Follow Friday: Reflections from the Fence

Genealogy bloggers are a stimulating lot: curious, with a sense of what makes a good story, usually with a love of fun, adventure, and nature’s beauty, and often with an infectious joie de vivre. Carol of Reflections from the Fence is an outstanding example in this mold.

Just during the past week or so she has written a couple of thought-provoking articles on balancing one of the big chores of genealogy research – transcription – with other aspects of research (not to mention “regular” life): “Relatively Speaking, Cousins That Blog, Annespiration” and “Reflection’s Balancing Act, or, Nope, It Ain’t Perfect.” Which also features her genealogy and blogging interaction with her cousins Anne at Generational and Gene Notes and Karen at Genealogy Frame of Mind. And then there is the whole Wordless Wednesday … competition? … with yet another of my favorite GeneaBloggers, Linda at Flipside (mostly in the area of nature pictures –great photography on both blogs!).

Like Becky at kinexxions, Carol and her husband (aka “Man”) are avid travelers; their RV, “Tana,” as well as their adorable Yorkies, are characters in their own right on Carol’s blog. Lately we have been treated to some great photography from their travels in Alabama, in particular the gorgeous Bellingrath Gardens. Reflections truly shows a breadth of interests and depth of talent that belie the stereotype of the genealogy researcher as a one-note monomaniac. And, oh yes, I forgot – humor (See “RVers Sense of Humor – Rubber Duckies Style”). Oh, yes, and one more thing – Carol is a fellow contributor to the “Friend of Friend” posts (latest post – “Friend of Friends, Darden, Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Will Naming Slaves”).

So, if you one are of the rare GeneaBloggers or followers who has not yet dropped by Reflections from the Fence (aka a total newbie), go check it out – you will have fun and learn something, too!

This Week

Hooray! Root Seek is back!

Ruth Himan of Genealogy is Ruthless with Me brings her engineering background to bear in her discussion of “Accuracy versus Precision.”

Gena Philibert Ortega suggests some great ideas in “Saving Money So You Can Do More Genealogy” at Gena’s Genealogy.

Sheri Fenley had a wonderful Monday, described in “The Best Monday Ever! Part Uno” and "The Best Monday Ever! Part Dos" at The Educated Genealogist.

Tina at Gen Wish List describes “How I Influenced Ancestry – The Tale of Unenhanced Images Part 2” – outstanding, Tina! Now if I could just get them to replace the “black screen” that I get instead of an image for the WWI Draft Registration Card of one of my great uncles.

Leah at The Internet Genealogist wonders why some people have such a negative reaction to being told they resemble an older or deceased relative in “My Mistake, You’re Nothing Alike.” Sheesh, and I like to flatter myself that I look a bit like my great-grandmother Lizzie….

Patti at Consanguinity gives us “More Updates: The ‘Mystery Photo,’” which features an analysis of it by Photo Sleuth Brett Payne: another great example of genealogy bloggers helping one another.

Katrina at Kick-Ass Genealogy writes about the need for "Cataloguing Your Genealogical Library."

At What's Past Is Prologue, Donna looks into the true story behind the song "The Boy Next Door" using census records - now I am going to be hearing that song in my head every time I browse the census to look at my ancestors' neighbors.

This week I started following these blogs:

Girl of the Random Leaf
Atascocita Kingwood Genealogical Society
Heather’s Genealogy Notes