Life at the Home20

When I relunctantly gave up genealogy about 5 years ago, I began searching for another hobby that would not require so much time, travel and money.  I tried scrapbooking but could never seem to complete anything.  All I had to show for my effort was several pages that were missing captions or some other item that I just could never seem to find at the store.  And what I did find at the store never seemed to be the right size or color.  Everything was downright expensive and we won’t get into the mess that would cover my kitchen table for weeks at a time while I tried to finish something.

Then I began to wonder if I could scan items into the computer, resize and print.  I also needed fonts to make captions for the layouts.  I went to Google and searched for answers.  What I stumbled upon amazed me.  I never even dreamed of creating entire scrapbook pages with the computer.  I never looked back and now I am dying to tear those unfinished paper layouts apart so they can be digitally redone.

There are dozens of web sites selling digital art that can be downloaded and resized into that perfect element for a scrapbook project.  Many of the artists who create these elements showcase their work on blogs like Artistic Musings by [ksharonkdesigns].  She sells her products on Pickleberry Pop and twolittlepixels.  Check them out!

Here are some digital layouts I have done with ksharonk’s products. I like her style completely so I tend to imitate it when using her products. Not only do I keep an online gallery, but I also print these out to fit in an 8×8 binder. The detail in the printouts is amazing.

(Digital scrapbooking credits: “Taking Notes” by [ksharonkdesigns] at twolittlepixels.)

(Digital scrapbooking credits: “All Natural” by [ksharonkdesigns] at Pickleberry Pop.)

(Digital scrapbooking credits: “The Girly Collection” by [ksharonkdesigns] at Pickleberry Pop.)

Tags: Digital Scrapbooking by admin
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This is what I did today.

Perfect day.  No breeze.  I got alot done.  GetAlong doesn’t get to enjoy these chores anymore since he is always on the road.  Lucky dog.  See the pile below?  It was almost 3 times that size when I started this morning.  Of course, GetAlong would have torched the entire pile all at once but I didn’t want to burn down the entire county so I kept my fire small, moving a bit at a time.

Not long after I took those photos, something in the pile moved.  It didn’t come out, it just moved.  Now I thought there may be a snake hiding in there so I was very careful about moving anything.  Just when I was secure in the belief that I was safe, something moved.  I don’t think it was a snake.  But what else would be living in there?  I’m thinking rabbit.  I’m hoping rabbit.  Whatever it may be, it has about 20 hours to vacate, because I’ll be finishing up this chore (that GetAlong has avoided for the last 2 years) tomorrow afternoon.

Oh and here’s guard dog No. 1, AKA Mona.  Notice she is alert and ready for action.

She guards the inner perimeter at all times.  Here’s guard dog No. 2, AKA Birddog.

She guards the outer perimeter.  Here she is lulling the enemy into a false sense of security.  But I assure you, she sleeps with one eye open.

Tags: Anything Goes by admin
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My great great grandfather, James Eiland, always sticks in my mind as one of my more interesting ancestors. He was the son of Frances Marion Eiland and Elmina Jones. Born in Alabama on 23 August 1840, James was the third of possibly eight children. James and his older brother, Absalom, both served in the 29th Alabama Infantry during the Civil War. James was captured by Union forces as Sherman marched toward Atlanta. I can only assume as a measure of self-preservation, James enlisted in the Union Navy and was stationed aboard the USS Susquehanna until the end of the war, becoming my “galvanized Yankee” ancestor.

When he returned to Alabama, he married Rebecca Hayes on 11 June 1865.  Their children were: William, John, Enoch, James, Basil, Arthur, Ed and Anna Rebecca.  All but the older two are pictured below with James,  Rebecca and their own families.  The photo was taken in October 1898.

James is of course in the center, seated next to Rebecca.  I love the way his hair is combed upward, just like the “younger dudes” today.

He died of a spider bite in 1908 in San Angelo, Texas.

Tags: Southern Genealogy by admin
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GetAlong was home for a brief visit this weekend.  He was barely here long enough to get a load of laundry done and try to find the short in the big truck’s electrical system.  Seems it won’t quit running when he turns the key OFF.  Again.

The last time GetAlong was home the big truck was in the shop.  It went in for an A/C repair and came out with a brake job to boot.  To the tune of $1800.  “Ch-ching” for Larry, the independent mechanic.  It still needs a clutch repair and will soon need new tires.  And it’s just shy of 3 years old and 300,000 miles driven.

But it’s his, to do with as he pleases or sees fit.  He doesn’t have to answer to a dispatcher.  He books his owns loads and comes home when he can or needs to for one reason or another.    He makes his own decisions, good or bad, profitable or not so much.

All in all, I think he’s happy with the decision he made to go out on the road.  It’s something he’s always wanted to do but I wouldn’t have any part of it until 5 years ago.  A couple of not-so-good driving jobs and two trucks later, he’s still “just going down the road, holding this steering wheel”.

Tags: Anything Goes by admin
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I believe that my interest in my family tree has been sufficiently resurrected. After about 15 years of research I was forced to lay it aside about 5 years ago. I just did not have the time to concentrate on those brick walls that were plaguing me.

Anyway, on a recent visit to my dad’s house, he handed me a photograph that I had seen before but now he wanted me to keep it.  It’s an old photo of a young couple presumably on their wedding day, pre-1900.  We always thought it may be my father’s grandparents, Mack Duke and Mary Cannon who married in Waco, Texas about December 1900.

There is a stamp at the bottom of the cardboard mounting that reads “Jackson’s - Waco, Tex.”  On the back there is some handwriting at the top.  The writing is large but has faded to a point that it is hard to make out.  It says “T. D. Adams, Bruceville, Texas”.

Dad disagrees but I think it’s probably not Mack and Mary after all. I’m sure it’s Mary’s stepfather, Tom Adams, but who is the woman? It’s not likely Mary’s mother, Hettie. Tom and Hettie were 40ish when they married in 1896 in Waco. This couple is younger but it has to be Tom. I can only assume it is Tom and his first wife who I have not identified. Tom had 2 children that I know of from his first marriage, Bessie and Johnie. Bessie was born about 1887, so I am putting the date on this photo at about 1885. Now I just have to locate a marriage record to back up my theory.

Happy hunting!

Tags: Southern Genealogy by admin
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