The Family Tree

Genealogy--tracing the family tree--has been a hobby for many years.  "A recorded history of the descent of a person or family from an ancestor or ancestors", that's what Webster's Dictionary says, but it is so much more.  It is an engrossing hobby anyone can do--and, I believe, everyone should do.  They're not perfect--our ancestors--but by studying the past we can better understand the present, and plan the future to make it better for us and our children.

I have started traing four different main lines--my paternal and maternal lines:  Carter and Hollandsworth, and my husband's:  Turner and Conner.  I published The Carter Family Tree in the 1980's and am currently working on my Grandmother Hollandsworth's story--raising six children as a widow beginning in 1915 near the boom-town of Fayerdale in Patrick County where Fairy Stone State Park is today.

In between these two, I've kept tracing, working on lots of sidelines, collecting and writing little stories, newsletters, and games.  I've taken pictures, written short articles about them, made postcards, booklets and reports.

I love to write and enjoy our local Piedmont Writers Group.  We've done several booklets, and now are working on a new one.

I have pictures displayed in my hallway--some hang on the wall, some on a shelf that I change every so often.

I've about gotten used to the digital camera.  Sometimes I miss the cameras using a roll of film, taking 24 or 36 pictures, remove film, drop off, pick up later (I do like next-day better than two weeks).  The digital takes awhile to enter, rotate some pictures, look and decide, submit order, then wait 15-30 minutes--and they're done!  Amazing.  Sometimes I wait, but I look around the store, find some sales, and I buy more stuff.

My camera has a button to push part way to focus, then all the way down to snap pictures.  The trouble with that is granddaughter Chloe Jean-Ellen is there which I focus, then when I snap the picture, she's already gone!  But, I still love to take pictures.