Family History Writing Challenge 2012

Lynn Palermo over at The Armchair Genealogist blog has issued the Family History Writing Challenge and I've decided to accept. Here's the details from Lyn's page.

The Family History Writing Challenge

Feb 1^st-29^th

A 29-Day Commitment to Writing Your Family History

The What, When, Where and How of it All

Why should I sign up?

To actively participate in an opportunity to write your family history, without having to worry about quality. The key to writing is to write. Stop procrastinating; finally commit pen to paper or fingers to key board. Those family facts, finally assemble them into a format someone will read.

Whom Do I Write About?

A single ancestor, a surname, a branch of your tree, you pick.

You select the ancestor or ancestors, the timeframe, just keep in mind who you feel most prepared to write about in terms of research and interest.

How Much Do I Need to Write?

You pick the amount 250, 500, 1000 words a day whatever you can work into your schedule.

Do the math.

250 words x 28 days = 7000 words, you would be well on your way!

500 words x 28 days = 14,000 words, this would be an incredible start!

1000 words x 28 days = 28,000 words, you would be a hero!

Where Do I Write?

Write on your computer, ipad, typewriter, longhand (tough to do word count). Write in your office, at the kitchen table, the local coffee shop, the lawn chair (if your someplace sunny- lucky you), or beside a roaring fire (that would be me).

What If It’s Not Good Enough?

This exercise is not about quality. Very few of us can sit down and shoot out a masterpiece on the first draft. Newsbreak..... most of us take a half dozen passes at it before it is worthy of anyone else’s eyes. This is about making a start. There will be plenty of time to edit your masterpiece later, committing to the word count is a huge step to making it happen.

When Does it Begin?

The Family History Writing Challenge begins Feb 1st to February 29^th. I am asking you to commit 29 days of writing your family history, in the hopes that you will get a running start and you will never look back.

Where Do I Sign Up?

Right here, leave your pledge in comments or link to your own blog post, no goal is official until you have written it down and shared it. Once you verbalize, you become more committed. If you prefer to keep it to yourself that's ok too. However, keep checking back or sign up through email, throughout the month, I will offer numerous posts to help keep you focused, offer you some tips for your writing and help you stay on track and reach your goals. At the end of the month, you can share how you did again here, or on your own blog.

What is stopping you from starting your writing? Let me know, and I will try to help you overcome those obstacles. Meanwhile, you have the next 2 days to get yourself organized to start writing.

Write your family history in 29 days, are you ready to take the challenge?

I've signed up again this year. The commitment is to again write 250 words each day because even though many of my posts run longer than that, 250 words is easy enough to do and doesn't put too much pressure on me. So, where to start? I am going to reflect over the posts for 2011, and see if there is anything that I would especially like to follow. Otherwise, I may be a bit more random this year. Who knows!

How about you? Take the challenge! It might be the impetus you need to get some of that family history written that you've wanted to start! 

Follow The Family History Writing Challenge Blog HERE and to take part sign up HERE

Twitter tag - #FHWC

Wordless Wednesday - Across the Morning Sky....

Taking part in Wordless Wednesday

Tea Cup Tuesday - Santa's Around the World

A few weeks ago I wrote my collection of Spode Santa mugs. You can read about that HERE. As I said in that post I was missing two from the set; Santa's of Germany and Russia. I was delighted then to see for sale, via a well known site a lovely example of the German mug. So made my bid and awaited, fingers crossed for the auction to finish.

Last week the mug made it across the Atlantic. Isn't it lovely?

Just need to locate a Russian Santa, and I will have a full set!

Taking part in Tea Cup Tuesday hosted by Artful Affirmations & Martha's Favourites

21st Century Organised Family Historian - Week 3 - Process Photos & Files

Continuing the weekly thread organised by Michelle at The Turning of Generations

Being of slightly obsessive disposition, I do keep numerous backups and updates. The reason for this obsession is that I learn't the hard way!

As soon as I have taken a series of photos they are backed up to my external hard drive, each with a clear named folder. They are then added to Flickr, with again clear titles. Any photos that I want to remain private are flagged accordingly. I also make a CD of specific photographs - such as holidays or trips away.
Photos taken with my iPhone are imported into my laptop and the folder marked with the date and a one word description for example - 2011-13-07 - Jersey. At the end of every month I back up the months files to my external hard drive and then start the whole process again.

Going forward, I plan to remain making a back up via external hard drive, CD and Flickr. What I do need to do is to start going back through the external hard drive moving the genealogical photos into the surname folders. I do have a master folder on the external hard drive of all our old family photos.

I also need to continue digitalising the photographs we have. We currently have three huge plastic crates in the loft area. Each paper envelope is named (either my initials or hubby) and a date, especially the ones that relate to our lives before we married. For example I have loads of my time in Australia in the early 1990s and hubby has lots from his time in the Navy. I also have rather a lot of cemetery photographs. Some for individuals that are known to be related, others taken because they might be!

I do have a scanner, but am seriously considering purchasing a Flip Pal Scanner, which is not readily available here in the UK. Even Amazon directs the search to their US site.

Masters: Art Quilts, Vol. 2 Curated by Martha Sielman

Published by Lark Crafts September 2011. ISBN - 978-1-60059-599-8. Curated by Martha Sielman.

This is a beautiful collection of photographs illustrating the amazing talent by 40 creators across the globe. As I sat and viewed each picture I had to really remind myself that this was not simply a painting that had been photographed for the purpose of the publication. Each one was a quilt that had been made to produce the overall effect. This is truly a collection of works by some very talented individuals.

Each chapter starts with some details of the artist involved. The pages that follow are filled with wonderful examples of that individuals work. Beneath each illustration is the sizes of the original, along with the materials used to create what can only be described as a work of art. 

The collections within the book are truly inspirational.

Small print - I received a copy from the publisher. I was not paid for the review and the review is my genuine opinion of the book.

Weekend Cooking - Bread

I have a bread maker, although it rarely sees the light of day and lives in the kitchen in a rather over crowded cupboard. Before Christmas you may remember I wrote about a programme called The Big Bread Experiment. Inspired by the programme, I made a conscious effort to make some bread using the said machine.

I limped around Sainsburys and purchased some yeast and a few bags of strong white flour. Then one day while Stuart was working, I decided to make some bread. Now, I am not able to stand or sit for huge periods of time due to my sciatica. The bread maker was the perfect assistant. It took about 10 minutes to read the recipe, gather the ingredients and a further 10 minutes to add the ingredients to the machine and set the timer.

After a couple of hours I heard the timer and descended the stairs, excited to see the bread. Well, all I will say is that England could have used the bread for the next test match. It was absolutely and completely rock hard. I checked the recipe. All was OK there. I then spotted the bread flour, recently purchased for the event completely unopened. What had I used? I checked the cupboard and finally the bin and there spotted an empty bag of flour that I have meant to throw away, as I had had it a few years. I checked the expiry date. I am embarrassed to confess the expiry was August 2000. As you may deduce, I don't make much bread.

I have not baked any bread since, but have stumbled across a couple of eBooks via Amazon on baking bread.

• Old Fashion bread recipes by Philip Holbrook - A small book with about 10 recipes in of different breads. Written for the American market going by the terminology - "A cake of yeast?" The book focuses on traditional bread making methods
• 30 Easy Flavoured bread popular recipes by Tellme More - Contains both recipes for traditional methods of baking and using a bread maker. Included a Gluten Free sun dried tomato bread. Each recipe presented in an easy to read format - indicating level of making difficulty, preparation and cooking time, ingredient, method in a detailed step by step format, Tip for recipe. 
• Easy, fabulous bread making  - A Collection of quick, no knead home made bread recipes by Barbara Mack - This is my favourite book out of the three. It is clear to follow, easily presented and some very interesting bread recipes. All made with a minimum of fuss!

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

21st Century Organised Family Historian - Week 2 - Develop a Digital Organizational Scheme

Continuing the weekly thread organised by Michelle at The Turning of Generations.

I knew last week that this was going to be a bit of an ordeal. My Maternal ancestry had lived in the area of the Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire borders for around 300 years. It is therefore hardly surprising that I have a duplications of surnames. Not surprising, but very frustrating. In some cases the lines are not know to be connected and in other cases there is an overlap of families. My own Grandparents were 6th Cousins, although they did not know it during there lifetimes. I often wonder what they would have made of that fact. 

My rather ageing genealogical programme is Family Origins 10. There will be an upgrade later this year I am sure. The name of my database MainFile. It starts with me and works back across my own ancestry and then goes sideways into my marriage and then heads back through my husband's ancestry.

I have a series of ring binders that reflect the computer database of MainFile. In theory, if the details exist in my database then a paper copy exists in my paper file. My filing cabinet has a file for each of my surnames running A-Z. If there is a great deal on a particular individual they have their own file inside that.

Meanwhile, my external hard drive is in deep, deep need of being organised. The plan that I have thought about over the last week is hopefully going to work. It will look like this:

External Hard Drive
- Genealogy
--JDG (me)
---Surnames (showing a few examples)
----Ayling
----Butcher
------John Hunt Butcher
----Budd
----Bellasis
----Bowring


Within each surname folder is a series of folders like this - 
--Butcher
---Census
---Migration
---Photographs (all named and dated)


This structure, repeated for my husband's ancestry.

That is my vision for the project. Fingers crossed it will work and will make a huge difference to the current organisation.

Orlando Cherry Brandy

The story behind these little pots is quite interesting.

I inherited a plate from my Grandmother with a very similar patten on it. The design was by the artist, Wattau.

So, in my search to see if there were any other similar plates I came across one of these little pots. On the back is the details of Orlando Cherry Brandy, Aidee liqueurs, Torquay. Interesting, as the name of Orlando appears in my Italian ancestry, I simply had to buy the little pot. Then I bought another, and another.....
I actually do not live too far from Torquay, so I set about to research a little about the business, that closed long ago.

Sepia Saturday 108 - Hats!

The moment I saw the photo prompt I knew the photograph I wanted to use. It was just a shame that I could not lay my hands on it! Instead, I came across the following two photos which really show the character of my Grandfather.

Taken at Peel Avenue, Shoeburyness when my Grandfather was visiting his sister and her husband and was taken during the period of 1952-1957

On this second photo clearly there was no hats available! 

We have had trouble dating the photo. Mum thinks it is prior to her being born in 1947. This is a sepia photograph compared to the one above which is black and white. Others that are also sepia show my Grandparents in the garden of the house that they lived in from 1940. My Grandfather didn't join the Army until the Autumn of 1940. Of course post 1939 the beaches on the South coast were heavily defended. I think this is just pre war. Is this the Summer of 1939? which would make this just before they married, (they married in November 1939). The venue is possibly Shoeburyness. Whilst Brighton was a favourite seaside venue the beach is too pebbly! 

Taking part in Sepia Saturday

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Week 2 - Paid Online Genealogy Tools

Week Two - Which paid genealogical tool do you appreciate the most? What special features put it at the top of your list? How can it help others with their genealogical research?

Challenge open Sunday 8th January to Saturday 14th January 2012

I have several paid genealogical subscriptions. The one I probably value the most is my World Membership to Ancestry  - probably seen by some as expensive at £155 a year, it enables to me to research an abundance of genealogical records across the world. I have research in Australia, USA, Canada, India, Italy and New Zealand. Whilst some of those Countries have limited access at the moment - such as Italy, I more than make up for the lack of use in that area in other areas, such as the US material. 

Not to mention the value for money in reduced transportation costs. The latest quote for a flight to Sydney for example is around £950, where as this way I can at least do some research on line. There is a trade off. I would rather go to the archive and look at the original document with my own eyes. However, that is not always an option, in terms of costs, time and domestics.

Out of interest, a fellow researcher in the US tells me that she routinely renews her Ancestry subscription using the UK site because of the exchange rate.

I also have a paid subscription to the following UK:

• FindmyPast  - currently use the credits system - may upgrade to a subscription
• Scotlandspeople - currently use the credits system
• GenesReunited. - Renewed each year for £9.95

I also belong to a few Family History Societies. Some have placed huge amounts of data at the disposal of their members - these are the one that do, that I am a member of

• Families in British India Society
• Guild of One Name Studies
• Sussex Family History Group 

I also have used Footnote, now Fold3. Mainly on a pay as you go system, when I want a specific document. One of which was a Naturalisation Record for my husband's Great Grandmother.  Another site that offers data on line for purchase is The National Archives. I have had some real success with purchasing military records and early wills.

They key thing is that the majority of these sites offer different things. Each researcher will require something a little different based upon how they research their ancestral roots. Do they simply go backwards or do they perhaps research the families of their ancestry backwards and sideways and research siblings of ancestors.

What is clear, is that however  and whoever we research, we will all have our favourite sites, those what we feel we get the most value for money from. I guess it is a case of one size does not fit all!

Postcard Friendship Friday - Rowley Bristow Orthopedic Hospital Surrey

Here is Rowley Bristow Orthopedic Hospital at Pyrford. This card is from July 1954, which was the same time my Mum was a patient there.


Submitted as part of Postcard Friendship Friday hosted by The Best Hearts are Crunchy 

Unraveling Ada, a Quilted Mystery novel by Barbara Sullivan

I was delighted when I spotted via Amazon just before Christmas. I had high hopes for the book and I wasn't disappointed. In fact I was only about a third of the way through the book when I checked if there was another in the series, which there was!

The series, opens with the introduction of the narrator Rachel, who with her husband Matt run a private investigator business. Rachel has a background in libraries and is a quilter looking for a regular American  style quilting bee. Matt is an former military man. They are pretty much the business, although they do have a small team of employee who help them complete the various contracts.

Having looked for a quilting bee without success, the participants in one contact Rachel and invite her to join. Rachel does and is somewhat bewildered with the other members. Each one seems to have a story to tell and one to hide. By the end of the first evening, a member of the group ask Rachel if they can employer her to do some investigations. Rachel, agrees and leaves the quilting be clutching a diary,quilt, a family tree and lots and lots of questions....

The story that unfolds is not complex, but it is a story with lots of strands, much like the strands holding a quilt together. The strands come together, which culminates with Rachel being threatened. Her investigations are getting close to the truth......and generations of secrets are about to be told.

I loved this book. It has everything that I love, characters that felt like they were having a conversation with me, a good storyline and a complex genealogy. 

I am currently reading the second book in the series and I hope there is more in the series to come.

Tracing Your Channel Island Ancestors by Marie-Louise Backhurst

Published as part of the, Tracing Your Ancestor Series. This volume contains a wealth of information within its 186 pages. Written in a clear, easy to read format with photographic illustrations and a concise index. The book itself is divided into 5 chapters. 

Chapter one Internet resources and sources located outside of the Islands. Chapter two covers Jersey. Chapter three covers Guernsey, Herm and the less well known island of Jethou. Chapter four covers Alderney, and chapter five Sark. There is also a listing of Family History Societies, libraries and archives for the Islands.

Each chapter commences with a general discription of the georgraphy, history and the administration of the relevant Island. Followed by, a comprehensive look at the civil records, Church Registers and Surnames and Cemeteries. Also covered are property and other official records, military and migration, education, employment and crime.

I recommend this as a valuable text to anyone researching their Channel Island ancestry. It would make a useful addition to a genealogical library or for anyone who has an interest in the Islands.

Book Review for Federation of Family History Societies book club November 2011

Japanese Ukiyo-e Floral Prints by Daniel & Denise Ankele

This is an eBook that I spotted via Amazon just after Christmas. I downloaded to my iPad and Kindle and viewed on my iPad as the Kindle is not in colour. At the time I downloaded, this was a free book.

This is a beautiful collection of floral prints from 1868 - 1912. The collection does contain a few landscapes, but in the main most are of flowers. This is a purely visual experience.

The Hibiscus by Mrs Bellasis circa 1802

One of the things that did intrigue me was the picture of the Hibiscus plant - a lovely vibrant picture. 

As readers may recall I came across a picture in the Mitchell Library, State Library for New South Wales that was drawn by my ancestor - Mrs Bellasis circa 1802 - 1803. You can read about that HERE

This made me wonder, just how the flower came to be in Australia? Or was it something that Mrs Bellasis drew from an early book?

100 Word Challenge - Week 26

Joining the weekly 100 words challenge for Grown ups. This week the prompt is to use the following five words in a paragraph of no more than 105 words. 
Aghast Aquamarine Aeroplane Acted After

The women, was wearing a ghastly aquamarine hat with a purple coat and red stilettos. She made quite an impression as she stood at the departure gate.  She listened as the airport staff informed her that the departure gate was closed. In fact she was aghast.  She simply had to get on that aeroplane. How could they refuse? She had acted in some very important films. They would be sorry after she had finished with them, they would only be fit to clean the planes with a toothbrush. Wearing her most wicked expression she told them so. Nonetheless, the departure gate was still closed.

Taking part in the 100 word Challenge for Grown Ups – Week #26

Tea Cup Tuesday - Royal Commemoratives

There is not a lot I can tell you about this commemorative. It was produced for the reign of King George V and Queen Mary 1910 - 1935. There are no marking on the bottom. The only patten there is, is the one above. Nothing is printed on the reverse. The little cup, probably a coffee cup is in good order, with a small chip on the top rim.

The china itself has a Austrian feel to it that is replicated in some slightly earlier pieces that I have. Based upon those details and the feel of the china I would date this circa 1910 and suggest that it is a Coronation piece rather than a Jubilee example.

Taking part in Tea Cup Tuesday hosted by Artful Affirmations & Martha's Favourites

Beyond the Internet Week 1: Church interiors

On the very first visit I made to Puttenham in Surrey I just knew I belonged. There was a feeling of completeness.

I walked up the main isle of the church towards the alter and stopped and sat down at one of the pews. Had my ancestors sat in that very spot?

I walked along towards the windows and looked at the stained glass. So vibrant with the sunlight bursting through.

I then looked at the various plaques littered indiscriminately on the walls.

Upon the plaques were the names of people that I had seen in the Parish Records and upon the Census. I remember being so excited I could have burst!

I then walked up to the font. How many ancestors had been Baptised at this very font? I could, time and fingers allowing have worked it out. My earliest known ancestor was Baptised at this font in 1724. This photograph was taken in 2004 - 280 years after that first Baptism.

What struck me as I stood at that font was the powerfulness of it. In years gone by parents would have struggled from their meagre earnings to have the money to pay for their child to be Baptised. There would have been no hesitation. The money would have been found.

So on that day in 2004 I remember telling Stuart exactly how I felt on that very first visit. The feelings of excitement, wonder, completeness. He didn't exactly say I was obsessed, but he did show me a particular look just before his eyes glazed over.

My fascination of the Village has not gone away. I host a One Place Study for the Village and during 2012 the Puttenham Archives that I hold will be placed upon their very own blog. I also need to up date the photographs including taking some of the stained glass windows.

Inspired from Family History Across the Seas.

Quote for today

“Reading is a means of thinking with another person’s mind; it forces you to stretch your own.”

By Charles Scribner

21 Resources for Organizing the Family Archive

Continuing the weekly thread organised by Michelle at The Turning of Generations. 

Here is my list of 21 resources - 

1. Printer Scanner Copier - my faithful machine is a Hewlett Packard
2. Laptop - Mine is a Toshiba.
3. iPad - This was a purchase I really didn't know if I would enjoy it and make the most of - I definitely do!
4. iPhone - This was the start of my affair with Apple - I love it!
5. External hard drive - mine is an Omega 250 GB which is used for all back ups. I also have a smaller one for when travelling.
6. Microfiche Reader - yes, I still have some fiche!
7. Camera - Ours is a Panasonic Lumix TZ20
8. 4 Drawer filing cabinet - we actually have 2 -hubby gets 2 drawers out of a possible 9! The plan is to always reduce the paper mountain to a manageable heap!
9. MS Office on my laptop - especially Word and Excel
10. Family Origins 10 - I know it has been superseded by other software. A potential replacement during 2012.
11. Flickr - Here I host ALL my photographs. The beauty with Flickr is that you can share with Twitter and Face book. There is also a Flickr iPhone Application.  You can also make photographs private as a private, personal archive. You can create sets and collections. A Collection could be Genealogy then a set for each family name. Shame I don't follow my own advice! I have a Pro account well worth the £16 a year.
12. Dropbox - To access files on the move
13. Evernote - Need to explore a lot more and I suspect that I am under using
14. MS One Note - Need to explore a lot more.
15. The Genealogist Internet by Peter Christian - My favourite book as it helps very often when I am organising my thought process, where to look next - to assist is organised and structured research via the internet.
16. Scrapbook Storytelling by Joanna Campbell Slan - A great book helping the reader to be creative.
17. Crafting your own Heritage Album by Bev Kirschner Braun
18. Journals - Since I started researching in the late 1980s,  I have always had a note book recording what information I have found, what I need to look at next, perhaps a note simply to act as a prompt for further thought. Over the years my journals have expanded. I carry one with me for everything - recipes, books to read, research, my to do list and much, much more. The only thing not covered is my work  - that has a separate book. I probably use on average one book every 8 or 9 months. Each book is numbered and each has on the inside the dates of starting and finishing. I am currently on journal 36 and my work journal is 6W. The organisational aspect of the journal is not just to record information it prevents that mass of post it notes across your desk, well in theory it does. Every now and again I have a post it note clear up!
19. Billion Graves - iPhone Application - This looks to be a great application in order to record photos of gravestones. I need to experiment more with this. 
20. Grave Encounters - This is my own blog; created to help me gain control of the endless supply of photographs of Grave and memorials. In addition to getting organised it enables me to share with the wider genealogical population.
21. Genealogy Gem Podcasts - Endless podcasts available via iTunes to assist in organising your research.

Crime Fiction for Beginners by Gervase Shorter

This was a gentle and quick read, devoured in a morning accompanied by a cup of tea! 

We enter the story with the murder already committed. The body identified by a fellow colleague. Readers are then taken along a journey of establishing what kind of character the deceased was, potential suspects, motive and then finally evidence. 

Having established that the author works within the publishing business we are then presented with a series of strands. Strands that are represented as writings by would be authors and the reasons those would be authors would perhaps have for wanting this man dead. We get to know through various snippets the lives of the would be author's and with each snippet, just perhaps their individual motive builds......

I won't share more with you of the who done it, to find the answers you need to read it for yourselves! Except to say this. The strands that build up the storyline are good ones, the entrance from a character that I shall call Mr X was a very clever twist to the storyline. 

The characters of the potential suspects I felt were real and I liked the depth given to them through there would be writing and the details of their domestics. The character of the victim shone through, and it was clear to see just what kind of individual he was. The characters who represented the police - Jim and Harriet, who set about solving the murder are felt to be solid and I think these characters have the potential to be developed further into a series involving the two police investigators.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and do hope the author develops the characters of Harriet and Jim.

Small print - I received an eBook copy from the author. I was not paid for the review and the review is my genuine opinion of the book.

The author's website is HERE. Available to purchase from Amazon & Smashwords

Sepia Saturday 107 - Under Arrest

This photograph seemed rather fitting, given that we have the Diamond Jubilee this year. 

Taken in June 1953 for the Coronation Parade. The rear of the photo has the handwriting of my Great Aunt Dorothy May nee Butcher (1915-2010). She calls this "Under Arrest". The man on the right of the photo was my Great Uncle, Percy Butcher (known as Dick). The location of the photograph is unknown, but probably Godalming,Puttenham or Guildford area, although my Uncle Dick lived in Horley Surrey. He died circa 1970.

Taking part in Sepia Saturday

21st Century Organised Family Historian - Week 1 - Christmas Cards

Being the baa-humbug of the house all matters relating to the Christmas tree are dealt with by my husband. Our tree decorations and Christmas paraphernalia live in one of the three eves cupboards we have in the roof of our three storey, with access from my study. So, it is enviable, that the tranquil world of my study is plunged into upheaval each December as the tree goes up and then again in January as the tree goes down. As removal of the tree is done with less interest and panache than going up, the Christmas cards we receive are usually plunged into a paper bag and then plonked into the decorations box.

This year we have taken our tree down later than usual and as I expected the decorations box, a huge non de-script box that we used when we moved house 16 years ago, held an assortment of cards. I say an assortment as it also holds various birthday cards sent to my husband, whose birthday is on 21st December.

Yesterday I sat quietly, whilst Stuart dismantled the tree, and sorted through the variety of Christmas cards. The pile was sorted into those that we would keep and those we would not. I should point out that as cards arrive, some with letters and photos, others with notes on the inside, they are read, digested, and any loose additions removed for safe keeping. Those that have notes written inside perhaps less digested as they are more likely to be added to the box!

It was a trip down memory lane, of perhaps the last few years certainly. I had obviously been through the box at some point as I discovered an Anniversary card for our 13th Wedding anniversary. Just why that was in the box I can not fathom, as our anniversary is in July. There were cards and in a variety of paper bags, each with the year added to the outside - which was rather helpful. I went through the various bags, extracting cards that I did want to keep and writing the year on the reverse. Those I opted not to keep have been added to the recycling bag.

Having gone through the cards I located a box in my study that holds other bits and pieces that I want to hold on to. The cards will be added to the box. At some point they will be scanned or perhaps photographed and some may well appear on a blog post of the future.

As we are talking of Christmas cards, I though that I would share this one, that lives with our family history photographs. The photo is of my Great Grandmother Annie Prudence Butcher nee Harris, or as she is affectionately known in my research notes as APH. The card was the Christmas card she sent in 1950.

Introducing The 21st Century Organized Family Historian

Inspired by my fellow family historian and blogger, Michelle at The Turning of Generations. I shall be participating in Michelle's venture of Organising my family history. My goodness, it does need some organisation. My study, filing cabinets and desk are over run with it. So this seems the perfect venture.

To read the initial post click HERE.

Postcard Friendship Friday - Boer War Memorial Aldershot Hampshire circa 1905

Submitted as part of Postcard Friendship Friday hosted by The Best Hearts are Crunchy 

Wapperwell Lake

The weather here in the South West of England has been dreadful, some really heavy rain and very, very strong winds. For Christmas I bought for Stuart a season ticket to the local fishing association and he has been itching to not only go fishing (very big yawn!) but also to have a wander around the various lakes covered by the membership.

So, we decided to take Alfie and have a drive out the 6 miles or so to Chudleigh to Wapperwell Lake. Alfie was on the lead the whole time and armed with a small supply of poop bags (just in case!) we, well actually, I, limped around the lake. It was lovely, despite the very strong winds.

Alfie full of Expectation.  Do I have to jump or are you going to carry me?

Alfie having a mid walk rest with Stuart.

It was dreadfully cold with the wind chill, and we were not there long, just once around the lake and a few photos. It looks a nice spot. Perhaps Stuart can fish and I can sit in a chair with a book or two and a flask of tea, only if the sun is out and it is not too hot!

Wordless Wednesday - Early Christmas Eve

The view of the sun rising from our bedroom window on Christmas Eve. With a gentle glimmering across the sea. You can just see the roof of the local church.

Taking part in Wordless Wednesday

Tea Cup Tuesday - Commemorative for the Future

During the lead up to Christmas I took part in the Virtual Advent Tour hosted by Marg of Intrepid Reader. I loved taking part and am still reading the posts others submitted - with all these great blogs and posts it is a wonder we have time for books or anything else! Anyway, I wrote for two events 18th December, which was selected because it would have been my Grandmother's 99th Birthday. I chose to make the remembrance different using Kiva. I plan to commorate other specific family events using Kiva during 2012. The other post was on 21st December and was written to commemorate my husband's special birthday. As part of his special present I purchased this personalised mug for him from Emma Bridgewater

A lovely commemorative for the future.

Taking part in Tea Cup Tuesday hosted by Artful Affirmations & Martha's Favourites

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Week 1 - Blogs

Week 1 – Blogs: Blogging is a great way for genealogists to share information with family members, potential cousins and each other. For which blog are you most thankful? Is it one of the earliest blogs you read, or a current one? What is special about the blog and why should others read it?

Challenge from Sunday 1st January 2012 - Saturday 7th January 2012 

I can't remember the first genealogy blog I read. I started this blog in a very naive form in 2002, which makes me in the blog world nearly 10 years old!

Blogging is so very easy to start, find a platform, and start writing, connecting with others and making comments. Of course, because there are so many blogs and so many great blogs, it really is hard to choose a particular blog. There are so many personal genealogies to read, genealogical processes and thoughts read that can be used as a springboard for others to use. With there being so many blogs it is easy to miss a great one - Twitter helps with that for me. That said, the biggest blog resource I use is Geneabloggers.

Just look through the Geneabloggers site. Thomas produces a daily post every day of every week. All free of charge. The site is a spring board of positivity, contemplation and blog prompts. If ever you wanted to write a blog post and didn't know what to write stop by Geneabloggers to read a list of prompts. It is also an information gateway, a host to other bloggers. If it is possible to have a Genealogical Blogging Encyclopedia then Geneabloggers is it!

Turning now to my own blog. What I am most grateful for is the facility to be able to write and share with a whole host of people over a host of things. The focus of my blog is quite simply me and everything that makes up me - my hobbies and obsessions, my ancestry, holidays, thoughts, photographs and much more. What there is rarely a mention of is the day job and I guess that says it all! 

I take part in various meme's across the week - Tea Cup Tuesday which means that I get to share tea cups and alike that I inherited. I also post fairly regularly to Postcard Friendly Friday and share my postcard collection. I am planning a more focused post for Sunday Stamps using my childhood collection of stamps before they travel across the Pacific in the Autumn to the next generation of my extended family. I also like to take part in Sepia Saturday which enables me to share my photographs of past generations and occasionally I include a more recent one. I tend to follow my other obsession of books with a bookish post at the Sunday Salon, although I have been slack of late. Almost finally, I often post about Weekend Cooking, where I perhaps share a book review of a cook book or program or in the past a smart phone cookery app and perhaps a recipe or two!

In addition to these I take part in various prompts provided by Geneabloggers and have just almost completed the 52 weeks of personal genealogy. I usually take part in the Carnival of Genealogy hosted by Jasia.

I host a blog called Grave Encounters as part of the Graveyard Rabbits and have been invited to write in their international slot during 2012. 

During the latter part of 2011, I started a year long project of sharing my Guildford and District Collection of postcards, again I decided to post these to a separate blog. 

I also have a blog called George's War, which has been quiet over the last few years which is about my Grandfather's time in the Army during the Second World War. 

The plan during 2012 is to share my One Place Study on Puttenham, a rural village in Surrey England using a separate blog.

The absolute beauty of a blog is that, whilst perhaps isolated writing in our homes or other venues we can share our research, thoughts and much more with a mixture of known and unknown world wide web population. The search engines tend to record posts for prosperity and I am always aware that once a thought or comment is committed to the blogosphere it can be read by ALL, so I use the rule of thumb, if I wouldn't tell someone a specific at a bus stop then I won't share via my blog! 

A blog can grow and develop with you. This blog has. It has grown as I have become more confident, taken part in more posting activity and received more comments from others. What I am grateful for is the on line friendships that it brings. The people that we "meet" along the way as we read other blogs, post to our own blogs and leave and receive comments. There is a real sense of community, both within the blogging world and the genealogical world.

What is quite remarkable is that the world has a landmass of 13,056 million hectares, yet the world wide web has reduced it in a virtual way to the size of a matchbox! We live in a remarkable world and have an enormous amount of technology and information at our disposal, the blogging world helps to make that possible.

Happy New Year 2012

Yesterday while I was sitting having my lunch I turned on the news at 1pm UK time and watched the tremendous firework display that occurred over Sydney as Australia saw in the New Year. My thoughts turning to my family who are down under!

Here are the tremendous fireworks - the fireworks start at around 2 minutes in! which makes the film just under 15 minutes. According to Sky News the cost was around 4 million pounds.



Eleven hours later, I watched the news again, as we saw the New Year in, here in the UK. In my hand a small glass of something fizzy! Fireworks to the sounds Big Ben striking, over the Houses of Parliament, River Thames and the Millennium Wheel. 2012 looks to be a promising and busy year in the UK, as we host the Olympics and celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.