Who is DearMYRTLE?
30+ years in online genealogy circles is hard to summarize. Sharing ancestral stories is now top priority for this ol' gal.
Recently asked to summarize my work for a potential podcast interview, I came up with this:
The custom mini-journals I’m crafting tell the story of an accompanying family artifact that I’m lovingly archiving in drawers of an old-fashioned upright steamer trunk.
Thus far I have accumulated enough that each of my descendants can have their pick of an heirloom or two with my handwritten recollection about the ancestor that owned the object in question.
Yes, I need to catch up with my video recordings. So many ancestors, so many treasures!
a silver spoon
original photos from my maternal grandmother’s second marriage
a Battenburg lace tablecloth
my grandmother’s Bakelite beveled-edge hand mirror
Dad's Boy Scout journal
a hand-carved wooden photo frame
a collection of agates collected during childhood family trips to the Washington coast.
Well, there IS that bear skin rug, complete with a photo of Dad in the field having caught it. And of course, I have the taxidermy receipt to confirm provenance. And, YES, we always ate whatever dad caught - grouse, duck, pheasants and even that big old black bear.
Bear steaks, bear pot roast, and bear jerky, OH MY!
So, in addition to being DearMYRTLE, your (not so) retired friend in genealogy -- concerned about the paper trail research and DNA matches, I value the little anecdotes, old family stories, and snapshots of a life well-lived.
Basically, I am here to share the stories before my little brother gets the last word! ::: giggle :::
Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt
DearMYRTLE,
Your (not so) retired friend in genealogy.
I can certainly relate. Lately my passion is about story telling. (Apparently this gene was handed down to me from my mother.) And since she passed several years ago, it feels more urgent in me. And like you, I also love to create junk journals. Several dedicated to my mom, her parents and siblings - and their stories, my memories. My only problem? There aren't enough hours in the day!
Great post! So often, genealogists overlook telling their own story but it is family history of the future (the future past) so an important thing to do (says she who is guilty of not doing it so far!)