When I was in, oh say 3rd grade we were supposed to go home and ask our parents where our families came from. That was probably the first time in my life I ever heard about this ethnicity thing I’m always writing about. It might also be the first time I had any sense of…
Category: Memories
Cutter Races
When I was a kid we used to go to the cutter races in Tremonton, Utah. Like chariot races but with sleds on snow. It’s a Wyoming and Utah thing. After we moved away they’ve been a fond memory, something from my childhood most of the people I know have never heard of, much less…
Tomten
Mom asked me today if I remember the tomte’s name. No, I don’t think I knew the tomte has a name. But I’m intrigued by the question. Back up for a bit. We have a tomte (“house elf”). Of course we do. Our ancestors came from Sweden. Honestly, if I didn’t have one I’m not…
Some Anniversaries
February 8th is one of those days that stands out in the calendar of my family history. For me it has become Genealogy Day, a day to do something special about my interest in family history. Like Christmas but for me not Baby Jesus. And it helps a bit that Losar, the Tibetan New Year,…
Cantaloupe
Having just finished writing about tomatoes, I couldn’t find a place to sneak a quick bit about cantaloupes. Talking to Mom yesterday, she was reminiscing about how much Daddy liked salt on everything. And he didn’t much like sugar because when he was growing up he drowned in sweets from his German mother. That’s why…