Travels with My Granddaughter & A Little Genealogy

I had a chance to spend time with my granddaughter, Tori, over the holiday season. She wanted to visit the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota so after she programmed my GPS we were off.

We had  a 15 minute wait for our tour of the Ca' d'Zan Mansion and a guide suggested we tour Mable Ringling's Secret Garden and the Ringling Private Cemetery. Tori looked aghast!  This was her day to view paintings, statues and circus memorabilia - not genealogy! As we walked over to the garden she spotted the fence and gate. There were the graves of John and Mable Ringling and John's sister Ida Ringling North.

As we toured the house, art and circus museum I would occasionally catch her eye and we would both laugh. No matter where we go, somehow we end up talking about dead people, cemeteries or genealogy. Tori and I highly recommend the Ringling Museum if you are ever in the Sarasota area.

Tori in the courtyard of the Ringling Art Musuem

Tips for the week:

• Explore online back up services
• Mozy
• Carbonite
• Genealogy Blog
• Judaism by Ariela Pelaia
• Researching in Michigan's Upper Penisula?
• Stanton Township Death Records - 1905-1952
• Genealogy Book
• Citing Ancestry.com Databases & Images Quick Sheet  By Elizabeth Shown Mills
• Texas became a state on December 29, 1845
• Learn how your ancestors lived at the Texas Civil War Home Front Living History Website 

Take Care and good luck with your research this week.

Pattie

New Year's Resolutions for Genealogists

The only resolution I have ever tried to keep in my adult life was one I made about my genealogy. I thought a resolution tied to something I loved to do would be easy.

I made a list of all the records I needed to request and people I needed to contact. My resolution was to check one of these off each week. That was it, one letter a week.

While I never wrote all of those letters, just making the list was a great exercise. Organization is a key to doing genealogy and making that resolution forced me to get my act together.

Here are a few New Year's Resolutions to consider:

1. I resolve to catch up on my filing and get rid of clutter.
2. I resolve to join a genealogical society
3. I resolve to write one article about my family research
4. I resolve to submit an article to a local genealogy or state newsletter/ quarterly.
5. I resolve to pick one record type, for example land records, to concentrate on this year.
6. I resolve to learn how to look up one new type of genealogical record.
7. I resolve to attend one county or state-level genealogical event this year. 
8. I resolve to renew my contact with cousins, aunts or uncles I have not spoken to in years (maybe decades).
9. I resolve to create timelines for significant family members to put their life in perspective.
10. I resolve to produce either a family blog or newsletter to update my family on my research.

I want to thank my genealogy buddy Pam Treme for her assistance in creating these resolutions.

Have a safe and Happy New Year.

Take Care, Pattie

BlogTalkRadio - Check it out!

I just wanted to point out a new 'gadget' on this blog - BlogTalkRadio!

"MySociety" is presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. Each week nationally known genealogy speakers tackle subjects that challenge local societies.

MySociety airs LIVE every Saturday at 1:00 pm Central and if you miss an episode you can either download it to your favorite device or listen to it online.

And There Is More!

A quick search on the site just brought up 374 genealogy podcasts.

Visit BlogTalkRadio to check out Featured Internet Radio Programs.

Did I mention that you can even create your own TALK SHOW!

Take Care,
Pattie