My Readers ~ Not All Are Somehow Related

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 52 (YOU)



2019 is coming to an end. This week I focus on YOU - my reader. I think the blog prompt of YOU was supposed to be about me. I have written about me in many of my posts for the 2019 challenge. I have never written about YOU! I think it's time I share what I discovered about who is reading & following my blog. 


When I first started my blog I thought no one would be interested in reading what I had to say about my ancestors. I did think those related to me might be interested in a few of them. 

2019 was my first 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. 


I wrote every week using the prompt as it was provided. When I started I wasn't sure I would be able to write every week. This is week 52 in a row of blogging. Even the weeks I was away on vacation I managed to post by prepping my post in advance, and posting before leaving or when I got home. 


I am very proud at my success in following through for all 52 weeks. 


Before 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks I had an uncommitted relationship with my blog. I initially created my blog in May 2010. I posted a few blog in the first few years, but then deleted them. I posted 3 blogs in 2014, 0 in 2015, 1 in 2016, 0 in 2017, 0 in 2018, and 52 in 2019. 

Prior to the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge I had about 10 views for each of the 4 posts. Since then my readership has grown. Even those early posts have had more views. 

My Week 7 (LOVE) post was only viewed 12 times, but Week 23 (NAMESAKE) was viewed 279 times. Those are the two extremes, and all the others range between those two. My average post views for 2019 was 60. 

Where are my viewers from?  Canada, United States, and Ukraine are the top 3 countries. 

I want to thank my viewers for reading my blog in 2019.
A very big THANKS to those who have posted comments. 


Over the past few months I have noticed that when I publish a blog I have views that occur right away. The majority of my viewers visit in the first 48 hours after I publish the new blog post, but I usually see about 5 visitors in the first 10 minutes. I often wonder who those first visitors are. Are they the same 5?  Are they close family members? Are they even family members at all?  If they aren't family members how did they find me?  How do they even find out I've published a new blog post? 


HUGE shout-out to my 1 follower!

                                                                       ***Who I now know is my husband ***
                                                                 - This Bramble Bush is his too!





Look for more Somehow Related Blog posts for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2020 Challenge!




This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***







Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________________

Looking Forward ~ After Looking Back

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 51 (FUTURE)

What a strange concept. 

After so many years of looking back to research I couldn't think about anything to write about regarding the future.

I began pondering who would be looking for me when researching their family tree in the future. I googled my name, and was shocked at how many newspaper articles with photos existed for me.  Below is one of them.

Source: Langley Advance. June 8, 2016

I also discovered many that are not me. The name, details, and photos might appear to be me. They are not. If only I could leave messages attached to the ones that are not me for future researchers. This is how errors in trees can occur. 


What are my plans for the future? 


I work hard on staying in the moment. If I look too far forward I get overwhelmed.


Maybe I will read this book!

Published May 1st 2009 by Heritage Books

I do have some short-term goals as they relate to my genealogy researching. 


I want (really need) to vary my research space. 

The inside is cluttered

I have been working with a computer desk with doors for the past few years. I keep altering the layout in the desk, but messy chaos persists. 


From the outside it's not so bad, but the inside is too disorganized to find anything. I have books stored in the upper door shelves which is beginning to effect the doors ability to stay closed. 

I will need to look at what parts are working & what parts are not. Only then will I be able to make a space that I truly want to work in.

My plans for the future

solve my workspace organization issues
 continue to genealogy blog weekly 
 choose a brick wall to focus on each year
 enjoy the process

Listening for the call of my ancestors!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***





Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________________

Christmas Traditions ~ 39 Years of Decorations

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 50 (TRADITION)


My family's Christmas tradition began in 1980 when my aunt (my mom's sister) sent each of her relatives a Christmas decoration.


This is mine

By her calculations she has made 87 stockings (each new baby gets one), and almost 4000 ornaments over the past 39 years.

One year she made Stocking Mice. 

this doggy loves Christmas

This year our tree looks a little sparse. 3 years ago we sent our older son his decorations and stocking from his great auntie to use on his tree now that he lives too far away to join us for Christmas. That year we were going to box up our younger son's decorations, but didn't because he asked why we didn't want his ornaments on our tree anymore. Last year he wasn't with us at Christmas so we boxed them up. This year's tree has 45 less ornaments, and it's noticeable. 

Since my mom is the oldest she felt she must also create hand crafted Christmas decorations. She soon discovered that she didn't have the dedication or patience of her sister. Over the years she made and sent a few.


These are some of hers

Here we find my aunt's and my mom's combined 

Aunt's mouse, and mom's towel holding ring with tree boughs

One year mom made bathroom decorations. 

and that started our tradition of decorating the bathroom.

That resulted in the addition of this outhouse that has Santa calling for TP, and making very loud Santa farts. Folks visiting our bathroom at Christmas tend to linger in the bathroom a little longer than expected and their giggles can be heard from afar. 

By now you might be starting to figure out that our family Christmas tradition is decorating a little Grizwold-like


When our boys were small we made decorations annually, and many still grace our tree.

Our older son made this for a school art project that was to use recycled items to create a Christmas decoration - he was about 10.

Over the years my aunt made some really adorable decorations (photos below. Apparently I am the only one who still has this one. 

When I reminded her about this one she said "I forgot about that guy, not one of my best, I think I threw mine out". Mine has held oranges every year since I got it sometime in the late 80s. Family tradition says I keep them until they are so broken they can not be repaired.


Check out how cute the ornaments have been over the years - this is not all of them.

 

Keeping the family traditions alive!






This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***






Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________________