Wordless Wednesday

Dave Salazar, Breuner Building
2201 Broadway, Oakland, California

Photograph by Kathryn Doyle, 11/8/2008, Oakland, California.

The Proximidade Award

I'm behind because of the holidays so I haven't acknowledged the Proximidade Award given to the CGSL blog by Miriam Robbins Midkiff of AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors blog. Thanks so much, Miriam!

These blogs invest and believe in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers, who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Like Becky, I'm not terribly sure of what that means exactly but it's always great to be acknowledged! The downside of these memes and awards is trying to find blogs who haven't already received the award. Here are eight blogs I've begun following recently:

97 Things To Do Before I Turn 97

Anglo-Celtic Connections

Anna-Karin's Genealogical Blog

Conversation with Ancestors Past

Genealogy Musings

Genealogy Traces

Kathy's Genealogy Blog

The Genealogy Genie

Please stop by and take a look at the winners. I'll be visiting their blogs to leave a message in the comments section of their most recent posts to let them know that they are recipients.

Scots-Irish Seminar - March 7, 2009

Saturday, March 7, 2009, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Oakland Airport Holiday Inn and Suites

The California Genealogical Society and Library and the Ulster Historical Foundation will present a full day Scots-Irish Family History Research Seminar on Saturday, March 7, 2009, at the new Oakland Airport Holiday Inn, 77 Hegenberger Road, Oakland, California.

Fintan Mullan, Executive Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation and Dr. Brian Trainor, former Director of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) and former Research Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation will present several lectures, including: Emigration from the North of Ireland to North America in the 18th Century, Records Relating to the Different Churches in Ireland, Irish and Scots-Irish Research: 'Not Always at the Bottom of the Pile' and The Ulster Plantation: Sources for 17th Century Families.

Full details and registration information are available in the program flier which was mailed to members in the January 2009 CGS Newsletter.

Please note the special "early bird" registration price - $10 off if you register before January 15, 2009. Lunch is included in the price.

Our speakers will come to us from Belfast, Northern Ireland and will bring several books for sale at the event, including their title Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors: The Essential Genealogical Guide to Early Modern Ulster, 1600-1800 by William Roulston. Their complete catalog is available at the bookstore website. The UHF is a fantastic resource – I had the pleasure to visit their offices during my recent trip to Ireland and had a one-on-one consultation. Details are being worked out for a limited number of consultations for attendees. I'll have more on this in a future post.

After the successful Day of Irish Information last July, the society received many requests for a Scots-Irish Research Seminar. CGS President Jane Lindsey aims to please so I hope that members will spread the word about this wonderful program.

Photograph of the High Cross at Drumcliff by Kathryn Doyle, 10/5/2008, Co. Sligo, Ireland.

Wordless Wednesday

CGS Board of Directors

Pot Luck Lunch Before the December Meeting
Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey.

CGS News - The Last Issue!

The January 2009 issue of the CGS News, Volume XL, No. 1, was mailed to members last week. It's eight pages are packed with important information:

• Annual Membership Meeting Announcement- page 1
• Allen County Public Library Trip Registration- page 2
• Salt Lake City research Trip Registration Form- page 3
• Notes from the President- page 4
• CGS 2009 Calendar of Events- page 5-6
• Genealogy: Intermediate Series Classes- page 7

The most significant news in the page one article by Editor Jane Hufft announcing that this is the last newsletter:

This issue is the last official issue of the CGS Newsletter which has been sent to CGS members for many years. New ways of keeping in touch are in the works, and we want to hear from you as we make this historic transition. My editorial duties will be transferred to the launch of the former “Nugget,” which begins its new life as The California Nugget, to be published twice a year beginning with the spring 2009 issue. Lois Elling, who has been my newsletter partner for the four years that I have been editor, will now take her design and layout talents to the new California Nugget.

I'll have more to say about this new society publication in some upcoming posts.