Heritage Happens Turns Two Today!

Happy Second Blogiversary to Heritage Happens! I never expected when I began this blog that I would still be here two years later. Who was it that said "Never say never?" 

I knew this date was fast approaching and I felt I needed to put together a post. I have been trying for the past week to do this, but my thoughts seem to change constantly and my focus isn't what it should be right now. So here you have it, "a la natural"…

For some reason I feel as if I am accepting an award and need to give a speech. First I would like to thank… and then I need to thank…

I thought about writing a poem. Actually, I started three of them but never could get past the first two lines…(very unusual for me.)

I thought about not doing a post, but that was for a split second, that thought didn't last long.  Who could really NOT do a post on their blogiversary if they actually knew they were having one? Not I….

I really do have to thank all of my readers and followers however. I have been so pleasantly surprised by the comments I have received and followers I have gained over these two years. I am so grateful for the bloggers I have met and become friends with. Genealogy Bloggers are THE BEST!!!

I have accomplished my initial thoughts with this blog, namely sharing my trials and tribulations. I have become more organized, aware and accomplished with my genealogy. I have advanced my knowledge from classes, reading others blogs, and working my family history. I have met many new cousins because of Heritage Happens. PLUS, I have made many new friends!

I really am beyond words with all of the blessings this blog has brought to me. Again, I thank you all for participating, everyone of you is very special to me. I love blogging and the GeneaBlogger community! It may be a little slow going, starting out this third year, but I will be here. I would like to stay caught up with all of you also. Even if I am in the background for a bit, remember, I LOVE ALL of your blogs, keep up the awesome work!

Also,

Thanks for stopping by! 

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts! 

Copyright © 2010 Cheryl Palmer

Update on Life... and Blogging

While blogging has been mostly none existent in the last couple weeks, I do plan to get on track just as soon as possible. I miss this wonderfully, fun hobby of blogging and genealogy. I miss the camaraderie, learning and creativity it brings.

I have been side tracked by family and friends health issues; deaths, illnesses (pneumonia), broken bones, cancer, surgeries, hospitals. From robbery to a missing person, and people with guns, the negatives have been haunting me and they don't seem to be stopping. I am trying to remember "this is life" and I can't "fix" everything, but it is difficult, I tend to hurt for everyone.

This past week alone, a family member (19) was killed in a car accident. (Received the phone call upon returning home from the funeral last Wednesday) Today my dog had surgery, and I was informed another family member has pancreatic cancer…this particular family member… we went to his brothers funeral last week and his sister had an aneurysm at the hospital while the brother was there before he died. She is still in the hospital, it has been since the first of Aug. Now, this brother…he has been in the hospital since the night of his brothers funeral, in fact the hospital wanted to admit him the day of the services, but they told him to just come back after the services. He has a 10 year old son.

Needless to say I am helping, visiting and doing what I can, as I can. I have been and will be helping to care for the 10 year old much more now. He is my nephew. While there has been over a dozen different things that have happened lately,  the hardest to believe is three in one family, brothers and a sister all having such severe illnesses at the same time. I can only do what I can do.

I hope to post at least once a week, if time allows. It will be good for me to do something I love. I wanted you to know, it isn't that I am trying to avoid blogging, my mind just hasn't been able to process the idea of doing it, it has been pre-occupied.

Thank you all so much for your understanding. I have a blogiversary coming up in a couple of days and I look forward to posting for it! But for now, I am off to visit my brother-in-law at the hospital, right after my daughter comes to give my dog a pain shot...

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts!




 Copyright © 2010 Cheryl Palmer

Where Have I Been?

Where have I been? Why haven't I been posting lately? Let me fill you in.  

A cousin, who has been helping me identify photos that I have been scanning, has been on vacation. Without realizing it, I gave myself a vacation from genealogy. I suppose I felt it was the perfect time to work on some other things, non genealogy related. Summer, projects and a few other things have kept me busy. I recovered my daughter's dining room chairs. It was a fun project, something I had never attempted before. I completed a baby afghan I made for the shower I attended last Saturday. There have been many, many hours spent working in my front yard. After removing a large juniper, my work really began. There was an awful lot of lava rock that needed moving out, and river rock which needed to be moved in. Of course shopping for and planting plants. I actually see light at the end of the tunnel regarding the yard! I have to admit I am already much happier with it.

I think it has been a month, or at least close to it, since I have obtained two more bags of scanning to do. No, I haven't even started this project yet. These bags will complete the boxes of pictures that belonged to my paternal grandparents. If I don't get this completed before hand, I will definitely be counting on Miriam's Scanfest to help me get it done!

The only real genealogy I have done is to organize/clean up pictures on my computer. Between all of the scanned items and photos I have been taking, I really needed to do this. This is something I hate spending time doing although it is a necessity at times. I made lots of new folders and did a lot of labeling. It was such a great feeling to see it when it was completed.

I have tried to stay caught up reading blogs and have found and sent some genealogy related information to an aunt who is just starting her own genealogy. In fact his is the same aunt who has been loaning me all of the photos I have been scanning this year! Maybe some of my enthusiasm rubbed off a little on her? The last time I was over there we talked for hours, I couldn't believe how late it was when I left. It was all genealogy talk too!

Finally... I will be completely honest here. There has been so much negative information with family and friends lately, that it has put me in a funk. Deaths(4), illnesses (heart attack, liver replacement, kidney replacement, pneumonia, cancer, aneurysm, and even "not diagnosed yet") hospitals, surgeries, robbery, missing person...I am not even sure I have listed it all, my mind tries to block or hide some of it. One family member is being released from the hospital today to attend his brother's funeral service tomorrow, and is expected to return to the hospital after the service. His sister has been in another hospital and took a turn for the worst over the weekend. These three are all around my age, which makes it all that much harder to accept.

Mentally, genealogy just hasn't been there for me. Maybe because genealogists mostly deal with those who have departed? I think I have been taking out my aggressions with physical labor. I should have lost 100 pounds by now, but of course I can't be that lucky. Tomorrow I will be attending the funeral I spoke about earlier. I do believe my mind is getting to a better place or I wouldn't have written this. I really am so very grateful for all the blessings in my life. There just has been so much negativity lately that I couldn't find and bring that point to the foremost part of my brain for awhile.

I am hoping things are finally settling down a bit. At least I am not feeling so overwhelmed with depressing news. There are three people who are still very sick in the family though. I hope they are not suffering or in pain. I hope they all get the help they need to get well very soon. I have them all close to my heart.

Soon I will be back posting and doing genealogy, I hope. I have just taken a little detour. I miss genealogy and blogging, which is a great sign, right?  I thank you for your understanding and patience. I really am doing much better and look forward to my next post!

I hope life has been and is being kind to each of you! We are so fortunate to have so many blessings in our lives!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts!







Copyright © 2010 Cheryl Palmer

I Remember Terry Thornton

I was saddened to hear that Terry Thornton passed away last night. I heard probably a bit to late that he was terminally ill. I sent him an email this past week, however I doubt he ever read it. I thanked him for approaching me and making me feel so special once upon a time. That was when I first "met" Terry, almost two years ago.

Terry, you will never be forgotten. I appreciate what you did for me and for being a friend. I hope you know this. May you rest in peace.

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts!






 Copyright © 2010 By Cheryl Palmer  

Moving From Backwards To Forward, Isn't That Moving Backwards?

My uncle was born on March 19, 1924 in Spokane, Washington as Richard Harold DeMoss. (I have never known him as DeMoss) I had been contemplating posting copies of his service records and such when it came to my attention that I haven't scanned any of his documentation! I had "moved forward" as I have his mother and her line in my system, etc., but I do not have anything in my genealogy program other than a name and basic dates for my uncle.

I found it interesting that when I went looking for information in my files under Harding (which is what I grew up knowing his last name to be) and then under DeMoss also, I couldn't find copies of any of his files on my computer. Seems I have been more focused on "older" ancestors and organizing their paperwork. Time to move from backwards to forward a bit...darn, doesn't that mean I am going in the wrong direction???

I do not have a file made for the name DeMoss, yet I should. I feel my uncle is currently lost in space. So, after I do this post I will set up a file for him and give him a "real home."

Because I was looking for documentation of my uncle, I came across a situation I hadn't really analyzed.  When did my uncle's name change? Sure, I had a general idea but I have never followed documents to see this change. At age 6, the 1930 census still lists him as Richard DeMoss, stepson of Clifford C. Hills. He must be in school by now. How many years forward is it until his mother marries my grandfather? How old was he when he takes on my grandfather's last name?

It amazes me that I do not have this information in my computer. Have I have been so focused on having copies of the older documents and pictures, that I haven't even realized I didn't have documentation for family members closest to me in my system? Now I need to work "forward" a bit ~ that is really working backwards from how I should be focusing, which is working backwards!

I don't believe I am missing any of my uncle's documentation, it is the simple fact that it has not been scanned into my computer. This will be entered on my "to do" list ~ scan the documentation from my binder into my computer files and my software program for my uncle. I wonder if there is anyone else I need to go from backwards to forward with? I need to check. Sometimes those so close can be so far away.

(To clarify and not confuse those who are just starting their genealogy; document what you know starting with yourself, and move back one generation at a time with your research.)

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts!



Copyright © 2010 By Cheryl Palmer

Wordless Wednesday ~ Unknown Siblings

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts!

Copyright © 2010  Cheryl Palmer

I Did My 10!

I know you haven't heard from me in a few days, but I have good reason! First and foremost, I have been taking care of my grand children this week, the prince and princess, some of you may already know this is what I call them. The prince is 3 yrs, and the princess is 15 months. They have kept me on my toes, but oh what a pleasure! So, life goes on, with many interruptions sometimes, and things get put on hold. The next item I am about to discuss is what I have been spending my tiny bit of free time doing lately, instead of blogging and researching etc.

Have you read or heard about Footnote.com and LowCountry Africana teaming up for an indexing project? I know I have seen it posted in the Family Tree Magazine's Genealogy Insider Blog and on Twitter. I haven't had much time to poke around lately, but I have seen a badge earned and posted to at least one blog site already.

When I first read about this project I immediately replied that I would like to help. (I was immediately informed I was the first person to respond to this project - yeah me!) The indexing is being done with the South Carolina Estate Inventories and Bills of Sale, 1732-1872. Estate inventories in this collection lists slaves that the deceased owned.

This index, even now in it's very early stages, is FREE to search at Footnote.com. I have no idea what made me initially jump to do this, it was just something I felt I needed to do. Maybe because it was new and hasn't been done before, maybe because I wanted to "give back," or maybe just because that is where my heart was at during that time. I have not found slaves in my family history, but I do not rule out they may be there somewhere. Whatever my reasoning, I can tell you that I sure have a great feeling now having completed 10 pages. A very small contribution.


I know there are many indexing projects available to work on right now. But I would like you all to think about doing just 10 pages of this collection. If we all kick in a little there isn't so much for just a few to do. I have to say that I have had the MOST PLEASANT experience working on this project! Toni, you are the sweetest and kindest person ever! What a treat! If I can get myself caught up on a few things soon, don't be surprised if you see me come back and ask to do another 10! I had fun! I hope you will try just 10 pages too!


To read more about this project, see LowCountry Africana's  site and if you would like to volunteer, go to the news section on the right and click where "Footnote.com and LowCountry Africana join forces." You will be glad you did!


Thanks again Toni, I proudly have your badge on my site! Don't be surprised if you see me back for more...

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts!




Copyright © 2010 Cheryl Palmer