Spring Fever

What!! you say?  It's not even February!  How can you have Spring Fever?

Well we've had weather in the 60's for the past week, and according to the last frost dates here in Sierra Vista, I should be able to start planting peas and other spring vegetables in just a week or two.  That means that NOW is the time to work the dirt, set up the watering system and get ready for planting.

Yes I've got it bad.

Unfortunately, tax season is also beginning; and I'm signed up to work it this year.  I hope I can get things ready soon so I can actually have a good garden this year.

So many good desires, and so little time to pursue them.

And so of course here's another idea I want to add to the list.

Alex and I were asked to talk in Sacrament meeting today on Temples and Preparing for the Temple.  (Miriam also gave a talk in Primary on Heavenly Father creating the Earth as a place where we can choose the right.  She did wonderful!)  Well the combined Priesthood/RS meeting was also on Temples and Genealogy work.  And while sitting in the meeting, I was struck with an idea that I would like to run by you all and get your opinion on it.

We always talk in church about doing genealogy work and preparing names for the Temple.  Those who have done a lot always talk about the wonderful stories they learn about their ancestors and the loving bond that develops between the generations and the need to pass that precious family heritage down to your children, etc, etc.

Well, I guess I've always wanted to be involved in this process, but have felt incredibly overwhelmed and a little too late in the process.  It seems the work has been done for the Sherwood and Kidman lines back to the old kings of England and such. I know Art has started a family tree online somewhere, and the temple work records and genealogy tree are available online.  But what about the stories, journals, books, memories, pictures, the family treasures that you would want to share in a family home evening?  Although I know there are family stories out there, only a few people know them and how do I go about learning those family stories so I can tell them to my children?

That's when it hit me that maybe another blog could be an answer to all that.  Like the recipe blog, one central location, that everyone has access to read and write in, where we can post those family history stories, pictures, journal excerpts, memories, etc.  Like a reader's digest version of the gems of our family history.  We could use labels to group postings into Sherwood vs other family lines (Leahy, Jenson, etc.) We could have links on the side to the Family Tree Art set up already or to the actual genealogy sites.  Those who actually know what work needs to be done could let the rest of us know how we can help.  And sometime down the line we could get it printed into a book if we wanted to.

We could record long past as well as recent family stories here.  We could post memories of Scott and Marty.  Don, I know you've been working on a book of Hartsock Lane memories.  You could post chapters here.  We could upload the Lake Powell videos.  We could get Aunt Sue set up as a contributor since I think she's the biggest expert on the family work.  Better yet everyone from Grampa down set up, so we can really collect the family stories.

What do you guys think?  Is this a good idea, or just one more thing to put on the "to do" list?  Is there already a better medium out there for this kind of online, interactive collection of genealogical data, stories, and pictures?  Any ideas?  I would really like to hear from all of my immediate (and extended) family on this post.