Wooly Worms and Genealogy

During my summer confinement, also known as "Out for the Season," I have taken to counting the days and lamenting the return of cold, winter days. In July I saw a wooly worm crawling up my driveway. Friday afternoon I saw another wooly worm. The neighborhood mice are seeking shelter in the garage rather early, forcing me to set out sticky traps. Leaves are turning at least two weeks early. Native Americans I have known through the years proclaim that early wooly worms mean an early, cold winter.

Actually all this probably means I should come up with a big genealogical research agenda for winter, quickly ... might be an early winter. I have missed my summer walks and prowls in the cemeteries, let alone the ability to spend time researching in courthouses and libraries. Now I can envision short days and cold winter nights, howling wind and piles of snow. This will force me to break down a few brickwalls I have ignored the last three months.

You Go Girl #2 will be here in about 2 1/2 weeks when she will attend my Fall Genealogy Seminar on October 10th. It's all about free genealogy web pages, plus digging deeper to locate vital records. Now you know what I've been doing all summer. It's no quick project putting together an all day seminar, plus a CD of information to accompany it.

The local genealogy society will be celebrating Family History Month (what we call the real month of October) in a big way. We will have volunteers at the library to show people what is in the genealogy section and help them get started with their research or overcome research obstacles. There will be three tours of the genealogy section during the month. Books have been moved about three times in two years, so this will reacquaint people with their whereabouts. On October 21st we will have genealogy displays, help stations, door prizes and handouts in an evening of welcoming people to the addictive work of genealogy. You Go Girl #2 is helping out by making displays and donating prizes. She is also my listener when I have bursts of inspiration for what hopefully will be a fun month.

Let it snow ... even early ... I don't care. I don't know where wooly worms go to stay warm, but I have my genealogy to keep me warm!

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby