Tika & Stuff That Sticks

Again, a boating-water day but this time Big Trouble. Walking Tika along the beach, she tangled with the most horrible, most sticky, most nasty weed that just snagged into her fine fur and stuck all over. Despite the pretty yellow flowers, it was an awful mess and we could not fully clean her up until we got home to her comb and the nasty stuff had dried. (The driftwood pieces are "project treasures.")

So what does Tika's sorry plight have to do today with genealogy? How often do the wrong or incorrect ancestors get snagged into our genealogy? We might try our best to pluck them out but there they stick. Simple solution: do not add them into your family history in the first place. (Had I been aware of that nasty bush I would never have let Tika near it.) And "that's hard to do" you say? Well, yes, but if you do good research and verify everything, every link, every ancestor as a "for sure" ancestor, that won't happen. Too many of us wander through online family trees and allow "bad" ancestors to stick to our tree. No good. (I'll be watchful for that plant now and never let her near it.) Let's all just do good genealogy and find "good" ancestors to stick to our tree.

Tika & Hot Days

August 17th, and Spokane has been having temps in the high 90s for several weeks. At first it was good, after a totally rainy May and June, BUT enough already. Even Tika was looking at the deck thermometer and sighing. And this after I emptied the warmed-by-the-sun dog water pan over her to cool her off.

Tika recommends, and I must agree, the thing to do on such a very hot day is to give great thanks if you have air conditioning and then stay indoors and read a good book! Or do FamilySearch Indexing..... which Tika supports in theory but does not do.

Tika & Me & My Cousin & Family Names

June and Ruth Gurney were sisters born in 1919 and 1921. Ruth married first and named her first daughter June Ellen. June named her first daughter Donna Ruth. And so two cousins were "born."

Junie lives in Georgia and we don't manage to rendezvous too often.......... "life has a way of getting in the way of things and stuff we like to do"........ but she was here last week and we went boating out on Long Lake (really the Spokane River). Handy Man was our boat driver!

We got to thinking and talking about family names. My mom is June Magdalen after her (and Ruth's) grandmother who came from Germany. June Ellen married Bill and their only son was Bill and his son is Bill/William.  I married a John and our first son was John Benjamin and second son was Timothy Francis (after his grandfather). Timothy's son is John Grady (after both grandfathers). 

We do like to use family names repeatedly, don't we??

Tika remembers she has at least one sister...... there were two puppies in the pet shop. Alas, no first cousins in Tika's side. And she, being a dog, really does not care. People care about those things.

Tika & Family, Unhappily

This is Tika asking me, "How come HE is in my house? And how come you are paying attention to HIM?"

"He" was a Cream Golden Retriever named Dozer (short for Bulldozer no doubt) that belongs to our grandson, JT and new wife, G. We got to keep Dozer for the week they were off on their honeymoon. At just over two months, Dozer was already twice Tika's size but no matter, she really put him in his place.... she'd bare her teeth and growl as he was tumbling her over.

My answer to her was this: "Tika, sometimes you just have to put on your big girl collar and buck up and do what needs to be done, especially where family is concerned. It's only for ten days for goodness sake!" 

Isn't that good advice for life? Where family is concerned, we must try our hardest to accomodate. Sometimes we cannot but we should always "put on our big girl collar" and try. Best advice ever. 

Tika & General Sherman ???

Guess it was this picture of my son and grandson standing beside the giant sequoia General Sherman that got me to thinking……….. how many "Shermans" could I quickly imagine? 

We think of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891) as a Civil War Union general and he was. But he was also an American businessman, educator and author….. and traveler. I won't go into his Civil War career here (you all know that)  but did you know that after the war he became the General of the Army (created by Congress on 25 Jul 1866) and one of his post-war significant contributions was the establishment of the Command School (now the Command and General Staff College) at Fort Leavenworth and that in 1875 he published his memoirs in two volumes.  And bet you really did not know that in about 1876-1878 he made a tour of the west because one of his main concerns in postwar commands was to protect the construction and operation of the railroads from attack by hostile Indians. 

Which brings me to the second "Sherman,"  Fort Sherman in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, just 30 miles from me.  Wikipedia explains:  "While on an inspection tour in 1877, General William Tecumseh Sherman camped by Coeur d'Alene Lake at the mouth of the Spokane River and was so impressed by the scenery of the area that he recommended it as a site for a fort. And Camp Coeur d'Alene was founded in 1878. Camp Coeur d'Alene had three reasons for its existence:  (1) keeping the peace in northern Idaho; (2) protecting railroad and telegraph crews; and (3) guarding the border with Canada.  The camp or fort existed as such until 1905 when the reservation was sold at auction. Today North Idaho College occupies much of the land and it is still a majestic spot on the northern shore of the lake where the Spokane River emerges to run its 100 miles to the Columbia River.

And my boys in California seeing the giant sequoia in Sequoia National Park in Tulare County. Again according to Wikipedia:   By volume, this tree is the largest known living single-stem tree on Earth. It is some 275 feet high and 25 feet around (35 at the base) and is estimated to be 2300-2700 years old. It was named after the American Civil War general, William Tecumseh Sherman, in 1879 by naturalist James Wolverton who had served under Sherman in the war.

If you are interested, William Tecumseh Sherman and the Settlement of the West, by Robert G. Athearn, published in 1995, ISBN 0-8-61-2769-4, would be a great read. 

Some interesting summer trivia for you today.

Tika & Peapods

Dipped into peanut butter, Tika thinks Sugar Snap peapods are good eating and we agree with her.

According to www.bestcookingpulses.com, "Peas were one of the earliest food crops. Cultivation brought stability to once-nomadic tribes, and made it possible for peas to be brought by travelers and explorers into the countries of the Mediterranean as well as to the Far East." This site gives a timeline for peas and states that "an archaeological dig at Jarmo in northwestern Iraq uncovered peas that were dated between 7000 and 6000 BC." And this last: "Today more than a thousand varieties of peas are in existence, both green and yellow. Canada, the U.S., Europe, China, India, Russia and Australia lead the world in the production of peas." 
You might want to take a looksee at this website for it does look like our ancestors surely did eat peas. With or without peanut butter. 

Tika Meets A Friend

Tika got to finally meet one of her fan-friends today! Debbie G., who lives in Idaho, was in town and we lunched together....... and Tika lavished doggie-kisses upon her.

Genealogy friends are great. You can talk with them about things and stuff that bore your non-genealogy spouse to sleep. We talked at length about what to do with all the genealogy stuff we've collected. And we talked about future research wants and needs. Debbie wants to go to Ireland (as soon as she's retired) for she has strong Irish lines. She knows to research here but just wants to go there to see the country. We talked about EWGS (our local genealogical society.... www.EWGSI.org) and went down to one of our local cemeteries for an EWGS meeting for our September Walking with Ancestors day.

All in all, it was a fun Friend Day for both Tika and for me.

Tika & The Dog Days of Summer

This is how Tika is spending the hot 90o+ Spokane days of summer.......... belly up in my chair (on a heating pad left over from just barely two weeks before.....how the weather changes). In Spokane we're indoors during the HOT days, doing projects, and indoors during COLD days, doing projects. "Whatever, "says Tika, "works for me!"

I have made productive use of these hot days. I visited my 90 year old mother and chatted with her as I sat on her living room floor paging through some 30 photo albums. These albums are destined for the trash. No way around that fact. And by inferrence, all my photo albums are eventually slated for the same fate.

So I went through them and pulled out dozens for re-use. I took some of extended family to use on birthday cards to them....... surprise! I took ones of my Dad in the early days of his Air Force career..... to complete a scrapbook that I'm giving to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum in Ohio. I took funny ones to share with family "just cuz."   You know how over the years we give our parents copies of the family photos we take of our children? I pulled out all those extras and put them in an envelope to give to that (now grown) child.

It was a lovely day, sitting in Mom's cool house reminiscing with her and paging through her tangible memories. It's very, very hard to think of trashing these albums but time and fate decree it must be done. Tika and I would both share this advice with you:  If YOU do not do something that's easily shareable with all your old family photos NOW..... RIGHT NOW..... when will you have time? And will you shed tears when you see them all stuffed into black plastic bags and set out on the curb???? 

This just might be a worthwhile project for those Dog Days of Summer. Tika agrees.

Tika & "Scatter" Cemeteries

Tika went with Handy Man and me for a visit to the new Veterans' Cemetery in Spokane County, southwest of the city. Besides all the usual things that could be said and explained about this particular cemetery (which already has expansion plans), we spotted something new: a scatter garden. This was a nicely landscaped area off to the side of the cemetery proper where you can scatter the cremains of your loved ones..... and then a small 8x10 plaque will be placed along the walkway as a permanent memorial to the person.

Speaking with Rob Goff of Greenwood-Riverside cemeteries (Spokane) one day, he explained to me that here in the west cremation is more often the choice than it is back east. Our cemeteries here are not so likely to be considered parks-to-visit-or-jog in as are the ones in the East. That explains, too,  why there is not the interest to have cemetery events and tours as do the old, historic, cemeteries of the east..... Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia; Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio;  Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia; Mt.Auburn Cemetery in Massachusetts, etc. And think of the visiting throngs to Arlington National Cemetery.

Tika had no opinion one way or another; she thought the area was a lovely place to be and stopped there.

Tika & "Lost" People

 

 

Tika loves to sit in the sunshine on our gravel driveway looking........looking for elephants (her barking has kept them away; we've never spotted one) and folks on bicycles going down the road. She and I have that in common; we're always looking.

Recently in our morning newspaper (The Spokesman-Review) was a bit from Medicine Rocks State Park in Montana and was the sad story of how they've found where a lonesome sheep herder named Herbert Dalton in 1904 carved a likeness of his lost love into a sandstone bluff. He was from Ireland and, according to the article, "she wouldn't come West." The carved portrait shows a profile with a "sweeping turn-of-the-century bun and facing her, a bird in flight offering a delicately drawn flower."  So sad. 

Following Tika's example, I did some looking and did find a Herbert Dalton, age 33, single, born April 1867 in Ireland, immigrated in 1872 and was naturalized,  living as a farm laborer/sheep herder in Flatwillow District, Fergus County, Montana on June 21, 1900 (U.S. 1900 census). I did not find him in the 1910 or 1920 census. Nor could I find him in any online Montana death databases.

Is there a Dalton family somewhere looking for a lost Herbert Dalton?? 

Like Tika, I just like to look and enjoy looking for the rest of the story too.

Tika & Ancient Dogs

 

 Tika and I were snuggled in our chair on a rainy day reading the March/April 2012 issue of Archaeology magazine and on page 14 was a bit that I read out loud to her. Living in Washington state,  we're quite aware of our Coastal Native American peoples and their stories. (They inhabited the Pacific Northwest coast and the west coast of Canada for more than 10,000 years.) Their oral history mentions a "Pomeranian-like dog that was bred specifically so its woolly hair could be used in textiles."  Analysis of blanket fragments seems to support the stories....... one sample was collected from a blanket obtained in 1803 by Lewis and Clark. Goat hair was also used but dog hair was more plentiful, explained the article. This picture was included in the article and I snatched it from Google Images. While these are woven textiles are quite beautiful, I think, both Tika and I wondered how scratchy they would be??? "Dog hair is not scratchy!" Tika assured me.

Tika & FamilySearch---Again?

What makes me happy makes Tika happy........ and I've just learned that FamilySearch is now offering short videos on some aspect of learning how to find your ancestors. I don't think those instructional videos will help Tika (remember: all she knows is that she comes from Idaho) but they will help any of us seeking our ancestors. Here is the link to the first 5-Minute-Genealogy-Lesson:

https://www.familysearch.org/learningcenter/lesson/5-minute-genealogy-episode-1-find-a-record-in-five-minutes/234

Here are some dog funnies for you:  "I like driving around with my two dogs, especially on the freeways. I make them wear little hats so I can use the carpool lanes."  (Monica Piper)  "I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional lvoe. For me they are the role model for being alive."  (Gilda Radner)

How do you remove those awful nasty ticks from your dog? Have found a couple on Tika in the last week and we just grab them with a deep pinch and pull them off......... one little yelp but they are out. And on her muzzle no less; yuk.

Tika & Memorial Day

Tika was not with me when I visited Arlington National Cemetery last month with my son and two grandsons but just as well; dogs are not allowed on the grounds. On this Memorial Day I thought to share this photo with you. The admonition seemed to work; the folks (and the teens!) were mostly quiet and respectful. It is our nation's military shrine after all.

Did you know that Arlington National Cemetery comprises 624 acres right across the Potomac River from downtown Washington DC? And that over 320,000 servicemen and women are sheltered there? Veterans from every war and conflict in our nation's history rest there.

Early burials at Arlington were of necessity. Most of the dead were either unknowns, or loved ones that families simply couldn't afford to send home for interment. Near the Arlington House is the Tomb of the Civil War Unknowns, a mass grave housing the reinterred remains of 2,111 unknown Civil War dead.

The Tomb of the Unknowns (where on TV today I watched President Obama lay a wreath) was established in 1921 when a World War I soldier was laid to rest there. He was joined by comrades from World War II and Korea in 1958.

The gift shop offered over a dozen books on Arlington National Cemetery. I wish I could have hauled home and had time to read every single one. Tika would happily sit beside me in my chair as I read. 

Tika & Cemetery Dogs

While Tika stayed home with Handy Man, I was in Cincinnati, Ohio, attending a national genealogy conference. My roommate's ancestry is long there and so we visited Spring Grove Cemetery (opened in 1845) and she took pictures. I took this photo for Tika............ there was no identification near it:

Couple of days ago my cousin sent me a humorous photo collection showing animals and this one really jumped out at me....... and at Tika too:

Our beloved doggers are always the object of our affections, even when they are dearly departed. Or when they're napping on our seedlings!!!

Tika & Cincinnati Hot Dogs

Tika would most surely like to tuck into a Cincinnati Hot Dog! Cincinnati is famous for its Skyline Chili or Cincinnati Spaghetti or Cincinnati Chili (Google the recipe). To create this gastronomic wonder they start for a hot dog bun, then a grilled dog, then a dollop of the bean-less chili and then topped with a generous mound of grated mild cheddar. Onions are optional as are a chili with beans. Think you would agree with Tika that this looks yummy.

While I missed my Tika, I had a good week attening the National Genealogical Conferencce and learning more about researching in Ohio and other needful things (for my research). Made sure to sit in on the technology sessions too. My understanding of "the cloud" for genealogical uses is getting more comfortable in my mind.

Another really yummy thing about Cincinnati is Graeter's Ice Cream............. their famous Raspberry Chocolate Chunk is just the bestest. Understand in the olden days they would mash and strain the berries daily to make this treat.

If you have Cincinnati or Hamilton County ancestry, then know that they most likely knew about and enjoyed both these treats.

Tika would have enjoyed both Cincinnati treats....... but Handy Man has her on a diet of kibbles only. I should join her when I get home tomorrow.

Tika & Macadamias??

Are macadamia nuts one of your favorite treats?? Did you know:  The trees were brought to Hawaii in 1887….. from??? The Mauna Loa farm has 2500 acres with 250,000 trees. The trees grow and produce year round but only in Hawaii. Macadamia nuts cannot be picked; "when the sugar is just right they fall" and must be hand gathered or (when possible) vacuumed by a small truck. Mauna Loa processes 40 million pounds of raw nuts annually. This yields 8 million pounds of useable product and 4 million pounds of "really good nuts." The gathered nuts are dried for ten days…then sorted and then cracked. Macadamias "are the hardest nuts in the world to crack… it takes 300 pounds of pressure and we use steel rollers to do the job." Some 8000 pounds can be processed every hour. They are also separated by color category (same as the grade). Mauna Loa macadamias are all (large to tiny) packaged with some nitrogen gas inside "to protect the delicate oils." Finally, flavoring is added and they have many but chocolate coating is the favorite. They have a "state of the art computer coating machine" and they use one million pounds of chocolate annually.

Another big favorite is Macadamia Shortbread Cookies. And their new product is Macadamia Nut Oil for cooking……which is offered under Oils of Aloha. 

Macadamia nuts are one of Tika's favorite treats too...........but she never gets them!!

Tika Teaches

 

Last Saturday Tika stayed home while I attended a FamilySearch Symposium. This was the first annual (of many we hope) genealogy or family history all day event under the umbrella of FamilySearch here in my Spokane area. The Symposium offered presentations on: Beginning Genealogy, Using An iPad for Genealogy, RootsMagic, Using the FamilySearch PORTAL, Finding Your Civil War Ancestor, Blogging for Genealogy, Walking with Ancestors and much more. The hit of the day were the sit-down appointments with our Geek Team where they'd work one-on-one with you on FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com. It was a great learning day and Tika was happy to sit with me and hear all about it when I got home .......... especially as I gave her a cookie that had fallen to the floor. 

My point in sharing this with you today is this: You will not know if you do not go.  Do you really want to find those elusive and rascally ancestors or do you want to just talk about not finding them? If you would get up and GO........... go attend seminars and symposiums and workshops and programs and meetings....... GO to your local FamilySearch Center....... GO to your local society meetings, classes, workshops, etc.  GO and ask your questions; GO and learn; GO and get answers.  Tiz up to you. 

Tika recommends going and learning and I most certainly do agree with her.