This & That During The Summer of 2012

Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds, and me! June 2012.

This busy summer is quickly coming to an end. As usual, I didn’t get everything accomplished that I had planned.

I wasn’t able to research as much as I had hoped and I still haven’t started my 1812 application. But I did collect, digitize and organize a lot of old family photos. I attended a national conference (NGS) in May and two family reunions a couple months later.

I signed up as a volunteer indexer for FamilySearch and enjoyed indexing Ohio batches of the 1940 census. I participated in 5 Million Record Day on 2 July, the day when volunteers were asked to index a few extra batches in order to achieve a new indexing record–5 million records in one day. Thanks to all those indexing that day we surpassed that goal, and then some. On that day over 46,000 indexers and arbitrators indexed and arbitrated over 10 million records. I indexed 19 batches of Ohio census records that day. The 1940 census has been completely indexed by now thanks to the many 1940 US Census Community Project volunteers.

We went all the way to Cincinnati for a vacation in June and attended two Reds games. While near the ballpark one afternoon Joe recognized Cincinnati Reds’ ballplayer Todd Frazier. Todd is very nice in addition to being a very versatile ball player. He was playing 3rd base for the injured Scott Rolen but has since taken charge of 1st base after Joey Votto injured his knee. Todd is also in the running for Rookie of the Year and IMHO he deserves it, hands down. Take for example that 474 foot home run Wednesday night! And there was that nifty little toss to Leake to make an out at first base during the same game. Way to go Todd! He even saved a man from choking earlier in the year. Todd and the Reds are both having a great season.

I managed to take a little time away from genealogy and my computer to venture into the great outdoors for a little yard work. Our yard was quite a mess after a hurricane-like storm went through the Midwest the end of June. My yard work went like this:

Day 1: south half of the front yard; picked up sticks, hauled away many loads in wheel barrow.
Day 2: north half of front yard; too stiff to bend over; raked sticks into 14 separate piles instead.
Day 3: blisters on hands and feet; still could not bend over; recuperated in house.

Some interesting birds passed through our yard this year. A pair of pileated woodpeckers were pounding on our trees for several months. These are the large woodpeckers, about 20 inches tall. They look like Woody Woodpecker, for those of you that remember that cartoon. We were thrilled. We thought we would never see one of these in our lifetime.

Pileated Woodpecker. This was the best photo I could get.

We also have a pair of wild turkeys that occasionally show up and wander through the yard. They like to nibble their way around the pond, possibly plumping themselves up for Thanksgiving.

Wild turkeys grazing around the pond.

Speaking of birds, this headline caught our attention a couple weeks ago:

Headline in “The Daily Standard”

We wondered what type of heron is illegal to possess. Could it be a Great Blue? The Green Heron? We often see both types on our lot. Nope, it was neither of those varieties. It seems the couple in the headline plead not guilty to possession of heroin. One little letter can change the whole story. Editors can be helpful and I do appreciate my editor Miriam.

Last, but not least, our son became engaged this past week! Wahoo! He is engaged to a wonderful girl and they make great couple. I’m sure they will be very happy together. Best of all, I will soon have a beautiful daughter-in-law. Can’t wait!

Yes, it has been an eventful summer so far and there is still have a month of it left to enjoy. And GO REDS!

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