Roots & Rabbit Holes

For Week 36 of 2025's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks , I'm sharing one of my favorite family stories. It's one my Nana often told me. As a...

The topic for Week 48 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is “Funny Story.”   “Ma, we’ve gotta go!  Everyone is waiting for us!”...

The topic for Week 45 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge is “Colorful.”   Probably my favorite piece inherited from Nana Connie...

“Full House” is the prompt for Week 42 of 2024’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Managing a home with five kids can be chaotic. ...

“Fire! Fire! Get out, quick!” November 29, 1929 was a bitterly cold and icy night in Westbrook, but five-year old Phil, his parents, and...

Week 34 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is “Member of the Club.”  Two of my great-grandmother’s sisters were members of a club...

Week 26 of 2024’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is “Family Gathering.” “Soup Day” was my favorite day of the week.  The family...

Today, April 8, 2024, we’re expecting a total solar eclipse.  Back in 1932 when Grampy Phil was eight years old, there was also a total...

The “Bridge Street bums” – those who attended Bridge Street School in Westbrook– went on occasional field trips to the movies, the beach,...

Great-great grandma Georgie was a legend in our family.  My grandfather adored his grandmother, so we grew up hearing stories about her...

Welcome to my first blog post of 2024’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge!  Today’s prompt is “Family Lore” and I have a...

Everything fell right into place for this week’s post. The theme for Week 45 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is “War and...

Week 44 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is “Spirits.” There were no ghosts in my grandparents’ cobbled-together home, but...

During the past week of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, I was supposed to cover the topic of Strength. I’ve been on vacation, and...

After serving in Okinawa during WWII, Grampy Phil was relocated to Korea after the Japanese surrendered. While there, he and his fellow...

It’s Week 29 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge and the theme is Birthdays. Although Nana Connie visited her siblings and mother...

Week 28 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is Random. When I received this year’s prompts and began brainstorming, I decided I’d...

We’re halfway through 2023’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge! This week’s topic is Slow. When I was a sweet, innocent, four-year-old...

Week 23 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge is So Many Descendants. One of my most prolific ancestors was my 3rd...

It’s Week 20 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge and the topic is “Bearded.” Because few of my ancestors and relatives had beards,...