Family history is a large part of who I am and what I do. And, I live in a RV for months on end. I don't want to just leave all of my memories, heirlooms and such back in Michigan. I want them with me, if possible, in some form.
So, I thought I would share a few of my ideas with you, how I take my family history with me.
One way is the photo headboard in Tana's bedroom. These are small framed mirrors, the mirrors being covered with family photos. I can change them out if I want to. Man and I get a lot of joy out of this "headboard", his parents, my parents, and our children and grandchildren reside here.
We also have some framed photos I can put out, and a digital photo frame.
Over the years I have been blessed to have been given a number of family heirlooms. I have to leave them behind in the stick built home while we travel in our rolling home, Tana. Sometimes I do miss having my family artifacts around me. I found a way to get around the times that my heart yearns for connectivity to my family and the heirlooms. I have on my data base, Legacy, a special field/fact I have developed called, "Heirlooms". I photo heirlooms I have care of, and place the photos in this fact. I can then look at the photos of them any time my little heart desires. Here, for example are some old bottles out of the family farm in Virginia.
Or how about this lovely wooden bucket that was produced at the plant my grandfather worked at for many years, my father procured it and gave it to me:
When I am feeling a little homesick, open Legacy, have a long healthy look. Works for me every time.
(By the way, I wrote about this back in October of 2011 when I was still using RootsMagic for my data base. You can read about it here. This graphic is from the RootsMagic version, in reality, it is not that much different in Legacy.)
One of my favorite "take the family memories with us" tricks is to take plants with me. Here is a box full in travel mode. They are packed tightly in a waterproof box. When we stop for a week, they are taken out and set about the RV.
Inside that box are two spider plants, here is one. They were given to me by my grandmother many, many years ago.
This philodendron is from Man's mother.
This, which I cannot remember the name of, was a gift from one of our sons. Yes, it is blooming. This photo was taken during the first week of April 2014.
I also happen to carry another box of plants, violets, a favorite house plant of mine.
Carrying my family with me when I travel, a very good thing.
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Great thoughts. I love the Headboard. Best word to describe your traveling Heirlooms is Creative! The fact you have have kept plants alive traveling is Awesome. :-) Love your post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Fran. I do love our headboard.
DeleteI have one of those last plants and also don't know the name of it. Actually I have the first too also. The philodendrons from my mother.
ReplyDeleteI think it is so special Kristin to have plants passed down from our parents or grandparents. I have another one that is a bulb that I usually leave at home, dormant for the winter. It cannot freeze, but, does well in the basement. When we get home, I bring upstairs, water, and soon I will have lovely pink lillies.
DeleteAh a peace Lily, that's what we call them here. What a great way to carry your things with you.
ReplyDeleteThank you Julie!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the above with us when you were in Georgia earlier this week. I'm so glad you stayed at the State Park near us so we could visit in your "home away from home", drive over to the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., have dinner, and come to my house for family pictures, etc. It was great! YEP, WE SHARED THE SAME GGGrandfather and now you've seen where he is buried. LOL
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled to meet you N Luree Bowen and thank you again for your kindness and generosity.
DeleteYou are so creative -- a nomad with wonderful heirlooms. I have perennials from my grandmother's rock garden. They put a smile on my face whenever I see them sprout and bloom.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful for you Schalene. I have some perennials back at the stick built as well, they have been moved 3 times, from house to house. And, I too, smile when I look at them.
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