Family History Project

A family history project in progress

dental floss to help ease photographs from a page

magnifying glass to try to decipher notes obscured by glue and scrapbook paper

orange paper - Dad's note from 1994 saying he removed the photos he thought were important (and put them on the blue pages) and I could throw away the rest of Celia's 1913-1916 scrapbook. I didn't. It's full of pictures of Celia and her Sidell, Illinois and college friends. She wrote clever captions under most of the pictures. There are great pictures of Grandpa, Caryl Holton, as a college man.

The book on the right in the top picture is by Karen Cord Taylor who grew up in Vermilion county, Illinois, home of our Holton, Cathcart, Alexander, Baum, Sconce, Sandusky/Sodowsky ancestors. About 1840 her ancestors in London, England went to a lecture sponsored by our ancestor Isaac Sandusky. Sandusky sponsored lectures in London, England on the virtues of land in Vermiliion County, Illinois. He happened to "have  extensive land holdings" there. Over the next few years about 100 people from a friends and family group in London, England bought land and settled in Vermilion County. I found out about the book when I read an article in the American Ancestors magazine. 

Not Alone

During these unique times it's extra important to make sure people don't feel alone. 

We may not be able to alter the journey, but we can make sure no one walks it alone. Surely that is what it means to bear one another’s burdens—they are burdens. And who knows when or if they will be lifted in mortality? But we can walk together and share the load. We can lift our brothers and sisters as Jesus Christ lifted us. (see Alma 7:11–13).

To be called the Savior’s people ... we must be “willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; yea, and [be] willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things” (Mosiah 18:8–9).        Jeffrey Holland

Childhood Summer Memories

I woke up one morning and found my flowers looking like this

Made me think of hot, muggy childhood summers back in Ohio

A Walk in the Park

Saint Edward State Park

300+ acres

Saint Edward's Seminary was constructed in 1931 and was a seminary for the Sulpician Order. The seminary closed in 1977 and was sold to the state of Washington. It's being developed into a lodge. 

 The grotto

Scriptures open to John 3: 16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Lake Washington

Summer Evenings

Heathman Hotel

Park Lane is closed to cars every evening to allow the restaurants expanded outside seating. Hopefully this will help them get through the Covid-19 restrictions. There's also music on the lane nightly.

Wednesday and Ricky Martin

The farmers market is very different from last year

fewer vendors due to distancing requirements

one way traffic

specific entrance and exit

limited number of people in the market at a time

The peaches came from Martin Family Orchards

The customer ahead of me asked the vendor his name

 Ricky Martin, he said smiling. He said he wasn't even born when the singer Ricky Martin was all the rage. But I was thinking of an even older Ricky Martin who was also a singer. 

Library Opened - Kind Of

Our library opened - kind of

You can request books and pick them up outside

people wait for their books

Opening Lines for Life Story

I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days. 1 Nephi 1: 1 

These are the opening lines in The Book of Mormon. I think they give a wonderful pattern for the opening lines of any of our life stories. 

Parents, learning, afflictions, spiritual side of life - all included in the record. 

Sunshine & Sparkles

Marina Park & Lake Washington 

Another Evening At The Lake - With Bagpipes

SunsetSolidarity is a national movement challenging bagpipers to play at sunset during this time of Covid-19. This is being done as a sign of strength, courage, and hope. 

Steve Gengo has been playing in various sites around Kirkland. His 100th appearance was at Marina Park. This time he was in a boat. He played patriotic songs, songs of all branches of the Armed Forces, and some hymns such as Amazing Grace. At sunset he turned to face west and played Taps. It was stirring, awesome, and wonderful. 

The boat with the bagpiper is on the left just out of the picture. 

The ducks got out of the water and lined up to listen

See the paraglider above the Seattle skyscrapers?

And the American flag flying from the boat? 

The bagpiper is standing on the back of the boat

If you look closely on the right you can see a 

snow-covered mountain on the Olympic Peninsula

Taps

Day is done,

Gone the sun,

From the hills,

From the lake,

From the skies.

All is well,

Safely rest,

God is nigh

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Check Steve Gengo out at Facebook  

Read more about SunsetSolidarity here and here

Evening at the Lake

It was a cold and windy evening at the lake

Too choppy for the ducks to be in the water

The light made these hydrangeas glow

Seattle in the distance

sunset

Kirkland - Around Town

The lake is especially beautiful when it SPARKLES

Magnuson Park, Seattle

Magnuson Park in Seattle 

The Fin Project: From Swords to Plowshares

Fins from submarines were "planted" to resemble a pod of killer whales

  Read more about the Fin Project here, here, and here  

Kirkland is directly across Lake Washington

Duct Tape & The Big Picture

Life is a mixture of the practical, what's in front of us, and the bigger picture. 

The here and now and big issues such as the meaning of life.

Dad and his mother, Celia Cathcart Holton, demonstrated this in their approach to life. 

December 1942 Celia wrote to her son Bill who was a student at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Celia was at Mercy Hospital in Columbus, Ohio receiving treatment for a reoccurrence of breast cancer. She describes her pain as "terrific." She talks about not fearing death and her appreciation for the life she has lived. She mentions prayer and what happens after death. She expresses worry about three boys and her husband. Then, in closing she acknowledges that this is a "depressing letter" and reminds her son to get his summer suits dry cleaned, wash his blankets and wrap them in "several newspaper thicknesses." She died just a few weeks after writing this letter. 

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Celia was very well read. Her books, including her Bible, are well marked with references and questions. Dad and his brother Richard, gave this Bible to their mother Christmas 1931. At some point the spine needed attention. Dad repaired it with the book binder's equivalent of duct tape. It's not elegant, but it's functional.  

This recently struck me as very symbolic of our lives - the practical and the spiritual 

images Celia about 1938, Bill Holton 2003