Saturday Serendipity (November 23, 2019)

The following are some recommended reads for this weekend .  .  .

1.     The Weekly Genealogist published a status update this week on the re-index project for the New Engand Historical and Genealogical Register.  The update adds 41,000 records and 83,000 searchable names in the re-release of Volumes 7 - 9 covering 1853 - 1855.  The expanded database can be accessed here for NEHGS members.

2.     Would you be willing to pay up to $625 to get basic immigration records for an ancestor or relative from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)? The Legal Genealogist, Judy Russell, shares the bad news and a call for support in protesting the planned increase in fees by the December 16, 2019 deadline. Read "Records, not revenue" here and learn the steps to register your protest.

3.     With the family-oriented holiday of Thanksgiving just days away, Good Housekeeping recently had an interesting article titled, "We're Losing Generations of Family History Because We Don't Share Our Stories: But here's how to get your kids, siblings, and parents talking."  You can read the article here.

4.     For decades I have often inquired at social gatherings about traditional foods and menus at Thanksgiving as a way of getting to know others and to engage people on a subject almost everyone likes to discuss (another being, "How and where did you meet your spouse/partner?).  For some reason the subject of family food traditions fascinates me.  For this reason (and because I lived in NH for many years as a boy) I was drawn immediately to the post "New Hampshire: Old Time Thanksgiving News and Menus" at Cow Hampshire blog this week.  The post title says it all.  Read thoughts on NH Thanksgivings more than 100 years ago and see some Turkey Day menus of old here.

5.     This past week James Tanner of Genealogy's Star blog posted two more installments in his "How to take better photos for genealogy" series.  You can see Part Three here  and Part Four here. 

6.     Anyone born in New England -- and so with New England in their blood -- or who relocated to live in New England -- and so with New England in their heart -- will understand and appreciate the New Englander's close relationship with and love of stone walls.  Bill West of West in New England blog, expressed his deep connection with stone walls with a post in picture and verse this week. [When I was under 10 years old and visited my maternal grandparents in Cumberland, RI, there was a horse chestnut tree in the small field behind the barn on the couple of acres they owned; and beyond it was a stone wall that marked the boundary of where we could wander and play.  Occasionally, if we were lucky, Gramma would take us over the wall, down a slight incline in the woods beyond to the cool, shaded, bubbling brook where the water ran over stones and moss, mushrooms and watercress grew.  The stone wall was like a gateway to a magic place.  I still have dreams about it occasionally.]  Thanks for this post Bill.  Old New England walls make old memories new! See Bill's post here. 

7.      "We Don't Celebrate Thanksgiving Because of the Pilgrims." Peter Muise of New England Folklore blog explains why our Thanksgiving holiday is not due to the Pilgrims.  Read Peter's post here and be prepared to give a short presentation at your Thanksgiving table on Thursday! 😏

8.    If you blog or have ever thought about blogging, then you should read Marian Wood's post at Climbing My Family Tree blog.  Read "How Blogging Helps My Genealogy" here. 

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Copyright 2019, John. D. Tew

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