Toil

“When your toil has been a pleasure, you have not earned money merely, but money, health, delight, and moral profit, all in one.”
-Robert Louis Stevenson

Good thing, because my toil doesn't earn any money...in stead of money I get a hot flash for my efforts...so I'm glad there's also "health, delight, and moral profit" to boot!

More Penguin....

One of My Most Important Jobs in Life

...and did I mention rewarding? Thanks for the fun letter in the mail Jane, Charlie and Cubbie!!

Wonderful Break Through

I had a break through today on my family history chart. The fan chart I have written about already really shows you where work is needed to find these ancestors. One anemic area was on my mother's grandmother's maternal side...7 generations back and I was able to clarify and substantiate dates/relationships for 5th and 6th generations and find the 7th! I was so happy that I actually cried; buried my face into my sweater, and tears ran down. It meant a lot to me, and I am going to coax another generation out of there if I can. On that same great-grandmother's side - her father, there is hardly anything known in that line, so I'll start tackling that next. I am soooo thankful for the this work in my ward, b/c I was so 'fish out of water' before the call and now I have the dedicated time to do it. It's not terribly difficult, and it's so very rewarding. These people that have gone before have helped to shape us now - I am definitely (and I definitely can't spell definitely!) enjoying the journey. Here is a sample of one of the documents I found today - ages, and names for the entire family. These are what many of the documents that one looks through looks like, to find their ancestors.

Here is a photo of the beautiful light in the evening in front of our home - I am mesmerized nearly every evening (actually this photo is probably about 3 minutes too late) - and have waxed poetic in previous posts, but here it is again:

I Love Penguin

Because they publish beautiful books! Another case in point: The Great Food Series http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/penguin_food/index.html

Smoothie

Sometimes you throw this and that in the blender, and it's just kind of gross; this combination is delicious!!

1 frozen banana (cut in half)
1/2 peach
1/8 of a whole pineapple
Handful of blueberries
Handful of raspberries
Handful of shredded cabbage
Pineapple juice
Carrot juice

Blend away:))

Genealogy Fan Chart - Cool!

Genealogy Fan Chart

You have to try this - it give you an INSTANT view of your family history and it becomes very apparent where you need to focus your time and effort to find your ancestors. It's an amazing tool - cool, pretty, and practical!

Click on the link, Log In, and then Create. That's it.

As if more proof was needed...

We found 'heaven' beneath our cedar bush, at the front of the house, near the 'book' bench. A mother duck has built her nest at the base of the cedar, and she has been caring for and protecting 8 precious duck eggs. It was so exciting; the only thing making it more exciting would to have had Jane, Charlie, Jacob, Scarlet, and Isabelle (I am fighting the urge to write 'Belly') here when we made the discovery. It's the kind of event that we know would truly have made Jane, in particular, swoon.

Dad came in last night, and said "this is at least the third time I have surprised a duck from that corner of the house." to which I replied "you should see if there is a nest back there." Voila, there it was in all it's heavenliness!

Proof Everywhere

Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes - 

The rest sit around it and pluck blackberries…

Elizabeth Barrett Browning