Little Bytes of Life

Central Coast Genealogy Calendar: February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity." ~Henry Van Dyke

Thursday, February 2
Monterey County Genealogical Society
6:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
Caroline Miller - "The Symbology of Cemetery Art"

Saturday, February 4
San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Genealogy NOW! Growing Your Family Tree
Day-long seminar featuring acclaimed author and speaker Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL

Tuesday, February 7
Conejo Valley Genealogical Society
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Computer Interest Group Meeting
Betty Hutson - "Favorite Websites"

Sunday, February 12
Jewish Genealogical Society of the Conejo Valley and Ventura County
1:00 - 5:00 PM
Assisted Research Afternoon at L.A. Family History Library

Tuesday, February 14
Conejo Valley Genealogical Society
5:30 - 6:30 PM - Genealogy Tools - TBA
6:45 - 8:45 PM - General Meeting - TBA

Saturday, February 18
Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society
9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
TBA

Saturday, February 18
Ventura County Genealogical Society
1:00 - 4:00 PM
Joel Weintraub - "The 1940 Census is Coming"

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Please send me an email if you would like to have your event included in this monthly calendar series.

WDYTYA/Ancestry.com $10K Sweepstakes!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:23:00 +0000

As if the return of WDYTYA wasn't big enough news, now you can enter to win $10,000 to go find your own ancestors!

Who Do You Think You Are is back for a 3rd season and will premier this Friday, February 3 at 8/7c on NBC. Martin Sheen will lead off the series, and other celebrities lined up include Marissa Tomei, Blair Underwood, Helen Hunt, Jerome Bettis, Robb Lowe, and Paula Deen, among others.

Be sure to tune-in and see what each of our celebrities learns about their family history! We guarantee lots of surprises too. Check out the WDYTYA site here.

In conjunction with Season 3, Ancestry.com is running a Sweepstakes where 3 Grand Prize winners will win a trip of a lifetime to uncover their own family history valued at $10,000! The Sweepstakes includes a trip to the winner's homeland to explore their family roots, round-trip airfare for two, hotel and $2,000 in cash, plus a 6-month Ancestry.com World Explorer membership and an Ancestry.com DNA test to discover their genetic ethnicity. 20 First Prize winners will receive a 6-month Ancestry.com World Explorer membership.

To enter and see all the details on the Sweepstakes click here.

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Press release from Ancestry.com. And yes, I am an Ancestry.com affiliate.

Veterans History Project Launches Multi-Year Effort to Collect Vietnam War Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:05:00 +0000

The Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP) has launched a multi-year campaign to preserve the stories of the nation's Vietnam War veterans. Volunteers and veterans are needed to record these important stories for the Veterans History Project collection, accessible at www.loc.gov/vets/.

"In the coming years, our nation will commemorate 50 years since the conflict in Vietnam," said VHP Director Bob Patrick, referring to the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration established to honor and pay tribute to Vietnam War veterans and their families. "The personal histories of those who served will help us heal, learn and remember, while leaving a powerful legacy for future generations."

The stories of former Sen. Chuck Hagel and his brother Tom Hagel, who fought side by side in the 9th Infantry Division in the Mekong River Delta, are among the more than 13,000 Vietnam veteran collections already held by VHP. The brothers recently ushered in VHP’s new campaign by donating more than 20 hours of interviews and film footage to the Library. Originally collected by Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET), representatives from NET were on hand to commemorate the donation.

"When we think of wars – whether it’s Vietnam or any other war – we think of it as a unitary subject, the Vietnam War," Tom Hagel shared at the event. "But there are millions of Vietnam Wars. If you were a clerk-typist stationed in Saigon or up on the demilitarized zone, or some other unit with some other type of job, your Vietnam War would be totally different from ours. And that’s important to tell. It gives a more complete, realistic picture of that experience. That’s the value of this project."

The Vietnam Veterans Collections Initiative Kick-off can be viewed here.

Epitomizing that thought are the stories of Brian Markle and Jeanne Markle, who were among the first married couples to arrive in country. She was a nurse with an evacuation hospital, and he was an officer in charge of medical logistics. African-American truck driver Thomas Hodge didn’t expect to live long when he got to Vietnam; he heard that the life expectancy of a wartime truck driver was three days. He survived, as did nurse Rhona Marie Knox Prescott, though her friend and fellow nurse perished in a helicopter crash.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov.

Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000 as a national documentation program of the American Folklife Center (www.loc.gov/folklife/) to collect, preserve and make accessible the first-hand remembrances of American wartime veterans from World War I through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. The project relies on volunteers to record veterans’ remembrances using guidelines accessible at www.loc.gov/vets/. Volunteers may request more information at vohp@loc.gov or the toll-free message line at (888) 371-5848. Subscribe to VHP's RSS feed on the VHP home page.

Press release from the Library of Congress.

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Wordless Wednesday: Grandparents (Mine)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:06:00 +0000

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"Reba and Lee Swanay." Digital image. Undated. Original photograph privately held by Elizabeth O'Neal, Santa Barbara Co., California, 2012.

About Wordless Wednesday.

Daughters of the American Revolution Partners with Children of the American Revolution to Promote Education and Literacy

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:02:00 +0000

Molly Schutzenberger delivers a donation to
United Through Reading in San Diego.

On September 26, 2011, Molly Schutzenberger, Honorary State President of the California State Society Children of the American Revolution (C.S.S.C.A.R.), delivered a $5000 check to the San Diego-based non-profit organization United Through Reading (UTR).

This donation is a combination of funds including a matched grant from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and a full year of fundraising by members of the C.S.S.C.A.R.

“United Through Reading helps USOs, ships, and other military units create a special library and recording area where deployed parents can read books to their children. The recording is sent home to their children, who can watch it at bedtime or whenever they want to see their mom or dad,” says Ms. Schutzenberger. “For the service member, it helps morale because the parents feel as if they are staying emotionally connected. Plus, it helps cultivate a love of reading in the children. My family read aloud together when I was growing up, so it was especially meaningful for me.” Molly adds. “For military families, year-long deployments, sometimes into a war zone, create incredible stress. Young children may not even recognize their parent when they return. United Through Reading really makes a big difference.”

In the process of working to support deployed parents and their children, Molly became aware of another group of military dependents who receive help from UTR. These are children deeply affected by the incarceration of a parent in the brig. They are often confused about their parents’ absence and may wonder whether their parents care about them. Many experience problems in school, act out in socially undesirable ways, or are sad or withdrawn. The military brigs are continually in need of books to provide for video-recorded reading which can then be sent along with the DVD to their children. Volunteers train incarcerated parents about the literacy needs of their children and how they can contribute to their child’s success through a positive reading relationship with them. Children will see their parents reading with love and enthusiasm, in many cases for the first time ever.

Linda Stufflebean, C.S.S.C.A.R. Honorary Senior State President, worked with Ms. Schutzenberger, as well as Elizabeth Swanay-O’Neal, C.S.S.C.A.R. Senior State President, and Jean Mollenkopf, Regent of the Captain Henry Sweetser Chapter DAR in Santa Maria, to apply for an educational grant from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). The C.S.S.C.A.R. was awarded a $925 matching grant so that United Through Reading could purchase a one-year supply of new children’s books, DVDs, and mailers specifically for the Brig Program.

Regarding her chapter’s participation in the project, Mrs. Mollenkopf said, "It was a great honor for the Captain Henry Sweetser Chapter DAR to be part of this meaningful patriotic endeavor to help build a lasting bridge between deployed veterans, military incarcerated, and their children at home through United Through Reading. We feel blessed to have been the DAR chapter engaged in the original grant process along with C.A.R."

"I want to thank Mrs. Mollenkopf and the NSDAR for getting behind our effort to raise money for UTR," says Ms. Schutzenberger. “It is a great partnership of the C.S.S.C.A.R. and the NSDAR to make a difference for military families going through terrible circumstances. We are helping at-risk children to become literate and find success at school, which means a better future for those children and a better future for our country."

In 2011, the NSDAR awarded over $180,000 in grants to support historic, patriotic, and educational projects all over the United States. For information about DAR Special Projects Grants, please see http://dar.org/natsociety/specialprojectsgrants.cfm.

For information about the Children of the American Revolution, please visit http://california-car.org. To learn about the work of United Through Reading, see http://www.unitedthroughreading.org

DAR's Forgotten Patriots Project Now Online (free)!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:31:00 +0000

If you are researching African American or Native American ancestors who may have provided service in the American Revolutionary War, this online publication may be of interest to you. I have a copy of the book, and it's a terrific resource.

The following announcement is from the DAR web site.

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Since the mid-1980s, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has supported a project to identify the names of African Americans, Native Americans, and individuals of mixed heritage who supported the American struggle for independence from Great Britain during the American Revolution. In the 1980s and 1990s, a series of small booklets for each of the original states were published, and in 2001 these booklets were merged into one volume and their contents greatly expanded in the publication titled African American and American Indian Patriots of the Revolutionary War.

The 2001 book also inspired a well-received and interesting exhibition in the DAR Museum "Forgotten Patriots: African American and American Indian Service in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783." The exhibition was open to the public from the fall of 2002 to the summer of 2003. During the exhibition's run, a seminar on the same topic was held at DAR Headquarters in Washington, D. C. in January 2003 and featured noted historians from around the country.

During the next few years, DAR researchers continued to build on the 2001 book, and by 2006 it became clear that a new publication was needed to present all of the additional findings. In April 2008, DAR published Forgotten Patriots: African American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War, an 874-page expansion of the 200-page publication. In the three years since this book was published, research continued and new findings have been complied in a supplement that is now available.

All print copies of the 2008 edition of the Forgotten Patriots book were sold-out by the summer of 2010, and discussions began to determine the next step in the process of providing this information to the public. DAR is now offering the full text of the Forgotten Patriots book and its corresponding supplement online! These documents can be downloaded for free from the DAR website. Subsequent updates will appear online as needed.

Note: Please be aware that the following publication is not connected with NSDAR publications, with the 2002-2003 DAR Museum exhibit, or the 2003 seminar.

Burrows, Edwin G. Forgotten Patriots: The Untold Story of American Prisoners during the Revolution. New York: Basic Books, 2008.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:30:00 +0000

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We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room,

drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched.

Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through

the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential.

~Ellen Goodman

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Wishing you a very happy New Year, from our house to yours. May your dreams and resolutions all come true, and may you find even more of your elusive ancestors in 2012!

Vintage greeting card from Connect.in.com, which unfortunately no longer exists.

Central Coast Genealogy Calendar: January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:13:00 +0000

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." ~Oprah Winfrey

Thursday, January 5
Monterey County Genealogical Society
6:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
Volunteer Appreciation Night

Saturday, January 7
San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society
12:30 PM Research Class - "What's in the 1940 Census?" by Joel Weintraub
1:00 PM Business Meeting
1:15 PM Social time; book and drawing sales, snacks, coffee and tea
1:45 PM Joel Weintraub - "Here Comes the 1940 Census and We ARE Ready!!"

Sunday, January 8
Jewish Genealogical Society of the Conejo Valley and Ventura County
1:30 - 3:30 PM
Panel Presentation - "Ethics, Sensitivities, Sensibilities and Property Rights"

Tuesday, January 10
Conejo Valley Genealogical Society
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Computer Interest Group Meeting
Barbara Warren - "Fast Pencil Revisited"

Tuesday, January 17
Conejo Valley Genealogical Society
5:30 - 6:30 PM - Genealogy Tools - TBA
6:45 - 8:45 PM - General Meeting - TBA

Saturday, January 28
31st Annual Genealogical Seminar on the Monterey Peninsula
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Claire V. Brisson-Banks, Keynote Speaker
Sponsored by the Commodore Sloat Chapter DAR and FHC

Saturday, January 28
Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society
9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Joel Weintraub - "Preparing for the Release of the 1940 Census"

Saturday, January 28
Ventura County Genealogical Society
1:00 - 4:00 PM
Kerry Bartels - "The Many Facets of the National Archives Website"

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Please send me an email if you would like to have your event included in this monthly calendar series.

Don't Miss the SLOCGS Seminar: Genealogy NOW! Growing Your Family Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:06:00 +0000

"Genealogy NOW! Growing Your Family Tree"

February 4, 2012

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Veterans Hall

801 Grand Avenue

San Luis Obispo, California

Mark your calendars for Genealogy NOW! Growing Your Family Tree, featuring nationally acclaimed author and speaker Dr. Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL!

This full day of outstanding presentations is designed to enhance your genealogical sleuthing skills, and add a few branches to your family tree. Genealogy NOW! also features the always-entertaining Ron Arons, author of Wanted! U.S. Criminal Records and The Jews of Sing-Sing, as well as English research expert Apryl Cox, AG.

Included in the event will be vendors, project displays, refreshments, a freebie table, and drawings for dozens of genealogy prizes and gift certificates. For schedule, registration information, or more about this event, please visit http://www.slocgs.org/.

31st Annual Genealogical Seminar on the Monterey Peninsula

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:23:00 +0000

The Commodore Sloat Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution

and the

Family History Center of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

present the

31st Annual Genealogical Seminar

Saturday, January 28, 2012
Family History Center and classrooms at the LDS Church
1024 Noche Buena (at Plumas) in Seaside, CA
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Claire V. Brisson-Banks, BS, MLIS AG®, of Timeless Genealogies is the keynote speaker and one of over a dozen instructors at the all-day genealogy conference.

$30 registration fee includes lunch and a syllabus with early registration by January 15, 2012.

Download registration flyer and schedule of classes.

For more information contact Serita Sue Woodburn.

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Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

From our house to yours: we wish you the merriest of Christmases, and the happiest of holidays. Be warm, be happy, and enjoy your family this holiday season.

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Vintage greeting card from Yestercards.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories: Day 8 - Christmas Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Photo of Snickerdoodles by Flickr user Evening Edge.com

My mother wasn't much of a baker. In fact, I'm fairly certain that she didn't like to cook at all. That being said, if she ever baked Christmas cookies, I don't remember her doing it.

When I got older, I started doing some baking on my own. Each Christmas, I would make fudge, rum balls, and various quick breads (banana, date, pumpkin) to give as gifts or to help pack on the calories at home. I would also bake one of my favorite cookie recipes: Snickerdoodles. While not specifically for Christmas, they do taste wonderful, and with a few red and green sprinkles tossed on before baking, they look very festive on your holiday table.

Plus, there are no peanuts (or nuts of any kind), to which my daughter is highly allergic. It's amazing - and scary - how many foods contain some form of peanuts.

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SNICKERDOODLES

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsps sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375⁰. Grease a cookie sheet. Stir together flour, soda, cream of tartar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Beat butter for 30 seconds; add the 2 cups sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture, beating until well combined. Form dough into 1-inch balls; roll in a misture of the 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon (and sprinkles, if desired). Place balls 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet; flatten slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass. Bake in a 375⁰ oven about 8 minutes or until light golden. Makes about 66.

(From the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Ninth Edition, 1981, p. 162.)

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This post is the first in the "2011 Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories" series, and was originally posted on December 8, 2009. Slight modifications have been made this year.

Veterans History Project Marks 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:19:00 +0000

The Veterans History Project (VHP) launches "Pearl Harbor – 70th Anniversary," the 35th website feature in the Experiencing War series. Pearl Harbor presents the accounts from 15 veterans who experienced Pearl Harbor firsthand.

"Some tragedies from our history are permanently burned into the collective memory of our nation," said Veterans History Project Director Bob Patrick. "Pearl Harbor is certainly one."

All of the veterans in the feature describe the sense of horror that dominated on Dec. 7, 1941. Kathryn Mary Doody was a nurse serving in the Army Nurse Corps, whose long and distinguished career in combat medicine began when she treated bombing victims brought to her Honolulu hospital from Pearl Harbor. James Doyle was a Photographer's Mate First Class in the Navy; he used his camera to document the destruction of the harbor while dodging bullets from Japanese planes flying overhead. Robert Coates served aboard the USS Nevada. After Pearl Harbor, he went on to be involved in some of the heaviest action in the Pacific Theater. As he discusses in his interview, nothing ever rivaled the shock he felt on December 7.

Hear these personal histories and more at: http://www.loc.gov/vets/stories/ex-war-pearlharbor.html

The Mission of the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center is to collect, preserve, and make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Learn more at www.loc.gov/vets. Share your exciting VHP initiatives, programs, events, and news stories with VHP to be considered for a future RSS. Email vohp@loc.gov and place "My VHP RSS Story" in the subject line.

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Remembering Pearl Harbor

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Click to enlarge

Today we remember the day "that will live in infamy."

On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i, killing more than 2,400 Americans and wounding over 1,200.

The U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed and the U.S.S. Oklahoma capsized. The attack sank three other ships and damaged many additional vessels. More than 180 aircraft were destroyed.

The following day President Franklin Roosevelt, addressing a joint session of Congress, called December 7th "a date which will live in infamy." Declaring war against Japan, Congress ushered the United States into World War II and forced a nation, already close to war, to abandon isolationism. Within days, Japan's allies, Germany and Italy, declared war on the United States, and the country began a rapid transition to a war-time economy in building up armaments in support of military campaigns in the Pacific, North Africa, and Europe.

On this National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor the lives lost in that horrific attack 70 years ago and salute the veterans of World War II.

Let's take a moment out of our busy holiday schedules to remember what happened that day.

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In honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, our friends at Fold3 invite you to check out some of their free World War II collections:

December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy," is seared into the American psyche as the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and took the United States into World War II.

That immortal phrase was delivered the following day by President Roosevelt in an address to Congress and the nation. He predicted that "always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us."

This year, on the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, Americans continue to remember the shocking event and the loved ones who lost their lives that day. It was a tragedy that affected millions of lives. Many people alive today have a personal connection to December 7, 1941, and there are many more who lost fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and friends, or heard stories about that day and its aftermath from those who lived through it.

At Fold3, we keep history alive and provide personal perspectives to the past through tributes left by others. We invite you to leave a tribute on the USS Arizona War Memorial. Share a story, link to a photo or letter, and bring your memories to others so we may all continue to remember.

See more about the Pearl Harbor Attack with these free resources:

Visit the Interactive USS Arizona Memorial
Leave a tribute, a story, or a photo of a World War II Hero.

Search the Pearl Harbor Muster Rolls
Personnel assigned to ships based at Pearl Harbor.

Read the 849 page report of the Raid on Pearl Harbor

Additionally, Ancestry.com is offering free access to their WWII Military Collections until midnight tonight in honor of the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hurry, if you want to check these out!

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What's More Fun Than a Snowball Fight in December?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:25:00 +0000

Why, it's the Second Life Chapter, Association of Professional Genealogists' (APG) Christmas party, of course!

WHEN: Thursday, December 8, 2011, 5:30 p.m. SLT (Second Life Time, same as Pacific Time)
WHERE: Second Life, near the Just Genealogy Firepit
DRESS: Formal, or anything Christmas-y or holiday-ish.

This is not what I'll be wearing to the party because, as you can see, I'm up to my knees in snow here, and it's much too cold for party clothes!

The SL-APG Chapter is an officially recognized chapter which promotes the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in the genealogical field at the regional level.

The chapter meets monthly using a free, social media, "virtual world" software called Second Life. It was organized to meet the networking needs of APG members who either do not have a local chapter near them, or are unable to attend their chapter meetings.

Anyone with an interest in genealogy is welcome to attend the meetings; however, official members of the chapter must be real life, dues-paying members of the APG.

I am thrilled to tell you that I was recently elected Vice President of the chapter, and I can't wait to get started next year!

So... if you've been looking for a reason to check out what those genealogists in Second Life are up to - and they're really quite busy - here you go!

Now, who's going to come as Santa Claus??

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To learn more about genealogy activities in Second Life, please visit the Genealogists in Second Life group on Facebook. Don't be shy. It's not hard, and there are lots of people available to help you. Like me, for instance.

Central Coast Genealogy Calendar: December 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 17:02:00 +0000

"Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends." ~Margaret Thatcher

Thursday, December 1
Monterey County Genealogical Society
6:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
Christmas Potluck

Sunday, December 11
Jewish Genealogical Society of the Conejo Valley and Ventura County
1:30 - 3:30 PM
Annual Chanukah Party/Membership Renewal
Stephen Morse - "From DNA to Genetic Genealogy: Everything You Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask"

Saturday, December 17
Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society
9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Annual Members' Share

Saturday, December 17
Ventura County Genealogical Society
12:00 PM
Annual Potluck Lunch and Holiday Program
Beth Miller - "Toys and Games: A Trip Down Memory Lane"

Tuesday, December 20
Conejo Valley Genealogical Society
6:00 - 8:45 PM
Holiday Potluck

NO MEETING IN DECEMBER
San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society

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Please send me an email if you would like to have your event included in this monthly calendar series.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories: Day 3 - Christmas Tree Ornaments

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:26:00 +0000


My daughter adding a new ornament to our tree on Christmas morning.

It's no secret that I love Christmas tree ornaments. I must wind up with at least a dozen or more new ones each year. Some I buy - I'm addicted to those Hallmark Keepsake ornaments - and some are given to me by friends and family.

Needless to say, we've amassed an extensive collection of ornaments.

As I mentioned in my Day 1 post about Christmas Trees, I inherited quite a few old, family ornaments when my mother and grandmother passed away. There are many that are in bad condition, and I should probably just get rid of them. But then, most were handmade by family members and have sentimental value, so I keep them, even if I don't use them.

And yes, I suppose I hang onto them for all the wrong reasons, but I just haven't been able to let them go. No need to report me to "Hoarders," though, I promise.

But there are many other heirloom (to me, anyway) ornaments that I do use each year. One year, my grandmother decided to go with a gold and white themed tree, and made all of her ornaments by hand. I still have her gold bells, snowflakes, and icicles, and I use them each year.

Back in the late 1970's, my mother made dozens of red bows from a wired, velvet ribbon. Quite a few of them have survived, and I put them on the tree each year for a blast of red color. Plus, they're like little reminders of my mom on my tree.

Probably my favorite old ornaments are the "icicle men." They're these odd-shaped, clear, plastic figures, with sharp, pointy heads and red noses. They are not cute. When I was a kid, we would hide them deep inside the tree (presumably because of their non-cuteness?) and make a game of finding them. I still do this, although for years, I've been the only one who cared to look for them later. I'm hoping my daughter will want to play along this year.

I have several ornament "collections" to which I add each year. In my younger, single days, I collected the Hallmark Barbie™ Christmas ornaments. I stopped collecting them (and hanging them on the tree) when I married my husband; he thought they were much too silly and girlie. I'll eventually give them to my daughter when she gets a little older, or let her put them on a tree in her room (possibly this year, if her attitude improves). Or put them on the back of the tree where no one ever looks.

For my husband, I buy an airplane ornament each year. He really could care less, but I thought there needed to be some ornaments that had some meaning to him on the tree. I also pick up whatever moose ornaments I can find. My husband has been a moose-collector since he used to regularly travel to Newfoundland on business.

A few of our special ornaments.

My daughter has received those "Baby's 1st Christmas," "2nd Christmas," etc., ornaments every year since she was born. Unfortunately, last year was her final year receiving one, as "5th Christmas" seems to be the limit. I hang those low on the tree where she can see them. We also have several family pictures on the tree, which she enjoys.

We have many cherished ornaments on our tree each year. I'm looking forward to seeing them again... as soon as my husband brings in the boxes from the garage!

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This post is the first in the "2011 Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories" series, and was originally posted on December 3, 2009. Slight modifications have been made.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Day 2: Holiday Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:32:00 +0000


I was unable to find any old photos of holiday foods-past, but I did find this picture of my cousins and I having breakfast in Christmas bibs, c. 1967. That's me in the front with the creepy doll.

Unfortunately, I really don't have many memories of special holiday foods from when I was young. Is that odd? I guess you could say I've always been a girl who eats to live rather than the other way around, so food just doesn't stand out in my memory.

However, I do remember a few things. My grandmothers were both fantastic cooks (aren't they all?). Watching them cook was fascinating to me; how could they make so many things at one time? It was amazing to see everything come together in perfect precision. Ding! Dinner is ready, and on the table... just like magic!

I've since learned that this is NOT as easy as the grandmas made it look.

My maternal grandmother made the best stuffing with her turkey. I think this was my favoriate part of the meal. She never did give me the recipe, but I've managed to find one that comes very close. It's the only stuffing I'll make, and thankfully it does not contain necks, gizzards, oysters, or anything else that a kid (or a grown-up) might consider "yucky."

This same grandmother - and my mother too, I think - also made a delicious, white confection called Divinity (which I will write about in an upcoming post). I made this for the fist time 2 years ago, and found it very difficult to make, probably due to our humid conditions here on the coast. Trust me: the weather must be ideal, and the planets perfectly aligned with nothing in retrograde in order to make the best Divinity. You might check your horoscope first, too.

My paternal grandmother was an expert pie-maker. She made many different types, but her pumpkin pies were always my favorite. I have fond memories of standing in her kitchen "helping" her bake cookies. Mmmm... the smell was heavenly.

* * *

With the exception of this past Thanksgiving, I haven't had to prepare a big holiday meal in a several years, thanks to family members who've invited us to dinner. When I do, I typically prepare the same things each time. Turkey and stuffing, "loaded" cranberry sauce (loaded with bourbon), sweet potatoes with extra marshmallows, mashed potatoes, rolls... the whole deal. I'm a terrible, awful piemaker, so I'll usually buy a pie and maybe a cheesecake for dessert. If I'm feeling very adventurous, I'll make the cheesecake myself.

Actually, I'm more of a "cake girl." My father loved him some pies, but I just couldn't get into them myself (except for pumpkin). I suppose there are "cake people" and "pie people," kind of like how there are "cat people"and "dog people." If you're wondering, I'm a dog ~~people~~ person.

I used to do a lot of baking at Christmastime. When we were particulary short on funds, we would give baked goods as gifts. We found out the hard way that these cost a bundle to mail, so there wasn't a huge financial savings with this strategy.

I found a great recipe for fudge that you can make in your microwave in about 5 minutes (and, it tastes good!), so we enjoy a lot of fudge. Chocolate of any variety doesn't last long in our household.

I also love to bake quick breads (banana, date, pumpkin), and sometimes I'll toss in some rum balls just for fun. The rum balls are great to take to work for those days when you really don't feel like working. Pass them around the office and let the holiday cheer begin!

My daughter loves to "help" me cook now; she even goes into her play kitchen to try to "cook like Mommy." She gets so excited when something "she made herself" comes out of the oven.

And enjoying these holiday foods through her is what truly makes Christmas special for me.

* * *

This post is the first in the "2011 Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories" series, and was originally posted on December 2, 2009. Slight modifications have been made.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Day 1: The Christmas Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:54:00 +0000

Our Family Christmas Tree, circa 1976. Notice the tinsel.
I still have this chair, although a lot less new-looking.

Getting our Christmas tree was one of the holiday highlights for me. We always had live trees, usually about 6'-7' tall. Or maybe they just seemed tall to me because I was smaller at the time.

In my younger years, I vaguely remember going out to a tree farm somewhere to get our trees. We would tramp around in the bitter southern California cold (ha!) until someone declared that he/she had found the perfect tree. The tree-cutter-person would cut down the tree for us, and we'd haul it home... probably in my father's pick-up truck, but I don't really remember. It was a looong time ago.

Once we got the tree home, my father would stand it up in a bucket of water in the garage, and meticulously pull out all the dead pine needles. He would give the trunk a fresh cut on the bottom, and then bring the tree inside.

Next were the lights. When those little "twinkle lights" came out, we all thought they were so beautiful. Unfortunately, putting them on the tree could be such a chore. Back in the day, if one, single light bulb was burned out, the entire strand refused to light. Dad would carefully unroll the lights, and we would all pray that they would light up when plugged in. But it never failed that at least one strand would have a bad bulb, and Dad would have to test each light with one of those light-tester-thingies to find the offender. Back in those days, if one bulb failed to work, the whole strand failed to work.

This could take hours.

Once the lights were on, we were finally free to add the decorations. I remember that there was a specific order in which the decorations should go on: the "balls" would go on first, with the large balls at the bottom of the tree, medium balls in the middle, and smaller balls towards the top. The "unique" decorations would go on next. These included various doo-dads I'd made in school, as well as some that my mother must have bought. I don't actually know where they came from, but I still have many of them.

One of my school doo-dads. Even as a kid, I was not a talented crafter.

The finishing touch was always the tinsel. Back in the day, this was considered very stylish. I remember there being two types of tinsel: one was a plastic variety that would stretch when pulled, and flew off the tree every time anyone walked by. The other was a metallic sort, that stayed on the tree, but frequently fell apart in your hands. I preferred the plastic kind, even if it did fly off with the slightest breeze.

Actually, I hated tinsel, but it was going on the tree, whether I liked it or not.

There was a definite "technique" to applying tinsel. Like most kids, I suppose, I liked to grab a handful and throw. This method was, unfortunately, frowned upon by my mother (and most other adults). The "correct" method of applying tinsel was one strand at a time. ONE STRAND AT A TIME. One strand. At a time. One. Strand. At. A. Time.

It took FOREVER to cover a tree "correctly" with tinsel. But even I had to admit that it was kind of pretty - in a weird sort of way - once it was finished.

The final touch was the angel on top. She wore a gold, fuzzy dress and had a halo of lights behind her.

Our tree would go up well before Christmas and would stay up until at least New Year's Day. After that, the decorations would come off, and the tree would mysteriously disappear. It was depressing.

The Christmas tree smell that filled our house was heavenly. I hated artificial trees and swore I'd never have one.

* * *

Our Christmas Tree, 2008 (2011 isn't up yet).
No tinsel. The chair is in the next room.

Fast forward about 30 or so years. Ironically, my family now uses an artificial tree. We bought it the Christmas after my daughter was born, and strangely enough, I love it. It's 9 feet tall, and very realistic-looking. It even has fake dead needles that we don't have to meticulously pick out.

There were several reasons behind our decision to go artificial, but the main reason was allergies. I have them, and so does my daughter. No need to be miserable at Christmas if we don't have to be. Plus, it came with all the lights on it already, eliminating a step that I never enjoyed much anyway.

Unfortunately, my husband HATES this tree, if only because he has to lug it out of the garage and put it together each year. Poor baby. He's lucky that we don't have to tramp around in a Christmas tree farm in the bitter southern California cold.

The ugly school doo-dad is still on our tree (usually in the back).

The gold bells and snowflakes were made by my grandmother.

The red bows were made by my mother back in the '70's.

After my mother and grandmother passed away, I inherited nearly all the family Christmas ornaments. You will still find many of these on my tree each year. I have also collected ornaments of my own, most of which represent something that happened in our lives during the year (like "new home," "baby's 1st Christmas," etc.). These serve as special reminders of our lives together.

The artificial tree doesn't have that wonderful Christmas tree smell. But that's what pine-scented candles are for, right?

* * *

This post is the first in the "2011 Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories" series, and was originally posted on December 1, 2009. Slight modifications have been made.

Black Friday Special at Fold3

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:59:00 +0000

Aaaaaand... here come the Black Friday specials!

Today only, Fold3 (formerly known as Footnote.com) is offering a 40% savings off their regular annual membership price of $79.95, which works out to be $47.95 annually, or $4.00 per month.

Since my membership is up for renewal on November 29th, I decided to take advantage of this great deal today. While doing so, I discovered that if you are already a Fold3 member, you will need to log out of your account in order to access the discount; otherwise, it will try to renew you at the regular membership price.

Go to Fold3 and click on the Black Friday Limited Time Offer ad to access this deal. Again, if you are already a Fold3 member, you will need to log out of your account first.

Happy shopping!

* * *

I suppose I should mention that I am a Fold3 affiliate. I can't help it; I like their stuff.

Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:21:00 +0000

* * *

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey be plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off of your thighs!

~Author Unknown

Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving, from our house to yours. May you have much to be thankful for in the coming year.

* * *

Read President George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation.
Read President Barack Obama's Thanksgiving Proclamation.

Vintage greeting card from Yestercards.

This Will NOT Be My Family Today

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

For your holiday viewing enjoyment, I now present Thanksgiving Dining Etiquette for Young Children: Dining Together (ca. 1951).

Let the fantasies begin.

I can't help but wonder how they got that family to behave so nicely.

"At the first Thanksgiving, the Indians didn't eat turkey with a fork, but it is easy to learn to use one the right way to take small mouthfuls."

"It is good to learn to chew with lips closed, and when to take a drink."

HILARIOUS!

And what's up with those Christmas sweaters?

This will not be the scene in my house today. Except maybe for the sweaters.

For the record, I already know "when to take a drink."

* * *

Kids Reenact The First Thanksgiving With Smallpox Blankets And Whiskey

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Kids Reenact The First Thanksgiving With Smallpox Blankets And Whiskey

- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Best line in the movie: "We got hosed."

(At least they got the casinos, even if they are in the Mojave Desert.)

* * *

Tuesday's Tip: Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:31:00 +0000

If your ancestors hailed from Colorado, you do not want to miss the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection:

Newspapers are one of the most versatile and heavily used sources of information for researchers, genealogists, students and the general public. Feature stories, society news, classified and picture advertisements, school and church announcements, news from surrounding towns, editorials and cartoons, all give the reader the sense of "being there." Often the papers contain historical information that is not available in any other source.

About Colorado Historic Newspapers from 1859 to 1923

The Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection (CHNC) currently includes more than 500,000 digitized pages, representing 163 individual newspaper titles published in Colorado from 1859 to 1923. Due to copyright restrictions, CHNC does not generally include newspapers published after 1923.

Ongoing support for maintaining and providing access to CHNC is paid for with state funds administered by the Colorado State Library and the Colorado Historical Society. CHNC continues to add new pages when community funding is located to pay the costs of digitization.

You can either browse the site by available newspaper and date, or do a more specific search. Before clicking "GO," be sure to select which newspapers you wish to search (use the Ctrl key to pick more than one), or check the "Search in all Publications" box. I kept forgetting to check the box, and had "no results" returned several times. Oops.

I discovered this site while doing research for a client whose ancestor was a traveling minister stationed in Colorado. I found tons of great information, not only about him, but also about a few other family members. The CHNC turned out to be a gold mine for me/us.

I hope it proves helpful for you, too!

* * *

Something For My Bucket List

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth O'Neal) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:58:00 +0000

My 5 year-old daughter is watching the Disney movie Ratatouille this morning.

Not being one to miss a "teachable moment," I casually mentioned to her that our ancestors were French, like the characters in the movie.

We've actually talked about this before. I've tried to teach her a few French words using the limited vocabulary I still have from 2 years of college French.

She gave me a confused look. It took me a few seconds to figure out why.

I then explained that our ancestors were French people, like Linguini and Colette, not French rats like Emile.

She looked relieved.

Kids.

A short while later, there was a scene where Emile the Rat is looking out a window over the city of Paris, and the Eiffel Tower is standing tall in the background.

I told her that that's a picture of Paris, a city in France, and it's possible that her ancestors lived there (I don't know where in France they came from).

Her: "That's pwetty. I haven't go there yet."

Me: "Yeah, me neither. Maybe we can go there together someday."

Her: "Yeah, that would be fun."

So... there's one more for the bucket list: Take my daughter to Paris.

Hopefully I can figure out where our ancestors came from first.

* * *

Photo by Wikipedia user Taxiarchos228, and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.