History / not in books or online….

When I was in school many many years ago history was a class that always seemed to require the heaviest books. History class was OK  but it wasn’t my favorite. Maybe the reason school aged children aren’t interested in history is because they have no real history of their own. Learning about of bunch of people and places that you have never known or heard of can be somewhat abstract to the young wandering mind.  ( the heavy book thing doesn’t help either ) I have always been a visual learner and to be honest I learned more from watching TV about history than a book when I was a teen. Television may not have been the most accurate at times but at least I could see what a settler may have eaten, lived in, dressed like, well you get the picture. I loved television history series like North & South, Roots, and Bonanza ( yes Bonanza. I had a crush on Hoss)
The Internet provides endless amounts of historical information. Some information is accurate, some isn’t, and some comes at a price or membership. Cemeteries also provide historical information. You can find generations of families names and ages, what branch of military a person served in, what war they fought in, what illness they passed from, and how their families felt at their passing. Cemeteries are quiet, always open and you can set your pace for what you learn. You can even take the time to share history with others by contributing information found on FindAGrave.com. This free website has information about graves from one month ago to hundreds of years past. What can I say, history and cemeteries have become passion!

Angel in the sky?

 

 

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This photo is one that was given to me by one of my daughter’s friends. The photo was taken the day after the home and land that his family owned in southwestern Kansas burned to the ground. Thankfully the land and buildings were the only loss and everyone survived the blaze that burned for hours.

The photo was taken with a simple camera, no special lens, no added effects, no touch ups. Is the figure in the sky just a rement of the fire that burned and lingered or is it an angel watching over a family? Do we see what we want or need to comfort ourselves? Is that not what faith is, just believing?