If you'd like to read about making Memory Books/Albums for and with Alzheimer's patients, visit my Alzheimer's Notes site at www.alzheimersnotes.com. I wrote about my experience making scrapbooks with residents at the nursing home where my mom once lived.
I also linked to Carol Moxley's story about her dad and Memory Albums.
My mom and aunt were afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. I've also made an album about my mom's Alzheimer's years and mention it in an earlier article on Alzheimer's Notes.
Some people might find it sad to do this. Our family looks at those pictures and remembers the joy we brought my mom during this time in her life. It is amazing that in just about every picture she'd smiling.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Friday, June 16, 2006
Journaling the Flowers of Your Life
“Why don’t you make a little scrapbook of the flowers of your life?” a friend asked when I showed her one I’d made with photos of autumn leaves I’d taken and a poem I’d written.
“Flowers?” I asked.
“Yes,” she answered. “Make a scrapbook or journal of the flowers that have been important in your life.”
As I considered, I realized she had a good idea. I also realized that many flowers can be included in recipes, so why not print a few food ideas in this scrapbook/journal, too.
Mother’s Flower Journal
I then recalled that my mother once started a Flower Journal. She never completed it, but I found the journal when I moved her to my home several years ago.
She asked friends to write about their favorite flower. Cousin Ella and Cousin Ina made entries in it, as did the mother of one of my friends. Mother had a few other entries but didn’t carry it further.
Perhaps I could incorporate this with my Flower Journal and continue Mother’s idea.
Which Flowers?
Lilacs – The lilacs bloomed each spring beside Grandpa’s blacksmith shop. This building, I later learned, had been the original farmhouse on the property, before my father and grandfather purchased the farm. That would explain sprawling lilac bushes, white and lavender, growing on either side of the doorway.
Lily of the Valley – This grew in profusion and gave out a heady perfume in spring. It grew under the overhanging branches of the forsythia bush.
Roses – These small dark red roses I’ve never seen elsewhere. If I ever knew their name, I’ve not remembered it. They grew in the two small flower gardens in the large front lawn. Larger pink roses bloomed on taller bushes in one of the gardens.
Dahlias – Father liked these flowers and planted them around the porch and in the flower gardens. In his older years, he planted dahlias at the small retirement home he built across the road from the large farmhouse.
Crysanthemums – Mother said she carried these flowers in her wedding bouquet when she and Father married in November. She was found of them in all their autumn colors, so often Father planted them for her.
Violets – These grew in the meadows and along the brooks of our farm. What fun to pick them in the spring for bouquets on the kitchen table.
Dandelions – I recall the many saucers filled with water and dandelion heads that adorned the table, too. My younger brother brought these flowers to Mother. I once asked why she kept them. Mother pointed out that they were special because he picked them for her; it would hurt his feelings if she threw them out.
I recalled Mother’s words when my daughter and then grandchildren brought me flower heads as a special offering.
What are the flowers of your life? Why not journal and scrapbook about them? Or share your thoughts at me.allen@juno.com
(c)2006 Mary Emma Allen
“Flowers?” I asked.
“Yes,” she answered. “Make a scrapbook or journal of the flowers that have been important in your life.”
As I considered, I realized she had a good idea. I also realized that many flowers can be included in recipes, so why not print a few food ideas in this scrapbook/journal, too.
Mother’s Flower Journal
I then recalled that my mother once started a Flower Journal. She never completed it, but I found the journal when I moved her to my home several years ago.
She asked friends to write about their favorite flower. Cousin Ella and Cousin Ina made entries in it, as did the mother of one of my friends. Mother had a few other entries but didn’t carry it further.
Perhaps I could incorporate this with my Flower Journal and continue Mother’s idea.
Which Flowers?
Lilacs – The lilacs bloomed each spring beside Grandpa’s blacksmith shop. This building, I later learned, had been the original farmhouse on the property, before my father and grandfather purchased the farm. That would explain sprawling lilac bushes, white and lavender, growing on either side of the doorway.
Lily of the Valley – This grew in profusion and gave out a heady perfume in spring. It grew under the overhanging branches of the forsythia bush.
Roses – These small dark red roses I’ve never seen elsewhere. If I ever knew their name, I’ve not remembered it. They grew in the two small flower gardens in the large front lawn. Larger pink roses bloomed on taller bushes in one of the gardens.
Dahlias – Father liked these flowers and planted them around the porch and in the flower gardens. In his older years, he planted dahlias at the small retirement home he built across the road from the large farmhouse.
Crysanthemums – Mother said she carried these flowers in her wedding bouquet when she and Father married in November. She was found of them in all their autumn colors, so often Father planted them for her.
Violets – These grew in the meadows and along the brooks of our farm. What fun to pick them in the spring for bouquets on the kitchen table.
Dandelions – I recall the many saucers filled with water and dandelion heads that adorned the table, too. My younger brother brought these flowers to Mother. I once asked why she kept them. Mother pointed out that they were special because he picked them for her; it would hurt his feelings if she threw them out.
I recalled Mother’s words when my daughter and then grandchildren brought me flower heads as a special offering.
What are the flowers of your life? Why not journal and scrapbook about them? Or share your thoughts at me.allen@juno.com
(c)2006 Mary Emma Allen
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Mom, Write Down Your Memories
"Mom, you spend time researching our family history and telling me stories about Grandma and Great Grandma. But you need to write down your memories for me and your grandchildren," my daughter reminded me.
So often we think other people's memories and stories are more interesting and important than our own. However, to our families, as Beth reminded me, ours are a part of our family heritage as well.
I began relating some of my childhood memories, as well as those of later years, so they would become part of my daughter's and my grandchildren's background.
Perhaps in the future, they will be as excited to learn about my life as I am about my great grandmother's letters telling of homesteading in the Midwest. Your journals, your stories, and your memorabilia are part of the heritage that binds your family together.
So often we think other people's memories and stories are more interesting and important than our own. However, to our families, as Beth reminded me, ours are a part of our family heritage as well.
I began relating some of my childhood memories, as well as those of later years, so they would become part of my daughter's and my grandchildren's background.
Perhaps in the future, they will be as excited to learn about my life as I am about my great grandmother's letters telling of homesteading in the Midwest. Your journals, your stories, and your memorabilia are part of the heritage that binds your family together.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Creating a Happy Book
My grandson has a Happy Book. It contains pictures he’s drawn or pasted in about enjoyable things in his life. These can be events and objects that make him happy.
Whenever he’s feeling discouraged, he’s to get the book out and look through it.
Why don’t we all create Happy Books? We can do them as a family or individually. They could be a fun family project. This also is an enjoyable activity for Grandma and the grandchildren.
These can be any size, from large albums to small 4 x 4-inch albums or scrapbooks we carry with us. You can simply place photos and pictures from magazines in them. Or you can use scrapbooking techniques.
The Happy Book might revolve around one topic. Or it can be a mix of things you enjoy and make you feel happy.
*Poetry, inspirational and humorous sayings
*Pictures of enjoyable memories and experiences
*Pictures of dreams you hope to achieve
*Pictures of trips you’d like to take
*Places you’ve visited
Once you begin using your imagination, the ideas are limitless…and just the process of putting these together start you on the Road to Happy!
©2006 Mary Emma Allen
Whenever he’s feeling discouraged, he’s to get the book out and look through it.
Why don’t we all create Happy Books? We can do them as a family or individually. They could be a fun family project. This also is an enjoyable activity for Grandma and the grandchildren.
These can be any size, from large albums to small 4 x 4-inch albums or scrapbooks we carry with us. You can simply place photos and pictures from magazines in them. Or you can use scrapbooking techniques.
The Happy Book might revolve around one topic. Or it can be a mix of things you enjoy and make you feel happy.
*Poetry, inspirational and humorous sayings
*Pictures of enjoyable memories and experiences
*Pictures of dreams you hope to achieve
*Pictures of trips you’d like to take
*Places you’ve visited
Once you begin using your imagination, the ideas are limitless…and just the process of putting these together start you on the Road to Happy!
©2006 Mary Emma Allen
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Incidents from the Past Incorporated into Stories
Mother’s contributions to my stories
If our parents and grandparents have told us stories about their childhoods, it’s interesting to weave those incidents into tales of our own. This may be simply retelling these stories for our family heritage and future generations. If we’re writers, these give us fodder for our story mill.
I’ve incorporated many of the incidents from my mom’s life into stories, cooking columns, and essays. For instance, she fell through the ice on the pond near their one-room school, sliding at recess. I used this incident and Mother’s rescue by her sister in my story, The Christmas Surprise. Mother and Auntie aren't named in the story, nor are they characters. However, the idea for the ice rescue comes from Mother's recollections that she related to us children.
In my middle reader novel, Papa Goes to War, the falling through the ice idea appears again. This time, the younger brother, Josh, walks onto thin ice, and his sister, Mandy, tries to save him. This varies somewhat from Mother’s experience. However, if I’d never heard her story, repeatedly, throughout my childhood, I wouldn’t have the idea or knowledge to write about this incident.
Even though we may not think your family life and your experiences enter into your writing, they do in subtle ways. Just your knowledge of situations and topics enable you to write the stories you do.
So look over your life and jot down ideas for stories and articles.
If our parents and grandparents have told us stories about their childhoods, it’s interesting to weave those incidents into tales of our own. This may be simply retelling these stories for our family heritage and future generations. If we’re writers, these give us fodder for our story mill.
I’ve incorporated many of the incidents from my mom’s life into stories, cooking columns, and essays. For instance, she fell through the ice on the pond near their one-room school, sliding at recess. I used this incident and Mother’s rescue by her sister in my story, The Christmas Surprise. Mother and Auntie aren't named in the story, nor are they characters. However, the idea for the ice rescue comes from Mother's recollections that she related to us children.
In my middle reader novel, Papa Goes to War, the falling through the ice idea appears again. This time, the younger brother, Josh, walks onto thin ice, and his sister, Mandy, tries to save him. This varies somewhat from Mother’s experience. However, if I’d never heard her story, repeatedly, throughout my childhood, I wouldn’t have the idea or knowledge to write about this incident.
Even though we may not think your family life and your experiences enter into your writing, they do in subtle ways. Just your knowledge of situations and topics enable you to write the stories you do.
So look over your life and jot down ideas for stories and articles.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Following the Trails of Ancestors
The search for one’s ancestors and family history can lead you on fascinating jaunts and adventures of discovery. As I delve into the stories of my ancestors’ lives, I’m led to parts of the country, distant from where I grew up. Following the trails of my ancestors has enabled me to visit interesting places, make new friends, and meet relatives.
When I was growing up in southeastern New York State, my world mainly revolved around the family I lived with and my mom’s parents and cousins 45 miles away. One aunt and uncle lived in New Hampshire, so visits with them opened our world.
However, as I searched for ancestors, I was led to western New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, Kansas, and Civil War sites of the South. My genealogy travels opened up new vistas and brought me to historic sites.
Ancestors in Binghamton, NY & Kansas
As I looked for Great Grandmother Olive’s origins, I discovered she grew up near Binghamton, NY, three hours’ drive west from where I spent my childhood. I’ve visited that area and discovered more about this branch of my family.
This research introduced me to Olive’s brother, mentioned only as Uncle William Mathewson in Grandma’s photo album. However, he was known in Kansas, where he settled, as the original Buffalo Bill. He left home and took up life in the West as a fur trapper and explorer.
Eventually Uncle Buffalo Bill Mathewson established trading posts on the Santa Fe Trail, married an adventurous English woman, helped found Wichita, Kansas, and was an Indian peacemaker requested by the natives at treaty talks.
Uncle George in a Civil War Cemetery
William and my Great Grandmother Olive’s half-brother, George, perished from dysentery during the Civil War. Research led me to a cemetery at Marietta, GA, north of Atlanta. On a sunny spring day, my husband and I visited the Union Cemetery, followed a description their mother’s letter, and found a marker with Uncle George’s name on it.
There also was a tall monument with a star on it, described by Great Great Grandmother Eliza. How interesting to find this evidence that Uncle George did fight in the War Between the States and was buried where his mother believed.
Early Settlers in Providence, RI
Tracing the Mathewson family to their beginnings in this country, led me to Providence, RI. There we find a street called Mathewson Street and a theatre named after this family. I’ve walked along this street, trying to visualize it as the area might have looked when the early Mathewsons lived there.
From Providence and nearby Johnstown, various Mathewsons headed westward like many other families in Rhode Island. First my direct ancestors moved to the Windsor, CT area, where William married Tabitha Chaffee. Some of their children were born there and others in Triangle, Broome County NY in the early 1800s. My family descended from them.
Tracing only one branch of my family, the Mathewsons, has led me to various parts of the country. Other areas I’ve researched from my parents’ families include Columbia County, NY, Quaker Hill, NY, Salina, KS, Welton, IA, Low Moor, IA and Seattle, WA.
Meeting Today’s Descendants
In my research I’ve discovered second and third cousins and we’ve shared information and memories. Friendships have evolved as we’ve gotten to know one another.
Following the trail of your ancestors’ lives can take you to many new areas of the country and to foreign countries. As you travel for genealogy purposes, you’ll also find other enjoyable aspects of these regions.
©2006
(Mary Emma Allen combines genealogy, scrapbooking, and travel into a fascinating aspect of her career. She also teaches classes on family history, scrapbooking, and travel writing. Visit her blogs: http://vagabondtravelers.blogspot.com and http://trailsendquilters.blogspot.com . E-mail: me.allen@juno.com )
When I was growing up in southeastern New York State, my world mainly revolved around the family I lived with and my mom’s parents and cousins 45 miles away. One aunt and uncle lived in New Hampshire, so visits with them opened our world.
However, as I searched for ancestors, I was led to western New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, Kansas, and Civil War sites of the South. My genealogy travels opened up new vistas and brought me to historic sites.
Ancestors in Binghamton, NY & Kansas
As I looked for Great Grandmother Olive’s origins, I discovered she grew up near Binghamton, NY, three hours’ drive west from where I spent my childhood. I’ve visited that area and discovered more about this branch of my family.
This research introduced me to Olive’s brother, mentioned only as Uncle William Mathewson in Grandma’s photo album. However, he was known in Kansas, where he settled, as the original Buffalo Bill. He left home and took up life in the West as a fur trapper and explorer.
Eventually Uncle Buffalo Bill Mathewson established trading posts on the Santa Fe Trail, married an adventurous English woman, helped found Wichita, Kansas, and was an Indian peacemaker requested by the natives at treaty talks.
Uncle George in a Civil War Cemetery
William and my Great Grandmother Olive’s half-brother, George, perished from dysentery during the Civil War. Research led me to a cemetery at Marietta, GA, north of Atlanta. On a sunny spring day, my husband and I visited the Union Cemetery, followed a description their mother’s letter, and found a marker with Uncle George’s name on it.
There also was a tall monument with a star on it, described by Great Great Grandmother Eliza. How interesting to find this evidence that Uncle George did fight in the War Between the States and was buried where his mother believed.
Early Settlers in Providence, RI
Tracing the Mathewson family to their beginnings in this country, led me to Providence, RI. There we find a street called Mathewson Street and a theatre named after this family. I’ve walked along this street, trying to visualize it as the area might have looked when the early Mathewsons lived there.
From Providence and nearby Johnstown, various Mathewsons headed westward like many other families in Rhode Island. First my direct ancestors moved to the Windsor, CT area, where William married Tabitha Chaffee. Some of their children were born there and others in Triangle, Broome County NY in the early 1800s. My family descended from them.
Tracing only one branch of my family, the Mathewsons, has led me to various parts of the country. Other areas I’ve researched from my parents’ families include Columbia County, NY, Quaker Hill, NY, Salina, KS, Welton, IA, Low Moor, IA and Seattle, WA.
Meeting Today’s Descendants
In my research I’ve discovered second and third cousins and we’ve shared information and memories. Friendships have evolved as we’ve gotten to know one another.
Following the trail of your ancestors’ lives can take you to many new areas of the country and to foreign countries. As you travel for genealogy purposes, you’ll also find other enjoyable aspects of these regions.
©2006
(Mary Emma Allen combines genealogy, scrapbooking, and travel into a fascinating aspect of her career. She also teaches classes on family history, scrapbooking, and travel writing. Visit her blogs: http://vagabondtravelers.blogspot.com and http://trailsendquilters.blogspot.com . E-mail: me.allen@juno.com )
Monday, January 09, 2006
Creating a Youngster's Heritage Recipe Book
“Why don’t you write down our favorite recipes in a book for me?” our granddaughter asked her mom.
So creating a heritage recipe book for a Christmas gift resulted. The family favorites have been written down, with space for the young cook to add more. I’ll go through some of those that date back to her great, great grandmother and see if she wants to add those, along with the stories behind them.
Favorite recipes can tell one aspect of a family’s story. When were they served? Who traditionally prepared them? Were they handed down through the generations or a new recipe you discovered and recently began serving?
Various Methods of Compiling Recipes
You’ll find various methods of compiling these recipes. Try something mentioned below, combine one or two of them, or seek out something of your own.
*Recipe Cards – These are one of the easiest ways to collect recipes. You can put them in a recipe box, or slide them into compartments in a photo album
*Books made especially for recipe collecting – My daughter found a three-ring recipe binder, made especially for jotting down recipes on the included pages. You also can add sketches.
*Photo albums of various sizes where you can include photos – These have pages for inserting recipe cards and for larger pages with recipes written on them. There is room, too, for photos of family gatherings, youngsters cooking, and foods they’ve made.
*Albums that incorporate scrapbooking techniques – With scrapbook albums, you can paste or attach recipes on cards or scrapbooking papers. Then adorn with photos and various decorative touches.
*Computer programs that save recipes and stories – There are a number of computer programs that enable you to compile a cookbook. You can save these on CD or print off and make into book format.
© 2005
(Mary Emma Allen researches family food history from her multigenerational home in Plymouth, NH. She also writes stories for children and is working on a book based around her family during the Civil War era. E—mail: me.allen@juno.com)
So creating a heritage recipe book for a Christmas gift resulted. The family favorites have been written down, with space for the young cook to add more. I’ll go through some of those that date back to her great, great grandmother and see if she wants to add those, along with the stories behind them.
Favorite recipes can tell one aspect of a family’s story. When were they served? Who traditionally prepared them? Were they handed down through the generations or a new recipe you discovered and recently began serving?
Various Methods of Compiling Recipes
You’ll find various methods of compiling these recipes. Try something mentioned below, combine one or two of them, or seek out something of your own.
*Recipe Cards – These are one of the easiest ways to collect recipes. You can put them in a recipe box, or slide them into compartments in a photo album
*Books made especially for recipe collecting – My daughter found a three-ring recipe binder, made especially for jotting down recipes on the included pages. You also can add sketches.
*Photo albums of various sizes where you can include photos – These have pages for inserting recipe cards and for larger pages with recipes written on them. There is room, too, for photos of family gatherings, youngsters cooking, and foods they’ve made.
*Albums that incorporate scrapbooking techniques – With scrapbook albums, you can paste or attach recipes on cards or scrapbooking papers. Then adorn with photos and various decorative touches.
*Computer programs that save recipes and stories – There are a number of computer programs that enable you to compile a cookbook. You can save these on CD or print off and make into book format.
© 2005
(Mary Emma Allen researches family food history from her multigenerational home in Plymouth, NH. She also writes stories for children and is working on a book based around her family during the Civil War era. E—mail: me.allen@juno.com)
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