Weekly Roll

 

Spillway Birds - Carlsbad, NM

Linky Love

How to Take a Train to the Best National Parks - Let's go.  This looks fun.

Sea Monkey's - All about Sea Monkey's- I don't know why anyone would want to keep them alive for 5 years by the way.

Newly Devised Family Tree reveals the Genealogy of Everyone

Inappropriate Thoughts

It is literally a giving tree. Interesting sight in Carlsbad NM near the dump.

Deep Thoughts

50 Sun Project - 22/50

 

Morning has broken like the first morning - Cat Stevens

Feb 11th Sunrise

Wordy Wednesday

 

Weekly Roll

Valentine Christmas Cactus or one is the loneliest bloom.  

Linky Love

Ok, I am a big Downton Abbey fan, and I can't help but be excited.

Mystery as Two Rare White Tail Eagles found dead miles apart

We got to talk about Kanye - A friend posted this on her Facebook.  It is a good read

Free Newspapers.com access - this so rarely happens. So here you go all of you family genologists

Inappropriate Thoughts

I took my dog to the vet on Valentine's Day.  He was not a fan of our Valentine's date nor the bath beforehand. It was just for a routine physical.  He let me know quite loudly afterwards that he had been wronged.  I am pretty sure he said, "This is BS!".  He gave our date zero stars.

Deep Thoughts

50 Sun Project Display and 22/50 sun

 I knew when I started my project that I wanted some way to display the sunrise and sunset pictures I had taken. I also wanted it to be easy and inexpensive.  Below is what I came up with.  I printed out the photos and used tacky putty. I am not entirely happy as some of the photos fall off and it is uneven. It is pretty impressive though in a group. This is in my office.

I have a few more photos to hang up if you count the photos.  Below is 22/50, it was taken Feb 11th sunrise.

Wordy Wednesday

 

Saw this at Micheal's the other day. That there is some TRUTH!

What I Read February

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy and her Quick Lit link up.  Check out what everyone is reading

 The Unanswered Letter by Faris Cassell

I have so many feels about this nonfiction book. A letter was passed to a doctor that a patient had in her family from long ago.  The patient didn't know why the letter was held on and whether the pleas in the letter were answered. In 1939, Alfred Berger mailed a letter to a complete stranger that shared his last name. In the letter was a plea. The doctor who came in possession of letter was Jewish and is married to a journalist, and he gave the letter to her.  Thus began a large research and genealogy project.  The book is incredibly well researched.  I wanted to know the answers to.  It delves into the holocaust and Vienna Jews. I learned more about the holocaust and why so many didn't escape and so many turned a blind eye.  This one will stick with you

The Family by Naomi Krupitsky

This was a quick read for me. It is about the mob during World War 2.  This is about family dynamics between 2 families and how the families are intertwined. There is a bit of a coloration between this book and The Unanswered Letter.  This fictionalized account of this mob family has them in the business of falsifying papers for well to do Jewish people during World War 2.

Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang

This is a memoir about Qian/Julie's immigration to the US.  In many many ways this book speaks to the heart break and living in the shadows when you overstay you visa.  She speaks of having no food and her parents working at low wage jobs. I find it surprising she chose to become a citizen because of her profound bad experiences in the United States.  I found this book sad though the outcome eventually is positive.  This book made me sad.  

Happy Valentine's Day

Hey,

 Happy Valentine's Day

I don't know if this graffiti has any special meaning, but I thought it was interesting. How desperate do you have to be to graffiti hay bales? Asking for a friend.  By the way, I felt like a total stalker taking this photo. This hay is near a busy 4 way stop. Yes, that is a pile of big dirty snow too.

Weekly Roll

New Mexico Sunset

Inappropriate Thoughts

I haven't decided if I am going to watch the Super Bowl. I know blasphemy.  I do usually like the commercials. 

Linky Love 

Stuff for you to click on and stuff for you to craft maybe during the Super Bowl.

Easy Valentine Drawing - This elephant is so cute. Art Projects for Kids

8 Genealogy Tips From Nancy Drew

Free Valentine Eye Spy

Balsamic Butter Noodles - I saw good deals on asparagus in the grocery store.  These noodles are so good

Deep Thoughts

One Tree can make a thousand matches

But only match can burn a thousand trees

Don't let one negative thought

Burn all the positive

Operation Valentine Card

 

In honor of my 50th year on the planet, I would like to send out 50 semi homemade valentine's. I have been thinking about this since the fall.  Many of you are familiar with my 50 Sunrise/Sunset project.  I have been inspired by Elise Joy and her various make projects.  This is along the same lines.

I hand cut the envelopes.  I punched hearts out with my Sizzix and small hand punch.  I turned the small hearts into stickers with xyron. Some of the hearts are made out of recycled security envelopes. The lettering was done in my cricut.  Hey, I used all the tools of the trade.  Luckily, we were stuck at home during our big snow, so I was able to accomplish a lot.

I made 50 cards but fell well short of mailing all 50.  I don't know 50 people to mail cards to. I did mail out a record number of cards for me. It was a good goal. I think it always a good idea to send good mail.

50 Sun Project - 21/50

 

Taken January 27, 2022.  At the top of our hill no fog after a week of fog. The sun lit up a beautiful jet trail.

Wordy Wednesday

 

52 Ancestors - Map

 This was a writing prompt from Amy Johnson Crow 52 Ancestors. 

Below is a portion of 1917 Farmer's Directory map of Union Township.  I have photoshopped houses into where my various relatives lived in relation to each other.  I just find it fascinating. My Grandparents met at school but their parent's farms were near each other.  

I found the map at IA Gen Web.  Iowa has some fantastic genealogy websites.

Weekly Roll

I have seen so many eagles this past week.  I literally saw like 8 along one stretch of my drive.  This is the first time I have seen one on a power pole. I wish I could make the picture bigger.  The sign is a welcome to my town sign.

Inappropriate Thoughts

I have a knack for keeping poinsettias alive.  This is a pink poinsettia. How long should you keep a poinsettia?   Has anybody else seen Magnolias staghorn fern named Earle.  Could JoAnn Gaines start a houseplant trend?  Here is the Instagram link I really really want to meet Earle.  Is it weird to have a plant crush?

I only have one plant with a name - Lady Chardonnay 

Deep Thoughts

50 Sunsets - 20/50 Inspired

 This was sunrise January 22,2022. I was just messing around. Have you seen artist Rudy Willingham. He does this amazing cut outs that are people.  Check out his Instagram. I especially like the Betty White one.  Different try below with a normal sunrise picture.

52 Ancestors - Curiosity/Branching Out

I am joining Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors Writing Project.  The prompt was curiosity last week and this week is branching out. I think I covered both.

I don't like my ancestry tree to have people who are known to be dead not to have death dates.  I particularly don't like it when it is a person who has no known spouse or children. The least we could do is remember them on our tree, right.

Roy Hoyt is one such person on my tree is actually my mom's 1st cousin twice removed. I had to do quite a bit of digging to find the death date and actual burial place for Roy. Of all of his siblings, he had no death date and very little information in my tree. So, I was curious what my research would turn up. My search led me to his obituary in the Villisca Review. I want to share his story below. 

Roy Hoyt was born September 10, 1898, in Cumberland, Iowa to Alanson and Mary. he had 7 brothers and one sister. Roy was the oldest son. According to the census, Ray had a 7th grade education. 

He lived in Cass County near the town of Union working his father's farm according to the 1920's census. His father, Alanson, died in 1921. In the 1930 census, Roy is living with his mother, Mary, and his brothers, Cecil, Ralph, Floyd, and Forest. Roy was listed as a laborer working odd jobs in Jackson, IA. In the 1940 census, Roy is listed as a laborer still living with his mother and 4 of his brothers, Raymond, Ralph, Floyd, and Forest. They are living in Villisca, IA. 

Roy has a WW2 bonus file, and he was drafted Sept 25, 1942, and discharged Mar 9, 1943. He never left the United States. Roy received $50 in WW2 service compensation. Roy's younger brother Raymond served in the Army from Oct 1942 - April 1943. His brother Forrest also served in World War 2. There is a story there, but I don't know what it is. Roy also has an Armed Service Graves Registration with little or no information.

Roy's mother Mary died in 1945. Mary was 73 and buried next to her husband in the Greenwood Cemetery in Cumberland, IA. 

In 1948, according to his obituary the last 11 years of his life he was employed by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Funt near Coburg Iowa as a farm laborer. Between 1958 and 1959 he lost 3 of his brothers and his sister, Ethel. He died November 23,1959 in Villisca, Iowa, at the age of 61 and I believe he was buried in Villisca, Rosehill cemetery. The obituary has the cemetery in Cumberland but there is no cemetery by the name Rosehill in Cumberland. However, the Rosehill cemetery in Villisca also has no listing for Roy. It is possible there is no headstone. It is also possible the listing is incomplete.

Roy was a lifelong bachelor and worked as a laborer most of his life.  He never married and had no known children. The last line of his obituary is as follows, Roy was a friend of everyone who knew him and will be greatly missed by all.

What is Saving Me?

We have reached the midpoint of winter and I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's "What is Saving You " I am always reminded it is really the little things that are saving me.  I live in the PNW where it is really dark during the winter.  

Creative Projects

I have been working on two projects inspire somewhat by Elise Joy Cripe.  One is a 50 Sunset/Sunrise picture project.  It is also inspired in part by Shannan Martin and "Just Look Up" and "Human Sunrises"

Secondly, I was inspired to make 50 homemade valentine cards. Picture above is last year's valentine designs. I know that I did not reach my goal of actually sending all 50 cards as the post airs. Turns out I don't actually know 50 people to send cards to. I need to work on that. I am calling this Operation Valentine. Everyone should send some good mail. My hometown is Loveland, Colorado aka The Sweetheart City. 

These creative projects keep my spark going.

Mom Food

I was influenced by Jessica Fischer-Good Cheap Eats.  She makes herself Mom food.  My mom food is a healthy salad. I have been prepping my lunch. I had fallen into some unhealthy habits, so I have been at least having a healthy lunch. The key for me is it is not good enough to JUST buy the green stuff, but have it prepped because my default is easy and really bad for you. I don't want my vegetable crisper to turn into a vegetable hospice if you know what I mean.

Nail Polish

I don't do many girly things but lately I have been wearing red nail polish.  Prior to this I have maybe put on nail polish once or twice a year. I also have some mishaps with red polish. I keep choosing red. My favorite reds are Unbreakable Heart and Cinnasnap

Future Me Mindset

Venison for Dinner, Kate, is always talking about taking care of future me. That has really influenced me. I am not a homesteader and don't have any intention of ever being one. However, Kate's mindset of doing little things to make tomorrow better has really been a game changer. Anytime I think I won't pick up my kitchen before bed or not make something ahead, I hear her words ringing in my ears. This also relates to Mom food too.