Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Holidays Reviewed on Review This Reviews!
Sunday, April 4, 2021
Happy Easter from the Contributors of ReviewThisReviews
The Writers of ReviewThisReviews Wish You a Happy, Healthy, and Safe Easter Holiday
Saturday, February 20, 2021
Tracing Your Family Tree - Reviewing Some Genealogy Adventures
Adventures in Genealogy - Discovering Your Roots
I sometimes watch the television program – Who Do You Think You Are – where celebrities trace their family tree and it saddens me to think that some people don’t even know the names of all of their grandparents let alone further back. I think knowing your roots helps in making you feel confident in yourself – it means you don’t feel alone because you know you have a family that goes back and out and you’re just a little twig on this solid oak tree!
My first ‘adventure’ as I referred to it before started in school where I was asked to make a family tree which I should just mention earned me an A (not that I’m bragging or anything!). We were told to add ourselves, our siblings, our parents, their siblings and our grandparents and anything else we were able to.
The pretentious young girl that I was I made sure to add all of my grandparents’ siblings as well as the names of my great grandparents and while I was finding this out I made an amazing discovery – one of my great aunts had a marriage certificate that belonged to my great great grandparents. I wasn’t allowed to take the original to school, but my dad let me get a photocopy to take in – I don’t know why this didn’t earn me an A+, but still!
All the photographs on this post are from the author's family and are used with permission - information on the people in them can be found at the bottom of the post.
How to Start Researching Your Family Tree
Am I Descended from Royalty or is There a Criminal Mastermind in My Tree?
People want to trace their roots for a variety of reasons, years ago people would claim that their family were aristocrats – you just had to go back a while! These days more and more people want to discover criminals in their backgrounds! Whatever drives you to discover the people you’re descended from you have to start somewhere so where?
The first place to start is with the living – talk to your relatives, your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and find as much information as you can from them. You might find that some aren’t very helpful and that’s often because of skeletons in the family closet and with older relatives, this was often to do with birth dates and marriage dates not quite gelling or ‘sisters’ turning out to be daughters!
When I was looking into my maternal grandfather’s family mum suggested I contact her godmother who was also her cousin (we were living in New Zealand at the time and our family were from the UK). I was lucky enough that my grandfather’s sister was staying with her at the time and wrote to me herself. I had never met any of my grandfather’s family as my Nan fell out with them after his death (when I was 6) so it was great to ‘discover’ a great aunt and I still have her letters today.
I had only asked a few questions, but she had not only supplied that information but more besides including a family mystery and a scandal and the most important piece of information - my great grandfather's name wasn't what I had recorded! I had been looking for Richard Butcher, but he was actually christened Arthur Richard Butcher, he'd just used the name Richard since he'd become an adult.
What to Ask Your Relatives?
The basic questions to start with are their first names and date & place of birth – if they’re married ask for their spouse’s names and the details of their marriage along with details of any of their children.
Next, ask for their parent's details along with any of their parent’s siblings – move on to their grandparents after that.
It doesn’t matter if you already have details from other family members as it can either help confirm the information or show a discrepancy – both of which can be very helpful. You can also discover different stories AND you never know who the family secret keeper is.
There is always someone in the family (it seems) who remembers all the skeletons, hoards all of the photos and sometimes even possesses the family bible or other papers which are all great things to see (if not own) as a family historian. This person is the family secret keeper and did I mention you’re now a historian?
It's the little family stories that we hear that add the foliage to our family trees.
Don’t be in a rush as you’re talking to your living relatives either as it’s amazing the little pieces of information that they may tell you about which help you to breathe life into the photos and/or names on your family tree.
I remember a few years ago I looked at how my family tree was progressing and I felt a little dissatisfied as they were just names on paper, I didn’t know anything about them. I decided then that I would ask my parents questions about what hobbies their parents and grandparents had, did they have any idiosyncrasies about them etc. I just wanted to build up some sort of an idea about who they were and a few of the stories that I’ve been told have really helped bring my tree to life.
Family stories also sometimes have a little grain of truth in them (after all the tales had to come from somewhere) and when you hit a brick wall you can try throwing out some of the information – I used a name that some branches of the family used with our surname and some had dropped that apparently had something to do with grandma (it hadn’t!) and also a tea plantation that the family owned. Well I had hit a brick wall so I did a broad search for our surname with the other surname and I found a marriage between what would turn out to be two great grandparents – I don’t think a train driver owned a tea plantation though, but it was a help nonetheless.
Eli & Alice Read with children Edward, Lona & William |
Birth, Death & Marriage Certificates
Getting More Information on Your Ancestors
Birth Certificate of Lily Mary Maud DEAN |
Marriage Certificate of Robert GALE & Martha PARSONS |
Death Certificate for Clara Emily COX nee PEASE |
Free Alternatives to Getting 'Official' Certificates
One site that I have used in the past is called FreeBMD and is great for finding UK ancestors. It’s not a complete site but they use volunteers to transcribe records of births, deaths & marriages from 1837 throughout England and Wales.
The drawback is that you don’t get the extra information, but it’s still very handy. I knew the names of two of my great grandparents and by using freebmd I was able to find when they were married and in which district which meant I could send away for their actual marriage certificate. This was incredibly helpful as I had no idea when they were married.
Parish Records are another way of finding out information and if you’re researching for family in the UK then some counties have an Online Parish Clerk which is fantastic. Different counties have different resources available online and some of the clerks will actually do a little digging for you if a census (for example) hasn’t been fully transcribed at the time. Of course, these positions are voluntary and every clerk is different with different work loads etc.
I’ve used the Dorset OPC site and found it really great, other OPC sites haven’t had the information I’ve wanted for different family members, but I have only viewed a few of them so the best thing you can do is to Google county (the one where your ancestors are from) online parish clerk or opc and you’ll find the right page for you. Be sure to check the counties on either side if you don’t find the information you need in the county you thought they were in. A couple of different family lines of mine popped into neighboring counties for a few years here and there!
Arthur BUTCHER & daughters |
Census Records - A Family Historian's Goldmine
Material a Genealogist Can Get Their Teeth Into!
Army Records
Another Way of Tracing Your Family
Putting the Family Tree Together
Being a Family Detective
More on Military Records in Genealogy
- USA Military Records
Now I haven't used this site as I don't have any ancestors in the US (that I've found yet anyways!), but this site is part of the National Archives and tells you how to go about researching your genealogy in military records. - British Armed Forces Records
If you have relatives that served in the British Armed Forces then this is one site to start looking on. I actually just Googled the regiment when I was looking for records and my father got the other records so I'm not sure how good this site is, but it's at least a stepping stone.
Peder (Peter) Christian HANSEN |
Eek! I've Got the Wrong Surname!
Adventures in Genealogy Sometimes Have Unexpected Twists
Genealogy 101 says you need certificates and this makes it quite an expensive hobby, I have often bypassed the certificates and used parish records, census records and other free online resources to trace the family tree, but occasionally that can backfire!
I had been tracing my husband’s paternal line and I couldn’t find his grandfather’s birth details anywhere – apparently, he was born in India, but I couldn't find any birth details of anyone by his name at all. Luckily my husband’s great-granddad lived with his family for a while and was buried in the cemetery in his hometown. He had been in the army so I took the name of his regiment from his gravestone and wrote to them – army records can be an invaluable source of information for family historians. What I found in these records enabled me to trace his family back a couple of generations, but I still couldn’t find granddad even with the dates that great-granddad was serving in India to go on.
I hadn’t looked at this side of the family for a while and decided to do another search for him along with another surname which I know had something to do with the family – it wasn’t further up the line as far as I’d gone, so maybe it was great grandma’s name. Hello, I found the marriage – they were married in India a month after he left the army, but the timing of the marriage didn’t gel with when my husband’s grandparents were married (grandad would've been too young) – things were getting murky.
Looking at the details of the marriage it noted that great-grandmother was older than great-grandfather and also a widow. Just for the heck of it, I decided to search for grandad using her former married name and there he was – turns out the great-grandad that lived with the family and who everyone loved (grandad wasn’t let in the house – long story) was actually step great grandad so the family tree I’d been tracing didn’t actually belong to the right family :(
Now what was I told was genealogy 101? That’s right – get certificates!
Edward Arthur READ |
Genealogical Links
Great Links to Help You Trace Your Family Tree
This free family search website is really good and I've recently had a lot of luck with their Indian data (this has obviously been updated since I last looked for this branch of the family).
If you're tracing family in the States this looks like a great site. I don't have any family lines in America, but I like the look of this site and I especially like the cemetery transcriptions - they are really handy.
This is a site that I have used in the past even though you do have to pay, I found quite a few records on one side of my family which made it worthwhile for me. There is also an American site available too which has a good reputation.
Photographic Stars - Names & Dates
Historic Photos From My Family Tree
I hope you've enjoyed the family photos I've included in this article, but what if you think some of them look familiar or you just recognize a name? Well if that's the case here's information on them and if you think there may be a family connection feel free to send a private message to me via Facebook.
Introduction Image
The image in the introduction is of Alice Beatrice GALE born 11 Oct 1884 at Loders, Dorset, England. Alice was one of my great-grandmothers.
Eli & Alice READ with children Edward, Lona & William
This image is of Eli Reuben READ born 01 Jan 1879 at East Coker, Yeovil, Somerset, England along with his wife Alice (the same lady mentioned above) who were married on 14 Jan 1904. They had eight children and are pictured with three of them from left to right they are - Edward Arthur READ (born 07 Sep 1907), Lona Frances Emily READ (born 21 Jul 1904) and William George READ (born 18 Dec 1905 ).
Arthur BUTCHER and daughters
This image is of Arthur Richard BUTCHER born 30 Nov 1873 at Caterham, Surrey. He was one of my great grandfathers and is pictured with his daughters at a wedding. The daughters are from left to right - Queenie Etta (born 19 Sep 1918), Constance Christina Winifred (born 17 Sep 1914), Mabel Beatrice (born 11 Feb 1898) , Eirene Hilda Dorothy (born 19 Sep 1899), May COMPTON (half sister) Gladys Kathleen (born 23 Apr 1906), Gwendoline Dorcas Joyce (born 27 Apr 1916)
Peder (Peter) Christian HANSEN
This image is of Peder (Peter) Christian HANSEN who was born 3 Dec 1829 at Tommerup, Funen Island, Denmark. He was one of my husband's great-great-grandfathers and emigrated to New Zealand in 1874.
Edward Arthur READ
This image is of Edward Arthur READ (the same person in the photo with his parents Eli and Alice) who was born 7 Sep 1907 at Loders, Dorset, England. Edward was one of my grandfathers although I never got to meet him as he died before I was born.
I think photographs really help bring your family tree alive, but unfortunately, some of them can be in disrepair. I've come across ones that have been ripped, covered in age spots and more. I did write a post about removing blemishes in photoshop if you have some old photos that do not look their best.
Are you interested in tracing your family tree?
Saturday, September 26, 2020
Rabbit Day Review
International Rabbit Day is held on the 4th Saturday of September every year. It first began in 1998 as an awareness day to protect and care for both wild rabbits and pet rabbits.
We call rabbits by various names ~ rabbit, bunny rabbit, bunnies, and hares. The difference between a hare and a rabbit is size (hares are larger). Also hares live in nests on the ground and rabbits live in burrows.
The word Bunny originally was used as an endearment for a young girl. Over time, it began to mean a young or small animal. Today it usually means a rabbit. Bunny has become popular as the Easter Bunny or used when referring to a small or baby rabbit. Thus, we have Bunny Rabbit!
If you want to know all the ins and outs of the rabbit terms, the website Wide Open Pets goes into detail of the various differences.
How to Observe International Rabbit Day
- Read a book about rabbits. My favorite is The Velveteen Rabbit, definitely a classic in children's books. Other sweet rabbit stories include The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Watership Down.
- Watch a movie about rabbits. Popular ones, especially with children, are Roger Rabbit, Watership Down, Bambi, and Bugs Bunny .
- Treat your pet rabbit to some extra carrots on its special day!
Pet Rabbits
Source: Pixabay |
Rabbits make good pets. They are quiet, they are easy to house train, they don't require a lot of space, and they bond well with their owner.
Did you know that rabbits are the third most popular animal to have as a pet, right behind dogs and cats.
Crafty Rabbits (or Handmade Hares)
If it is not possible to have a real rabbit for a pet, get your child a toy rabbit. Some really cute ones are handmade by crafters. I found dozens in all forms on Etsy.
Here are a few in handmade crochet.
Roly-Poly Pink Baby Bunny
Roly-Poly Pink Bunny @ Coastal Crochet Crafts |
Roly-Poly bunny measures a round 4 x 4 inches (including the bunny ears) and is about 9.5 inches around. She is filled with soft new fiberfill.
Plush bunny rabbit is handmade in pink acrylic yarn, and an Ombre variegated acrylic yarn called 'Wedgewood' in pinks, blues and white. Her features include blue craft eyes* and a dark pink embroidered nose. Her ears and feet are pink.
Roly-Poly bunny rabbit is a cute and cuddly soft toy just the right size for little hands to hold. Pink bunny has been sold, but contact: Coastal Crochet Crafts Etsy Store to order a custom bunny made for you.
Bunny Girl Plush Dolls
These darling handmade bunny rabbits, one in white and one in gold, are cute as can be.
Wonderland White Rabbit is handmade in white acrylic yarn and filled with new polyester fiberfill.
Plush white bunny rabbit with crocheted carrot, is soft and cuddly. White rabbit measures 10 inches x 6 inches. The carrot, crocheted in orange yarn with green leaves, measures 5 inches long.
Golden Bunny Girl Plush Doll on Etsy |
Golden Bunny Rabbit measures 9 inches tall (11 inches tall when you count her 'bunny ears') and 6 inches tall in a sitting position. She is about 5 inches across. Bunny Girl has craft eyes for features (eyes and nose) and she is softly stuffed with polyfil.
Golden Bunny Girl comes with her own wardrobe of 2 dresses which easily slip on by having her 'step into' the dress and pull up to tie around the neck in a bow. Each dress measures 4 inches long with 8 inch long crocheted 'ties'. Her dresses are crocheted in a pinafore style with a ruffle around the hem. The 2-piece crocheted wardrobe includes:
- Pale green dress with two dark green buttons sewn on as trim
- Colorful dress created with an ombre variegated yarn called "Artist Print" with shades of purple, lavender, rose, burgundy, gold, blue and green.
Both bunny girl dolls, plus more bunny-related items, are available on Etsy at Coastal Crochet Crafts.
International Rabbit Day
So, celebrate this special day by hopping down the bunny trail your favorite way – reading, watching movies, or playing with your pet rabbit or toy rabbit.
Source: Pixabay |
Related Reviews:
Rabbit-related reviews number more than one dozen here on ReviewThisReviews. Check out this 'search' for 'rabbits' link for articles by our contributors which include books about rabbits, movies about rabbits, and stories of the Easter Bunny. A fun way to fill your Rabbit Day!
Rabbit Day Review written by:
Wednesday Elf
(9/26/2020)
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Reviewing the Moon Hare
Have You Seen The Moon Hare Or Moon Rabbit?
Hares and rabbits have been on my mind image courtesy of pixabay.com |
Moon Hare In Asian Mythology
As I have researched the hare for my book, I have discovered a few things about the creature. First of all, a hare is different from a rabbit. The hare is larger, has longer ears, and tends to be more solitary than its cousin the rabbit. Hares live above ground instead of below. They do share a lot of the same characteristics.
Building a World and a Story
So, as I build a different world I'm having good and bad 'hare' days. The book will be in the YA Fantasy genre which is turning out to be a lot of fun to write. The working title right now is Khenlee of Alerassa, although, I might change that up a bit. The gods have spoken, they want Khenlee to be the next Shaman/healer for the village of Alerassa. She is 12, she doesn't want to be a healer, and she struggles with the same angst that girls of her age do here on Earth. She also faces the prejudice of people due to her dual heritage. When Jipsee comes to her, they don't exactly fall in love with each other. The hare is disgusted that she is meant to work with a child that appears to be less than bright. The girl doesn't even know the difference between a hare and a rabbit. How in Ethoria can she become a wise woman who heals the bodies and souls of mortal creatures? It is beyond Jipsee's understanding. Khenlee believes the gods are playing a practical joke on her. How can she depend on a creature who is afraid of its own shadow?
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Reviewing My Own Fear Factor
Admitting You Have Fear Is A Beginning
We all have fear, overcoming it is the trick image courtesy of pixabay.com |
What I have realized in the last few days is that I've been almost frozen with fears just below the surface of my consciousness. I haven't been walking around thinking about being afraid or thinking that I was scared but the emotion had been there for quite a while just waiting for me to do something. I've decided to start working on what I'm fearful of; kick those debilitating thoughts to the proverbial curb, so to speak.
There were hints that went unnoticed
What are my fears?
Friday, May 1, 2020
How to Make a Very Easy Afghan with Loop Yarn
Even someone with arthritis who can no longer grip a crochet hook or knitting needles can make a loop yarn afghan that is beautiful. This would also be the perfect afghan project for those who don't know how to knit or crochet.
Loop yarn is not a normal string of yarn, it is made with loops. Most of the patterns either say knit or crochet, but you really are not doing either. No needles or hooks are required. You only use your fingers to weave the yarn.
When I first spotted Yarnspirations loop yarn, I knew I wanted to make something with it. Normally, I would find a pattern and want to make a specific item. However, in this case, it was the yarn that called to me. I bought the yarn, then went on a search for a pattern. I knew exactly what I would make when I discovered this afghan pattern that resembles a cable stitch.
The Bernat Alize loop yarn is the softest yarn I have ever touched. When my son first touched my afghan while I was making it, he said if felt like a chinchilla. He is absolutely right! I had been saying it felt like petting a baby rabbit, but it really is softer than a bunny. This yarn truly is a joy to work with and to touch.
Loop Yarn Easy Afghan Pattern
I discovered this fabulous video that taught me how to make the pattern I love. Instead of trying to write out instructions, I'll share the video. It is very easy to follow and makes a lovely design.
I do have a few tips to share before you begin.
- Have a pair of small scissors available. You start the project by cutting a few of the loops open. You will also need them each time you start a new skein of yarn.
- Decide how wide you want your afghan before you start. I opted for a throw size afghan (100 loops - 60" wide), which is approximately half the size of a standard throw.
- I originally purchased 10 skeins of yarn, but that was not quite enough for my desired length. I actually needed 12 skeins.
- After you have completed the first few rows, the pattern design is easy to see, which makes continuing each row very easy.
- Instead of sitting at a table, I use a lap desk that sits on the arms of my recliner. That allows me to watch a movie while making my afghan.
As you can see in my photos, I used a variegated denim blue & white colored yarn. This yarn is available in 10 - 12 different colors (see below). I highly recommend using the Yarnspirations Bernat Alize Loop Yarn.
My Lap Desk
In case you are interested, you can purchase a lap desk similar to mine on Etsy. Clearly, you can use the lap desk for a lot of other things as well as crafts. It even has a groove on each side for pens, pencils, markers, craft tools, etc.
Click my image below to see where I purchased mine. You can choose one that fits your own needs.
Yarnspirations Bernat Alize Loop Yarn Available on Amazon
Bernat Alize EZ Blanket Yarn Bundle 100% Polyester 4 -Pack Slate Grays Plus 4 PatternsCheck Price Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ Yarn, ThistleCheck Price Alize Bernat EZ Blanket Yarn Bundle 100% Polyester (Bright Purple, 4-Pack)Check Price Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ Yarn, Denim BluesCheck Price
To See Several Colors Available, Click Here!
Read More Craft Reviews On
ReviewThisCrafts.com
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Watership Down Book Review
Wonderful Book To Read
Would the rabbits of Watership Down look like these two? image courtesy of pixabay.com |
I had heard of this book written by Richard Adams and first published in 1972 but had never considered reading it. From the title I guess I thought that it probably had something to do with a ship or a sea battle. I couldn't have been more wrong. Watership Down is actually a chalk hill in Hampshire, England. The story is about a group of wild rabbits who flee from their colony and warren when one rabbit senses that danger is on the way.
Brief Synopsis of Watership Down
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Yankee Candles for Easter
It is a different world that we live in as I write this post on March 30, 2020. Most of us are living 'physically distant' or practicing 'social distancing' from family and friends as together people throughout the world attempt to slow down the spread of this virus by reducing contact with others. I know that in my home Easter is going to look different than it has in the past. We are not very religious but we celebrate Easter as a way to come together with those who are important to us and, of course, close enough to visit. This will be the first Easter dinner we have eaten with just the two of us present in almost thirty years.
We usually start the day with an Easter egg hunt or, given the fact that we are all adults, a look-under-your-bed chocolate Easter bunny hunt.
The rest of the day is spent with a walk and a few board games. For supper we normally share a feast of scalloped potatoes, baked ham, fresh asparagus and some sort of yummy lemon dessert.
My husband and I spoke briefly recently about what we would do this year given that we are in self isolation and it will be just the two of us. Arbitrarily, I decided we did not need a chocolate Easter bunny, which removes the necessity of my husband going to the grocery store. The deal in our household is that I will be the one person to go to the grocery store once every two weeks. This reduces our contact with other people and lowers our chances of catching the virus.
However, I am hoping to make a smaller version of the Best-Ever Creamy Scalloped Potatoes recipe and some acceptable substitute (though I do not know what it looks like yet) for my Best-Ever Baked Ham recipe. In substitution for the chocolate bunny, we will make ourselves a special homemade treat, which will fill time as an activity and could well turn out to be better than a chocolate bunny. Yes, chocolate lovers that is possible!
We will pull out a few of our Easter decorations. We do not have many but we do have a few and they will help make the day brighter.
I love the idea of a Yankee Candles in an Easter scent like Sweet Bunny Treats, Bunny Cake, Easter Basket and Jelly Bean. I wrote on another blog about the very trendy Peeps scent. The candles shown on this page are the large 22 ounce jar candle and they generally retail for less than $30. Depending on the scent and how you use your candle, they will provide 110 to 150 hours of enjoyment. You can check out Amazon's complete collection of Yankee Candles for Easter by clicking right here.
How about you? I assume that you are also facing an unusual situation for Easter this year. Will you prepare a special meal? Have a chocolate bunny rabbit? Put out a few decorations?
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda
Quick Links:
Check out all of Amazon's Easter scented Yankee Candles.
Find my complete Easter Dinner Menu Plan.
Learn a bit more about Yankee Candles with Easter themes and find the PEEPS candle here.
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