"Welcome to the Weekend Chat!" All Members Invited!! August 30th-September 1st, 2019 [closed]

+25 votes
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CHANGE TO BEST ANSWER PROCESS:  After much discussion we have come to the conclusion that all answers in the Weekend Chat are of equal importance and weight.  So we are going to discontinue the Best Answer portion as it adds points and then takes them away from posters and is causing some hurt feelings.  So in the interest of everyone is equal and valued we will delete any best answers given which will deduct those points because it has been pointed out that to give everyone best answer is also not a viable option. 

Weekend Chat is for everyone. It's a place to catch up on what people are up to and to share what you've been doing.  New members can say hello, introduce themselves, ask questions, and meet each other.  Our seasoned members can share progress or successes from their projects, give tips and advice, or chime in on hot topics.

Post as many answers and comments as you wish. It doesn't hurt anyone to post a lot and enjoy the multitude of topics.

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Enjoy yourselves and spread the love!

WikiTree profile: Pip Sheppard
closed with the note: Wonderful to hear from everyone. See you next week!
in The Tree House by Pip Sheppard G2G Astronaut (2.7m points)
closed by Pip Sheppard
Me, too, Greg!
When I hear Welch's I think of grape juice and my childhood.
Welch makes me think of the story I found researching in Chautauqua county, New York. This guy came up from New York City and liked the grapes, but didn't agree with alcohol drinks, so he made grape juice. His name was Welch.
Pip and Betty,

There's no badge or anything. Just add the template to your oldest Welch. (Oh, and Betty, send me a private message so I can have your email address and add you to the trusted list on the free space profile.)
Thanks for hosting Lil!
I don't know if there is a section for "interesting firsts" that are not genealogy related, but today was the first time I have ever seen a leaf insect that was not a picture, so annoyed I didn't have a camera handy, and we found one of the wall lizards dead this week, sad times, xxx

I, too, love Welch's grape juice, so I looked up the founder, Thomas Bramwell Welch, and learned that he has a profile on WikiTree, but it's not connected to the main tree. (Actually, it's completely unlinked, so clearly, the poor man needs some TLC on his family tree.) So I added him to the table on the Welch Name Study page.

I added a source to the article that I had found for Thomas Welch

By the way everyone, don't forget to upvote the main thread! - we have 40 answers and only 13 upvotes sad

sad sorry I forgot to upvote, I have done so now xxx

41 Answers

+20 votes
Hi Pip, hope all is well and thanks.

Yes, the folks in Florida need to keep an eye to the East, and make sure they are prepared.

Still working on finding and sourcing unsourced profiles here on the tree.

Hope everyone here in the US. has a great Labor Day weekend, and you have an extra day off work. For those outside the US., take an extra day also.

Stay safe and find something fun to do.
by Rodney Long G2G6 Pilot (849k points)
Right, Rodney! Other countries holidays are an excuse for he rest of the world to take an extra day. (Wish this had really worked when I was in my career.)
Yes prayers and good wishes for all in the path of major storms.  Stay safe.  And if you have power let us know you are OK!
+20 votes

Last week, SJ asked if I would post a pic of some of the things I inherited. Below is the ring my grandfather bought in Houston, Texas, in 1913 (his monogram is in the old style, initials name order: RSU). Also, here is the pocket watch of my g-great-grandfather. It was called a “Dollar Watch,” because that was about what it cost. I date it about 1950.

by Pip Sheppard G2G Astronaut (2.7m points)
Beautiful!  Thank you for sharing Pip.  Those are real treasures.
Woo - now that's a genuine article. Very nice!
Thanks for sharing pictures.    Do you ever wear the ring?  It's a style that will never seem dated.

Peggy, I can’t wear it during the summer as my hands swell from working. I’ve had the ring since I was 21 (last week wink). 

And that is how many aniversaries of turning 21?

Uh... uh... I can’t remember! laugh

How’s everything in earthquake country?

Still shaking but I haven't felt anything significant. Its been mostly less then 3s. ... just been a whole lot of them.

The last 1800 or so...

https://scedc.caltech.edu/recent/Maps/118-36.htmlhttps://scedc.caltech.edu/recent/Maps/118-36.html
Wasn't it because it was the size of a silver dollar? Like  the  Standing or walking Liberty issued before in the early 1900s?  Not the things they are issueing today that are the same size as a quarter.  You could still get silver dollars out of the slots in Vegas in the 1960s.

Dunno. I looked it up online once, and found these watches were really cheap. Believe it or not, there’s actually a Wikipedia article on them...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_watch

Well $4 wouldn't have been so bad in 1950 for a watch. I guess I was thinking of the Morgan or Peace dollars and was looking the diminensions of the dollars.  My dad collected silver coins.  Especially silver dollars.
True that. I went a got an old silver dollar, and you’re right. The watch was almost the size of the dollar (it was a Morgan). My grandfather was also silver dollar collector.He thought the Eisenhower much too large and not finely crafted, unlike the Walking Liberty appreciated. He would have hated today’s silver dollar.
21 just last week! You are young!

Beautiful heirlooms! Thanks for sharing.
+20 votes
This weekend us folks from Canada will also be celebrating Labour Day (though we will be slipping in that British "u")!

It's a good reminder to reflect on all of the toil and hard work our ancestors did, on farms and in mines, building railroads and creating homesteads, raising children and chasing the dream of a better life for themselves and their families!

Personally, I am celebrating some very good news. I will be trading my full-time job for a new part time job soon, part of my long term plan to transition to retirement! Looking forward to more free time and a more balanced life.

Enjoy the weekend!
by Peggy Watkins G2G6 Pilot (826k points)

Good for you, Peggy. A part-time job will open up some time for you to do the things that a full-time job kept you from. 

Happy Labour Day to you!

The new school year for most of Canada will start on Tuesday the 2nd Sept - the day after Labour day.

Kids all going back to school.

This really is the end of the summer!!!!
The kids in this area of BC all started this week, before Labour Day even!  

I'm glad you're able to get the flexibility of part-time work Peggy.  Sounds like you know how you want to use the time!

Robynne, while the beginning of the school year means that all the touristas will be leaving our area (yes), we will have to deal with all those buses clogging up traffic (no). We plan our trips to town around school times.

Peggy,

I highly recommend retirement.    Glad you're able to start transitioning.
Thanks, I think this is going to be a really positive change and, yes, I have lots of ideas of what to do with the extra time! I think it's all about finding the right balance.

I hated school when I was a kid, so any time anybody talked about "back to school" before 8:59 am on the Monday after Labour Day, it would really annoy me.

I don't have kids myself, but I know some people whose kids are... handfuls, so now this ad always makes me smirk. 

Peggy,

I retired in 2010, at the age of 57;    "cutting back"  wasn't an option in my position.    But my job  left  no room for anything but work in my life.    At work, everyone asked   what will you do?????    There hasn't been a day I've regretted it.   Nor a day where I was unable to find something great to do.
Peggy I retired in 2009.  Then I had opened two companies by end of 2010.  Then I sold the last one in 2018.  Now I babysit at least 5 days a week for my youngest grandchild, my grandson...  I have not yet found that elusive work home balance thing...   if anything... people think I have all this extra time being retired...  and I am as busy as I was when I was working and getting paid for it....  Good Luck!
I certainly have not found anyone that has regretted retiring. Quite the opposite! I don't know exactly when I will be retiring but part-time for now sounds great!
I don't regret it.  I just don't have all this anticipated free time!

Less work = more WikiTree yes

You've got SJ!
+20 votes

Thanks for hosting Pip.

I'll admit I haven't read anyone's post yet.   Mainly because my incredible 1st Cousin Iver Jacobson just sent me email saying he's joined WIkiTree!!smiley   I've been hoping he would for years.    He'll make an amazing addition to the  "family".   Very detail oriented, skilled with computers,  great writing skills, and sense of humor.   Certainly an extrovert for an engineer.  Not only another engineer,  but an engineer that married an engineer.   

Iver is the cemetery expert in the family.   In a 5 gallon sprayer, he keeps his own  "special" mixture to safely clean headstones. He'll clean and  sometimes we chalk for the photos. We drag other cousins to the family cemeteries and they're cooperative if the weather is good.  

Got to go for now,  will get back later today!

 

by Peggy McReynolds G2G6 Pilot (470k points)
This is exciting, Peggy! A new member with skills like Iver’s is always welcome!
Welcome Iver!
I get so excited when I find a relative who has joined.  Good for you!  And welcome to Iver!
+19 votes

Hello all and have a wonderful weekend!

The monsoon continues with a big storm last night. This year had been more of a "nonsoon" until this past week. Last Friday night's storm turned our playground into a pond, then picked all the bark up and threw it out of the playground. We've had quite a bit of rain this past week. Lovely! The azaleas have started blooming. Can't believe it's almost September.

WikiTree: Still working on biographies for those profiles I added when I joined by going through the oldest ones on my watchlist. Why did mom have so many siblings? lol While I've been working on their profiles, I couldn't resist adding info for my grandfather though I'm not the PM on that one.

I have spent hours and hours trying to find military service records for my father and brother to no avail. Dad was a SeaBee at Panama Canal during WWII. My brother was a SeaBee at DaNang. The National Archives doesn't seem to have as many naval records as army ones. Since I don't have a paid subscription to Ancestry, I don't think I can find this information.

I was able to find plenty of information for my cousin Jerry who was killed in Nam and whose name is on The Wall. I remember being told he'd been killed by "friendly fire" while in camp, so I was surprised to see the "hostile" designation.

Once I finish going back through my profiles, I plan on adding the maternal side of my family. Aunt Sue has the family traced back to the castles of Ireland. I'm curious to find out how accurate her records are. laugh

by Diane Hildebrandt G2G6 Pilot (109k points)

Hi Diane! The best luck I’ve had with WW II records have been separation papers (about all there is for a few of mine). One fortunate discovery I had this week was a death certificate for a vet who died in a VA hospital. On that cert, there was his unit designation which was not on his other records. VA hospitals seem to have more than I can find elsewhere.

Sometimes Fold 3 has a free weekend.  They seem to carry
many military records.  Try them on one of the weekends.
Thanks Beulah! I didn't know this.
Hi Diane, my father was at Da Nang also, but it seems a little later than your brother.  So sorry for your loss!
Thanks Laurie. My brother didn't die at DaNang. After his tour in Nam, he was stationed in Germany where his wife joined him. His son was born there then he was transferred to Sicily. His infant contracted spinal meningitis and they were flown back to Germany. Unfortunately, his son died there and had to be flown back to the states in a lead-lined coffin.

My brother died in 2006 while waiting for the VA to approve a pacemaker replacement.
If memory serves me, it is usually around Memorial Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day.  Days that tend to honor military in some way.  Also, some wikitreer may have a membership to
Fold 3 and would do a look up for you, with more information.
A lot of libraries have Fold3 access.  Ours does.  If you send me the names and what you know I will do a look up for you.
I didn't know about libraries having Fold3 access. When mine reopens on Tuesday, I'll see if they have it. Thanks!
With mine I can even login from home with a valid Library Card number.  It is great!
+19 votes

Hails and horns, Wikipeeps!

On the genealogy front, I've been going through the rabbit hole that is Ancestry's Yearbook Archive. If you haven't had the chance, I suggest you go through it because it is awesome. Not just because of the '60s hairstyles of my parents and my aunts and uncles. Though, they are impressive, I gotta say.

I managed to get pics of my grandmothers, their siblings, my parents and my mom's siblings. I couldn't find my grandfathers in there. My dad said that there was a very good reason for that. During the '30s some young men didn't go to school for economic reason. So, that's why. It's also a good idea to cross-reference the yearbooks with the US census. 

And speaking of work, here's my newest blog talking about my great-grandfather at work: https://allroadhaverhill.blogspot.com/2019/08/52-ancestors-week-35-at-work.html

Really, really, really need a picture of him. I hope to get one soon.

On another note, I found that a second cousin is doing a DNA test. He messaged a 4th cousin asking for info and she messaged me on Facebook asking how to reply. I helped her out. I was basically the go-between between two potential DNA matches. They really should have just messaged each other on Facebook is what I'm saying. At least I figured it out and will be helping my 2nd cousin figure out the ins and outs on DNA.

At least I can safely say my class of 1997 isn't on Ancestry at the moment. Don't think anyone can handle the "EXTREME" of the ;90s. You want to see a yearbook that encapsulates the 1990s look no further than that book.

It's bad enough comics were weird in the '90s.

On the non genealogical front, the garden is winding down for the year. We had an okay crop. The cucumbers barely grew. Eggplants don't have a great shelf life. And at least the green beans, lettuce and tomatoes turned out good.

Other than that there's not much else to report. Check out the blog and let's have a great chat. Oh and if you're in the hurricane's way, stay safe!

by Chris Ferraiolo G2G6 Pilot (756k points)
Depending on the condition of Avengers #1, you could get a pretty penny for it and Justice League. Best I have is reprints. I do have some comics from the '70s and early '80s. I have:

Spider-Woman #1
Ms. Marvel #1 (Carol Danvers)
She-Hulk #1 (Stan Lee's Last creation for Marvel before he left for the decade.)

And  few others. They're in decent shape. Now #1 issues are pointless with all the renumberings going on.
My one treasure is a Captain America Comics - I think it's #78? from the 1940's. That one is in pretty good shape and it might be one of the last ones I would be willing to let go...

Golden Age comics in good condition are rare finds. Is this the comic? https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/23244/captain_america_comics_1941_78

That looks like late Golden Age and into the early Silver Age.

Chris, those yearbooks have been fun to explore.  Found all my aunts and uncles, my parents, inlaws, and a few others so far.  

Make Mine Marvel!  (I collected the X books until they got too out of hand, my husband has Spidey, FF, Avengers, etc. going back pretty far.) Plus some independents (Bone, A Distant Soil, Mage...) and some classic Vertigo titles.  My kid is mostly into manga.
I must have the issue number wrong, because that cover doesn't look like I remember it. But it's been sitting in storage for 10 years, so my memory may not be what it once was. Have to go look again one of these days. Or pull it from my database.
@ Scott: Sounds like a plan. There's a site which lets you organize your entire collection online. Since I've been collecting since the 90s, I only did what? The first few I could remember. I even have most of the infamous clone saga and Spider-Man: One More Day. Sigh...The '90s and 00s were not good for Spidey sometimes.

@ Lisa: That's awesome! And yea the X-Men books have gotten a little out of hand. Lately, they've gotten a little weird and it's hard to follow now. I didn't like the X-Men's sudden heel turn against the Avengers since both teams always worked together. Avengers vs X-Men was...eh....

I found my aunts and uncles and had my mom help me with a few people. She said some were not in Newburyport as my grandfather moved around a lot. He worked on airplanes for the Air Force. So....yeah. They moved around a lot. Mom and my aunts and uncles were Air Force brats.

Fun fact, though. One of my mom's cousins was in homeroom with my dad. Got their pics!
Ok my husband and I just bought a DNA kit from ancestry... I followed Edison's advice.  They arrived.  Now we have to do the spit thing...  probably this weekend or Monday...  

You can teach me all about how to use Ancestry after I get my results back...
Awesome! We can use Skype and everything. =D This'll be fun! Just let me know when.
We have not done that for a while.  Ron finally got it working again I think.  He spent hours on the phone with their tech and nothing worked.  I told him uninstall it ad reinstall it.   It worked...
I think I've seen him online. A lot of the cool kids use Discord now. Some use Skype and Discord. I do both.
+21 votes

Its a long weekend for those of us who labour in Canada, as summer comes to a close.  

Its also getting too dark to go for a walk first thing in the morning. Some daylight is needed, because its blackberry season! This time of the year, I squeeze my walk between work and supper, so I can enjoy a yummy reward as I ramble (or waddle) along the shoulder of the road. 

On the WT front, I've resumed a personal mini-project on New England Planters. This time I'm focusing on the founders of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, where my maternal grandmother's branch of the family vine is rooted. Its going quickly, I'm already at the letter "H".  Most of the profiles are already in the wiki, so I'm adding connections, sources and categories. Since the New England Planters are mostly from Massachusetts and Connecticut, I find they make a good "connections" net for those who are researching ancestors in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Enjoy your weekend!

by Laurie Giffin G2G6 Pilot (104k points)

Hi there, Laurie! I'm a little jealous of folks who have connections to New England as the sources go back so much further along with a reasonable settled and orderly life.  I struggle with some of my pioneer settlers and the lack of sources. So good to see such progress being made on your profiles with the connections, sources, and categories.

Do you wear gloves to collect those berries? cheeky

I wear gloves as part of covering up in the sun, doctor's orders.  I always look a little eccentric in the summer, but I don't really have to think about gloves when I see blackberries. They are useful though!
Blackberries are awesome! =D Nuff said! Glad you are having a good week.
I've enjoyed researching families from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, such interesting places and people. Still hoping to do some in person research at some point!

You're sure lucky to have some berry picking opportunities on you walking route. Ah life on the island!

Oh, hey. When you get down to the Ws in that list of New England Planters, you should find my fifth great-grandfather.

If only I had known, when I was going to Acadia, that I had ancestors who had lived just a hop, skip, and a jump away. I could have popped into the Planters Study Centre and dug up all kinds of stuff that would now entail a multi-day expedition. I even could have visited the old family home! Grrr... 

Island life is indeed grand Peggy!

@ Greg, maybe you'll get back to Acadia for a reunion.  I have cousins in Canning, right around the corner from Habitant, their daughter just married a Pineo.

I have over 50 first cousins on the east coast, and I go back "home" every couple of years, but research time is limited. Last time I was at Acadia I spent a full day at the Baptist Archives. The Planters Study Centre is in my future too.
Laurie, like many mainland folks we are dreaming (and scheming) of one day moving to one of the many beautiful islands in the province. The tough part is deciding which community to choose!
Can't help you there! I'm pretty sure you'll find a warm welcome and strong retirement community anywhere in the island, so the decision is really influenced by cost of housing and lifestyle. I'm in a rural area about half-way between Nanaimo and Victoria, so no more than an hour's drive from anything I want access to. I like it that way, but I know people who are just as happy in a condo in town, where they can walk to everything they need, or in Campbell River or Cortez Island, a little off the beaten track.
We've spent most of our vacations over the last few years looking for the right place. While each has its own vibe and it's own pluses and minuses, it probably will come down to cost and lifestyle. My sister and brother-in-law (and now my dad) moved to Parksville. That's too built up and growing for us. We're looking for a smaller community. It sure has been fun exploring and dreaming but at some point we will just need to choose.

Let me know when you know, and I'll stop by with a bottle of wine to give you welcome smiley

That's sweet!

It's true that islands attract the nicest folks.
+18 votes

Hi, I thought I would write today.  I've been prevaricating and not working on my MA dissertation, I've done lots of research with some interesting findings but I really can't get motivated to write it up in the required way. ( saying to myself, that  I've already got the  first half, a post grad diploma in local history; at my age, I don't need an MA.The  downside would be  Pg Dip.Hum. doesn't fit in the suffix field laugh

So this week I deflected. I  worked on the ancestry of my 4x great Grandmother.The good news is I found a 9th cousin (what does that mean, I'm always astounded when people refer to anything more than 2nd cousins) I found 2 more relatively closely related transportees to Australia; I now have 6. I  could take this line  back to the 1500s. A lot was on wiki-tree but with no real sources.The earliest ancestor was a blacksmith, a Richard Hurst .The downside was he is linked to  a wife  from an amigerous family 150 miles away. That bit is I am sure false. (her 'father' didn't have a daughter of that name)

After several years I think this is my personal welcome to coping with the one tree. I do a lot of work on other people's ancestors,quite often saying so and so should be unlinked. I enjoy transcribing old documents and looking at the evidence for absolutely non related families, it's easy to be objective.

 Previously my own family was in a tiny little enclave with  a couple of links where a couple of  siblings emigrated to the US and Canada so linked me to 'the tree'. My connections jumped up several degrees but as far as I'm concerned it's not right;  blacksmiths didn't marry aristocratic daughters.

But then I have to admit my prejudice.  I'm far more interested in the blacksmith that left  shillings, sheets, brass pots ,single pewter plates and the tools of his trade to his children than the linked father in law that left land and silver standing cups to his.   Am I the only one who would far rather document ordinary lives than link to  the aristocracy?

(sorry that sounds like a rant!)

by Helen Ford G2G6 Pilot (462k points)
edited by Helen Ford
I'm with you 100% Helen. I would rather document real lives than imaginary links to the aristocracy. There's a place for romantic fiction, where blacksmiths run off with the noble daughters, but in my view, its not in genealogy. Sometimes that makes me a party-pooper, but you know what they say - every party needs one.

Absolutely, Helen. Since my family is chock full of folks just like your blacksmith (a few of which I also have), this would be my main interest, too!

As for a blacksmith marrying aristocracy, I have to admit that I married way up! It was love, and not class comparison, that drew us together. Much easier in the 20th century than long ago!

Genealogy is the best procrastination tool, isn't it?  And I agree... I've had more fun documenting my Irish immigrant family (household servants and hack drivers) than anything else so far.  Though one of these days I'll get around to documenting our supposed Pilgrim ancestor.
<voice="Fezzik">That word, prevaricate. I don't think it means what you think it means.</voice>

It's interesting ;  another case of two nations divided...?  

  I found lots of American sites agreeing with you. One in particular was quite horrified to find British students using it to mean delay or procrastinate.  The Merriam Webster dictionary defines prevaricate as 'to deviate from the truth; equivocate'. I'd agree that's certainly one usage. I might well use it about certain of our politicians at the moment.

  The OED  has several  definitions. These include  'to behave evasively or indecisively so as to delay action ; to procrastinate.' It adds that  this now the usual sense.  ( perhaps only on this side of the pond!).

https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/151057?rskey=lWEhSB&result=2#eid

This is so much more fun than dusting and vacuuming...
Absolutely,  and I've just spotted a huge spider's web in the corner. ( and discovered I can't insert a smiley using a phone)
+22 votes

Today is.....

             

NATIONAL TOASTED MARSHMALLOW DAY

On August 30th, National Toasted Marshmallow Day celebrates one of America’s favorite fire-roasted treats. Be sure to stock up on marshmallows so you can celebrate!

 

Get your friends together and gather up some firewood. Grab a few long sticks and a bag of marshmallows. Then, make plans for a great night! Toasted marshmallows are a special part of summer evenings around a bonfire. Also, what better way to kick off a long weekend than to enjoy a delicious, warm, gooey, toasted marshmallow? Add a pair of graham crackers and a chocolate bar – and ask for s’more!

 

Depending upon personal preference, heat marshmallows to various degrees from gently toasted to a charred outer layer. To char the outer layer, ignite the marshmallow then quickly blow it out.  Marshmallows now come in a variety of flavors as well as sizes for maximum toasting opportunities. For a fun alternative, try roasting Marshmallow Peeps. Watch them closely as the granular sugar coating will burn more quickly.

Believe it or not, marshmallows date back to Ancient Egypt. The mallow plant provided a sap that the Egyptians used to create a candy with nuts and honey.

Ligonier, Indiana holds an annual Marshmallow Festival and is the marshmallow capital of the world.

Homemade marshmallows use sugar, unflavored gelatin, corn syrup, and flavoring.

HOW TO OBSERVE #ToastedMarshmallowDay

Toast up some marshmallows and enjoy. Have a marshmallow toasting competition. Who makes the best-toasted marshmallows in your circle of friends? Share recipes for homemade marshmallows or s’mores combinations, too. 

Share your best marshmallow toasting techniques and use #ToastedMarshmallowDay to post on social media.

 

NATIONAL TOASTED MARSHMALLOW DAY HISTORY

 

The National Confectioners Association sponsors National Toasted Marshmallow Day.

by Dorothy Barry G2G Astronaut (2.7m points)
The only way to do this, is to be 10 years old and to illicitly toast them over a filched candle.
Yeah, I suggest shifting this day to mid-June, due to fire restrictions after a dry summer.  Although  ... microwaved s'mores can be good.
Time to get the fire pit going! Good one, Dorothy! You find the most fascinating subjects for "Today is..."
For years I always thought the burnt ones were best - light 'em up, watch 'en burn, blow 'em out, and enjoy crunchy dark black crust with creamy melted marshmello inside.

Then someone introduced me to the slow toast method, taking my time, warming it up over the heat of the fire, and then turning it a nice shade of light brown and it was definitely better. Still like the burnt ones, but I got turned on to a whole new flavor with the toasted version.

Love 'em golden brown.  I've never understood the "light them on fire" approach.  But then, I don't really like wood fired pizza either... just not a fan of carbon, I guess.  smiley

Yummmmmmmmmmm
The left marshmellow looks like an unhappy cartoon leapard who's about to get cooked.
The Cheetos mascot?
+19 votes

Labor Day Weekend is here!!

       

What Labor Day Means
For most people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and a chance to say goodbye to the summer. But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women; it honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws and well-being of the country.

On Labor Day, federal offices are closed, as well as state offices and most city offices. The United States Postal Service is considered a federal office, so there will be no mail deliveries and the post office will be closed. Most banks will be closed, along with the stock markets.

Who started Labor Day?
Like most cultural events, there is still some doubt over its origination. Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor working men and women.

However many believe that it was Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, who founded the holiday as recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

Whoever the source was, what we do know is that the Central Labor Union adopted the Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic. Source: https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/usa/laborday.php

Lets take some time off and enjoy the weekend outdoors before fall and cooler weather arrives !!!

___________________________________________________

PS: Thank you Pip for hosting this special weekend's Chat, hopefully you will find some time to enjoy yourself and family as well!! 

by Dorothy Barry G2G Astronaut (2.7m points)
Interesting, Dorothy!  

It seems it started in Canada in 1872, but the Canadians weren't the first to have the idea.  I understand New Zealand and Australia may have begun even earlier.

I wonder if anyone knows who was the first ?

Dorothy, I think I'm going to copy this and email it to my project manager! Think I'll get Monday off at least? wink

Most of the rest of the World  celebrate it on the 1st May; International Workers day . Ironically the day was chosen to commemorate a strike in Chicago.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Workers%27_Day

Yes, it's a good time to commemorate labour activists!  

Here's a profile I created for BC labour and antiwar activist,  Ginger Goodwin:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Goodwin-7891

Laurie, New Zealand had its first official Labour Day Holiday in 1900. It commemorates the 8 hour working day. The man responsible was Samuel Duncan Parnell. Here in NZ, our Labour Day is late October. It looks like Canada had a holiday from 1894, if Wikipedia is accurate.

Well since I got married on Labor Day Weekend and was pregnant on my first wedding anniversary it has a whole other meaning for me!
Happy anniversary Laura!
Thank you.  It is actually the 4th but the year we got married it was the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.
We share a marriage date of month and day.  We scheduled ours in between two crop seasons so Herb had a short break.
Haying was done, oat combining was almost here but corn
cutting not due yet.  Yes, he was a farmer.

Happy Anniversary to you too!  

We scheduled ours so people from all over could come in and spend some time here.  We had people from both coasts and a number of other states come in for it.  It was fun.  Several folks from Washington DC where I did a rather long stint came in.  Some of them had very interesting careers so we had security details around the wedding which also helped to get the number up to around 550.  I mean those folks get hungry too.  And I was known for always taking care of anyone who worked with us or for us.  

The actual day of the wedding I had the worst cold and went to my neighborhood pharmacist and said help me I am getting married this morning.  

Then one of the groomsmen fainted during the ceremony.

It was an interesting wedding!  We got married in the college church, a gothic style cathedral with longest aisle in St Louis... took 2 runners.  And we pretty well filled the church.  I had wanted a small wedding but ended up with something like 550 people.  That is a story unto itself.  Just suffice it to say we invited up to 1st cousins, neighbors, close friends, and people we worked with plus security details that came with some of our guests.  That came to around 550 people.  

We had multiple priests officiating.  The main celebrant was the chairman of the Dept of Communications and Theater at the college. My husband got his Masters in Communication and I got my BA in Communications and Theater with a minor in Education. He had been written up in the newspaper as Super Priest.   He was on old showman and was cracking jokes throughout the ceremony and had people laughing so hard they cried during the sermon.  Then one of the priests was one of the people who was involved with the famous exorcism that the movie was based on.  He was actually the pastor of the church where we got married and had to be involved because it was his church and he liked us.  The third was a family friend of my husband's mother.  

The reception was also unique because we did not dance.  I was way to woozy from the cold meds so we had "stand ins" like the movies.  Well we were from the Dept of Communications and Theater!  Everyone got a kick out of that.  

The chef who made the cake had 3 tiers plus bridges that came out to 4 more layers and had a  champagne fountain underneath.  My boss said leave it to you to have a multimedia cake! The 4 bridge layers were different flavors.  The chef was so proud of it he stood next to it to greet us.  He was a very good chef!  

Then we have spent almost all of our anniversaries in the hospital with someone who got injured.  On our 25th as we were on our way out the door to a long anticipated wonderful dinner the phone rang.  It was woman I had never heard of.  She said I am driving your son's car behind the ambulance.  He is on his way to the hospital but he is ok.  What!?!  He had been playing ball and broke his leg sliding into home plate...  we are a competitive bunch...

2 years ago my Dad died on our anniversary.  So he will always be with us celebrating.  And he had great fun at the wedding and reception.  

I am hoping this year it is uneventful and quiet! Well I would love to get a contract on my aunt's house!  That would be a great anniversary gift.  

We had a small wedding compared to yours, My mother had
very little money and I didn't have much more being on a teachers salary in the late 1950s.  My uncle gave me away, my father died before I was two years old and she refused to give us a stepfather like hers  Although I don't think there were any men interested in a widow with four small children.  My aunt had a medical problem and the hotel kept telling me they had checked out when I called to see why I wasn't being picked up to go to the church.  It turned out she was in the bathroom, indisposed.  Needless to say,
I was late to the wedding and the minister complained to my husband.  Then, at the reception, my brother threatened to spike the punch and my mother spent time defending it instead of serving it.  Again, we were very late!!!!!  We even ended up opening gifts to spend time.  I
still kind of resent my brother for the problems we ended up with.  We probably had about fifty friends and relatives, a
small cake made by an aunt, no lunches or dinners, just refreshments, and no band.  At that time, big weddings were not in vogue in our area, so I could get away with a small reception in our local Grange Hall.  But we did get to spend 47 happy years together, although the last three I was a care taker of an Alzheimer patient through two fair years and one intense medical year, after a broken hip and declining health.  I was so lucky Herb was in excellent health until he was 90.
Believe me the wedding I had was not my idea.  I actually said just tell me when to show up.  I had very little to do with any of the decisions.  My mother was someone who needed to be in control and it was much easier to not argue about everything and just realize I was starting a new phase of my life where what I wanted actually mattered after getting through the day.  Honestly my husband wasn't sure I was going to show up.  When I got him he said "nice to see you could make it. " Honestly that man is a saint.
+18 votes
Hello fellow WikiTreers!

So another week comes to an end and the weekend rapidly approaches. My brother-in-law started a new job and my new job is head of transportation. Since he can't drive, I'm doing about 2/3 of the driving while his job coach handles the 8-5 time frames. At some point, I'll have to teach him the joys of public transportation, but that's a goal for another day.

With Labor Day ahead, I'm trying to decide if I might like to do something out of town this week. It would be nice to take a little trip while the weather is more compatible to my wife, who really enjoys what I call "jacket weather" and she tells me to quit complaining. I love the hot weather - 80's are my favorite - but now it's dropping into the 50's at night and there's a bit of a chill in the mornings. Plus I really need to wipe (not scrape yet, at least) off my windows in the morning on the car, although most days I just hop in and go.

From a Genealogical standpoint, I found a couple new long-lost cousins, so did a little work on a few remote family lines. I always love finding a Fulkerson out there that needs to be added to the tree and celebrating a little. But these were by marriage, so instead of a Fulkerson it was a new name to the tree which is still a bit of fun. I also did a little more on Toni Morrison's tree, but I keep adding with no possibility of a connection so far. I'll probably keep dabbling with her.

I also connected Science Fiction Writer Clifford D. Simak, which I had got it stuck in my head that he had Czech roots. He does, but his maternal line had several possibilities of which a couple ended up being gems. I'm also working on Governor Leon Abbett, who just looked like he needed some TLC. He's got a family now and I'm looking around to see if a connection can be made. It's hard to look at a bare bones profile like Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree and not want to go rush over and give it some decorations.

Enjoy Labor Day, Labour Day, or just the Weekend - depending on what you got this weekend.
by Scott Fulkerson G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
Good job on the connection!. I find it helpful to research the maternal line, too.

I love your Xmas tree analogy. I like shiny stuff too, and once I start editing a profile, even just to add a category, I often find myself looking for sources, drafting biographies, etc.
Scott, you and your wife are opposites to is. My wife loves hit weather, and I prefer cooler temps. We’re also planning some quick day trips to places around here. We’ve worked so hard all summer, we need a break!

BTW: I think Fulkerson is a cool surname. Sounds like “Baron Fulkerson of Such-a-Place.”
More like "Son of Fulker, prepare the garrison!"

=)
+20 votes
Hope that everyone has a good weekend, and that those in the US and Canada enjoy the holiday.

Thoughts are will all of those in Florida, its sounds like a bad storm. The latest forecast has Dorian landing just south of my husband's cousin's home then heading north over her home continuing to her sister's home.

It has been a busy week, mostly spent shopping for the remodel of a small bathroom. It will be nice to replace the original 1965 bath. It's totally amazing how many toilets there are to pick from.

Genealogy-wise I am working on post ConnectAThon cleanup. I wasn't able to participate in the thon, but marked a number of spouses married into the family as Needs Profiles Created. So now I'm into looking at the created profiles and am finding a few connections to existing profiles. Just found someone with 13 children, who listed all living children and several grandchildren in his will -- just wish he was related, since that's a treasure trove of information.
by Kay Knight G2G6 Pilot (593k points)
Kay, my wife and I like to watch home remodeling shows, and yes, there are more toilet styles out there than I’d ever believed. Saw one the other day that fits into the corner.

I’d like to find wills like the one you found. Would take out a lot of the guesswork for several of my families.
I love reading these  "conversations".  But Pip has managed a FIRST.    The topics   "Toilets" and  "Wills" combined in under 150 words.

I'm more experienced in the toilets topic.  My advice,  keep the toilet at least 5 feet from the sink.  (Or a wall between).

Stay safe in Florida.   Sorry if you had to evacuate!
Well I just don't see 5 feet between sink and toilet. They are in opposite corners of the very challenging 5x6 foot room.

Speaking of toilets and wills.... I remember one will that divided use of the house between 4 daughters from one marriage and 4 daughters from another marriage, even down to use of the outhouse.
Well,  I'll admit,  using an outhouse is going to extremes on separating toilets and sinks.

So did the will assign rotation times?    It seems like the circumstances might have inspired a few of the daughters to relinquish their inheritance rights.
@Peggy, No but the will did disinherit if the daughters went for assistance from one of his in-laws. He gave four of his daughters a couple of rooms in the house and access via specified stairs and gave the other four daughters the other half of the house. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cornish-762

That is certainly interesting.surprise   In a way you feel sorry for him for having so many daughters,  who obviously didn't get along.   But then..... I try not to judge those living in the desperate times of the past.

+20 votes

Greetings from Brightlingsea, Essex, England

Always seems to be things happening here in Brightlingsea. Last weekend being the Bank Holiday weekend, saw the Food & Drink Festival on the Saturday & Sunday  and the Town Show on the Bank Holiday Monday.  Originally a horticultural show it has  expanded into art, crafts, photography as well. There is also a Dog Show.......

This weekend will see the Classic Cat Show on Sunday,always popular as its just before the kids go back to school.

On the Wikitree front have been looking at the profiles i manage and looking to add details. Found a source for photographs - my parent wedding photos in an album, with names of those whose pictures were taken noted.  Those were the days when guests were photographed going into church and there are some taken at the reception. As well  of course of the happy couple. Included the wedding photo of Mum & Dad from June 23 1951.

 Am finding it interesting as to where this is taking me ... My Dad says I tell him things he didn't know....                          There is plenty to do and record.

Hope everyone has a good weekend  and those across the "pond" have a great Labour day....More next time

by Chris Burrow G2G6 Pilot (220k points)
edited by Chris Burrow
Nice pic, and a happy occasion!  Or does your father have a permanent glint of mischief in his eye?
Such a happy photo!
A beautiful couple! Chris, what church would that be in the background?

Sounds like things are always hopping in Brightlingsea. What would be the origin of that name, Brightlingsea. Such a beautiful name.
Very nice photo. What a beautiful gown. They both look happy.
The church is the Parish Church of Brightlingsea - All Saints.

The origins of the name Brightlingsea is lost in the mists of time.....

There always seems to be plenty going on in our little town...
Wonderful photo!  Handsome couple and they look very happy.
+20 votes
Hi all!

The weather shows it is still summer here in Europe. On the other hand I like the summer far more than winter and ice and all this slippery stuff...

On mum front she decided to change the physiotherapist. The one she had til now nearly only did massage the arm, but didn't do much movement exercises. But this is what mum needs with her shoulder. With the new physios this will be better, we know them from different orthopedic problems we had before.

On my front I did an educational week and watched series of documentations about WWII. On Sunday it's the 80th Anniversary of the start of WWII. First I saw that an Austrian station had put together a dozen of documentations, and then I saw a German station did that too. I'm still watching the German series, still need to watch.six episodes  But especially the Austrian series was interesting, because there was quite a bit about the CC Mauthausen, about which I didn't know much.

On the WikiTree front I was announced Team Captain for the German Genies for the Source-A-Thon. I hope I will be able to make the Free Space Pages the team needs.

On the genealogy front I created some profiles for the family of Ferdinand Porsche. His grandson died last weekend and I saw that Porsche was very lonely in the Wikitree universe. He didn't have any connections. But now he has. Someone of that cluster married into small Romanian nobility. They claim to have a tree until somewhere in the 12th century.

I think that's it for now. Have a nice weekend and enjoy the free day on Monday. We don't have a free Monday here.
by Jelena Eckstädt G2G Astronaut (1.4m points)
edited by Jelena Eckstädt
We've been watching a fair number of WWI and WWII documentaries lately too, trying to learn more. I bet it would be interesting to see the German and Austrian docs, though unfortunately I am unilingual.

Do you celebrate workers day on May 1st?
Yep May 1st is a public holiday here.
Jelena, I just saw that the very first Porsche was up for an auction, and there was a big mix up between the call and the posted bid. Made a lot of people very angry. The auctioneer says $13 million, the guy who posts it in a screen thinks he said $30 million. When the mistake was finally caught at around $70 million and announced, people got angry, yelling out “FRAUD” and such with many people walking out.
Jelena,

I too watch many WWII documentaries.    Just recently we watched  "The Pacific" , which is more of a docu-drama mini-series  by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.  (They also produced  "Saving Private Ryan.)    But we mainly watch the documentaries with the old footage.  

It's always good to have  updates on you Mum.
Peggy, courtesy of my brother, I read both of the first person narratives that were the basis of that series. The series was pretty faithful to the books.

Band of Brothers was another excellent WWII series... Europe.
Pip I didn't hear anything about that stuff with the Porsche car.

In general I didn't know too much about the Pacific side of WWII. I sure heard of Pearl Harbor, I know of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I know that Japan was one of the ax-powers. But the German series now has also a good part about that war. I never heard of the fight on Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal). So I learned quite a bit about that part of the war.
Congrats on the Team Captain promotion Jelena!
Thanks SJ
+18 votes

"Gravity Never Sleeps"

Hello Wikipeeps!

Thanks for hosting Pip. This week my wife and I drove to the Oso Slide memorial which is just 25 miles from our house on Camano Island WA. In March of 2014 a massive mud slide killed 43 people in Oso. Standing at the site of the disaster is quite sobering. It reminds you just how powerful mother nature can be. Attached is a link to the Wikipedia page about the mudslide: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Oso_mudslide.

On the genealogy front things have been pretty quiet. I continue to collaborate with several people who share Croatian ancestors with my wife. Vacations have slowed down my research temporarily. I expect to be going full-steam ahead as we move into fall.

by Bart Triesch G2G6 Pilot (268k points)
edited by Bart Triesch
It's odd that I don't remember this even though I live just north of here in BC.

Thanks for sharing.
We are frustrated on our side because we don't get much news about what's happening in B.C.
Bart, this is the first I’ve heard of the slide. How in the world did I miss this? Did you take the pic?
Pip, I did not take the photo. It is from an open-source archive. The 2014 slide was a big deal here, but Oso is a tiny town in a very rural area. President Obama visited the disaster site and met with families of victims and first responders. Here is a link to the story:

http://www.arlingtontimes.com/news/president-obama-visits-oso-community/
Regional news coverage is bad in these days of media concentration and homogenization.
I do remember hearing about this... it was awful.  Definitely made the national news, but the news cycle moves so quickly these days stuff gets forgotten almost before it happened.
I remember the Oso slide very well.  We used to drive that way to Darrington at least once a year.  I drove past the slide memorial while husband recorded it on his phone.  I remember the Arlington fire chief at the daily briefings with families desperate for news.
+18 votes
This week I finished my three-month Wiki Scholars online class.  It was sponsored by NARA and Wiki Education.  We learned Wiki etiquette, rules, and writing.  The main topic was woman's suffrage and we were to write or improve profiles on this topic.  It was an interesting class and I learned a lot.  The main difference with WikiTree is that WT wants primary sources to prove the facts.  Wikipedia wants secondary or tertiary sources, no primary sources, and original research is not allowed.

Oh-and notables are created when there are three independent sources on the person.  This means they were important enough to be written about three different times.  Women comprise less than 20% of Wikipedia biographies.  It is sometimes hard to find these independent sources, which could explain why there are so few!
by Michelle Enke G2G6 Pilot (417k points)
Sounds like a really interesting learning opportunity!
It was!  I worked with a great bunch of people and several  wiki pages on suffrage were created or updated.  I will continue working on this project after the class for it is very interesting.
Original research not allowed? I don’t get it!
No original research is allowed on Wikipedia.  You can only use information from reputable sources such as journals, books, newspapers, etc.  You can not have any new theories or ideas, but can only present what others have already written, in a neutral tone.  But you also can not just copy and paste but need to present it with new wording, and have it well sourced.

No original or primary sources is very different from WikiTree and I had to get used to this difference.

Reading this, I'm wondering if my Great-great aunt might be a candidate. I had a hard time finding primary sources, and mostly used secondary sources for her.  

I've also thought that Mary Mellish might be interesting to highlight in a place like Wikipedia. There's a library named after her, so there must be secondary sources. 

Their accomplishments don't rival their male counterparts, but in my view anything they accomplished was in the face of strong social opposition. But I wouldn't know where to start making a proposal.

Laurie, Yes I think they would make great wikipedia entries.  Your aunt was an author and speaker, which I would think would easily qualify.  Mary was listed in the dictionary of Canadian biography, so someone else thought she was notable enough to include her there.  She should be able to qualify, too.

Wikipedia is similar to Wikitree in that you need to register before you can edit or create.  If you have questions, feel free to ask!
Congratulations, Michelle! Way to go!
+17 votes
Happy weekend, everyone!  Three days of prep left before classes start and life is already chaotic.  I'm nowhere near ready, as usual, and as usual, I'll muddle through somehow.  I have a MW teaching schedule and only one of my classes actually meets this coming week, but I also have to get the teaching assistants ready to run the labs.

My week of prep time mostly turned into a week of field hockey time... lots of shuttling to and from practice and scrimmages, and watching some of the games.  Guess that'll be my life for the next couple of months.  The big excitement was the day I dropped the kid off for practice, went and got my truck inspected, then got pulled over for a burnt out tail light on the way home (oh, the irony).  At least he didn't give me a ticket.  And now my truck has a clean bill of health and a shiny new brake light.

On the genealogy front... I seem to be temporarily stalled out on my NotAHazard search.  Time to take a bit of a break (other than getting that cousin to hopefully do a DNA test!).  Today I started looking at my maternal lines again, specifically my mysterious "Admiral Robertson of the British Royal Navy."  His daughter Sarah (my ancestor Anna's sister) never married, and it just occurred to me that if I can find her in the 1850-1900 census records she might be living with family members I haven't discovered yet.  No luck so far but I've only just started looking.  (Course prep can wait, right?)
by Lisa Hazard G2G6 Pilot (263k points)

I swear, that truck of yours! It’s like a medical soap opera! 

For what it’s worth, I’m never completely ready for anything. You’ll do fine... you always do! 

Good luck on your first week back Lisa!
Good luck, Lis! Mold those young minds!
+20 votes

Hello cousins.  I rarely comment on these but I do read them.  So I am a stalker, I guess.  Anyway, I had an interesting item come up this week as I got contacted by a group looking for descendants of officers from Fort Atkinson in modern day Nebraska.  It turns out that I am a first cousin 5 times removed from Samuel Allston.  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Allston-35  I haven't updated his profile with this new info but apparently they are having the bicentennial celebration a year from now and want relatives of these officers to come.  Here is a link to Fort Atkinson.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Atkinson_(Nebraska)  This was the first Army post built east of the Mississippi.  I thought our group would be interested in this upcoming event.

by Gurney Thompson G2G6 Pilot (443k points)
How cool, Gurney! You gonna go to the celebration? You’re about as closely related as could be.
It’s a nine hour drive from Denver so I am thinking about it.
Hey Gurney,   Definitely a good idea to post this info here.  Somehow, the Allston-35 link isn't working  for me.

BTW,  I've been known to be a stalker too.

Gurney, first of all: Welcome here. You should know we are a cool bunch of folks here that doesn't bite wink. Second: If I were you, I would go to the celebration. I'd bet you feel a closer connection to your cousin and probably also a lot of proud.

Peggy, if you open the link, delete in the URL-line everything after the 35 and reload the link, it'll work. At least it did for me.

+16 votes

Well this week has been hectic to say the least. Beside preparing for the county fair we had two injuries in the family. My granddaughter in North Carolina fell in her living room and sprained her middle finger on her left hand, yes that onedevil, and has to keep it taped and immobile for two weeks. This also caused her to miss the first day of her school, believe it or not but she actually was disappointed about that. Then the grandson who I have been running to and from football practice all summer broke his thumb in practice. He will be in a cast until the end of September at least and then they will reevaluate his injury, No football for now.crying My daughter said everyone in the family is getting a big roll of bubble wrap for Christmas!yes Yesterday I worked at the opening day of the Geauga County Fair. I got stationed at the sheriffs tent and after we got set up the deputy and I got talking. She was in the same graduating class as me, Chardon High Class of 1969, and asked me about my brothers because her brothers were friends with mine. She asked why I did not go to the reunion this year and we talked about the 7 members of our class who are no longer with us. It also amazed her that I had to stand during my granddaughters high school graduation from Chardon High this year, I guess not many people have grandchildren graduate from the same high school 50 years after they graduated. My 4 hour shift turned into 5 hours because we were very short handed, we started the morning off with 5 people to fill the 10 jobs we needed to fill. Today was not any better. I took my father, who turns 90 this October, to the fair this morning for senior day, all seniors and all veterans get in for free, and again they were very short handed. I got home even later than yesterday. I also found out that my sister was working at the fair as well helping out at the Kent State University booth. She works at the Geauga campus that is right beside the fairgrounds but I was so busy I did not even realize she was working at the fair as I was. The fair runs thru Monday but we have other things planned for this weekend so I don't thing think I will be going back.

by Dale Byers G2G Astronaut (1.7m points)
edited by Dale Byers
On the genealogy front I did manage to get my watchlist below 4900, just below that at 4899, but I did that even while adding some new profiles and I even managed to correct some "suggestions" for good measure!

Goodness, Dale! I got mine down to just under 2000, I finally tackled my 142 suggestions. Got that last down to five.

Bubble wrap for Christmas! That’s funny as the dickens. laugh

Amazing Dale,

It's hard to keep up with your active life!  I find it ironic that the two family injuries are your grand children  (and both digits).......  I guess the older generation is being more cautious!
+18 votes

 Currently, it's 25˚ C and sunny in Fort Erie. Normally, 24˚ C is just about the upper limit of my comfort zone, but it's nice and breezy, so it's all good. Tonight's predicted low is 12˚ C, and tomorrow's predicted high is 22˚ C. There's only a 10% chance of precipitation, so I may be able to catch up on my mowing. 

(What with there being el humungo logs all over the yard for three weeks after contractors took down the ash tree which used to provide shade for the house [drat those emerald ash borers!], and me being on the other side of the world for a week and a half, the yard looks more like something out of Better Hovels and Dumps than Better Homes and Gardens. A few weeks ago, one of our neighbours struck fear into the hearts of the light of my life and the delight of my eyes and I by telling us, "Your home is kind of a showcase for the neighbourhood since it's on the corner." Our poor neighbours!)

On the plane home, I finally watched The Peanuts Movie, which was released back in 2015. It was unexpectedly moving for me. I didn't anticipate how strongly I would identify with Charlie Brown in this particular storyline. (For those who haven't seen it yet, Charlie Brown's plot is about him wishing that he could overcome his past failures [and work up the nerve] so he could get together with the Little Red-Haired Girl.) I so know what it's like to be enamoured of a gorgeous redhead who's so far out of my league it's like she's playing a  different sport. And, also like him, I've experienced having said gorgeous redhead, against all reasonable expectation, actually like me.

We miss you, Sparky.

Genealogically, I'm continuing my efforts to restock the lists on the Let others know what locations you are working on page by adding heads of state or heads of government for countries, premiers and lieutenant governors for provinces, and governors for states. (And, where I can't find any unconnected politicians to list, I'm taking notables from Aleš's reports.) So far, I have gotten from the bottom of the list up as far as Switzerland. I have also added sections for some of the U.S. territories, which haven't been anywhere near as well covered as the actual states. (Somebody, or a whole bunch of somebodies, has/have gone through and added profiles [with succession boxes and pictures] for nearly every state governor I've looked for, and a bunch of governors for the territories which eventually became states, too. Those territories which are currently still territories, not so much.) 

I'm still working through my second pass at Slades on ThePeerage.com, I'm checking up on the sourcing level for each Slade, and improving the sources where I can. But that's at a lower level of activity for now. 

by Greg Slade G2G6 Pilot (669k points)

Oh, I'm reminded of the time that I posted a photo of a mystery flower that was growing in our garden, and a botanical WikiTreer IDed it right away. So here's another mystery plant. It's a sort of vine growing beside our back porch. The light of my life and the delight of my eyes wanted to train it to wrap around the railing, but she kind of got interrupted by a bunch of people with chain saws. Anyway, now it has put out berries. They look yummy. Or possibly poisonous. Since what I don't know about plants would fill a library, I'm thinking that trying them without seeking advice would be foolhardy. (Yes, I'm crazy, but I'm not stoopid.)

TriffidAnd here's a closeup on the berries. (Don't mind the sawdust...)

Triffid berries

Greg, I’ve been a Charlie Brown fan nearly all my life, identifying with the ‘ol “loser” myself. Never the cool one, me.

Tree-wise, we nearly lost one this month, an oak, to caterpillars that ate nearly every leaf off of it. It’s a young tree we planted about two years ago. I didn’t notice until too late, but the tree has made a recovery. I thought it was a goner!

Funny that autospell tried to capitalize “tree” in the last paragraph since it recognizes that I use it almost exclusively for one thing, as in “our Shared Tree.”

What was that musical about the talking plant that ate people? Looks like that plant! laugh

Little Shop of Horrors.

The berries look like poison potato or nightshade but the leaves and vines don't seem right.  The flowers would have been lavender colored.
@Greg: Yep, that’s it. Been bitten yet?
Better Hovels and Dumps, love it!

I'm with Beulah, not sure what the leaves are trying to say, but the berries aren't anything I would taste.
I'm not going to worry until it starts saying, "Feed me!"
Greg,

Not certain by any means,  but these look a bit like Cherry Tomatoes that are struggling end of season.   DON"T EAT THEM based on my comment.     Stick with the Nightshade identification to be safe.   But if they say  "FEED ME"  definitely use a mask when applying the Round Up.
The best way to get a plant id is with iNaturalist. They have great photo recognition software AND other people will make suggestions.

Before the Peanuts movie came out, one of the promotions they ran was putting up a Peanuts character generator, so you could pick and choose different elements to see what you'd like like as a Peanuts character. I'm not an artist, nor do I play one on TV, but I did what I could to represent my Little Red-Haired Girl....

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