"Seed and Harvest" Gene Kicks In

Spring has arrived and it has sparked my "seed and harvest" gene…the gene I tried to leave dormant for most of my life. It rose to the surface a few times during my life. I planted a small garden in Wisconsin where I grew tomatoes and zucchinis. I also designed my backyard landscape for my beautiful home in Tennessee. Since my German Russian ancestors lived off the land for centuries, I felt a strong connection to my family roots when I gardened. I remember my grandmother’s flower beds, the stories of my step-grandfather putting nails into trees to feed them iron, the raspberry bushes which edged the east boundary of Mr. Martin’s huge backyard garden. Part of my history...part of my family’s history.

Arizona is another matter. I’ve lived here for nine years but still don't have a sense of confidence about desert plants. The Sonoran Desert is a completely different climate and landscape. Until recently I had never heard the word “xeriscape.”

The seed gene began to sprout over a month ago when I registered for the "Pruning and Maintaining your Landscape" workshop led by Cathy Rymer, Water Conservation Coordinator for the City of Chandler. When I started the workshop I could name three of the plants in my backyard: palm trees, rosemary bushes and weeds. Now I can name about half of the plants. Best of all, this workshop was offered free by the City of Chandler.

My next venture was the Landscape class conducted by Ron Dinchak. He has been a Life Science Instructor at Mesa Community College for over forty years. For more information, check out http://ron.dinchak.com/. His passion and enthusiasm for using plants native to an arid climate is infectious.



During Dinchak’s sessions over the past three Tuesdays, I have learned many things including: 1) I now recognize many more plants; 2) I know that the loofah does not come from the ocean; 3) and I have measured my yard completely so I will limit my selections to plants which will fit in these spaces at maturity. I am also the proud owner of elephants food and tomato plants. I also own loofah seeds! Check out http://www.ehow.com/how_2126943_grow-loofah-sponges.html to find out more about the loofah plant.

So, the climate and landscapes may change, but the deep desire to put down roots may be grounded in my agrarian genes. Whether it is growing wheat, sugar beets, grapes or palo verdes, the German Russian adapts to the soil and climate of their surroundings. I may even be inspired to learn to become an Arizonan Master Gardener. The seed is firmly planted now, waiting to see how much I water it and let it thrive in the desert. The "seed and harvest" gene wins every time.

P.S. According to http://xeriscape.sustainablesources.com/, Xeriscape is defined as “quality landscaping that conserves water and protects the environment.” There are seven principles associated with Xeriscape landscapes:
1. Planning and Design
2. Soil Improvement
3. Appropriate Plant Selection
4. Practical Turf Areas
5. Efficient Irrigation
6. Use of Mulches
7. Appropriate Maintenance

Long Lost Relatives.net: Open Discussion Weekend: Does Family History Research Make You Sad?

Long Lost Relatives.net: Open Discussion Weekend: Does Family History Research Make You Sad?

To roux or not to roux-the beauty of cast iron skillets

I decided today was the day to cook for the whole week. This is not unusual for me because I don't like to cook after working 10-12 hours at my weekday job. Sunday is the perfect day to create meals. I enjoy planning meals which can withstand refrigeration for the week and offer succulent flavor through the last helping.

I wanted something old and something new so I chose to make Green Bean Soup, Seaford Gumbo, banana bread and pumpkin bars. The seafood gumbo recipe was a new venture for me as I found it yesterday in Marilu Henner's Party Hearty cookbook on page 107.

Seafood Gumbo falls under the Mardi Gras category. I know Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday are weeks away, however I always anticipate these days to be in February. My internal calendar was ready for Mardi Gras food even if Lent starts March 9 and Easter is in late spring on April 24.

So I dove into the new experience of cooking Seafood Gumbo. The recipe said, "Combine the remaining 1/4 cup margarine and the flour in a large iron skillet." I was surprised to see the iron skillet mentioned and I thought I misread it. After some consideration I realized I owned a large cast iron skillet passed down from my grandmother to my mother and then to me. I bent on my knees and searched the kitchen cabinet behind the casserole dishes, the 9 inch pie pans and the electric fryer. I found and dragged out the cast iron skillet.

The next sentence of instructions read "Make a roux by cooking it over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the roux is the color of chocolate." Roux? I never heard of the term. I asked my daughter Ashley to google it and she read the following:

Roux (pronounced /ˈruː/) is a cooked mixture of wheat flour and fat, traditionally clarified butter. It is the thickening agent of three of the mother sauces of classical French cooking: sauce béchamel, sauce velouté and sauce espagnole. Butter, vegetable oils, or lard are commonly used fats. It is used as a thickener for gravy, other sauces, soups and stews. It is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight. Retrieved February 27, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roux

I started the roux and immediately recognized that this thickener was quite similar to the broth mixture for green bean soup. I recalled the stories of how my great-grandmother passed the green bean soup recipe to my grandmother and my grandmother passed the green bean recipe to my mother.

The paternal grandmother descended from the Herrmanns of Mariental who moved to Russia from modern day Luxembourg. Of course, the country of Luxembourg did not exist in the late 1700s when they immigrated. It was a province or territory ruled by Spain, France or Germanic prince depending on who won the latest war. Who created this cooking technique? Could this technique I considered German -Russian cooking stem from the French influence in Bitsche,Luxembourg, the ancestral home of the Herrmanns?

When I set the seafood gumbo to simmer, I started the green bean soup. Of course I used the cast iron skillet again. My mother loved this skillet. Mixing the roux and the green bean broth in it made me finally understand why. The cast iron built an even heat and its sturdy structure was a welcome break from modern frying pans which disintegrate too easily.

The broth for green bean soup is created as follows: "In a separate frying pan, place 2 tablespoons of of butter and 1/2 cup flour. Warm this mixture on low heat while stirring occasionally. Heat until the flour browns and butter dissolves." From Value Meals on the Volga, Sharing Our Heritage with New Generations.

Is it a coincidence that this soup thickener is used in French and German Russian cooking, or do all cultures have a similar recipe?

Whether Russian, German, Italian, French or Spanish, this cooking technique demonstrates we are a global community so matter how we look at it. To roux or not to roux, in whatever language, it's just good cooking.

Historical Markers of Williamson County, Tennessee

I have not seen all 162 historical markers in Williamson County, Tennessee, however I believe I have seen at least half of them.

When I moved to Franklin, Tennessee in 1993, I was focused on acclimating to a new town, raising my children and building my career. There was not a lot of time devoted to visit each marker. My regular commute from Franklin to Nashville meant driving often on Hillsboro Road, Mack Hatcher Parkway and Franklin Road. Between horse farms and beautiful brick houses, I saw many of the markers and savored the history first hand.

When my parents visited for a month, their first stop was the Franklin Welcome Center in the former surgeon's office downtown. There they received the brochure about the Historical Markers, and they were on a mission. Mom and Dad were the first ones in my family to visit the Carter House, Carnton Plantation, to track their days by the number of markers they could see. They shared the stories of the Battle of Franklin, Tad Carter, the cemeteries, and the communities. I remember how excited they were when they found the last one. It was a small plaque unlike the larger markers on poles. It was against a wall. I remember the day, and wish I could remember which marker it was.

So, I pulled a few books off the shelf, namely, Back Home in Williamson County by Lyn Sullivan, National Register Properties Williamson County, Tennessee published by the Hillsboro Press and A Photographic Recollection Franklin. Books to help me remember all the places I used to call home.

I enjoy every episode of “Who Do You Think You Are?” but usually not for the same reasons as most of the viewers.



Last Friday’s show was no exception. Tim McGraw, famous country singer and husband of Faith Hill, lives in Tennessee near the same area where I lived for ten years. History is a part of everyday life in Williamson County. Historical Markers dot roadsides to commemorate Hood’s Retreat. Homes like the Carter house and McGavock Cemetery at Carnton Plantation http://www.carnton.org/ stand stalwart and resonate the echoes of battles long past. Yes, I love the landscape and history of Tennessee.





Tim’s family history did not begin in Tennessee. He grew up in Lousiana yet his ancestors made an impact in a number of states between the 1700 and 1800s. For the WDYTYA show, he retraced their steps and traveled to the Shenandoah Valley, Washington D.C. and New York City. places I have gone, too. My favorite part was when Tim saw the place of origin listed for one of his great, great grandfathers and asked,“What is a Palatin?”

I realized most of the audience probably asked the same question Tim did, yet my heart soared as I saw a connection to my own heritage. As a German from Russia, I knew the Palatine and I knew why so many people chose to leave such a beautiful section of the world in the 1700s. I was ecstatic to know that the story would be part of prime time as it would be explained to Tim.




"Palatines are people who emerged from the Palatinate which is described as
The Palatinate or German Pfalz was subject to invasion by the armies of Britain, France, and Germany. As well as the devastating effects of war, the Palatines were subjected to the winter of 1708 and 1709, the harshest in 100 years.

The scene was set for a mass migration. At the invitation of Queen Anne in the spring of 1709, about 7,000 harassed Palatines sailed down the Rhine to Rotterdam. From there, about 3000 were dispatched to America, either directly or via England, under the auspices of William Penn. The remaining 4,000 were sent via England to Ireland to strengthen the protestant interest.

In 1710,three large groups of Palatines sailed from London. The first went to Ireland, the second to Carolina and the third to New York with the new Governor, Robert Hunter. There were 3 000 Palatines on 10 ships that sailed for New York and approximately 470 died on the voyage or shortly after their arrival.
Retrieved February 12, 2011 from 2011 from http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/palatines/index.shtml).

Tim’s Palatine ancestors sought refuge west while mine sought refuge east. His family headed to England where they were promised free land in the New World.
They sailed for New York a bit earlier than the Germans who accepted Catherine’s Manifesto invitations to Russia. Both of our ancestors left for many of the same reasons, but mine left after the Seven Years War. Invitations to migrate from the Palatinate offered hope of food and a new life through all of the 1700s.

Such a fabulous history lesson this show provides! I can hardly wait for the show to begin tonight.

Life Goes On...Random Stream of Consciousness for February 5, 2011

Someone mentioned the White Album on facebook, and ever since I have been singing "Oh Bla Di, Oh Bla Da," in my head. I hear you thinking, "Thank you for not singing aloud," and I offer a hearty "You are welcome,' in return. Its the "Lala how the life goes on" phrase which is particularly poignant to me as my mind races with these thoughts.

Stream of consciousness thought number one- I saw Paul McCartney perform that song live for the first time ever in the United States last March at the Glendale Arena in Arizona. Tickets were sold out early and when my sister Joan and I found a couple of good seats for sale, I said, "If you go, I go." We went and never regretted a moment.

Stream of consciousness thought number two- I was brought to tears last night when Vanessa Williams discovered she was not the first trailblazer in her family history. One of her great grandfathers was a Civil War enlistee for the Union side. He risked his life and his freedom in this cause. He also helped to spread the word of freedom to former slaves in the South. Another was a State Representative in Tennessee and a famous educator. Since her father was orphaned at a young age, he missed learning these family stories. Vanessa was able to share the history with her mother and children which touched my heart. It was also the first episode of "Who Do You Think You Are?" that I watched without my mother.

Stream of consciousness thought number three- It's Super Bowl weekend! I always love it and am still trying to decide on what food to serve. However, the best part is my all-time favorite team, the Green Bay Packers, are there! My connection to the Packers goes way back and while I know I am dating myself, one of my favorite memories is Green Bay training camp. My Dad and my sister Joan chased Packer players from the Lambeau field locker room to the practice field across the street. I got autographs from Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Fuzzy Thurston, Jerry Kramer, Don Chandler, Zeke Bratkowski, Max McGee and many others. Joan also got Vince Lombardi's authograph. I saw him but missed the autograph. One of my friends at work gave me a copy of a letter this week from Curly Lambeau dated August 1, 1944. I will be so wound up tomorrow, does it matter what I eat? If you hear screaming from my house, just keep on going or join me if you can stand the noise. This will be the first Super Bowl in many years that I will watch without my mother.

Stream of consciousness thought number four- I am serving as a judge for the Desert Rose Romance Writer 2011 Golden Quill Contest. As such, I have four romance books to read and critique over the next couple of weeks. CONFESSION: Karen Wierach, formerly of my writer's critique group, wrote the last romance book I read. I have read very few Harlequin romances. This could become a secret, guilty indulgence. My mom would be proud.

Stream of consciousness thought number five- I have a new puppy, Harrison...CORRECTION: my daughter Ashley has a new puppy, Harrison. He is a chihuahua shorthair mix we saved from the pound. He is cute and wonderful despite the biting and the house training. His first vet appointment was today and he did quite well, despite the fecal test. He also received his first puppy pedicure! Life around the house will never be the same again.

Stream of consciousness thought number six- February is the month of remembrance. both of my paternal grandparents. Clementine was born on Feb. 2 and Johannes was born Feb. 3. 2011 marks the 117th and 123rd anniversary of their births.

Stream of consciousness thought number seven- This is also the anniversary weekend of my mother's first visit to the hospital in 2010. Of course, I remember every detail. We did get to see the second half of the game at home on the new large screen television which was our Christmas gift from her. And, I know if she were with us today, she would be cheering on Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the Packers with gusto.

So, I have only one question. Do they wear Cheeseheads in heaven?

Life goes on.

My favorite food growing up...

My favorite food growing up was the German Russian fare made by my mother and grandmother. And, because my ancestry is German Russian, and we love all foods, I have to pick my favorites by category:

1) Soup--Green Bean Soup=made of dumplings, green beans, and potatoes with thick broth. Yum!

2) Main course- Cottage Cheese Mauldasha --Called by many other names, this was made with a basic dough cut into squares, filled with cottage cheese mixture, pinched together into a square, boiled and served with butter. It is our Christmas Eve tradition!

3) Pink Peppermint Cookies -- Shown in the picture above, these treats were peppermint delights in pink cookie form. I remember when we drove over to my grandma's house, I always hoped she had baked these cookies. Usually she had a batch waiting for us in her kitchen.

Now I am definitely hungry!

A Day to Relax, Recoup and Reminisce on a Great Family History Expo

After a busy two days at the Arizona Family History Expo, I slept late. I plan to savor and record all of the great information and ideas I can pursue in my family history.

Holly Hansen's concluding remarks helped to wrap up a fabulous event. The opportunity to get to know her better during the last two days was a distinct pleasure for me. Since I lived in Tennessee for ten years, I understood her dilemmas of tracing Georgia ancestors.

Thanks to those who attended my workshops. Arizona is not a hotbed of Germans from Russia. It is always a risk to discuss a narrowly focused topic such as "Discovering Your German Russia Roots" but one I was willing to take to help fellow researchers. The attendees were very interested and asked good questions. I also met someone from my own ancestral village of Mariental!

The "WRITE to the Heart of the Matter for Genealogists" was also a great experience and I think all of us walked away with new ideas on how to approach our family history stories. Let's keep in touch so we can continue to encourage each other on our writing journey.

Special thanks also to Ashley, Frank, Ed and Judy who supported me this week when I needed it most. I truly appreciate it.

BLOG Mania!

At the BLOG house again this morning. So many people are stopping by and learning what a blog is, how to set one up and how to share their family history research. For all who ave stopped by, thank you.

Everyone is raving about the photography class Gary Clark just conducted entitled, " 19th Century Paper Photographs: Discovering When the Pictures Was Taken."

There are more workshops this afternoon and I plan to attend "Mark Twain's Death Solves a Family Mystery: The Value of Using Newspapers in Family Research, United States Newspaper Research." What intrigues me about this class is the Mark Twain angle. Did you realize Twain's autobiography was just published? Yes, indeed. He wrote it when he was alive and insisted it not be published until 100 years after his death.

That might be the way to keep those family skeletons in the closet from wreaking havoc during your lifetime.

Skeletons in your closet?

M Bridget Cook was the guest speaker at the Friday night dinner for the Family History Expo in Mesa this evening.

Bridget is a focused and spiritually mature woman who knows how to deal with adversity. Her vast writing experience on difficult and sometimes appalling topics make her the ideal choice to explain how to deal with skeletons in our own family history closet.

Should real names be used? Yes, if it is a record for your family alone. If you are going public with your story, you need to protect the innocent, and sometimes the guilty, too.

Bridget was a great inspiration to all who heard her tonight. As I imagine she is to everyone she interacts with on a daily basis. Sensitive issues beyond what most of us have in our family background require expert understanding which Bridget certainly provided. I was glad my daughter was able to join me in such a memorable event. Find out more at http://www.mbridgetcook.com/

Ultimate Google Search Strategies

Basic search symbols can make or break your google searches And Lisa Louise Cooke shared her techniques for getting the best out of your search engine.

You probably know the AND and Or and - (minus) features. These features are crucial if your - family name is Coffin, Ivory or All (as indicated by one of the attendees).

Quotation marks - If you want an exact phrase, use quotation marks around your words. Adding a date can help, too. You can also go straight to the Advanced Search on the google page.

Tilda search - To get the best results, on a synonym search, use the Tilda in front of your words to let google know you are OK to have synonyms used in the

Asterisk search-insert an asterisk if there could be a word inserted between the phrase you use.

Numrange Search - especially helpful to use ancestor's name and the years as 1790...1830.

Advanced Search Strategies include:

Find a great family website? Find out who linked to it by copying the URL and go to google and paste the URL and the word link with no space between link and the URL address. You will find others who could be relatives!

Related search-Use the word relate instead of link and you may find related websites.

Key words and symbols: plus the URL Home Page can find information faster especially in USGenweb.org.

The syllabus details more of these searches. Be sure to check the left column on Google to see the latest options for pictures, photographs, drawings when you are searching for images.

Google Books, especially those out of copyright, can be downloadable. Good historical information for any genealogist. Also check worldcat.org which searches all libraries.

Photographs: A Mystery to be Solved

Rebecca Kremer Harvey stopped at the BLOG house and shared her beautiful photo album. She received it from her dad's mother. Unfortunately, she does not know all of the people in the pictures but wants to find out more.

Irene Winterburn recommended trying Google Picassa for the face recognition tool. Will it work? Rebecca will let us know.

The BLOG HOUSE

Bloggy the dog joined us a few minutes ago. You need to visit us at the Blog House to meet him.

Irene Winterburn and I have already met great people at the expo.

** We met a man who started researching his family after a visit to Nova Scotia and he has discovered over 13,000 ancestors since last October.

**More people blog this year than last. After Dear Myrtle's session this afternoon, those of us at the blog house will help attendees set up a blog.

**The big question from one of the attendees is: Can anyone read and translate Yiddish writing? And be willing to help a fellow genealogist who is willing to pay for services? Let me know if you can help.

Family History Expo in full swing!

Holly Hansen and Lisa Louise Cooke kicked off the Mesa expo with a bang! Thank goodness the weather is beautiful.

Both of them inspired us old dogs and new puppies to consider where there is a need, there is an ability to learn.

Think about the transitions in just the past few years:

**Podcast

**Bulletin boards
**Oover 30,000 downloads in one month is possible
**Evernote.com-check it out! And, embrace the new technology

Let the Expo excavation begin!

Countdown to Family History Expo: One!

My busy week is about to get busier! Tuesday night at Changing Hands was fabulous. The group who attended the presentation shared their ideas and projects so it was interactive and inspring for all.

Tomorrow is the big day in Mesa, Arizona. My workshop "Discovering Your German Russian Roots" begins at 4:30 p.m. but you won't want to wait that long to get to the expo. You can buy tickets at the door for both days, one day or for an individual workshop. And, the Friday night dinner will be a wonderful event to meet others who share your passion for family history.

M. Bridget Cook will not only speak but give you a copy of her new book! There are still tickets available for this event. Tickets are $33 and include dinner, dessert and a signed copy of Bridget's book.

Here is more information on the event:

http://www.fhexpos.com/Arizona2011/SkeletonsFridayNightDinnerandKeynoteAZ2011.pdf

The link to registration for the Friday event (registration ends Thursday at 10am MST)

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e36gf1fled8d53ec&oseq=



I look forward to seeing you there!

Changing Hands and Can Ole' Dogs Learn New Tricks means a busy week for me

I am glad I have a three day weekend. It guarantees me time to watch football and to put the finishing touches on three presentations for this week.

The first presentation is on Tuesday at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona. I will present a workshop entitled, "WRITE to the Heart of the Matter" with Dee Dees.

Is one of your goals for the coming year is to write down your stories for your children or grandchildren, this is the workshop for you. This session is packed with writing exercises and discussion to inspire you to achieve your writing goals. For more information and to register/prepay, visit http://www.changinghands.com/event/bartkowski-dees.

The second and third presentations are at the Family History Expo at the Mesa Convention Center. On Friday, I present "Discovering your German Russian Roots: Tracing your Ancestry on Three Continents."

This workshop helps those with ties to Germans from Russia trace their ancestors. German Russians are individuals who relocated to Russia at the invitation of Catherine the Great in the late 1700 and early 1800s. Descendants are now located throughout the world. This session introduces the latest technological resources available for research.

The final workshop is "WRITE to the Heart of the Matter for Genealogists." Not an encore presentation, this is designed just for genealogists. You’ve carved your family tree, now jump start writing your family history. Genealogists know birth certificates, census records, cemeteries and passenger lists. Writers know plotlines, point of views, and characters. How do you bridge the gap to turn your maze of facts and documents into a family history? Learn the techniques I use to make your family research come to life. Come ready to write!

You can register for daily passes at http://fhexpos.com/ or workshop passes for $12 each at the door.

Stay tuned for updates on all events.

Can Ole' Dogs Learn New Tricks?

Lisa Louise Cooke will present the keynote address "Ol’ Dogs Can Learn New Tricks: Looking to the Past for the Future of Your Family History Research" at the Arizona Family History Expo on Friday, January 21.

I met Lisa at last year's expo and was impressed with her knowledge, website and podcasts. Her presentation on using Google maps and overlaying it with historical maps fascinated me and remains ingrained in my mind. I believe she will do an update of that presentation in addition to her keynote address.

Lisa will show you how by looking to the past for inspiration on how to take on the future, and demonstrate how the hottest and newest technologies can help you work smarter, not harder. And this is one ol' dog who is ready for it.

Winners announced!

Frank Sortelli of Chandler, Arizona and Judy Gareis of Apache Junction, Arizona are the lucky winners of tickets to the Arizona Family History Expo. Frank and Judy will attend the expo at no charge and will learn the latest info on genealogical success.

With plenty of exhibits and numerous workshops, the two days will be exciting and entertaining.

Frank and Judy, I look forward to seeing you there!

Tale from Rognac, France alters family's history

Here is the latest entry written by Frank Sortelli of Chandler, Arizona. The page above is from his great-great grandfather's journal where he copied a letter he wrote about the accident which changed the course of his family's history.

"In October of 1878 in the small town of Rognac, France a tragedy occurred that would have a profound effect on the mind of a young man. The resulting memories of this event would influence a large segment of the intellectual movement in France in the beginnings of the 20th century. This young man’s name was Henri Ner, my great-great uncle, and he would later become a leading voice of the pacifist and anarchist movements in France as a member of the French Academy and an author of over 60 novels and philosophical books.

Through the families of his father and mother, Jacques Ner and Virginie Campdoras he was immersed in the ideals of the French Republic and the Church. His maternal uncle risked his life in a coup d’état against the tyrannical Napoleon III and was banished from France in 1851 for his belief in these sacred ideals. His mother had a deep faith in the grace of God and the entire family would attend mass regularly. Already known by the priests in his school to have a superior intelligence they had foreseen for him a life in the Church.

On October 22, 1878 this all changed. His father and mother were on their way to church to assist in the Mass and were traversing the train tracks in the station where Jacques was the postmaster. Just as they were crossing the tracks they were both hit by a goods wagon that had been stationary a moment before. Jacques pushed his wife away in an attempt to protect her and the last thing he heard before he was hit was her anguished cry. Jacques thought that this cry was made in fear for his safety but, alas, it was the final cry of Virginie as she was fatally injured by the moving train car. Jacques, himself, lost his arm but his thoughts were always for his wife as he tried in vain to save her.

The teen aged Henri never forgave God for the accident that took away his beloved mother from him and from then on lived in complete denial of the validity of religion and of God. While the rest of the family kept their faith he spent the rest of his life writing about man’s place alone in the universe and of having no need for religion."

Thanks, Frank, for your entry and for sharing a momentous and tragic story you uncovered while researching your family history.

Family History Expo - still time to enter for free tickets

Well, this year's entries have been quite slow so anyone who enters before tomorrow has a great chance to win free tickets...a $75 value!

Learn about your ancestors, learn how to conduct research and meet people who share your passion.

I am particularly looking forward to the Friday night event. Transformational Speaker and Best selling author M. Bridget Cook will give the keynote presentation, "Handling and Healing the Skeletons in Your Genealogical Closet."

Who doesn't have stories or events which someone in your family thinks is better left unsaid? I can think of four without batting my eyes twice. How do you balance telling the truth about your family history with the emotions and repercussions of those still alive? It's a tricky balance to say the least.

I look forward to the Friday night event and learning more about Cook's recommendations. Hope you can join us!