By Eilene Lyon I know that people generally celebrate blogging anniversaries, but since I was on hiatus when my anniversary came around (and likely will follow suit each winter), I decided to celebrate this, my 200th blog post. For something a little different, I “borrowed” these questions from Ally over at The Spectacled Bean. Think... Continue Reading →
Women’s Suffrage: My Wiki Life
By Eilene Lyon A Major Milestone This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. It was ratified in 1920, so we can celebrate another centennial next year. In recognition of women winning the vote, the National Archives (NARA) has a special exhibit opening in... Continue Reading →
The Huntington
Week 5: #52 Ancestors – At the Library By Eilene Lyon Before she died, my great-grandmother, Clara Ransom Davis, made a priceless (at least to me) donation to the Henry E. Huntington Library in San Marino, California. Why she chose the Huntington -- not the Bancroft Library at UC-Berkeley, the California Historical Society, or the... Continue Reading →
Blogging and Ancestry.com
By Eilene Lyon A disconcerting thing happened to me recently as I was perusing photo hints on Ancestry.com. Ancestry is a great place for people to share information about family. Old photos and excerpts from old books, as well as old documents, are all fair game. But things seem to be getting out of hand.... Continue Reading →
A Short Hiatus
Dear Readers, I’ve concluded a year of blogging with “52 Ancestors” and a total of 160 posts (including this one). I have many ideas for future posts, so I do plan to continue the blog. However, I need to focus my attention for the next 6 to 8 weeks on other writing projects. There’s a... Continue Reading →
No Pocahontas
Week 48: #52 Ancestors – Next to Last By Eilene Lyon Note: This post is more about the research process than storytelling. Yes, there really is a John Smith in my family tree. And, no, he isn’t that John Smith, of Jamestown and Pocahontas fame. Fortunately, I’ve been able to trace my mother’s paternal line... Continue Reading →
Enrich Your Writing
By Eilene Lyon Somewhere is a mountain built of nothing but books on how to be a better writer. I’ve got a boulder from that mountain sitting on my shelf. Still, it’s nice to have a few exercises that make me feel, when I’ve done them, that they really did improve my work. Added spice... Continue Reading →
Famous Family
Week 33: #52 Ancestors - Family Legend By Eilene Lyon There’s a spark in all of us that yearns to be remembered after we’re gone. Those with children are assured of being remembered for a generation or three, perhaps. After that, some sort of legacy or notoriety is probably required. For those of us without... Continue Reading →
“The Picturesque West”
By Eilene Lyon I stopped into the Friends of the Library book shop earlier this week. Check out this book I was so delighted to find – for the grand price of $4.00! As many of you are aware, I am working on a non-fiction book set during the California gold rush. This stout hardcover... Continue Reading →