Follow
Share
Read More
This discussion has been closed for comment. Start a New Discussion.
CWillie, my husband's Grandfather had his Very Norwegian (and fairly common) name changed too, when entering the US in Ellis Island back in the late 1940's, whether by choice or "assignment", we will never know but it is a name that No One else in the world has but Us and his few descendant here in the PNW, as the spelling is So Unusual and Odd, to say the least! I wish I could share my last name to show you, but privacy and all, ya know? 😉

My parents both came to this country from Wales, UK, as most folks here know, and I have had So much fun using Google Earth, to soar over to the UK, to find the places they spoke about, their neighborhoods, the little villages and Seaside resorts that they spent time in. When I went to Wales and England, I had the opportunity to visit the homes where my parents grew up, and putting the places to my mind, the stories that I grew up hearing about was So Cool, and quite honestly, both my parents were very good at recalling and sharing those old stories, that it was almost like seeing their stories come to life. I loved that trip with my 3 sister's So much, I almost wished my parents had never left, I felt such a kinship to Wales, it was like coming home for me!

There is something about our elders Not growing up with TV, or barely even electricity for that matter, that gave them incredible recall, and in my case anyways, they thankfully did share a lot of the life they had as kids and teenagers, and in our case, living through WW2, and the aftermath, being kids and then dating and working all together to save money and to help one another to come to the USA.

Another Cool thing that my sister has is a shoebox full of old letter from various relatives, from the time that my Grandmother and Grandfather and my Mom first came to this country. Letters to my Grandparents from their other 4 kids (and spouses and kids) back in Wales, still awaiting their turn to come to the US, Love Letters from My Dad to my Mom, lots of them, as he awaited turning from 19 to 20, the legal age in those days for him to leave the UK, without his parents permission to follow her to America to marry her her at 20 & 21, as apparently his Mother would not consent.

My parents started dating when my Mom was 16, he was 17. Theirs was a true Love Story, boy meets girl, falls Crazy in Love, follows her across the World to Seattle to Marry her in 1950, Lol! Gets married, has 6 kids and lives happily ever after, a Real LIFETIME MOVIE!
(4)
Report

I know a lot of my ancestry because my grandmother made it her life's work, and since my parents were related a couple of generations back it works for both sides of the family. One branch of the family has been traced back into Germany but I'm not sure how I'd begin to find the rest since I'm not sure how the family name was spelled before it was "englishified".
(3)
Report

Stacy, do the DNA, it is so interesting seeing the results.

When my DNA results came back, it was pretty much what I thought, but thrown into the mix were small percentages from countries that were a "say what???" moment. Ok, what relative traveled to THAT country generations ago?

Searching the old country is a challenge as many of us never learned the old country language in order to read what documents were found. Then thrown in a common first and last name that is like "John Smith" in the old country. It's like trying to find Waldo :P
(2)
Report

Yeah, I found you. Not too energetic today but accomplished this.
(2)
Report

Pepsee, Wow that Bear was Close! Weren't you Scared? I would have been! He appears to be laying down and quite interested in Something, possibly some kind of food, lol!
Thanks for the pix, I think that's Awesome!
(1)
Report

Just decided to try planting lavender in my yard. I live in the midwest, so hoping the four season weather won't harm it. I bought some fresh-cut stems a few months ago and let them dry in a vase in my bedroom and I still smell the beautiful aroma of lavender each time I walk in the room. It's like the gift that keeps giving and makes me smile. So, I'm going to try growing it myself. Thought I'd share this with my friends on this online community. Anyone have any tips for planting it?
(3)
Report

FF, I Love learning of my families ancestry! My eldest sister has done extensive work on both sides of our family, so I didn't have to, but to spend an afternoon now and then, digging into it is fascinating and never ending.

Last year, I spent a lot of time researching my husband's family, but there are so many roadblocks! He is 3rd generation Norwegian on his Dad's Side but it's his Mother's side that is that much more difficult, because of all of the lies (illegitimate pregnancies, divorces and name changes), and moving around and failure of his Mom to ever even speak about her life and past, so very hard to make heads or tales of it, especially now that she's been gone for so many years.

I had a subscription with Ancestry for about 6 months, and it was so fun researching both my husbands sides of his family's, but his lack of any real interest in perusing it further that 2 generations led me to cancel it, so now I will just put together a packet for his kids of what I found, and let them take over if they choose to.

It becomes much more difficult, when the search takes you overseas, for sure! It's definitely something I may peruse in the future! I would Love to do my DNA someday too, though, I'm pretty sure of the outcome there. I'm glad you are enjoying your hunting!
(2)
Report

My interest - the family tree. I have been up and down my Dad's side of the family tree via Ancestry. It has been so totally fascinating. Very time consuming.

Now I am printing out from mapping websites and real estate websites copies of the houses/apartments that the relatives had made their homes. Give you more of a bond seeing where they lived :)

Oh my gosh, one family moved every few years. One draw back is that Google maps doesn't always show the correct house. I usually have to zoom in to houses to find the house number. Sometimes that house number doesn't exist any more.... now a parking lot.

My Mom's side of the family is a mystery. Was only able to go as far as my grand-parents, and I still am searching for my grandmother's siblings.

This is so much better then what is on TV now a days :)) [gosh, I am now sounding like my parents]
(3)
Report

Pepsee, make that Bear pix your new AVATAR! I would love to see it!

Last nite while watching tv, my pup Charlie-girl saw or heard something in the bushes outside my (open) back sliding glass door, and it was the Biggest Possum I have Ever seen! Luckily our screen door was pulled shut, or she would have been on it, and no doubt I would have had to break up a fight, my pup is a tiny 5# Chihuahua Maltese mix girl, but she is Feisty and those Possums are Nasty!

So Scary! She's quite the little Scrapper, and I have to watch her every minute she's outside, lest a Eagle swoops in and carries her off! We don't have a lot of Bears in our area (the PNW), but Eagles, squirrels, racoons, and all sorts of birds and other little critters, especially the 2 huge Woodpeckers who seem to love hanging out in our yard lately!
(3)
Report

🐻
(2)
Report

The other night I came out on the back deck for a smoke break. I sat on a chair right next to the 4 steps going down to the yard.

I turned my head to the right and wouldn't you know it, a bear was laying at the bottom of the steps, eating the duck food!

I just said ...hello and watched him. Then it hit me...take a picture! So I did. Gonna try to figure out how to get a link for the pic.
(2)
Report

Thats awesome Val3rie, a baby drawing and a beer, don't get much better then that!
(1)
Report

I like that! I create my own 'coffee' breaks from caregiving by hiking in the woods and creek around my farm.
I do photography sometimes I do puppy portraits for free and sometimes I do abstract art. I also do still life on those days I have to stay in the house to watch over my husband.

I left the other day to take my husband to appointments, the neighbor stopped by to let out our pup. :)
In a beautiful gesture, the 6 yr old daughter left me a drawing with happy stick people, bugs, flowers, and a puppy on it...the mom left me a craft beer in the fridge with a sticky note that had a smiley face on it.

These are the small thoughtful things that make my days bearable and let me smile and know I will be okay.
(3)
Report

This discussion has been closed for comment. Start a New Discussion.
Start a Discussion
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter