Week 2: #52Ancestors - Photo By Eilene Lyon Sterling Price Davis (1867 – 1933) and Clara Ransom Davis (1877 – 1953) – wedding portrait (1905; Collection of the Latah County Historical Society) Historical Societies and Libraries Though I’ve been engaged in the genealogy hobby – okay, obsession – for a couple decades now, it was... Continue Reading →
The Ugly American Syndrome
By Eilene Lyon Ponte Vecchio, Firenze, Italia (2011) The gold rush period in California was probably the greatest mash-up of languages and cultures since Babel. People, literally from around the globe, converged in a small area on the western coast of America, all with the express purpose of getting rich. The southern mines were particularly... Continue Reading →
Remedies
By Eilene Lyon Combing through archives is fun and fascinating – at least until the third day, when exhaustion starts to set in. In November 2017, I put the fabulous librarians at the California State Library in Sacramento through their paces, requesting manuscript boxes, books, periodicals, and more. One of their many treasures is a... Continue Reading →
National Parks 2013 – 2017 – Part 1
By Eilene Lyon I'd like to share some images from the parks I've visited over the past five years. Some are not National Parks, but have other designations such as National Monument, National Preserve, National Recreation Area, etc. But all are protected as public land for ALL Americans (and people from other countries are welcome... Continue Reading →
Friendly Fire in WWII
Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery. Orville’s name can be read on the 3rd tablet on the right in the full-scale image. http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/pacific/manila-american-cemetery#.VWyrJ5DbLIW By Eilene Lyon Orville E. Bodtker was the son of Fred Bodtker and Mary Ann Sumner (grandson of Emil Bodtker and Minnie Gusso), making him my second cousin, twice... Continue Reading →
Getting Past Glitter
"Mr. Ballou said I could go further than that, and lay it up among my treasures of knowledge, that nothing that glitters is gold. So I learned then, once for all, that gold in its native state is but dull, unornamental stuff, and that only low-born metals excite the admiration of the ignorant with an... Continue Reading →
Disputing the “Facts”
Week 1: #52Ancestors - Start By Eilene Lyon My favorite pair of jeans is getting so threadbare on the thighs and knees that holes are starting to appear. It almost certainly is not an attractive garment, so why do I keep wearing it? Because they are super comfortable. What does this have to do with... Continue Reading →
A Special Tree Hug
By Eilene Lyon Last year I visited several national parks, as I do every year. This photo shows bristlecone pines in Great Basin National Park. Yes, I was there hugging trees. It’s true. But there were no witnesses (other than the trees), so you’ll have to trust me on that. When I peered out of... Continue Reading →