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Family History

Folding the Past into the Present, Under the Elderberry Tree.

Posted on November 7, 2025November 7, 2025 by Melissa

Listen, the truth is, the ancestors don’t care about how or where we talk about them online. They care that they are remembered and honored, that their memories are passed from generation to generation through oral history, legacy, the Family Ofrenda, and the lives of their descendants. Sharing my personal family history stories and some…

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Everything is Family History

Posted on June 26, 2025June 26, 2025 by Melissa

As a hobby family historian and genetic genealogist, I sometimes give myself a hard time for not devoting all of my copious free time to the depths of family history research. You know, accomplishing more and more towards that ever-elusive unicorn of a “finished tree” and holding in my hands every document available ever. Those…

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Where Past & Present Collide

Posted on May 27, 2025May 27, 2025 by Melissa

Goodness, I just fell right off there once the A to Z Challenge was completed, didn’t I? Apologies. I guess that’s what happens when a hobbyist’s best intentions collide with present time necessities 🙂 Alas, I am still alive and kicking (or up and not crying, if you will) after a May filled with a…

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World Tuberculosis Day

Posted on March 24, 2025March 23, 2025 by Melissa Willis

Today marks the date in 1882 that Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of the bacteria that causes Tuberculosis, also known as TB or (for us family historians) Consumption. To commemorate World Tuberculosis Day, I’d thought I’d share a personal story about TB. A story about how it brought my maternal Grandma from her hometown…

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Folding Time on a New Platform

Posted on March 15, 2025March 15, 2025 by Melissa

If you’ve been around for a while, you might notice that the site looks a bit different today than it did last week! That’s because, after two years of genealogy blogging on Squarespace and micro-blogging on Instagram, I’ve decided to switch it up and move to WordPress. Why is that? Well, while Squarespace offered an…

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On Heritage Meals & Tradition Building

Posted on November 26, 2024March 15, 2025 by Melissa Willis

As we enter the Holiday Season, the cacophony of voices around family recipes and traditions and what we should all be doing with and for our families and friends is in full swing, but what if there was another option?

What if you gave yourself permission to build your own traditions and create menus filled with new heritage meals?

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One Simple Step Towards Documenting Your Family History

Posted on May 30, 2023 by Melissa Willis

Timing is everything when faced with interest in learning about our family history, isn’t it? It seems many of us aren’t incredibly interested in such things in our youth and by the time we begin to get the itch, many of our elders have already passed. So, how do we strike a balance? Well, if you’re here in this space with me now I’d wager a guess you have found an interest (even a tiny one) and may or may not be ready to fully dive in so I’m going to offer a simple suggestion: Begin by documenting the facts and stories passed down in your family.

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7 Topics to Include When Writing About Your Family History

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Melissa Willis

No matter what your personal goals are, if you are aiming to be comprehensive in documenting your family’s story, there are several details you should consider including to create a detailed and engaging narrative. Here are seven important topics I’ve come across in my research for you to consider as you begin (or continue) writing about your family history.

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Family History as a Remembrance Journey

Posted on March 9, 2023 by Melissa Willis

No matter where you are on your family history remembrance journey, it’s never too late to start or begin again.

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HELLO & WELCOME!

I'm Melissa :-)

Ghost Chaser | Kin Seeker
NPE Survivor | Tea Drinker

As a hobbyist family historian and genetic genealogist, I find great joy in folding time with the Ancestors in an effort to best honor them while documenting their legacies for future generations. Grab a cuppa, let's sit for a spell and chat about ghosts!

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