Posting early due to a thunderstorm and I need to shut my computer down. Yea for iPads!
Good Morning, my fellow WikiChatterers, and Welcome to the Weekend Chat! It’s a cloudy and relatively cool spring day where our ancient Appalachian Mountains are covered with beautiful green foliage and our enchanting waterfalls are stunning in their variety. The Smokies and the nearby Pisgah National Forest, a favorite for hikers, cyclists, and campers, are starting to see increased activity along with the warmer weather. Very soon, Dollie’s Ice Cream at the entrance to the forest will see hoards of young folks from all of the children’s camps here as they descend past the most photographed waterfall in America, Looking Glass Falls, on their way down from a visit to Sliding Rock which I enjoyed as a teen. The waters of the Davidson River are cold and the landing at the bottom of Sliding Rock will take your breath away, literally, as least your first time down.
On the home front 1: The chipmunks have left their burrows to make mad dashes to the seed under the bird feeders, spooking the squirrels with their antics. While the lovely goldfinches have mostly moved to more northern climes, the buntings have arrived to add to the color of the cardinals and blue jays. I saw our first wood thrush of the year this week, and the hawks have been busy fishing in our stream and field running creatures into the trees as they swoop around looking for breakfast. This morning, it was one of the chipmunks, who didn’t notice that everyone else was absent beneath and around the feeders. The deer have disappeared to be replaced by a family of groundhogs that scrounge for a meal a safe distance from the house. With all of the work we do outside, it’s a blessing to stop and look at all of the wonders of nature from our back deck.
On the home front 2: This Sunday, I’m serving alongside our presiding bishop (Anglican Province of America) who has arrived for a diocesan visit and to confirm new members. I’ve met this fellow a few times, and he is a charming man, who also happens to be the same bishop who confirmed me and my wife.
On the genealogy front: A fellow WikiTreer has done some amazing work on one of my Volga-German lines, finding obituaries and digging through census records and immigration papers. The harder work will be crossing the Atlantic, but this member provided some leads that will further my investigations. Also, while doing a little work on the Integrators Challenge, I stumbled across as family that actually turned out to be connected to one of my lines. I shouldn’t have been surprised as it seems all of the families in the area had connections to each other in one way or another. Of course, it was to my prolific Lawing family in this instance. The Lawings seem to pop up everywhere. And, I’m pleased to have joined two English county teams this week, Devon and Cornwall. Cornwall is an ancestral county and since Devon is right next door, I thought I’d assist there, too.
I watch the Weather Channel occasionally. It used to be just for us, but now that I’ve gotten to know so many WikiTreers from all over the US that I’ve now picked up a new hobby: worrying about all of you folks in danger’s path. I hope you are all safe, all around the world!
Jump in and enjoy the Chat. I always look forward to hear what’s going on with my fellow WikiTreers.