The Winter Carnival has Arrived!

Jasia has posted the 64th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, the topic this time around was Winter Photo Essay. Thirty contributors featured a variety of "winter" photographs. A chilly trip back in time to be sure, but heartwarming nevertheless.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is: "The Happy Dance. The Joy of Genealogy. Almost everyone has experienced it. Tell us about the first time, or the last time, or the best time. What event, what document, what special find has caused you to stand up and cheer, to go crazy with joy? If you haven't ever done the Happy Dance, tell us what you think it would take for you to do so."

This next edition will be hosted by yours truly, right here at kinexxions. The deadline for submissions is February 1st. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any articles you plan to submit and/or write a brief description/introduction to your articles in the "comment" box of the blogcarnival submission form. This will give readers an idea of what you've written about and hopefully interest them in clicking on your link.

So that we genea-bloggers can plan ahead (yeah, right!) Jasia has provided a list of topics for future carnivals (in the lower left column at Creative Gene). Several dates are still available for hosting. If you're interested, contact Jasia.

The COG posters are a creation of footnoteMaven.

Spine Tingling Stories - Fact or Fantasy?

The Carnival of Genealogy, 58th Edition has been posted by Jasia over at Creative Gene. With Halloween rapidly approaching, genea-bloggers share their "spooky, eerie, and haunting stories involving their ancestors." Are they fact or fantasy? In some cases it really is very difficult to decide. I'm looking forward to the "reveals" to see if I guessed correctly. For a variety of reasons, I did not participate in this edition of the COG :-( but I've certainly enjoyed reading the tales that have been told. If you haven't already done so, go check them out! Good stuff!

Jasia has also issued the Call for Submissions for the next edition. The topic is:

"Politics and Our Ancestors" - The next edition of the COG will be published on Election Day in the U.S. (November 4). So it's the perfect time to research and reflect on what we know (or can find out) about our family members' involvement with the election process. Did one of your ancestors run for office? Who was President when your immigrant ancestors first set foot on American (Canadian, Australian, etc.) shores? What do you know about your grandparents' voting record? Which of your ancestors was first eligible to vote? Do you have any suffragettes on your family tree? What did the electoral process mean to your ancestors? Do you have a personal Election Day memory you'd like to share? Think about it, write about it, and submit it for the next COG! The deadline for submissions is November 1.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

More than a few Good Books!

The Carnival of Genealogy - 56th edition - Part I has been posted by Lori Thornton over at Smoky Mountain Historian. For this edition of the COG, bloggers were supposed to list the ten books in their genealogical libraries that they find absolutely essential. In "COG 56 Part II" Lori gives us a compilation of the submissions. Guess which one is first! I think this was a good exercise. I haven't gotten through the entire COG yet, but I'm sure that my reading list will increase!

Lori announced the topic for the next edition of the COG, which will be: I read it in the news! "Newspapers can be a wonderful source of family history information. Share some aspect about your family history that you learned about in a newspaper. Articles, advertisements, obituaries, classified ads, photos... all are fair game if they appeared in a newspaper. What did you learn about your family from this information? Was the information accurate? How did you learn about this information... online search? Perusing old newspapers? A clipping saved by a relative? Fill us in on your family scoops... who in your family was in the news?"

The deadline for submissions is October 1st. Use the carnival submission form to submit your post. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the carnival index page. Be sure to read the additional information, at the bottom of the carnival post, before submitting your contribution.

If you've got it, flaunt it! COG 55 posted!

And man, the Genea-Bloggers have got it!

Jasia at Creative Gene has posted Carnival of Genealogy, 55th Edition and it is the biggest ever! There are 50 posts by 49 authors covering the "Show and Tell" topic. As Jasia says, "Our esteemed group of contributors is sharing special persons, photos, documents, and heirlooms with you today. You will be truly amazed at the collection of articles presented here! No, I'm not exaggerating. You will be amazed at some of the fascinating items people have shared from their family's history."

My contribution for this edition is Indiana Sisley Stem :: Show and Tell and The Sisley Family Bible. Yes, I submitted two posts, but they are related (pun intended).

The next COG will be hosted by Lori Thornton of Smoky Mountain Family Historian. The topic is "10 essential books in my genealogy library." Check out Lori's post for more information.

Due to the explosive growth of the COG, and the amount of time it takes to put a COG post together, Jasia has a request for all contributors to future carnivals:

Due to the recent rapid growth of the COG, and assuming its popularity continues, I will have to make some changes to the way it is presented. I am asking that all future participants use a descriptive phrase in the title of their articles (i.e. "Miss Kate's Autograph Book" as Denise Olson did) and/or write a brief description/introduction to your articles in the "comment" box of the blogcarnival submission form (i.e. "I loved show and tell in school. Way back then I was only allowed to bring one item. For this edition of the COG I'm bringing a small valise full of items that are all related to A Pink Ball Gown." as Apple did). This will give readers an idea of what you've written about and hopefully interest them in clicking on your link. I will no longer be doing this for the authors. I just can't keep that up with the volume of submissions. I'm also considering other changes to the COG. I'll keep you posted.

The deadline for submissions for COG 56 is September 15th. Use the carnival submission form to submit your post. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the carnival index page.

Carnival of Genealogy graphics created by footnoteMaven.

What's that you say?

Donna has posted the Carnival of Genealogy, 54th Edition over at What's Past is Prologue. The topic this time around was "The Family Language". A wide variety of family sayings, words, phrases, expressions and unusual nicknames abound. Some light summer reading sure to bring a smile to your face if not an outright occasional guffaw.

And now, the call for submissions to the next COG!

With Labor Day and the end of summer right around the corner it’s time to think about going back to school. So, the topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Show and Tell! Remember that fun little exercise you used to do in your grade school days? Here’s your chance to do it again. Show us and tell us about an heirloom, a special photo, a valuable document, or a significant person that is a very special part of your family history. Don’t be shy now, show us what you’ve got! This is all about bragging rights so don’t hesitate to make the rest of us green with envy! This is your chance to brag, brag, brag, without seeming like a braggart (you can’t be a braggart when you’re merely following directions ;-)… so show and tell!

The deadline for submissions is September 1st. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

COG 53 - It's a Doozey!

The Carnival of Genealogy, 53rd Edition has been posted by Jasia at Creative Gene. This was a carousel edition, which means it was open to any genealogy-related topic this time around, and it is a doozey! There were 39 articles contributed to the COG, many by first-time participants, on a wide variety of topics. Research tips, family stories, success stories, a little sadness, a bit of humor. Time well spent in reading them all.

Jasia also announced the topic for the next edition of the COG: The Family Language...Does your family use words and phrases that no one else knows or understands? Where did they come from? Did you ever try to explain your "family language" to outsiders? Tell a story about your family-coined words, phrases, or nicknames. This topic was chosen by Donna Pointkouski who will be hosting the next edition of the COG at What's Past is Prologue. The deadline for submissions is August 15th. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

An Ageless Subject - Age - COG 52

Lisa has posted the Carnival of Genealogy, 52nd Edition over at 100 Years in America. The topic is "Age" and as Lisa says " This is a collection of tales and trivia, stories and statistics. Thanks to these contributions by various family historians, we have a look into the lives of others who stand out from their family tree (and society in general) because of their age." There are some new contributors as well as the "regulars" and a wide variety of tales that have been told. As always, I'm amazed at the quality and variety of the posts contributed to the COG. Check them out! Lisa has done a wonderful job of putting it all together. I for one know that it is not an easy task to come up with a good "lead" for each of the posts. Well done, Lisa!

The next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be a “carousel” edition. Just as carousels have a variety of animal figures so, too, will the next edition of the COG have a variety of topics. All subjects are welcome but please limit yourself to one submission. Submit any article you’d like (genealogy-related of course!) and if you'd like an introduction for it, please write your own. Jasia will be hosting the next edition on the Creative Gene blog but she won't be writing any introductions this time around. The deadline for submissions is August 1.Submit your blog article using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found at the blog carnival index page. Want to know more about the Carnival of Genealogy? See Jasia's Frequently Asked Questions page.

Kudos to footnoteMaven for the Carnival of Genealogy posters.

For numerous reasons, I neglected to post something when the last two "issues" of the COG were published. So, in case you haven't read them yet:

• The 50th Carnival of Genealogy : Family Pets was posted by Bill West at West in New England.
• Carnival of Genealogy, 51st Edition on the topic of Independent Spirit was posted by Thomas MacEntee at Destination Austin Family.

Lots of Smart Ladies at the Carnival

Jasia has posted the May 18th Carnival of Genealogy, 48th Edition the topic is "Mom, how'd you get so smart?" and is a tribute to the wisdom and knowledge of our beloved mothers and mother figures. There's some pretty neat stories I'm sure you'll enjoy.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Swimsuit Edition!

Why should Sports Illustrated have all the fun? This is your chance to show off the bathing beauties in your family. Pull out the old photos of Grandma Moses in her seaside bloomers, Auntie Mae in her pin-up girl suit from the 1940s or 50s, cousin Paula in her psychedelic bikini from the 1970s, or even yourself in your Speedo! Let's have some fun here! Memorial Weekend is knocking on the door and that means the start of the summer sun, sand, and seaside season so let's get in the mood with summer fun photos. What? You don't have any swimsuit photos you dare to share? No problem! Tell us your best family beach stories instead! The deadline for submissions is June 1st.

Articles can be submitted to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Home Sweet Home - COG 47

The 47th Carnival of Genealogy has been posted by Jasia at Creative Gene. The topic of this edition is "A Place Called Home" and takes a look at the places where our ancestors lived. It's another big one, 32 posts, with some new contributors. So take your time and enjoy your visit in other times and places.

In addition, Jasia has announced the topic for the next COG, which is: "Mom, how'd you get so smart?"

"We'll examine our mothers' education. What schools did your mom attend? Did she graduate high school or attend the school of hard knocks? Did she attend a one room school house or was she home-schooled? Was she the first in the family to attend college? Maybe your mom took self-study courses or was an avid reader. Tell us all about how a mother figure (mother, grandmother, mother in law, godmother, etc.) in your life became so brilliant!"

The deadline for submissions is May 15th.Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Traits and Talents! Who has what?

Family Traits. That's the topic of the Carnival of Genealogy, 46th Edition posted by Jasia. Bushy eyebrows, love of reading, pack rats, crooked fingers, and not-so-big big toes. What other unique traits and unusual talents have been revealed? To see who has what, you'll have to go to the carnival.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is: A Place Called Home. It's time for a geography lesson. Pick out a city/town/village where one of your ancestors once lived and tell us all about it. When was it founded? What is it known for? Has is prospered or declined over the years? Have you ever visited it or lived there? To a certain extent, we are all influenced by the environment we live in. How was your ancestor influenced by the area where they lived? Take us on a trip to the place your ancestor called home. The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2008.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Rev up the engines and head on down the road...

Jasia has posted the Carnival of Genealogy, 45th Edition! With 36 participants, some with multiple submissions, and several first-timers, this is the biggest COG ever. I'm always amazed at the variety of the articles in the COG and how everyone has a different take on the topic. It will take some time to get through all of the posts, but, believe me, they are well worth it. Some great reading! Whew, and thanks to Jasia for writing interesting introductions and putting it all together.

And, of course, Jasia has announced the topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy:

What traits run in your family? Which of them did you inherit? Do you have your mother's blue eyes? Your grandfather's stubbornness? Your aunt's skill with knitting needles? Is there a talent for music in your family? Or do you come from a long line of teachers? Have you ever looked at an old photo and recognized your nose on another family member's face? Tell us all about your family traits and please submit your articles by the deadline, April 15th (no inheritance taxes will be assessed ;-) . Thanks to Lisa Alzo for the topic suggestion!

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Meet the Women in our Lives

The Carnival of Genealogy, 44th Edition has been posted by Jasia over at Creative Gene. The topic for this, the March 18th edition, is "a tribute to women." Since March is Nation Women's History Month the COG bloggers pay tribute to women who have made an impact on their lives. As Jasia says "This edition is full of stories of courageous, funny, strong, tender, and intelligent women... women who inspire us each and every day. Once you meet them, you won't forget them."

Jasia has also announced the topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, which will be: Cars as stars!

Next to purchasing a house, a "new set of wheels" was the next most significant purchase for many families. What car played a starring roll in your family history and what roll did it play? Did your family build cars or tinker with them? Did they take "Sunday drives"? What was your first car? Was there a hangout that you frequented in your car? How far back can you document your family's automotive genealogy? Tell us your car stories... front seat or back! ;-) Vroom, Vroom! The deadline for submissions is April 1st.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Genea-Techno-Geeks at the Carnival

Jasia has posted the Carnival of Genealogy, 43rd Edition over at Creative Gene. The topic this time around was "Technology" and contributors had to select just one favorite from each of three categories (hardware besides a computer, software besides an internet browser, and a web site or blog besides their own).

It's a large COG with 32 participants, long-timers as well as newbies, who provide us with a summary of the technology they use and value the most for their genealogy research. I'm sure you'll find something new and useful amongst the favorites, I know I did. Thanks, Jasia for putting together another great edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.

As a side note, one very creative genea-blogger has designed posters for several editions of the COG. Go take a look at the gallery of COG posters created by footnoteMaven. Bravo, fM. (The posters are towards the bottom of the page so you'll need to scroll down past the "blogger's quilt" to see them.)

And, of course, Jasia has issued a Call for Submissions for the next COG:

In keeping with the month of March being National Women's History Month, and March 8th being International Women's Day, the topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will once again be: A Tribute to Women. Write a tribute to a woman on your family tree, a friend, a neighbor, or a historical female figure who has done something to impact your life. Or instead of writing, consider sharing a photo biography of one woman's life. Or create a scrapbook page dedicated to a woman you'd like to honor. For extra credit, sum up her life in a six-word biography (thanks to Lisa Alzo for the suggestion!).

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2008. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

The iGene Awards have arrived at the Carnival

Jasia has posted the Carnival of Genealogy, 42nd Edition over at Creative Gene. The topic for the February 18, 2008 edition is iGene Awards 2007! And the 23 participants are now the founding members of the Academy of Genealogy and Family History. I'm not sure what all that entails, but it sure sounds impressive ;-) Thanks, Jasia.

There were five categories and each AGFH member selected at least one post from the past year that they considered to be their best each of the categories. This was an opportunity to highlight those "special" posts from 2007 and the selections certainly cover a wide spectrum.

And, Jasia has issued a call for submissions for next carnival:

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Technology. What technology do you most rely on for your genealogy and family history research? Select one piece of hardware (besides your computer), one piece of software (besides your internet browser), and one web site/blog (besides your own) that are indispensable to you. Resist the urge to dilute the impact of your 3 choices by mentioning several others you use and appreciate as well. This is an exercise in appraising the technology you use/recommend the most.

The deadline for submissions is March 1st. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Dine with the Ancestors at the Carnival

Wow, the COG just keeps getting bigger and better! Thirty-one posts comprise the February 4th Carnival of Genealogy, 41st Edition. The topic is: "If you could have dinner with four of your ancestors who would they be and why?" Take some time to meet the dinner guests and enjoy the culinary delights presented. They will make you laugh, they will make you cry, they will make you think. You'll run the full gamut of emotions and you will be amazed at the vivid imaginations of some very talented writers!

Who, What, When, Where, Why? is my contribution to COG-41.

Jasia also announced the topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy:

"The Best of The Best!" It's Academy awards time... time for the Academy of Genealogy and Family History aka AGFH (an esteemed organization that all genea-historian bloggers who participate in this next edition of the COG will become founding members of) to honor their best blog posts of 2007* in the following 5 categories:

Best Picture - Best old family photo that appeared on your blog in 2007. Tell us which you liked best and why.
Best Screen Play - Which family story that you shared in 2007 would make the best movie? Who would you cast as your family members?
Best Documentary - Which was the best informational article you wrote about a place, thing, or event involving your family's history in 2007?
Best Biography - Which was the best biographical article you wrote in 2007?
Best Comedy - Which was the best funny story, poem, joke, photo, or video that you shared on your blog in 2007?

The award given to these very deserving examples of quality writing of family history will heretofore be known as the iGene Award.

Start digging back into your archives and choose which of your blog posts deserve to be recognized for outstanding achievement. This is not a competition between bloggers but a chance for you to spotlight your own shining efforts at recording your genealogy and family history in 2007*. There is no nomination process. You just need to announce your winning blog posts for the 5 categories mentioned above in an article on your blog and submit it to the Carnival of Genealogy.

Please act as your own "award presenter" by writing an introduction and include it in the "Remarks" box on the BlogCarnival submission form. The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2008.

*We're going to define "2007" to include any posts written in 2007 as well as those written Jan. 1-Feb. 15, 2008 as well (so that new bloggers can participate).

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

We're Making Connections at the Carnival

Jasia has posted the Carnival of Genealogy, 40th Edition and this is one you really shouldn't miss! The topic for this edition is: living-relative connections. So, head on over to learn how other researchers have benefited (or not) from making those contacts!

Jasia has also issued a Call For Submissions! for the next Carnival:

"We're going to switch the focus from living relatives to deceased ones. The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: If you could have dinner with four of your ancestors who would they be and why? Here's a chance to exercise your imagination... Would you have dinner in the present day or in one of their eras? Would you dine out or opt for a home cooked meal? What would you discuss at the dinner table? What would you most like to share with them about your life? This topic was suggested by footnoteMaven who I'm sure you've heard is feeling poorly. Let's cheer her up with some interesting reading while she's convalescing! The deadline for submitting articles is February 1st."

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Resolutions, Goals and Good Intentions..

Jasia has posted the Carnival of Genealogy, 39th Edition at Creative Gene. The topic for this edition is "New Year's Resolutions" and we sure are a bunch of ambitious people! There were 22 submissions with some new people joining in the fun this time. It is interesting to see the variety of posts and what everyone wants to achieve this year!

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Living-relative connections made during your research processes and/or blog. Who found you or how did you find them? Were they helpful or did they send you on a wild goose chase for further information? How much and what kind of information did they share with you? What did you share with them? What kinds of contacts have you had... in person, via phone, online chat, email, snail mail, web casts? (If you're not comfortable using their real names you might want to consider using pseudonyms.)

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. The deadline for submissions is January 15th. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

The COG has a bug!

The Carnival of Genealogy, 38th Edition has been posted at Creative Gene.

The theme for the December 18, 2007 edition of the COG is: The New Millennium. What were you up to? How did you prepare for the New Year 2000? Something old, something new, something funny, something blue... a variety of articles to peruse.

The theme for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: New Year's Resolutions. "As the year winds to a close in the next couple weeks it's a good time to review the progress made in our genealogy research and to make a plan for next year. So what did you accomplish last year and what road blocks did you encounter? What are your research goals for next year and how do you resolve to attain them?" Submit your blog articles to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. The deadline for submissions is January 1, 2008. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

37th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy

The Carnival of Genealogy, 37th Edition has been posted by Jasia at Creative Gene. The theme for this edition of the COG is Wish Lists! And, as Jasia says, the genea-blogger's wishes range from the practical to the laughable and everything in between. Jasia did a great job of presenting each of the posts. Thank you, Jasia!

The theme for the next edition of the COG will be: The New Millennium. Where were you when the year 2000 came around? How did you celebrate the New Year 2000... with friends? family? at a party? in a bunker? What were your thoughts, fears, and feelings about the new millennium? Can you believe it's been 8 years since then? Record your memories now for posterity!

The deadline for submissions will be December 15th. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

And, a little head's up... the final COG of 2007 will be about New Year's Resolutions. Articles for that edition can be submitted between December 19th and January 1st.

Carousel Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy

Jasia has posted the November 18, 2007 edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, 36th Edition, which is a "carousel" edition with no specific theme. With 26 authors, several new participants, and 31 articles on a wide range of topics, this is a very interesting edition.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Wish Lists! Christmas and Hanukkah are just around the corner and these are the seasons of gift giving and receiving. What are you wishing for this Christmas? The Genea-Santa wants to know! Do you have any suggestions for the folks who have to buy a gift "for the genealogist who has everything"?

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. The deadline for submissions will be December 1st. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

And, if you're in the market for another interesting carnival, GreenmanTim at Walking the Berkshires has published the Cabinet of Curiosities #1- PT Barnum Edition with some interesting topics including alien signal receptors, mummy heads, voodoo, counterfeit shrunken heads, and more.