THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS-HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE?

With the turkey in the oven, time for a little pause to share some thoughts.
We trudge along in life often forgetting to stop and really smell the roses. Or today the turkey cooking in the oven.
So many things in life are just taken for granted. To have a home, wheels, food on the table, heat, water, family friends are some of life's true blessings.
What is a blessing? The dictionary says- the act of declaring, seeking, or bestowing favour. God or your mother or the clergy or anyone may give you their blessing. Sometimes just a thing one is glad of is another section of the dictionary.
It actually does not really get to the feeling level of your blessing does it?
So how many blessings do you have? Do you need many or is one enough?
My blessing is being able to host the Thanksgiving feast with some help from the family with appetizers and desserts. Having all my loved ones present is just icing on the cake or because it is Thanksgiving- the whipped cream on the pumpkin pie.

Being thankful is a humbling way to be. It means to acknowledge that one is not necessarily deserving of all the good things but grateful to have them.
What are your blessings in your life?
#thanksgivingblessing#beingthankful#preparingthemeal#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro#familyoneofmyblessings.

BARB'S GENEALOGY TIDBITS-USING CITY DIRECTORIES

After watching an OGS webinar last week on using directories, gazetteers and other lists of information I returned to the Toronto Branch's site with a link to directories going back to the early 1800s.
Going year by year and methodically, I have discovered how one set of grandparents must have met.
Tracing family in the city and what streets were known. Their occupations and sometimes place of work reveals another tidbit.
So continuing to review the directories is a fun piece of research. Why? I can actually see results.
When I have used the data in a story about the ancestor I will illustrate how I used the directories.
Meanwhile I am doing some hours of research before the long Weekend.
#usingdirectoriestotraceancetorsmovement#usingcitydirectoriesinresearch#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro#Torontoaddresses#ocuppationsofancestors

A POSTCARD FROM SPAIN

Our friends were going on a tour of Spain and Portugal. I asked them to send me a postcard. It is still lots of fun to receive postcards from far away places. So picking up my mail today I found this lovely card from Spain. Is it too old fashioned to send a postcard to a friend. I have a postcard collection so always good to add some more.

The postal code is L4C 9N1.

Cordoba looks so inviting doesn't it??
So if you want a postcard featured here just send to the address above.
#postcardfromSpain#postcardsarefuntoreceive#oldfashionedbutfuntoreceive#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

CANADIAN THANKSGIVING PREPARATION

Across the country, cooks in the shape of chefs, Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles- whoever is hosting the Thanksgiving dinner are getting prepared for the feast.
Shopping starts early.
The Turkey is  the main event. So frozen or fresh.
Traditional Canadian vegetables like turnips, squash, sweet potato, potato, brussel sprouts. Maybe corn and carrots too.
Of course, cranberries for the sauce.
Many of these harvest vegetables are so native to Canadian culture coming from our First Nations people.
The bread stuffing. I use my family one learnt from my Mom.
Then each family may add their own little tradition. I add Italian sausages for my husband. Now it is a standard.

The dessert of course are the Canadian pies. Pumpkin and whipped cream- fresh or canned. Apple. Or some other apple dessert. Canadian apples are so prolific. The stores has so many other treats in the form of cookies or cupcakes.
What appetizers? There can be such a mix of everything.
So as I prepare for the feast I think of Thanksgiving dinners past.
How about you? How are your preparations coming along?
#Thanksgivingpreparation#turkeyandallthetrimmings#sweetpotato##corn#breadstuffing#cookseverywherepreparingfortheevent#dessertsofpumpkinandapplepie#squash#turnips#brusselsprouts#lotsofgoodfoodtoeat#cranberries#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

KEEP GOING NO MATTER HOW TOUGH

Do you ever question and feel what's the use? What difference will I make?Why do I bother?
Be like the stone thrown into the water. You are the ripple effect.
You do make a difference. Your actions have value.
To all of you struggling and just trying to find a meaning for it all.
My advice. Keep going.

#keepgoingthroughtoughtimes#knowyoumakeadifference#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

FALL- A TIME TO REGROUP AND START NEW PROJECTS.

Along with some Fall cleaning and sorting and organizing, my creative juices are flowing.

The cooler weather entices me to knit, crochet or craft. 

Revisiting those family stories in draft to add some more tidbits and photos has made that ongoing project satisfying.

Looking at my brickwalls in genealogy and trying to break through.

Thanksgiving around the corner brings the shopping and planning for a good and fun family dinner with all the trimmings. I always find it to be so much easier than Christmas. Sometimes I buy double so I have those items for the Christmas feast. What?? Turkey gravy mix. A double dose of cranberry sauce that can be frozen. Squash and some sweet potatoes that keep in a cool area of the house. 

Party City is one of my favourite stores where I like to buy the matching plates, napkins and tablecloths.I do have lovely good dishes. But the grandchildren don't care so whatever is easier for Nana works best.

I have been attending my webinars frequently so gives me lots of ideas for research and I can do them in PJs at my home computer.

Yes the garden. Well the only project will be planting those special Liberation tulip bulbs towards the end of October. They will grow and be blooming in the Spring when the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands happens.

Nothing too exciting but it is life. It is my life.

How is your Fall coming along? What projects do you have on the go?

#fallactivities#moregenealogy#Thanksgivingisatimetocelebrate#Makingfuntimesforfamily#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

OCTOBER- WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

October is Women's History Month. What better way to celebrate women! What better way to celebrate Canadian women!
I wrote a number of notes and themes for women I could include in this blog over the month.
As a family historian the women in our trees have equal importance to the men.
So the history of our ancestors of the female gender are special. Their history is more important than all the rest.
They birthed babies. They fed their families. They used their resources at hand. They supported their men and their endeavors.
So for me the most important women in history are our mothers, grandmothers, aunts and as far back as we can go.
#women'shistorymonth#ourhistoryisthebest#startwithourmothersandgrandmothers#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro#knowingthehistoryofourwomen