Follow Friday - Using Pinterest

Follow Friday 

Using Pinterest

Do you have a Pinterest account?

These days, it seems everyone does. On this site we are able to share photographs, and articles from interesting sites, or that we make ourselves with hundreds, if not thousands, of other viewers.

We are able to create Boards where we can specialize those items we pin. Yes, think of each board as a bulletin board. You can specialize each board and pin items that are particular to that board. Such as one of my favorites, Genealogy News. Here, on my account, I am able to pin wonderful articles that I have either enjoyed, or have learned from others. And you can follow other people's boards as well. Getting to see what unique articles they are able to save as well.

I love that I am learning more and more about genealogy simply by following Pinterest boards!

So, how do you find these pins on everyone's boards? 

Go to http://www.pinterest.com and in the search box, simply type in what you would likie to find. (You name it, and someone has pins of it!) But, if you'd like to learn more about genealogy, simply type the word genealogy into the search window. Believe me, you can spend days (maybe weeks!) poring over the pins there! And if you visit the sites that they are linked from, you can learn so much! I've learned so much that I have started keeping a journal of sites with articles that I have read, so that I can reference back to them when I want to! Yeah, it's that cool! You don't want to bookmark the pages, because believe me, there will be too many bookmarks saved!

If you haven't already signed up for Pinterest, go ahead and do so now. Play around and see what others are saving to their boards for now. And then decide what things you are most interested in. Set up some boards and beginning pinning!

No matter what subject you are interested in, you'll find pins!

Well, I pin, and I pin, and I pin some more!

You can even pin your family name! You'd be surprised how many people will turn up with similar, or the same pins!

Visit it now, and learn just how you can use Pinterest to assist you in your genealogy research. It's a site well worth utilizing!

Follow Friday - Collecting Cousins

Follow Friday

Collecting Cousins

I'd like to take a few moments to introduce you to a website that has taught me so much over the past couple of years. "Collecting Cousins". The website is written by Mary Ann Kelley. 

Mary Ann has done a fantastic job of documenting her personal genealogy journey, and she shares with you the things that have worked best for her. As well as the web sites that have also worked best! (She's a generous lady!)

Here's what Mary Ann says about herself and her blog in her introduction:"Collecting Cousins is a celebration of family, a chronicle of discoveries, a repository of resources I’ve used, and an overview of things I wish I had known about research when I got started. The links are a collection of the useful resources I have found for genealogy. "

I hope you'll take the time to drop by Mary Ann's website, and sign up for her blog. And while you're there, be sure to say "Hey!" Tell her Mountain Genealogists sent you over for a visit! Let her know we're mighty happy to know her website!

Follow Friday - Family History Daily

Follow Friday

Family History Daily

A

Genealogical Delight

I have been following Family History Daily for a while now. I actually began by following their articles on Pinterest  before following their website. They can really catch your attention!

Editors for the website are Melanie Mayo, and Kate Jackson. They don't really tell us anything about themselves on their site, so I'm not sure about their credentials, but they do know their stuff!. Their articles are always informative and bring you up to speed on what's happening in the genealogical community at large.

They also write some pretty awesome genealogy classes, that are perfect for the genealogist, family history researcher, who is just starting out! They offer two courses, and they are meant to take 8-12 weeks each to complete. The cost is very economical, and I highly recommend them!

I'd like to take the opportunity to add this website to my personally recommended site for further genealogy learning. I know you'll find a great deal of help in getting and giving you a better understanding of how to perform research.

So, head on over to Family History Daily. And when you do, tell them "Hey, Texicanwife (Aka Cyndi) over at Mountain Genealogy recommended you!

Give us your review of the site in the comments below!

Follow Friday - The National Genealogical Society (NGS)

National Genealogical Society

While there is a yearly Membership fee of $65 to receive all benefits, this is one of those sites that I feel is well worth the membership fee! If you are serious about learning how to perform an analytical research of your family tree (not just copying someone elses research), and really finding out all that you possibly can regarding your ancestors, then this is the place to go and learn it.

Their storefront offers a ton of informational books and pamphlets, most of which, are downloadable pdf format documents, so it's instant gratification when it comes to waiting for that genealogy information in the mail! And they have a super fine blog, which is always full of information that you don't want to miss!

Upfront,  the NGS blog can be found by clicking here.  And you don't have to be a member to read it. Which is super cool!

The NGS sets the "Standard" to which all genealogists hold themselves to. Or should hold themselves to.

They can be found on Facebook, You Tube (Although, there are no recent uploads located here, you can find all kinds of recent videos uploaded on its other venues, all for free.) Google+, and Twitter (again the Twitter posts are not as up ton date as some of the other, but you can look back through and still get some great insight.)

When I have the time for a relaxing day of just reading for pleasure, this is the place I go to. I enjoy reading about the conferences, and new announcements. And I enjoy watching the videos. And I nearly always come away with having learned something new!

So I hope you'll give the National Genealogical Society a look, and maybe even consider becoming a member yourself. It will be money well spent. Let us know if you're a member, or plan to become one!

Follow Friday - Cyndi's List

I have been a follower of Cyndi's List since it first began. (Yep, I'm old as dirt folks!) After all, anyone with name like Cyndi has to be pretty special, right? (Yeah, I know... shameful aren't I?) I've even been mistaken for this Cyndi on more than one occasion, and had to direct them to the correct Cyndi.

And just who is this Cyndi?  Well, we're talking about Cyndi Ingle. That remarkable woman who started this blog in 1996. (Oh my! Now that is some kind of history today for a blog!) I can remember when everything she had was listed on a single page with links. Now, we're talking about so many pages, I can't even begin to discover it all!  And Cyndi's doesn't cost you one red cent. Although, donations are accepted, even those weren't done for many, many years! Cyndi provides this all as a service for those who simply want to find ways to research their family tree. And above all of the genealogy based web sites I have used the most, Cyndi's List has been the one that far outshines any I can recommend to you.

From her bog site, let me let Cyndi tell you why she does this: " The short answer is because I have fun doing this and I'm really happy to hear the great success stories that have come to people through using the list. The list began as a project for my local genealogical society in order to help our members find resources online. I want to make it easy for all researchers to find online resources for their genealogical research. I once read that the Internet is like a library with its books strewn all over the floor. I guess I'd like my list to be the card-catalog for the genealogy section of that library. And after all these years, I honestly believe that this is what I was meant to do. I’m very lucky that something I love to do has become a vocation."

Those of us who have been there all these years, know that it hasn't always been an easy path for Cyndi. And at least once or twice, she even considered giving it up. Thankfully for all of us, and that includes you, she never has! She has persevered, and is probably THE MOST used, and well-loved genealogy resource site in the Internet today!

I love how one of the comments from a user on her site states, and I am paraphrasing here, that she's kind of like the Dewey Decimal System of the genealogy world! Cyndi, herself, states she compares herself to a library strewn with books. You might go and look up one you need to find, but while there, you might also find one, or two, or a dozen, more that will help you! And yes, that's exactly what Cyndi's List is like! I can honestly say, that not once when I have gone there have I only copied one link. I usually copy a dozen, or more! How can that be? Surely I would have them all copied by now! Right?

Wrong! You see, Cyndi works daily on this site. She adds new links and new information every single day! Simply sign up for her newsletter and you'll be amazed at how much she puts into this! And the site is effortless to navigate through.  With the amount she adds, so often, you'd think it would be a jumbled maze!

I can honestly tell you, it's always been a breeze to find what you need here.

If there's one site you want to follow, this is it. Cyndi's List.

Head on over there right now, and be sure and tell Cyndi, that the other Cyndi has sent you there! Tell her 'hey!' for me.

Follow Friday - Pinterest

Have you considered the power of Pinterest?

I am totally addicted to the web site! I get on it, and will sometimes spend one, two, or even three hours and not even realize I've been there that long! It's much more addicting than Facebook, or games! My poor iPhone stays in my hand and I am there!

But, did you know that many genealogy bloggers are on Pinterest? I had been using Pinterest for quite some time, filling up my little Boards, until one day I accidentally came across a genealogy site! I am in seventh heaven my friends! Literally!

Ok, so I am wherever the genealogy leads me. I hope you know that about me by now! (How many years have we been together on this blog?) So, you can imagine my absolute delight when I found these genealogy bloggers on Pinterest! And suddenly, I cannot get enough genealogy! (If I could make an income with genealogy to match what I currently make working for a major insurance company, honey, I would be doing that full time! It's my passion!)

But on Pinterest, I can find, not only some great ideas about research, and writing, and digital photography, and saving those photographs, and census records, and forms to help me get everything organized, and great organization tips, but there's more! Did you know you can search for you the surname you're researching? Some families have linked their family trees to Pinterest! How awesome is that! Best of all, it's another FREE site to go looking for clues!

I use all kinds of resources as I'm researching. Both traditional, from brick and mortar institutions, to books, and web sites. But one thing I won't do, is take any one else's family tree and tack it onto mine. Nope. I've got to do the research and prove it first. (Only, I actually do the polar opposite! I try to disprove the connection first. Once I can't disprove it, THEN I attempt to find proof that it fits.) Remember, just because someone says that So and So is related to you, doesn't mean it's the truth! Find the proof out there, and document, document, document! Write down those sources, and citations!

But, I digress! Back to Pinterest! I absolutely love the site. It's given me some help in my family research. But what it's really given me are ideas. I use the site as a kind of sounding board. It helps to have a background in research, but if you will open your mind, and simply let ideas play one off of another, you'd be surprised to find out just how far you can go!

And that's where Pinterest really shines! You type in what you're searching for, and BAM! One has only to start looking through the thousands of pins that will come up from your search, and before you know it....2, 3, or even 4 hours have flown by!

Some tips on using this site? Keep a notepad handy! You'll want to take notes. And believe me, if you see something you want to read more in depth on, do it right then, because you won't remember how to navigate back to it! And don't think, "I'll just pin that and it will be on my board and I can come back to it later! Cause, darling, later you won't be able to find it in all of the pins you save! So, when you see something you want to read, do it right then!

I use my notepad for a jumping off point. I can always get back to an article I've pinned, because I mark down the date I've saved it. Sometimes, however, by making notes when I read the article I've pinned, I have enough info that I don't need to reference back to it.

So, I am here today to officially encourage you to head on over to Pinterest, and find you some fun! Just about anything under the sun can be found there! It's like an open air market. Just start browsing honey. You'll never walk away empty handed!

Have a great time!

Follow Friday

If you're like me, you hit a brick wall in your genealogy research now and then. It's just been lately that I discovered the many genealogical ideas, links to websites, and templates available for just a few moments of your searching time.

On several of these searches, I have found a web site that I didn't know existed. I found templates that are for more sophisticated than what I have been using until now (most of my templates are those that came out in the '90's and are so antiquated, and unable to use your computer to fill them in). I have fallen in love with Pinterest.

Here you will find so many helpful articles that you can read for weeks and never read the same article twice! As well as photographs, and ideas for getting young children involved in genealogy!

You are also given the option of following several of those who post on Pinterest. This means you will receive notification when someone you are following puts a new item on the site. And that can mean a breaking through of that nasty brick wall sometimes!

I highly recommend adding Pinterest to one of your genealogy sites bookmarked on your computer. At the very least, you can find some inspiration for either where to look next, or in your filing system!

Pinterest is a free program, and you can download the free app on your smartphone, which means you will be notified of new pins even earlier!

So, sign up today, and in the search function, simply type in genealogy. You'll see what I mean!

I highly recommend adding Pinterest to your genealogy research bookmark.

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to share with you a great book I just finished reading.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately regarding biographical studies on various individuals of history. One of my all-time favorite individuals is General Robert E. Lee.

This particular book was received from Tyndale Publishing and is in "The Generals" series. It is titled simply "Lee: A Life of Virtue" and is written by John Perry, published 2010.

I am enamored with Robert E. Lee. The man was a Virginian first and foremost. An American second. Always putting the welfare of his country first. The Civil War nearly broke his tender heart, his worries causing him to prematurely gray.

A sound belief in his God, and a firm love for his family kept him grounded and his roots firm in the Virginia soil.

Tragedy and heartabhe seemed to follow this family. But they perservered.

Want to get a rare view into the life of some of your favorite historical persons? With the cooler months of fall and winter coming at us, now is the perfect time to curl up next to the fireplace and enjoy reading about them.

That's my plan!

Follow Friday

Whenever I find myself with a little bit of time just to "explore" online, I love going to this blog, Cemetery Explorers.

The unusual mausoleums and tombstones captured digitally on this blog never fail to keep me captivated for hours at a time! Even looking back over those shots I've seen before, I am held mesmerized!

Let's face it, I am a cemetery hound, but no one has captured better shots than this!

The author has this to say about the blog:
"I created this blog to show people that cemeteries are wonderful places full of history, architecture and sometimes an occasional ghost story. I hope everyone enjoys what this blog has to offer whether you're an amateur explorer, history buff or just somebody willing to learn about these beautiful places..."

Simply put, this is one of the most lovely cemetery blogs I have ever seen! I hope you'll take the time to visit Cemetery Explorers, it's a spot worthy of your time!

Follow Friday

Each Friday I like to introduce you to a different blog that I follow. However, this Friday, I thought I'd take a moment and "re-introduce" you to the Ancestry.com blog.

While this blog can be read online, I receive it in my email where I can save it and enjoy it at my leisure!.

This blog has been invaluable to me. I find it filled each week with useful tidbits and information to assist me in researching not only my personal family genealogy, but my clients as well. It also alerts me to new collections available on the Ancestry.com website, which grows just about daily!

If you aren't receiving the Ancestry.com blog yet, let me encourage you to go to the site and take a look at the latest. It's free. And if you don't find at least one new item to assist you in your research... well... I'll eat my....


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                                            ...ahnentafel! :)

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce you to Leaf, Stem, Branch, and Root.

I have been receiving this blog's posts through a feeder for a while now, and am thoroughly enjoying it!

The author, Kevin, has this to say on his profile: "For almost as long as I can remember, I have been interested in "old things." As I grew up, this interest was directed in various directions - old coins, old stamps, and so forth until it finally settled in genealogy and family history. Aside from the Lord and my family, genealogy and mathematics are my greatest interests. I also enjoy early Texas history and early American history."

I especially enjoy Kevin's old photograph's of his family! What wonderful portraits he includes in his varied posts!

He has also included some lovely old letters, which are transcribed, as well as shown in their original writing!

This is an enjoyable look into another family's search for it's origins and past, and I am sure you are going to enjoy Leaf, Stem, Branch, and Roots as much as I do!

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce you to My Father's Posts.

This delightful blog is chock-full of the wonderful newspaper posts of Ebenezer Ray.

According to the site, Ray's bio reads: "I am now at the beginning of this new journey. Right now, I don’t know how long my father wrote his column or if he wrote for other publications. I do know the first column appeared February 18, 1933 under the title “Xcuse Me.“ Later columns were dubbed “As We See It,” “You and I” (only one) and later as “Dottings of a Paragrapher.” And I now know the name of his mother, Malvina Alkins, whom he mourned in print when she died in 1936.

How ironic that as my ink-stained colleagues and I lament the demise of print, the most exciting development in my life as a journalist involves learning how to use a microfilm machine to decipher very old hot type.

I have created this blog to preserve my father’s legacy as a newspaper man and most of all to explore the history that is so much a part of me.

Elaine C. Ray"

Ray's daughter, Elaine posts this blog with actual microfilmed copies of Ebenezer' Ray's posts from the paper.
 
And what a treasure this is!
 
Ray was a treasure indeed!
 
One of the most recent posts that Elaine did had these two lines by Ebenezer, which resonate oh so much, even today, near 76 years after he wrote them: "The public is used to taking things for granted. It assumes certain things should be simply because they are."
 
Hmmm, profound,  and perhaps a bit prophetic! Just plain right on!
 
What a treasure Ray was! And I think you'll agree with me, Elaine Ray deserves praise for bringing this writer, her father, to light!
 
Be sure to visit My Father's Posts, you'll walk away with an elightened spirit!

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce you to Free Genealogy which was a site put together by Jerry E. Reed back in 2009. I'm not sure if the site has been updated since then or not, but I do that most, if not all, of the links listed here are in good order.

Free Genealogy

I have found several good leads by clicking on several of these sites.

I haven't been able to find out anything about the author of this site, listed only in the header of the page, but many thanks Jerry E. Reed for a job well done!

Follow Friday

Simply put... this has been about the best site I've seen this week! And certainly the most fun!

You have got to visit ALIEN SPACESHIP THEORY OF GENEALOGY  to read one family's take on where their family came from, and why there are no documents available to prove or disprove their existence where they were known to have cohabited!

I have absolutely fallen in love with this theory, and believe I may actually have one or two ancestors who arrived, and thus disappeared, in like manner!

Be sure to check it out!

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce you to Will's Genealogy Blog. This blog is written by Will Haskell whose profile reads as follows: Will Haskell - Born and raised in Maine, full-time professional civil engineer, part-time genealogist, interested in sharing family history research.

The Header of the blog reads: "Will's Genealogy Blog  - Family history blog focusing on genealogy and artifacts for several surnames, including: Ackerman, Brooks, Cabot, Haskell, Holbrook, MacKenzie, Merrill and others. My interest was sparked by my grandmother's research and collection of artifacts that were stashed away in an old slant top desk that is now at my Dad's house."

Ahh... a genealogy researcher much like myself, whose interest was sparked by a familial "hand-me-down"! [What could be more fun???]

Will Haskell is inciteful, and a purely fun read to see how another researcher thinks and utilizes the old noggin' in attempting to unravel the secrets of his families past. Heck... secrets? Well, perhaps not secrets, but things left to discover!

And isn't that what real genealogy is all about?

I do believe you'll enjoy Will's Genealogy Blog as much as I do. Head on over and read it now!

Follow Friday - Winging It

Today I'd like to introduce you to Winging It. This very interesting site is authored by Alex in Auckland, New Zealand. Other than stating she is female, her bio reads:

"Webmistress, genealogist, photographer, occasional blogger - plus my day job! I don't drink martinis, nor do I have perfect posture while typing."

I find Alex's writing style unique and easy to follow. I enjoy stopping by now and then just to see how someone in another country copes with the struggles of putting together a unique family genealogy.

Alex is enticing and interesting, and her ingenuity is quite evident in each of her posts.

I think you'll enjoy Winging It and I highly recommend a visit!!!

Follow Friday - Who Will Tell Their Story

Who Will Tell Their Story?

Today I would like to introduce you to, Who Will Tell Their Story?

This wonderful blog is the results of blog-author Julie Cahill Tarr. Julie's bio reads as follows:

"I am the owner of Design Write Communications in Central Illinois. I provide writing and graphic design services to medium-sized businesses across the country. To stay current on communication trends, I am a member of the International Association of Business Communicators and the Society for Technical Communication. In addition to my career, I am very passionate about studying my family history and ancestry. Although I have been interested since childhood, I only seriously began my research in 2007. To advance my genealogy knowledge-base, I hold memberships in the National Genealogical Society and the Illinois State Genealogical Society, and am a charter member of The Association of Graveyard Rabbits. "

Who Will Tell Their Story? is a blog dedicated to orphan photographs. Julie presents these "orphans" in a manner of dignity and respect, all while researching, and searching for their true identities.

I have fast become a fan of this site, and I believe you will too!

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce to Of Trolls and Lemons.

This delightful blog about researching the roots of a Nordic family is written by Astrid.

Astrid

Astrid's bio reads as follows: "I am a first-generation American. My father was born in Norway and my mother was born in Italy. I have a rich history in these two countries, and there are many stories to uncover and share. My goal is to bring back life to those who have come before me. They have stories to tell and wish to be remembered. If I don't record their stories, then who will?"

Of Trolls and Lemons is a lovely wonderfully written blog that is insightful and entertaining. I think you will find it so. as well.

Enjoy!

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce you to Old Stones Undeciphered.

Have you ever been somewhere and felt right home? Met a person and felt instant kinship?

That's how I felt when I visited Old Stones Undeciphered. The author of this site, Lisa Wallen Logsdon has this to say regarding herself: "I am a part of each and every one of my ancestors back to the beginning of time. I have a unique DNA. Only God can truly know me."

Lisa Wallen Logsdon

I was instantly intrigued and felt right at home reading Lisa's posts. A kindred spirit! Her love for her family is such a genuine feeling in her posts. And her love of her ancestry and ancestors is equally felt. So often we read the technical posts by other researchers, and the "heart" just isn't it. But Lisa's is truly felt in her every word.

Each time I visit, I am touched in some new way. Sometimes gently. Sometimes overwhelmingly. Always with a reverent love of family.

If you're longing for a feeling of genuine ancestral power, just visit Old Stones Undeciphered..

Follow Friday

Today I'd like for you to check out Hills Hollows Valley Plains.

While the author posts frequently, it's not to the point of inundating you with their prose. So that each time you go to take a look a this informative, and pleasantly written site, you are in a for a treat of both mind and senses.

Hills Hollows Valleys Plains is an experience through genealogical avenues and adventures that you won't want to miss! So check it out!!!