52 Ancestors, Week 6: Social Media

This week’s theme in the challenge to post about my ancestor’s each week this year is Social Media. I could have come up with something about what counted as social media in my ancestors’ times. But I’m going to talk about a modern social media site that has proven invaluable in my research. I haveContinue reading “52 Ancestors, Week 6: Social Media”

52 Ancestors, Week 5: Oops, Wrong Village

It’s Week 5 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project, created by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow. The theme this week: Oops. My “Oops” moment is about the process of uncovering the past. My grandmother had always told us her family was from Serravalle, a village in Marche, Italy. By the time I first visitedContinue reading “52 Ancestors, Week 5: Oops, Wrong Village”

52 Ancestors, Week 4: Mary’s Beauty Shoppe

For the fourth week of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, the theme set by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow is Education. This was a hard one for me. I like to post something visual, and the thing that came to mind first was yearbook photos of my mother and father. But those didn’t seemContinue reading “52 Ancestors, Week 4: Mary’s Beauty Shoppe”

52 Ancestors, 52 Weeks, 52 Themes

Earlier in the month, I posted about the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, encouraging participants to explore something in our family tree each week, based on a weekly theme set by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow. At the time, I listed the themes for the month of January, but I realize I have not yetContinue reading “52 Ancestors, 52 Weeks, 52 Themes”

52 Ancestors, Week 3: Out of Place

It’s time once again for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project! This is a challenge started by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow, who sets a different theme for each week of the year. For Week 3, the theme is Out of Place. The ancestor I’ve chosen to highlight for this one is Giovanni DeRiggi, myContinue reading “52 Ancestors, Week 3: Out of Place”

A New Semester Begins

Winter break is over, and my son went back to campus today. It’s also his 21st birthday! So he’s out of that gray area between 17 and 21, when he was an adult for some things and not others. It shouldn’t be that hard to believe. He’s 6-foot-3 and wears a size 15 shoe. ButContinue reading “A New Semester Begins”

January 16 Writer Birthdays

Today is my son’s birthday; he turns 21 today. It’s hard to believe it! It would be a bit of a stretch, but you could call him a published author. When he was 6, he entered a contest for Kids’ Letters to President Obama. He was one of the winners, and had his letter appearContinue reading “January 16 Writer Birthdays”