Well, I just keep finding things to sort out!
I’ve been working on genealogy for over 35 years, and in that time I’ve collected a LOT of data. The software I use allows me to attach document and image files. There are over 8000 of those attached files, but about 1500 of them are missing in action. The rest are scattered across CDs and backups, are not filed well, and are full of duplications. Thousands of files are not attached, but are references in the citations. The search is on, another sort, merge/purge and file project. I hope to carry forward with a new filing strategy, and up to date files. This particular project could take years.
I have begun by loading every single genealogy related file onto one computer, in one gigantic file. The duplicates are overwhelming, as is the organization of the attachment files, which became mixed over time with more general documents about the people and places being researched. There are GB and GB of files, hundreds of thousands of them.
After I get them all in one place, I’ll have to find the 8000 that are actually attached to the genealogy software, but 1500 are still missing!
This project is for rainy days.
While doing all this sorting of files, paper and digital, I’ve had other projects on the go. I finished sewing the apron prototype, and like the way it turned out. Now I will wear it for a few months to see how I like it, see if I want to tweak the pattern.
I’ve also been milling flour, baking bread, baking squares and muffins, making Switchel at the rate of four litres a week, cooking meals, paying bills. Our day to day lifestyle has a lot of do it yourself elements to it, which take a lot of time. Luckily I enjoy all these things.
Attila is now thoroughly preoccupied with his garden. The seeds he planted so far have all sprouted, one little greenhouse on the top of a raised bed is full of starts, last years garlic is almost a foot tall, and, gasp, Attila harvested rhubarb on Sunday. We are having a wet spring, lots and lots of rain. Our rain barrels are full, which gives us over 2000 litres of water for the garden. We don’t need the water right now with all this rain, but if things get dry we will be good for a little while. The pictures of the making of the apron speak for themselves… I had help.
Worldly
Weather
Updated on Tue, May 2, 3:05 PM
11°C
FEELS LIKE 10
Mostly cloudy
Wind 12 SW km/h
Humidity 60 %
Visibility 29 km
Sunrise 5:57 AM
Wind gust 18 km/h
Pressure 99.5 kPa
Ceiling 9100 m
Sunset 8:12 PM
Quote
“I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active – not more happy – nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago.”
Edgar Allan Poe
1809 – 1849
Hi, Maggie! Have you ever looked at Wikitree? It’s a free Wiki service that logs family trees and lets you look at other’s genealogy searches to see if there are connections or more information. I’m asking because your information on your family sounds like it’s getting pretty unwieldy.
I started looking at my family’s roots something like 10 years ago and I’ve found so many fascinating connections branching out beyond America and Canada, including Scottish, English and French.
You have a good helper with your apron. I like the change you made to the pockets.
We actually had snow, today. May 2nd and we had snow. Fortunately, it didn’t stick.
Teri, thank you for the suggestion! I won’t put my research online. It will remain private and will be given to libraries and some other family genealogists at some point. I’ve published a book already, purchased by a lot of extended family members, placed in a few libraries, and I might get around to publishing another book as well. I have over 80,000 invidivuals in my database, having focused on the areas in Upper Canada where my ancestors received land grants when their boat arrived in Canada. I will manage to get the attached files organized, as for the reference files, they are cited properly and are publicly available, so I don’t really have to have them on file, but I do like to refer to them from time to time, without having to go online, so I’ll work on that after I get the attached files sorted out.
I’ve found it pretty tough to find information in Scotland and England before the late 1700s, early 1800s, which is as far back as I can locate adequate evidence, I like to have three primary sources for making a connection, otherwise it is guesswork, and the records before that period are sporadic, and skimpy on details.
My helper likes to get involved in my projects, he can get very territorial with materials he takes a fancy to, lol.
Snow, curses! Glad to hear it just melted away, but not pleasant to see on May 2nd! I think warmer weather is ahead of us.
Maggie, through Wikitree’s research trying to connect everyone, I’ve been able to bring some of my lines back to 1300-1400 AD and more. That would be in England and Scotland, where I found out I’m related to Clans Grant and Stewart. Oh, and the French went back to the time of Charlemagne, but I don’t remember the time period for that.
BTW, you can keep your profile private, if you want. I’ve seen connections that have the first several generations as private records, including the owner of the Wiki profile.
Maggie, you’ll find this interesting. This is the kind of searches you can do on Wikitree. Mind you, my first 6 generations were researched and confirmed by St Boniface Historical Society because I wanted the indigenous connection confirmed. But I’ve no doubt you know your first 6 generations backwards and forwards, so you could put most of them as private and then Wikitree would connect to the older generations that it has data for.
Oh, and periodically they send you standard emails that show both blood and marriage connections. Like, this week they sent out connections to various Popes.
Anyhow, here’s a connection search I ran myself, after finding the listing for Louis Riel in Wiki. (Always have to make sure it’s the right Louis or John or whoever, of course.)
Hi Maggie…your apron is really nice! Love the style. Glad you have such a handsome helper. I had a similar helper who stole balls of yellow yarn when I would crochet.
Hi Eileen! Thank you, I am pleased with the results, this apron is made from very old worn out sheets, I wasn’t expecting much. I love my helper, even though he does slow things down a bit. That is so cute, stealing balls of yellow yarn!
Teri, thanks for all the info on Wikitree, it certainly seems to have provided you with a lot of information. I had not known about the St. Boniface Historical Society, very interesting.
Maggie, thought of your campsite when I started to read this. It even applies if you own the land. I can foresee rural communities being enticed by the income, so might want to keep an eye out for your area considering this bylaw change.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/new-trailer-bylaws-coming-to-cottage-country-communities-in-ontario-raising-concerns/ar-AA1b7y2j
Teri, we knew something like this would come eventually. We might get rid of the trailer, or we might pay the fee, it will be decided when the axe comes down. We knew something like this would be in the works because every piece of vacant land has a trailer on it, so it was only going to be so long before cottagers wanted them out. Keeping the riff raff out of playland is a priority of the new cottage governments.
That’s a very nice apron!
Thank you Joan! I am very pleased with how it turned out.