Irish and Scottish ancestors, while the Swedish flag represents her husband's ancestors.







The Cheek that Doth Not Fade
by Richard Cheek
Categories Entered

Richard's flag combines the US flag and the Malaysian flag which represent the two countries where his children were born.







DearMYRTLE: Your Friend in Genealogy
by Pat Richley
Categories Entered

The banner of Ol' Myrt represents her Irish, American, and German roots.







Destination: Austin Family
by Thomas MacEntee
Categories Entered

Thomas' banner displays his Dutch, American, and British roots.







The Educated Genealogist
by Sheri Fenley
Categories Entered

German, Irish, and American heritage are symbolized in Sheri's flag.







Elyse's Genealogy Blog
by Elyse Doerflinger
Categories Entered

Elyse said: "I chose the flags of America (Born and raised!), Germany, and Wales. Since I am Welsh and German it really fits me rather well - don't ya think?"







The Family Curator
by Denise Levenick
Categories Entered

British and German heritage can be seen, along with proud American roots in Denise's banner.







footnoteMaven
by the footnoteMaven
Categories Entered

Can you see the flag of Scotland in the lower left corner of fM's banner? The Campbells are coming...to the Games!







Genea-Musings
by Randy Seaver
Categories Entered

Randy describes his flag: "England is the 'mother country' for almost all of my colonial ancestors and the mother country of the USA and Canada. I have a few Canadian ancestors, and many colonial American ancestors and USA-born ancestors."






GenBlog
by Julie Cahill Tarr
Categories Entered

Julie says: "My flag represents the American, German, and Irish sides of my heritage."







George Geder Genealogy~Photography~Restoration
by George Geder
Categories Entered

It has been suggested that George's ancestors hail from the Ivory Coast and Ghana. These elements are merged with those of the United States on a richly textured background in this beautiful banner.







Granite in My Blood
by Midge Frazel
Categories Entered

Midge's flag highlights her American and British ancestry, as well as her Stanton and Denison lines.







HomeTown Edition - Kratochvil & Secor
by Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore
Categories Entered

The stripes on Brenda's flag show Freedom of the United States. The Maple Leaf represents Canada and the solid red is for Austria.







I Dream of Genea(logy)
by Amir Dekel (abba-dad)
Categories Entered

Amir's flag symbolizes Israel, where he was born and lived most of his life; Nigeria, where he spent five years of his childhood; and the United States, which he calls home these days.






Island Routes
by Melody Lasalle
Categories Entered

Melody's flag represents that she was born in the United States. Her ancestry hails from several countries but she mostly identifies with her French and Portuguese heritage.







Janet the Researcher
by Janet Iles
Categories Entered

Janet's banner represent her maternal Scottish--and from way back--her maternal Germanic roots. It also shows her paternal English roots and her Canadian nationality. She enlarged the symbols for England and Scotland to represent their greater influence.







Jessica's Genejournal
by Jessica Oswalt
Categories Entered

British and German heritage are displayed, along with her American residence, in Jessica's banner.







kinexxions
by Becky Wiseman
Categories Entered

Becky's rich symbolism of her flag has been described in her post here.







Life at the Home20
by Laura Womack
Categories Entered

Laura used the colors from the flags of the US, UK and Ireland in her own flag. Red means patriotism. Blue means freedom. Green means unity. Gold means wealth. White means hope.







Little Bytes of Life
by Elizabeth O'Neal
Categories Entered

Elizabeth explains her flag: "Mine is a combination of USA, France, and UK (Scotland, Ireland) heritage. The USA portion is the greatest since my (paternal) ancestors have been in the U.S. since before the Mayflower." We think it's fitting for a member of the DAR!







looking4ancestors
by Kathryn Lake Hogan
Categories Entered

This is the flag of Walengada, representing Kathryn's Welsh, English, and Canadian heritage.







The Oracle of OMcHodoy
by Colleen McHugh
Categories Entered

Colleen's heritage from the United States, Ireland, and the Czech Republic are reflected in her banner.







Slekt og slikt!
by Laila Normann Christiansen
Categories Entered

Laila is Norwegian with Swedish ancestry (three of her great-grandparents immigrated from Sweden to Norway late 1800s). The American flag represents how she loves to visit the US and stay in her condo in Florida.







Steve's Genealogy Blog
by Stephen Danko
Categories Entered

Steve's flag shows the flags of Lithuania and Poland, the countries in which his ancestors lived, as a background for the flag of the United States where his family has lived for the past 100 years.







Transylvanian Dutch
by John Newmark
Categories Entered

On John's flag we see his American, Dutch, Jewish, and Transylvanian heritage. Yes, that IS a vampire, representing John's Transylvanian ancestry! It is from a painting by Edward Munsch, most famous for The Scream.







Twig Talk
by Sheri Bush
Categories Entered

British, French and American roots are represented in Sheri's banner. She's also proud of her German ancestry!







Vidar's Slektsblogg
by Vidar Øverlie
Categories Entered

This is Vidar's design of a merged Norwegian and Danish flag representing his own heritage.







West in New England
by Bill West
Categories Entered

Bill used England and Ireland's flags' colors because they represent both sides of his family: the colonists who came from England in the 17th century on the Mayflower and other ships, who were his father's ancestors, and the Irish immigrants of the 19th century who were his mother's grandparents.







What's Past is Prologue
by Donna Pointkouski
Categories Entered

On Donna's banner, we see her American, Polish, and Bavarian heritage, as well as the symbol of the Vatican, representing her strong Catholic ancestral roots.





Our bloggers represent a diversity of ethnicity, culture, and heritage, and reside in three actual nations:



Canada







Norway







The United States





We thank all those who have promoted these Games. We appreciate the encouragement and support of those who cannot participate due to work and family commitments or time constraints. You are our fans, cheering us from the stands, and we salute you!





Genea-Bloggers, are you prepared? May the light of our ancestors' lives shine before us, guiding us, motivating us, and leading us on to record their history for the generations to come.



Let the Games begin!


Personal flags created at WeAreMulticolored. National flags courtesy of 3DFlags.
"Bugler's Dream/Olympic Fanfare and Theme" composed and conducted by John Williams and performed by the Boston Symphony. Broadcast by Project Playlist.

Stay Tuned for Opening Ceremonies at 3:00 PM, PDT

I've just gone through several "dry runs" of the Opening Ceremonies, posting the HTML at a private blog to make sure I find and correct all the mistakes before the Real Deal is posted here at 3:00 PM, PDT.

The personal flags that each of the 34 delegates have created are so amazing in their beauty and symbolism. On my last dry run, I got chills up my back and tears in my eyes. I've read every one of the posts they have written describing the categories they will be competing in. I can tell you that you will not be disappointed!

There's one very important person who will not be participating in the Games...at least not in the way that everyone else will be. She has been there with Thomas and I every step of the way, but she has chosen not to compete because her blog is not a personal genealogy one, but a society blog. If you haven't guessed by now to whom I'm referring, it's Kathryn Doyle of the California Genealogical Society and Library blog. What Thomas and I have been doing is very visible, but Kathryn has been working just as hard behind the scenes, and she deserves so much credit in all of this! She didn't even flinch when we realized that both Thomas and I will be gone on vacation for a few days AT THE SAME TIME in the middle of the Games, and that all questions and responsibilities will be mainly on her shoulders.

You'll hear this again, but our many thanks to all who promoted the Games, especially those who because of family, work, or school responsibilities and time constraints could not participate. We view you as our fans and cheerleaders, rooting for us from the stands!

My Events for the Summer 2008 Genea-Bloggers Group Games

The Summer 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games will begin with Opening Ceremonies here at AnceStories this afternoon, Pacific Daylight Time. I plan to participate and medal in all five categories. Each description and the corresponding qualifications are listed below, with my goal in bold red font.

1. Go Back and Cite Your Sources!
Create proper citations of sources for as many events possible using either Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills or How to Cite Sources by John Wiley.

Qualifications for "Go Back and Cite Your Sources!":
10 Citations - Bronze Medal
20 Citations - Silver Medal
30 Citations - Gold Medal
40 Citations - Diamond Medal
50 Citations - Platinum Medal

My goal is to earn a platinum medal in this category, using Evidence Explained. This will be linked to entering data (Category 3).

2. Back Up Your Data!
Backup data to choice of formats (flash drives, CDs, DVDs, online) or storing hard copies properly (safety deposit box, safe, etc.).

A. Prepare a comprehensive backup plan for your digital research files and a security plan for your hard copies and photos

B. Secure your hard copies and photos in waterproof containers

C. Backup all your data using a flash drive, an external drive, CDs, DVDs, or an online resource

D. Have all your hard copies and photos scanned and secure them either in a fire-proof safe or offsite in a safety-deposit box/secure environment

E. All your data is backed up digitally and secured physically and you can recover from any disaster while losing only one month or less worth of research

Qualifications for "Back Up Your Data!":
Complete Task A - Bronze Medal
Complete Task B - Silver Medal
Complete Task C - Gold Medal
Complete Task D - Diamond Medal
Complete Task E - Platinum Medal

My goal is to earn a gold medal by achieving tasks A, C, and E. Due to the amount of genealogical records, photos, and items I've inherited in the last year (three large boxes), it is impossible for me to have everything secured in waterproof containers or stored in a safety deposit box, at this point. I will make an effort to place more items in my safety deposit box, however.

3. Organize Your Research!
So you have plenty of research - that's okay if you can find what you need when you need it, right? Take time to review your collection of documents and photos, both hard copy and digital, and work to organize those items for easy access.

A. Organize at least 20 hard files or ancestral items (books, fabrics, inherited items) into file folders, boxes, envelopes, containers, etc.; archival-quality where appropriate.

B. Organize at least 20 digital files into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.

C. Organize at least 20 photos into photo albums, scrapbooks, collages, protective holders, boxes, etc.

D. Organize at least 20 digital photos into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.

E. Create at least 20 data entries in your database, or scan 20 photos, or scan 20 documents.

F. Create a master list of your files and notify your family members of where it is stored.

Qualifications for "Organize Your Research!":
Complete any one task - Bronze Medal
Complete any two tasks - Silver Medal
Complete any three tasks - Gold Medal
Complete any four tasks - Diamond Medal
Complete five or more tasks - Platinum Medal

I will attempt to achieve a platinum medal by completing at least the minimum of each of the six tasks. My focus will be on my husband's family lines, although I will probably do some work on my own as well.

4. Write, Write, Write!
Do you find birth dates, death dates and all the data boring if there's no narrative behind it? Don't you find the stories about ancestors more attractive than cut and dried census data? It takes time to be able to write about your family history and the more you write and the more often you write, the easier it is to bring your family to life for others to see.

A. Write a summary of what your blog is about and post it on your blog – you may not have done this since you started the blog and it is a great way to have new readers learn more about your site.

B. Participate in a genealogy or family history related blog carnival.

C. Prepare several posts in draft mode (if possible with your blog platform) and pre-publish.

D. Write a brief biographical sketch on one of your ancestors.

E. Sign up to host a future carnival.

Qualifications for "Write, Write, Write!":
Complete any one task - Bronze Medal
Complete any two tasks - Silver Medal
Complete any three tasks - Gold Medal
Complete any four tasks - Diamond Medal
Complete all 5 tasks - Platinum Medal

I've done Task A before these Games began, so I don't feel I qualify for it now, and I don't feel prepared to host a carnival at this time (Task E; I know carnival hosting requires a lot of work, and I'm short on time right now). That leaves me with Tasks B through D, to earn a gold medal.

5. Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!

A. Comment on a new (to you) genea-blog.

B. Join another genea-blogger’s blog network on Facebook Blog Networks.

C. Invite other genealogists to join Facebook.

D. Assist another researcher with a research request or lookup. See AnceStories' "Random Acts of Kindness Week" posts for ideas for this item and Item E.

E. Participate in an indexing project.

F. Join a genealogical, historical, heritage or lineage society.

Qualifications for "Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!":
Complete any one task - Bronze Medal
Complete any two tasks - Silver Medal
Complete any three tasks - Gold Medal
Complete any four tasks - Diamond Medal
Complete five or more tasks - Platinum Medal

This will be the easiest event for me to medal in, so I'm going for platinum!

1881 Canadian Census Images and Index Launched Online at the Library of Canada

courtesy 3DFlags

In all the excitement of preparing for the Summer 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games, I noticed a few blog announcements that the Library of Canada has launched the 1881 Canadian Census with index AND images!

With numerous ancestors and relatives appearing in this census, it's taking a lot of self-control not to wander over there while I'm trying to finish up the Opening Ceremonies post! :-)

John William "Chet" VALK (1914 - 1944), Recipient of the Purple Heart

Source: John W. Valk Badge of Military Merit; owned by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington, 2008.

Today is Purple Heart Day.

The official name of a Purple Heart is the Badge of Military Merit. According to Wikipedia, it "is considered to be the first official military combat badge of the United States Armed Forces. It is the second oldest United States military award in existence, the oldest being the Fidelity Medallion. The Badge of Military Merit was first announced in General George Washington's general orders to the Continental Army issued on 7 August 1782 at the Headquarters in Newburgh. Designed by Washington in the form of a purple heart, it was intended as a military order for soldiers who displayed unusual gallantry in battle, or extraordinary fidelity and essential service."

Currently, "the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died after being wounded." [Wikipedia]

Here in the State of Washington, living Purple Heart recipients can obtain specialized license plates with an image of the award decorating the plates. This may be possible in other states as well.

---

The story of the Purple Heart recipient in my family begins on a cold winter day in the City of Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan on 7 February 1914. Agnes (TUINSTRA) VALK had just given birth to her fourth son and child within four years. What Agnes and her husband, William James VALK, decided to name this son is open to speculation. According to their third son--and my maternal grandfather--William "Bill" VALK, his younger brother was supposed to have been named William Thomas VALK. I think my grandfather was mistaken...why would you have two sons named William? I think my great-grandparents meant to name the boy Thomas William VALK. This makes sense because Thomas was the name of a younger brother of William Sr., who had died young, and was another translation--in addition to James--of the Frisian name Tjamme, William Sr.'s father's name. Having William as a middle name (as so many of these sons did) was a leftover Dutch tradition, where one's middle name was a patronym ("Willems").

Somehow, either "William Thomas" or "Thomas William" didn't go over, and the parents decided upon John Chester VALK, and nicknamed him "Chet." Whatever happened, Chet was registered on his offical birth record as "John William VALK"--by the doctor, according to my grandfather--and no one was the wiser until nearly 30 years later.

Chet's birth was followed by two more sons and a set of twins, one of whom was stillborn. By now, the United States was in the midst of World War I. Soon after, the Spanish Influenza Pandemic hit. I've written before about how Agnes was institutionalized after succumbing to the effects of influenza or perhaps encephalitis lethargica. When she died shortly before her 36th birthday, William Sr. was left with six sons and daughter, all under the age of 12. These children were farmed out to relatives and the city orphanage. Chet was one who lived at Blodgett Home for Children during the 1920 Census. After William Sr. married Iva Eva (LAMBRECHT) SCHADLER, a widow with a 10-year-old son, the family was reunited, and eight more children--five of whom survived infancy--were added to the household.

Chet attended Walker Township schools and grew up playing on the streets of what is now west Grand Rapids. In 1937, his 24-year-old brother Bill (my grandfather) married 17-year-old German immigrant Elfriede "Freda" LOMKER in South Bend, Indiana, a "Gretna Green" marriage location. A year an a half later, a son, James Frederick VALK, was born. Besides the obvious age difference between the couple, the marriage appeared to be doomed from the start. One morning, Bill left a dollar bill on the table with a note, and simply walked out. Freda and little Jimmy moved into her parents' home. This was Efriede's version, according to the 1941 court records of their divorce. According to my grandmother (Bill's second wife), Elfriede "ran off with Chet" (before the divorce? soon after?). However, I must remember that my grandmother heard Bill's version, and he may have been justifying his actions. Those who know the whole truth are long gone.

Source: Valk, James Frederick and Elfriede (Lomker). Photograph. C. 1941. Original in the possession of Robert Upton [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Queen Creek, Arizona. 2008.

Whatever happened, Chet and Elfriede did fall in love and marry. She called him "Johnny" and he called her "Freda." Chet looked upon little Jimmy as his own, and was obviously devoted to both his own family and his in-laws. He had served in the regular U.S. Army from 1936 through 1939 and was recalled in February 1941. It was during his enlistment that the discovery was made that his legal name, according to his birth record, was John William VALK. According to my grandfather, Chet served with the 101st Airborne, but I am not sure as to the accuracy of that statement.

Source: Valk, John William "Johnny" (Fort Benning, Georgia) to "Dear Margaret" [possibly Margaret Lomker]. Letter. Undated. Privately held by Robert Upton [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Queen Creek, Arizona. 2008.
(click on any thumbnail to enlarge)

From Fort Benning, Georgia, in this undated letter, Chet writes to a friend, or perhaps his sister-in-law, Margaret:

Dear Margaret,

I received your card and letter both this morning and was glad to hear from you. After reading the card I thought I'd better not wait so long this time. That sure was a good thrashing you gave me. I had it coming I guess.

It is still hotter than blazes down here and not much breeze. The little breeze we do get sure feels good. We are all feeling fine inspite [sic] of the weather.

Freda has gone back up to Rockford [Michigan, near Grand Rapids] to dispose of some [of] the things we are not taking with us. We have all ready [sic] sold the house and got our down payment back out of it. She expects to be gone only a week then she's driving down in the car with Jimmy.

Gee, I really miss that kid something awful. I wonder if he'll still remember me after those long months. Bet he'll like our new house as there will be plenty of open space to play in.

Just before Freda left we went out to look how they were coming on the house and they hadn't hardly did anything to it except installing the plumbing and electrical fixtures. I can hardly wait to move in.

I think you should give Freda a calling down. I've been trying to get her to write for ages but she doesn't seem to find time. It's touch that Cliff is gone and wish him the best of everything wherever he goes and a hasty arrival back home. I think of you two a lot and sure miss seeing you every so often. Maybe after this war is over we'll be able to pay you a visit. Freda has already told me she'd like to move to Califonria, and you know Freda when she wants something. Well Margie I guess I'll close as there really isn't much news any way. So goodbye for now. We'll try to be more prompt hereafter.

Love
Johnny.

Source: Valk, John William "Johnny" (unknown location in Europe) to "Dear Folks" [Fred and Anna (Kirchdyke) Lomker]. Letter. 9 December 1944. Privately held by Robert Upton [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Queen Creek, Arizona. 2008.
(click on any thumbnail to enlarge)

Chet was sent overseas to serve. On Saturday, 9 December 1944, he wrote from Europe to Freda's parents, Fred LOMKER, Sr. and Anna KIRCHDYKE, who were probably living in Grand Rapids:

Saturday, Dec. 9th.

Dear Folks,

Just a few lines to say hell-o. I know you'll be surprised to hear from me as I haven't written before. I have been thinking of you though, often. How are all of you, anyway. I'm fine and hope this letter find you all in the best of health. I hear from Freda quite often but she seldom mentions you. Just finished writing Freda a few moments ago. I'd like it very much if she'd go home. I'm afraid she's working too hard. She says she [is] going home any day now. Just hope she makes it there before Christmas. It would be nice if she were home for Christmas. I sure would like to be there too. this is really a bad mess over here and I for one will be glad when it's over with.

[Censored] It was impossible [censored] Christmas, over here for [censored] anything. Hoping she gets home for Christmas [censored] this [censored] doesn't [illegible] if you can always [censored].

I received a letter from Margaret awhile back and it sure was nice hearing from her. I hear from home often too and naturally they generally write a few lines about you all. So I do hear about you occasionally. Dad Valk mentioned pa in his last letter saying you was over a short while ago.

The weather over here has been miserable but through it all we manage somehow. We have every thing we need, plenty of blankets, clothes, east, cigarettes and so forth. That's why I never ask Freda to send me anything. About the only thing I miss more than anything is my beer. Of course, I miss Freda and Jimmy the most.

Well, folks, I still have a few more letters to write besides this one so will close for now. Hoping you all the best. Give my regards to Fred [Jr.] and the kids. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Yours Truly,
Johnny

Johnny never saw the New Year, 1945. He was reported missing in Luxembourg on December 31st, and it was later determined he was killed in action on that date, another cold winter day like the one on which he had been born. At birth, he was welcomed by his loving parents and three older brothers. At death, he was surrounded by his Band of Brothers, some of whom may have joined him in crossing over.

Many years later, my grandfather later told me that he had heard his brother had been killed near Foy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge, and that he may have been parachuting into the area at the time. His obituary was published nearly three months later in the Grand Rapids Press.

Source: Walsh, Roland, Brigadier General, USA, Commanding (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) to "Mrs. Elfriede Valk" [Elfriede (Lomker) Valk]. Letter. Undated. Privately held by Robert Upton [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Queen Creek, Arizona. 2008.

Let us remember on Purple Heart Day the sacrifices that our military men and women have made to preserve our freedoms.

Freda later moved to Louisiana and became the second female certified public accountant in that state. She married another war veteran, and had two more children, but according to her son, she was very sad about many things in her life. I suspect Chet's death affected her greatly. In addition, little Jimmy had to be institutionalized because he was--or became--disabled. He lived in the state institution at Kalamazoo, Michigan, and died at the age of 19. This must have been very grievous to bear. At that time in society, there was no physical, financial, medical or emotional support for families with disabled children, leaving them little choice but the anguish of basically abandoning them to the mercy of the state. Freda herself passed away in 1983 after a battle with melanoma.

It is through the great generosity of Freda's children that the Badge of Military Merit awarded to John William "Chet" VALK, as well as copies of his letters and the above photograph, have been returned to and shared with the descendants of the Valk family. We are exceedingly grateful.

These Aren't the Olympics

Just a quick note: If you blog about the Genea-Blogger Group Games, please don't refer to them as the "Olympics." This is a word that is protected either by copyright or a similar legal process by the International Olympic Committee, who has only ever authorized the usage of their name in one instance, the Special Olympics.

As family historians and genealogists, we strive to respect and uphold copyright and fair use laws. Therefore, the Genea-Blogger Group administrators request that the term "Genea-Blogger Group Games" or "the Games" for short be used in place of the word "Olympics."

Some Deadlines Extended for Genea-Blogger Group Games Entries

First of all, Thomas, Kathryn and I want to say a huge "thank you" to FamilyTreeMagazine for publicizing the Summer 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games in both their blog and their e-newsletter. We've received such a overwhelming onslaught of requests from people wanting to sign up, that we are extending a couple of deadlines (these deadlines will be changed on our official rules of participation post). The changes have been made below and are listed in bold red font:

1. Sign up at the Facebook Genea-Blogger Group page by RSVPing to the Genea-Blogger Group Games that will be listed in the Events menu on that page. Submission deadline is 9:00 AM, Pacific Daylight Time on August 8, 2008. Only participants who have signed up in advance will be listed in the Opening Ceremonies. If you are not yet a Facebook and Genea-Blogger Group member, you must sign up for these immediately. Administrators can also participate.

E-mail Miriam Midkiff by 9:00 AM, Pacific Daylight Time on August 8 with the following information which will be used during the Opening Ceremonies:

A. The name of the country in which you now reside.

B. An attached graphic of a flag you create yourself at WeAreMulticolored representing your ancestry, heritage, or personal expression. Please explain the heritage or special meaning behind your flag.

C. The URL (web address) of your blog.

Please note that the following deadline remains in place:

2. Participate in Opening Ceremonies by publishing a post on your blog on August 8, 2008, by 12:00 noon, PDT describing the categories in which you will compete. Describe your goals for achievement. Look for the Official List of Competitors at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors to be posted later that day. These are our Opening Ceremonies.

The obvious factor is, if you don't have a blog, you won't be able to participate. If you want a quick tutorial on creating one, please visit Robert Ragan's easy tutorial here.

Addendum to Genea-Bloggers Group Games Competition Categories

Midge Frazel pointed out that there were a couple of events in the Genea-Bloggers Group Games that had six tasks, but the qualifications for the corresponding medals only listed completing five tasks. I've reworded the qualifications for the "Organize Your Research!" and "Reach Out & Perform Acts of Kindness" to clarify that in order to obtain a platinum medal in these events, you must complete five or more of the six tasks.

Thank you for your patience with these Addendums. We did our best to revise and edit the wording, but some things slipped through.

Remember, if you have any questions, please list them on the appropriate discussion boards on the Genea-Bloggers Group page at Facebook.

Wordless Wednesday: A Purple Heart

Source: John W. Valk Badge of Military Merit; owned by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington, 2008.

The Genea-Bloggers' Picnic Has Been Posted

Bill West of West in New England has posted "Welcome to the Picnic!" He asked genealogy bloggers what kinds of picnics they remembered from their childhood. There are 20 picnickers, each with their own picnic baskets and favorite foods. My submission, "Picnic Time" is here.

Enjoy the reads!

Donna's Top Ten Genea-Blogger Group Games...

Donna Pointkouski's got a hilarious post over at her What's Past is Prologue blog: "The Top Ten Genea-Blogger Group Games That Were Cut by the Olympic Committee." You gotta read it!

Addendum to Genea-Bloggers Group Games Badges and Medals

ADDENDUM II: Participants are encouraged to use the lovely Summer 2008 Genea-Bloggers Group Games participants' badge (shown at the top of this post) created by the equally lovely footnoteMaven on their blogs. Please link it to the Genea-Bloggers Group Facebook page: http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30305424880

Addendum to Genea-Bloggers Group Games Participant Rules

If you are planning to participate in the Genea-Bloggers Group Games, please be aware that I have made an addendum to the participant rules.

As part of Step 1: Sign Up, please e-mail me (kidmiffATgmailDOTcom) with the following information:

A. The name of the country in which you now reside.

B. An attached graphic of a flag you create yourself at WeAreMulticolored representing your ancestry, heritage, or personal expression.

For example, I would send in the name of the United States, and the following graphic, representing by its colors and shapes my American, Canadian, Frisian, Dutch, English, Scots, and French ancestry and heritage:

This information will be used during the Opening Ceremonies, so please e-mail it to me by 3:00 PM, Pacific Daylight Time on Thursday, August 7 (same time as the participant submission deadline).

Tagged...Again...and Again!

Carol Wilkerson of iPentimento in Your Reader got this whole BFF (Blogging Friends Forever) meme rolling through the genea-blogosphere, when she tagged me the other day. I like these memes, because I discover new-to-me blogs. But it was only logical that sooner or later, people were going to start tagging those who'd been tagged earlier. It gets difficult to find someone who hasn't been tagged!

Recently, both Amy of Amy's Genealogy Blog, etc. and Jeanna of RootsReading.com tagged me as a BFF. Thanks, ladies! Both are new-to-me blogging buddies whose blogs have recently been added to my blogroll. I hope my readers take the time to go visit Amy and Jeanna.

UPDATE: Thank you also to Donna of What's Past is Prologue for tagging me along with the other authors of the Facebook® Bootcamp for Genea-Bloggers blog.

UPDATE II: Another thank you to Virginia of Valeehill Genealogy Blog, who tagged me in a note over at Facebook.

And speaking of my blogroll, if you actually visit my blog site and don't just read AnceStories from a feed reader such as Google Reader or Bloglines, you'll see about a quarter of way down the page, in the right-hand margin, a list of 10 posts that have recently been published by my genea-blogging friends. You see, currently, I have 163 blogs added to the Genealogy folder of my Google Reader account! That's too long of a list to post on my blog, and unless someone's blog has an intriguing title, it's doubtful my readers would click on a link. Thus I've fixed my setting to show the latest posts with a clip that will motivate my readers to click on the link to read more.

There are a number of ways to find new genealogy blogs. Laura Womack wrote "Methods for Finding Genealogy Blogs" at Life at the Home20. I have also discovered that when I view my Google Reader and click on "Discover" above my blogroll, it gives me suggestions for finding more blogs, genealogy and otherwise. It does this by comparing my interests with the feeds of users similar to me. Try it out!

Announcing the Summer 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games !

Announcing the Summer 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games!

August 8 to August 25, 2008
Created In the Spirit of the Summer Olympics

In the Spirit of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, we would like to invite you to participate in the 2008 Genea-Blogger Group Games beginning August 8th through August 25th (one day longer than the Olympic Games, due to Scanfest occurring on the 24th). There will be five categories in which you can participate. All participants will receive a badge, and qualifying participants will be awarded medals (designed by our very own creative footnoteMaven) on Monday, August 25th during the Closing Ceremonies.

If you would like to participate, please carefully read the criteria below. If you have any questions, please post them at the appropriate discussion boards (and not in the comments below) provided at the Genea-Blogger Group page.

Participation

1. Sign up at the Facebook Genea-Blogger Group page by RSVPing to the Genea-Blogger Group Games that will be listed in the Events menu on that page. Submission deadline is 9:00 AM, Pacific Daylight Time on August 8, 2008. Only participants who have signed up in advance will be listed in the Opening Ceremonies. If you are not yet a Facebook and Genea-Blogger Group member, you must sign up for these immediately. Administrators can also participate.

ADDENDUM I: E-mail Miriam Midkiff by 9:00 AM, Pacific Daylight Time on August 8 with the following information which will be used during the Opening Ceremonies:

A. The name of the country in which you now reside.

B. An attached graphic of a flag you create yourself at WeAreMulticolored representing your ancestry, heritage, or personal expression. Please explain the heritage or special meaning behind your flag.

C. The URL (web address) of your blog.

2. Participate in Opening Ceremonies by publishing a post on your blog on August 8, 2008, by 12:00 noon, PDT describing the categories in which you will compete. Describe your goals for achievement. Look for the Official List of Competitors at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors to be posted later that day. These are our Opening Ceremonies.

3. Start competing on August 9, 2008 at 12:00 noon, PDT.

4. Record your progress daily on your blog. Keep track of your own statistics. This is on the honor system! For those who may be on vacation during this time and perhaps not have Internet access, keep record of daily stats manually and publish them when back online.

5. Stop competing on August 23, 2008 at 12:00 noon, PDT.

6. Post your final tallies by 3:00 p.m. PDT on August 23, 2008 on your blog.

7. Visit Destination: Austin Family on August 25, 2008 for the Medals Ceremony/Closing Ceremonies (we are postponing this by one day because of Scanfest and to give the administrators time to double-check tallies).

Badges and Medals

The footnoteMaven has graciously created the participants' badges as well as medals in the following levels: bronze, silver, gold, diamond, and platinum, with bronze being the lowest level and platinum being the highest. These badges and medals will be awarded during the Closing Ceremonies on Monday, August 25th at Destination: Austin Family.

ADDENDUM II: Participants are encouraged to use the lovely Summer 2008 Genea-Bloggers Group Games participants' badge (shown at the top of this post) created by the equally lovely footnoteMaven on their blogs. Please link it to the Genea-Bloggers Group Facebook page: http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30305424880

Competition Categories

1. Go Back and Cite Your Sources!
We all know how important our research is - but it is only worth the evidence that supports it! Have you ever looked at an entry in your database and wondered, "Where did that come from?" or "How can that be?" All events can and should be backed up by linking them to sources and evidence using a consistent and clear citation format.

Create proper citations of sources for as many events possible using either Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills or How to Cite Sources by John Wiley.

Qualifications for "Go Back and Cite Your Sources!":
10 Citations - Bronze Medal
20 Citations - Silver Medal
30 Citations - Gold Medal
40 Citations - Diamond Medal
50 Citations - Platinum Medal


2. Back Up Your Data!
Backup data to choice of formats (flash drives, CDs, DVDs, online) or storing hard copies properly (safety deposit box, safe, etc.).

A. Prepare a comprehensive backup plan for your digital research files and a security plan for your hard copies and photos

B. Secure your hard copies and photos in waterproof containers

C. Backup all your data using a flash drive, an external drive, CDs, DVDs, or an online resource

D. Have all your hard copies and photos scanned and secure them either in a fire-proof safe or offsite in a safety-deposit box/secure environment

E. All your data is backed up digitally and secured physically and you can recover from any disaster while losing only one month or less worth of research

Qualifications for "Back Up Your Data!":
Complete Task A - Bronze Medal
Complete Task B - Silver Medal
Complete Task C - Gold Medal
Complete Task D - Diamond Medal
Complete Task E - Platinum Medal


3. Organize Your Research!
So you have plenty of research - that's okay if you can find what you need when you need it, right? Take time to review your collection of documents and photos, both hard copy and digital, and work to organize those items for easy access.

A. Organize at least 20 hard files or ancestral items (books, fabrics, inherited items) into file folders, boxes, envelopes, containers, etc.; archival-quality where appropriate.

B. Organize at least 20 digital files into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.

C. Organize at least 20 photos into photo albums, scrapbooks, collages, protective holders, boxes, etc.

D. Organize at least 20 digital photos into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.

E. Create at least 20 data entries in your database, or scan 20 photos, or scan 20 documents.

F. Create a master list of your files and notify your family members of where it is stored.

Qualifications for "Organize Your Research!":
Complete any one task - Bronze Medal
Complete any two tasks - Silver Medal
Complete any three tasks - Gold Medal
Complete any four tasks - Diamond Medal
Complete five or more tasks - Platinum Medal


4. Write, Write, Write!
Do you find birth dates, death dates and all the data boring if there's no narrative behind it? Don't you find the stories about ancestors more attractive than cut and dried census data? It takes time to be able to write about your family history and the more you write and the more often you write, the easier it is to bring your family to life for others to see.

A. Write a summary of what your blog is about and post it on your blog – you may not have done this since you started the blog and it is a great way to have new readers learn more about your site.

B. Participate in a genealogy or family history related blog carnival. See the AnceStories post "August Is..." for a list of these carnivals and their submission URLs and deadlines.

C. Prepare several posts in draft mode (if possible with your blog platform) and pre-publish.

D. Write a brief biographical sketch on one of your ancestors.

E. Sign up to host a future carnival:

The following regular carnival hosts are accepting names for volunteer hosts: footnoteMaven needs volunteer hosts for the October 10th edition only of "I Smile for the Camera" (see her criteria in next paragraph); Jessica Oswalt of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy; Lisa of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture; and Tim Abbott of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Jasia has all the volunteers she needs for this year's Carnival of Genealogy, so please do NOT distract her from her writing to ask to volunteer as a host right now! :-)

You must email the footnoteMaven with the words "Guest Host – Smile For The Camera" in the subject line. In the body of the email you must select your favorite article from Shades Of The Departed and explain why it is your favorite. The footnoteMaven will select the best answer to determine the host for the October 10 “Smile For The Camera.” The best answer will be featured on Shades Of The Departed.

Qualifications for "Write, Write, Write!":
Complete any one task - Bronze Medal
Complete any two tasks - Silver Medal
Complete any three tasks - Gold Medal
Complete any four tasks - Diamond Medal
Complete all 5 tasks - Platinum Medal


5. Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!

A. Comment on a new (to you) genea-blog.

B. Join another genea-blogger’s blog network on Facebook Blog Networks.

C. Invite other genealogists to join Facebook.

D. Assist another researcher with a research request or lookup. See AnceStories "Random Acts of Kindness Week" posts for ideas for this item and Item E.

E. Participate in an indexing project.

F. Join a genealogical, historical, heritage or lineage society.

Qualifications for "Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!":
Complete any one task - Bronze Medal
Complete any two tasks - Silver Medal
Complete any three tasks - Gold Medal
Complete any four tasks - Diamond Medal
Complete five or more tasks - Platinum Medal


Remember: If you have any questions about participation rules or the criteria for the categories, please post them at the appropriate discussion boards at the Genea-Bloggers Group at Facebook!

The 53rd Carnival of Genealogy is Posted!

poster courtesy of footnoteMaven

Jasia of Creative Gene has just posted the 53rd Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. This was a carousel (choose your own) theme, and there are 39 submissions, including many first time carnival participants! Whew! (My own submission is "Pygmy Goats in Alaska," written by my dad 32 years ago.) Even though I'm a fast reader, it will take some time to visit all these blogs and savor some great reading. I hope you'll join me!

Jasia says:

The topic for the next edition of the COG is, The Family Language...Does your family use words and phrases that no one else knows or understands? Where did they come from? Did you ever try to explain your "family language" to outsiders? Tell a story about your family-coined words, phrases, or nicknames. This topic was chosen by Donna Pointkouski who will be hosting the next edition of the COG at What's Past is Prologue. Thanks Donna! The deadline for submissions is August 15th.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Friday Findings: GenLine, CRAPSEY Burials, Cousins, and SNOOK Graves

Due to the Blogger debacle this week, I was not able to post my Friday Findings in a timely manner. Here's a rundown of my research results for the week of July 26 - August 1, 2008:

More on Many Marriages
While entering the marriage records of my husband's granduncle, Lee Joseph "Mick" MARTIN, I realized that the witnesses for his third marriage, to Martha Isabell (JONES) DVORAK, were his daughter from his first marriage and her husband. Hmm... It made me wonder if his first wife had died by then (I'm not sure how their marriage ended; by divorce or by her death?). I couldn't find any death information for her, but I did find Isabell, as she was called, on the SSDI.

Swedish Parish Records
Also following up on last week's findings, I went to my local Family History Center to use their free subscription to GenLine, the Swedish parish records database, to find and verify my great-great-grandmother's birth (Ida Charlotte (GUSTAVSON) HOLST). I had never used it before, so it took some time. Fortunately, it has a nice tutorial, available both in English and Swedish. It is necessary to know the name of the parish to do a search. The records appear in digital image format, not unlike looking at a roll of microfilm. They are not indexed by name in any way, so it takes some searching. All I had for Ida's birthplace was Hamnada, Sweden. I had no idea where this location was, and used both Wikipedia and the FamilySearch Library Catalog to find it, without any success. I had a feeling I was spelling it incorrectly. I then did a Google search and found a mention in someone's online family tree of a "Hamnada-Småland, Krnberg". I went back to Wikipedia to look at the political structure of Sweden. Småland is one of 25 provinces (landskapen) of Sweden and has no political structure as of 1634. It is a cultural, geographical and historical subdivision. Kronoberg is a county (län), a political subdivision, that lies in what is a part of Småland. I still could not find Hamnada or a a similiar name in any of the lists of municipalities (similar to American townships), villages, or cities of Sweden.

I went back to GenLine, and looking up Kronoberg County records, I noticed that Hamneda was one of the parishes. Bingo! They had birth and christening records up through 1861 (I don't recall the beginning year), so I went to take a look. In 1861 alone, there were NINE Ida Charlottas (no Charlottes) born in Hamneda parish! Only one had a surname close to GUSTAVSON, and that was a Ida Charlotta GUSTAFSON born, it appears on 29 December 1861 and baptized 31 December 1861. I say "appears", because I am not certain of what the dates stand for. There are three numbers and a month before each record. The first number is the record number, as they are all in sequence from 1 until the last record. Then comes the month abbreviation, which is very similar to our English month abbreviations. Then two numbers follow. The first number is always lower than the second number, and none of the numbers go beyond 31, so my assumption is that the first one is the birth date and the second one is the christening date. The words "Births and Baptisms" appear at the the top of each of these pages (in Swedish, of course), adding credence to my theory. I used FamilySearch's online Swedish Genealogical Word List to figure out the words.

My Ida Charlotte GUSTAVSON was born 28 October 1861, but I need to find my source of information for that. Her 1900 U. S. Federal Census enumeration does have October 1861 as a birth date. I ran out of time to double check 1860 records, and there are none available at GenLine for 1862. I will need to search other nearby parish records, too, I think. I also did not have time to figure out how to save or print the image with the birth date of the Ida Charlotta GUSTAFSON I found. This was an interesting first foray into Swedish records, and I felt I learned quite a bit.

CRAPSEY Burials
I've been trying to find a death date for my 4th-great-grandmother, Lura Ann (JACKSON) PECK CRAPSEY. I know she was deceased by 1900, when my step-ancestor, the Rev. John CRAPSEY, Jr. was listed as a widower in the Federal Census for that year. She was alive as late as 1891, when her husband filed an application for a pension based on his deceased son's military service. They were living St. Paul, Ramsey Co., Minnesota. Attempts to have a volunteer at RAOGK look up her death records did not work out. I then came across John's obituary stating he was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery. There is a Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in Ramsey County, and I contacted them to see if I could find burial information (and thus a death date) for the Crapseys. I received an immediate response that there was no record of either one in their records. I need to follow up with wording from John's obituary to make sure that the Forest Lawn Cemetery he was buried in is the same as what Park and Mortuaries company now manages, when their records begin, and if they have record of John and Lura's children being buried there (it's possible, if their children are buried there, that John and Lura are buried without markers).

Cousins
A distant LEWIS cousin of mine, Bob Stefanich, contacted me to tell me about another cousin of ours (related more closely to me than Bob is) and that the LEWIS family reunion is occurring today in Fruitport, Muskegon Co., Michigan (wish I could be there)! I've contacted Jim with the hope that I can get more information on the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of my 2nd-great-grandparents, George Emmett LEWIS and Mary WILKINSON.

Also, a McARTHUR cousin contacted me. She lives in Michigan and is able to visit the ancestral cemeteries. She promised to take some tombstone photos of some of our mutual ancestors...so exciting!

SNOOK Graves
Speaking of ancestral graves, I heard from a Find A Grave photo volunteer--Catherine Bryon--who photographed the graves of my husband's 3rd-great-grandfather, Reuben Wohlford SNOOK, and his second wife, Elizabeth NEARHOOD, at the Forsyth Cemetery in Rosebud Co., Montana. Click on the links to view the photographs. Thanks, Catherine!

Beginning Online Genealogy Class Offered

If you live in the Spokane, Washington area and are interested in taking my next Beginning Online Genealogy course, check out your Fall Quarter 2008 Community Colleges of Spokane catalog that should be arriving in your mail any day. My class is listed on page 117 under Continuing Education courses.

We will be meeting in Room 213 at CenterPlace at Mirabeau Point Park, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Tuesday evenings from October 7th through the 28th. You must register through the Institute for Extended Learning at (509) 279-6000. The course number is L109 and the fee is $41. You can also register online by going to http://www.iel.spokane.edu/registration.

This beginning class covers Getting Started, Organization, Vital Records, Census Records, Googling Your Ancestors, and Connecting with Others Online. We will be utilizing several popular genealogy websites as well. The class is a prerequisite for my Intermediate Online Genealogy Class, which will be offered during Winter Quarter.

Pygmy Goats in Alaska

This was taken from the Fall 1976 edition of the National Pygmy Goat Association's Memo, and was written by my father, Bryan H. Robbins, from our home in Klawock, Alaska. A while ago, I invited my mother to write about her education as part of the 48th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. I thought it would be interesting to share my dad's writings with my readers, too!

In the remote rural villages of Alaska, milk comes only in a box or can, unless of course you have a homestead and can raise goats. Our 3/4 acre family homestead in a coastal village in southeast Alaska had some small livestock, but no fresh milk supply for our children. I was convinced that goats were the perfect answer for our place. The goats we needed had to be very efficient milkers or very small and not eat very much as dairy-mixed grain (or any feed) cost about $16.00 per hundred plus an additional nickel a pound freight to Klawock. High Alaskan prices are usually attributed to the high cost of freight. No live freight though, could be shipped on our weekly freighter. Whatever type of goat we got had to be small enough to put aboard a small airplane that is our lifeline to the outside world. In fact, all of our farm animals [chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, and pigs] to date have been flown to our homestead.

Countryside & Small Stock Journal's pygmy goat news and pygmy goat advertisers started me thinking, investigating, and writing about pygmy goats. The pygmy seemed an answer to our small milking needs. The pygmy, being small, could browse efficiently on our rainforest brush, needing only small amounts of daily grain. Best of all, adult animals could be shipped by air, thus saving us a year of growing out a kid of dairy breed.

We soon found our girl: a beautiful, full-belted, two-year-old doe named Fatima. She was shipped to us from the Kings Valley Animal Family in Oregon, but we would have to wait until spring before our own "herd sire" would come to Alaska.

Our goat experiences began with a good laugh over a panic-stricken pilot who flew our pygmy from the Ketchikan airport to Klawock. The pilot had never heard a goat bleat and after taking off for Klawock, our goat started to cry. The poor man thought her crying was the stall warning of the aircraft signaling an imminent crash landing.

Having only one goat on the homestead can be a real problem too. Fatima would cry by the hour for company. A five foot fence didn't contain her, except when her horns were caught in it, which was nearly all the time. She also thought that she was a person and should live in our house with us. Whenever she got out of her pen, she would butt the front door wanting to come in for a visit. If we weren't home, she would go next door to the neighbors and cry on their porch. When they opened their door, she would run inside and sit on their couch. We had to get her proper company before the following Spring. Soon, we were able to locate another two-year-old doe and arranged to have her bred before being shipped to us. The second doe, Graycie, flew in by mail plane a short time later. Soon things began to settle down at the homestead and stay in the barnyard.

Graycie was a beautiful agouti and definitely in a family way when she arrived. She continued to grow in size as her term progressed, to the point of reminding us of a burro with a full pack. One of the neighbors said he was going to make her a "wide load" sign to wear. There was good reason for that wide load she was carrying. In August, she presented us with four of the cutest little kids we had ever seen. She had a perfect set: two does and two bucks.

Oh! now we had fresh milk, too, not much, but so fresh. It was sweet and nutty in flavor and not at all like what comes out of a box or a can. It was our children's first whole fresh milk too.

Two months later our buck arrived and our doe was rebred. I continued milking her for a total of five months until she got down to a cup of milk per milking. Then she was dried off to prepare for her next kidding. I was only expecting twins this time, but when her time arrived I sat with her all day and night because she had such a difficult delivery before. I sat with her around the clock; since there were no further symptoms, I went to bed. She delivered again--four kids. But alas, without assistance, two were lost. With Graycie's multiple births, it won't be long before we have a large herd of pygmies in Alaska.

Does the pygmy have a place on a modern homestead? Yes, I believe she does - in a greater capacity than just a pet. A year and a half has not been sufficient time to make an accurate evaluation of the pygmy in comparison to other goats; but for us, the pygmy has filled a void that no other animal could have provided. They pygmy has given us milk and companionship, and the hope for a future cash crop to aid our homestead economics. I'm sure that isolated Alaskans and other homesteaders could take advantage of the cutest, most affectionate and newest goat there is...The American Pygmy Goat.

© Bryan H. Robbins, April 1976
Used with permission.
Submitted for the 53rd Carnival of Genealogy.

Picnic Time!

Bill West at West in New England has asked the genea-bloggers to participate in a Genea-Bloggers Picnic. Here are some questions he asked:

*What food does your family serve at picnics?
Our annual must-attend picnic is my parents' Fourth of July picnic at their beautiful log home on the mountainside north of Colville, Washington. Traditionally, we grill hamburgers and hot dogs and have all the condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles and/or relish, onion, lettuce, and tomatoes. There's usually potato salad, potato chips, and there MUST be baked beans. That's because Dad, like myself, is a traditionalist. He swears that at every Robbins Reunion that he attended as a kid there was nothing served but beans and dessert. Apparently there were dozens of bean dishes. He tells me this every year, and every year I remember that he inherited the Robbins' gene for storytelling, which although it always starts out with the truth, tends to grow and take on a life of its own! Mm-hmm.

When my niece's family comes, they almost always brings a cold three-bean salad that I love.

There are often veggie and fruit trays, soft drinks, and several desserts. Janet (Mom's friend) always brings a peanut-butter pie. When work kept her away this Fourth, her husband Pete did the honors.

*Are there traditional foods or family recipes?
Dad does have a special recipe for the beans. He starts out with canned baked beans, but adds all kinds of yummy stuff: mustard, molasses, etc. Can't be beat! I usually make a Jello Wave Your Flag cake.

*Is there one particular relative's specialty you wish you could taste again or one perfect picnic day you wish you could go back and relive?
One of my favorite times was a Spring Break when I was a high school junior, I think. The weather was beautiful, we had a picnic with a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows for s'mores. Then we came in and watched "The Music Man" on TV.

Here's some more ideas I came up with, and added to my AnceStories2 blog:

*You could expand to write about family reunions, past and present, and what kinds of foods were/are brought to them. As a child, I only remember attending one reunion, the Lewis family reunion in 1979 in Michigan. I have no idea what we ate, but I do remember that one of the great-granduncles had an ice cream cart!

At the Midkiff Family Reunions that I coordinated in 1990 and in 1999 in the Spokane Valley, we split up the list of names and had one group bring main dishes, one bring salads and side dishes, and the third, desserts. Everyone had to bring their own meat to grill. The reunion committee supplied buns, condiments, beverages, and paper/plastic goods. It worked out well.

*You could add what dish everyone loved to eat, and which one people were sneaking off to scrap into the garbage so they wouldn't hurt the cook's feelings!
Everyone loves my Wave Your Flag cake. Janet has an interesting story about her peanut butter pie. Seems her Aunt Ruth is a horrible cook, yet Janet's husband Pete is always polite and will eat whatever Ruth sets before him. One time, Ruth mentioned she had made a peanut butter pie. Janet quickly declined, but Pete of course took a serving. He started nudging Janet, "You've got to try this!" Janet couldn't believe it! Aunt Ruth had finally made something edible, and not only that, delicious! And Janet blesses us by bringing one to the Fourth of July picnic/BBQ every year!

*Is there a picnic basket, old ice chest, a BBQ grill or camp stove, a special dish (physical, not recipe) or picnic cloth that's been handed down in the family and used for decades at picnics, potlucks, or reunions?
We have a picnic basket that used to belong to Norm's great-grandparents. I use it as a decorative piece in my dining room, but very occasionally we'll use it. Norm's dad loves garage sales, and he's found us a few old metal green Thermoses. He'll fill one with coffee for us before we leave their place for our long ride home.

*Is there a favorite campground, park, home, or meeting place where picnics or reunions regularly occurred?
There's a great little campground north of Colville at Mill Creek. We camped there for a few days in our camper when my parents first bought their home and we were waiting for the family to move out. Then we decided to take a trip back to Michigan, but that's another story! This campground has a swinging bridge that my dad and brother used to play on when my brother (now 34) was five years old. Adriaen would trip across the bridge, and my dad would pretend to be the troll from Billy Goats Gruff. My brother was gut-giggling so hard, he nearly fell off the bridge! Near the falls there's a great rock with drill holes in it from when the mill used to be there, gosh, 150 years ago? That rock is a good place to sit while fishing.

*What about unwelcome guests like ants, mosquitoes, and yellow jackets? Raccoons, anyone?
My son, Matthew, is a yellow jacket and mosquito magnet. I tell him it's because he's so sweet! I can't tell you how many picnics and play days we had at lakes and streams where he'd get bit/stung. Fortunately, he's not allergic.

*What favorite picnic or reunion photos do you have, especially ancestral?
I've got one of my mother's ancestors, the Valks at a picnic, and another of a Lewis family reunion taken around 1924.

Source: The Valk Family. Photograph. Taken c. 1915 - 1918, probably in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. Original photograph believed to be in the possession of John Hanson, Little Silver, New Jersey. 2000.

Source: The Lewis Family Reunion. Photograph. Taken c. 1924, probably in Muskegon Heights, Muskegon Co., Michigan. Original in the possession of Jeanne Holst Robbins, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. 2008. Reprint held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, Spokane, Washington. 2008.

*Beverages served, games and activities played, stories told...all contain memories that future generations will someday treasure, if they're left for posterity!
I especially like Bocci, which I learned to play in my students' PE classes, but I need to buy a set for the next picnic!

Data Backup Day - No Kidding

UPDATE: This was originally posted on my duplicate blog at WordPress. As of 2 August 2008, 1:00 PM, PDT, my AnceStories blog at Blogger was finally unlocked.

As Thomas reminds us, today is Data Backup Day. When I think of data, I usually think of my scanned photos and images of genealogy documents that need to be backed up to my secondary hard drive, my flash drive, DVDs, or an online backup service (right now I'm using MediaMax), or my RootsMagic databases that I upload (with living people filtered out) to RootsWeb's WorldConnect family trees. UPDATE: Yikes! MediaMax is closing down as of August 8th. Time to switch to Carbonite, I'm thinking.

I never thought I might have to back up my blogs.

Yesterday afternoon, I received three e-mails from Google/Blogger, stating my AnceStories blog, my AnceStories2 blog and the EWGS blog had all been flagged as potential "splogs" (spam blogs). I was given instructions to submit them for reviews by Blogger to prove they weren't. Several hours later, my AnceStories2 blog was unlocked and back in business. My AnceStories and the EWGS blogs are still locked. This means I can write posts, save drafts, and edit changes on already published posts, but I cannot publish or schedule to be published any posts until the blogs have been cleared.

I'm not the only one with this problem. Schelly Taladay Dardashti of Tracing the Tribe was also locked out, as was Maureen Taylor of The Photo Detective. Debra Osborne Spindle ("Tex") of All My Ancestors has been fighting a battle with Blogger for weeks...she got flagged as a malicious blog, and even though she's jumped through all their hoops, if you use Mozilla Firefox as your browser and go to her site, you'll see a big warning posted. And when you Google her site, there's a notice "this site may harm your computer."

After I got locked out, I thought about opening another Blogger blog, but the thought of importing 692 posts was more than a little daunting! Then Schelley told me about WordPress, and after reading messagesfrom many Blogger users on the Blogger Help Board who are doing the same, I decided to go for it.

WordPress has a very easy import feature that will import your Blogger posts (including drafts and scheduled ones), comments, categories, and links within the posts over to WordPress that is quick and painless. Everything remains as-is back at Blogger, too ("importing" here really means duplicating; not removing). The drawback is that I can't have advertising on this free account, and importing my widgets will take time. However, I feel it's worth it as a backup.

I'm meeting with members of my society today for our Washington State Genealogical Society 2009 State Conference Committee Chairs and plan to request permission to import the society's blog to WordPress as well. And I've decided as a backup plan, I'm going to back up all my blogs to WordPress, keeping them private, just in case something happens to them.

So expand your horizons and don't limit your idea of what "data" is to just the files and folders in your computer. Take the time to protect your invested time, research, and perhaps money and come up with a backup plan for your blogs as well.

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.