Study Says Art Makes You Mentally Healthier, Even If You’re Not Good At It

https://www.lifehack.org/429885/study-says-art-makes-you-mentally-healthier-even-if-youre-not-good-at-it?fbclid=IwAR3EBrGuKUJymOW3jZ6-2cYuqyC31-NoNkMThWIR3mMetE048qwqq8GQ8Ww

Library and Archives Canada offers funds for Indigenous digitization projects Deadline to apply is July 17

https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/library-and-archives-canada-offers-funds-for-indigenous-digitization-projects/

ANCESTOR ADVICE

Author Tammy Tipler-Priolo BASc, PLCGS copyright 5 January 2011

If you could meet one or two of your ancestors, what advice might they give you?  If you read between the lines of those ancestor documents, you just might find some hidden advice.  Like to pay your mortgage on time, land records can reveal if a mortgage has lapsed.  A will can tell you that you had better be nice to your elders, especially if one child was left out of that ancestor’s will.  Now don’t be fooled if you can’t find the eldest son in a will as he usually is given land before the father dies, thus it is assumed he already received his share of the inheritance earlier.  A marriage record for a shotgun wedding would supply advice all young people should heed.

My ancestors have been full of advice in life and death.  My paternal grandfather would always say, “Eat a little of everything, but not too much of one thing.”  My paternal grandmother advised me when I was little how to butter toast the proper way and what to do if I ever got a stomach ache.  My maternal grandfather gave us advice all the time.  Of course, he lived until he was 93 so he must have known what he was talking about.  His biggest piece of advice was to listen to the stories of your elders.  My maternal grandmother died when I was two years old, but she instilled the importance of going to school through my mother.  My father’s favourite piece of advice is to give way, however whenever he was missing something he would tell us to cleanup until we found it.  Mom on the other hand just wanted us to keep things tidy all the time. 

My husband’s grandmother gave advice that dealt with money.  While my husbands’ grandfather showed him how to have fun as you only live once.  His other grandparents showed that family always came first.  His mother believes that one should stay in contact with family members, even distant relatives.  His father believes that there should always be enough food in the house to feed everyone.  My advice to my daughter is to be respectful, compassionate and to be true to herself.  My husband shows her how to be in his own quiet way.  Often the advice we get from our parents, has come from generations before.  Sometimes the advice is from the experiences we have gone through ourselves. 

Ask any genealogist and they will advise you to listen to your elders stories, to write the stories down, to collect and take pictures of your ancestors and other family members, as well as to start your own family history collection.  I hear it so often from people that they wished they had interviewed their parents or grandparents.  I did listen to my maternal grandfather and interviewed my paternal grandfather and sought the truth about my grandmothers’ family histories.  My family is glad I took my own advice and I am too, for you see I now know where I come from and who I resemble.  I can take pride in my heritage and all its wonderful and colourful nationalities.  Good luck to you in finding out what advice your ancestors may have in store for you.

Happy Hunting!!

“MAY ALL YOUR GENEALOGICAL DREAMS COME TRUE!!!”

Tammy Tipler-Priolo BASc, PLCGS

The Ancestor Investigator is also the Ancestor Whisperer!

Genealogical Proof Standard

An explanation of the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) used by professional genealogists can be found in “The BCG Standards Manual” by the Board for Certification of Genealogists Millennium Edition, pgs. 1-19, Ancestry Publishing My Family.com Inc., 2000, ISBN 0-916489-92-2”.  It is strongly recommended, that everyone conducting family history research use the GPS, so that the results of their research are the best they can be.  The GPS has five components; basically stated, they are:

1. Conduct a thorough search of all records available for evidence.
2. Cite the sources of all searches.
3. Analysis of the information must be done.
4. Recognize any discrepancies between evidence found.
5. Come up with a conclusion from the evidence analysis, with the understanding that if new cited information and evidence, that has been analyzed, comes to light, a more concise conclusion must be created.

This may sound dry but is very important in the grand scheme of your family history research. 

Happy Hunting!!

“May All Your Genealogical Dreams Come True!!!”

Tammy Tipler-Priolo BASc., PLCGS

The Ancestor Investigator

PLEASE LEAVE THE TOMBSTONES

Author Tammy Lynn Tipler-Priolo 19 September 2009

It was recently brought to my attention that the push on for environmentally friendly green spaces has found its way to the graveyard.  The suggestion is to do away with tombstones completely.  Don’t get me wrong, I do try to follow my native roots by being environmentally attentive to mother earth.  In fact, I was involved in recycling as a kid way before recycling was a word; I guess I am dating myself now.  Anyway, the question arose in an article I read as to whether you would like to be surrounded by tombstones or meadows with birds and butterflies once you have departed this earth.  As a genealogist, I really don’t want to see tombstones taken away, as these small and sometimes not so small markers of our passing do provide evidence of our existence.  I like the idea that I can visit with my grandparents and all my ancestors for that matter, on any given day in the tranquil environment of a cemetery; ah and yes I have see the birds and butterflies enjoying the same tranquility in the graveyard as I have. 

Tombstones have a place in our society and without them, the memories of our ancestors will fade as each new generation appears and the older ones leave this earthly realm.  I have a client who has been searching for years to find her grandfather’s resting place.  We have checked all possible places he has ever lived or visited and have come up with more questions then answers and no tombstone.  It is rather sad as this man will be forgotten by future generations in no time.  The wonderful thing about tombstones for this particular client is the fact that we were able to find part of her family in Ireland all buried in the same plot.  All sorts of information on the family was gleaned from the stone, including the listing of all of their names and how each was related to the others.  This information could have been listed elsewhere in the records; however, we would never have known what records to look for if we had not found this tombstone.  Further, we were able to find the client’s great grandparents burial site in California because of the tombstone that showed a daughter buried with her parents.  Such family finds are true treasures that need to be a part of our family histories.

With all the privacy issues and laws being created by our so-called well-intentioned governments, we are going to wipe out our history in no time.  Records will be locked up so tight or worse destroyed; so much for prevention of history repeating itself.  We will have no history to draw upon to learn from our historical mistakes.  We will have no identity left as our history is locked away from us forever.  One solace in all this is that we would have our graveyards and cemeteries left to remember the past.  If we take away the humble piece of granite or marble that has been artfully crafted into hard cold evidence of our existence on earth, then our history will be wiped away completely. 

I for one stand behind the keeping of tombstones as reminders of who we have been, who we are today and who we are to become; leave no stone unturned and leave all tombstones standing is my genealogical motto.  Stone beings hold the history of time within them according to native beliefs.  If I find an ancestor’s resting place, I will make all efforts to have a stone placed at the head of the grave.  If a stone is damaged, I will make every effort to have it repaired.  It is comforting to know that I have reawakened my family history in this way.  Finally, if the time comes when tombstones are to be no more, I will rally to keep them in their place of honour.  Preservation of these stones will always be an important part of history that should never be disturbed; let the butterflies and birds alight on them in all their beauty and song. 

Happy Hunting!!

“MAY ALL YOUR GENEALOGICAL DREAMS COME TRUE!!!”

Tammy Tipler-Priolo BASc, PLCGS

The Ancestor Investigator is also the Ancestor Whisperer!

PLCGS=Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies-National Institute for Genealogical Studies in Partnership with the Faculty of Independent Studies University of Toronto