Grampa's Loving Roots to Shoots

I've always loved this Family Tree painting by Norman Rockwell. It's a fun way to point out to even a bright four year old. Print this one in color if you can (so he/she can take it with as a treasure or bring it up in a full screen on your computer and begin to help them love finding out where they come from.

One of the most important things a grampa can do: nurture a love in your gram shoots for your mutual ancestors. (The earlier the better!)

You may have heard about Primate Ressearcher Jane Goodall's Roots to Shoots program. I learned about it on her interview with Bill Moyers on public television last week. "The power of youth is global" is what we're all about. As Grampas, that's what we're about. Dig into it and let me know with an email to grampaintraining@gmail.com. (Copy and paste this address into your email program)

The name of Ms. Goodall's foundation reminded me of the second most popular use of the Internet: Researching your ancestors. For the last fifty years of my 63 (2010), genealogy has been important, but dry as dust.

The very young, (and Wannabe Grampas like me) are impressed with the fun end of genealogy--old pictures, rusty civil war swords. The nuts and bolts of genealogy is practiced by folks like my Genalog-a-holic college buddy, Barry Ewell.

Barry and his family live in Riverton, Utah. He is a Senior Marketing Manager for IBM. He is a writer and researcher with extensive genealogical experience in internet and field research, digital and software resources and mentoring genealogists. Research interests include Eastern U.S., United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Germany, and Russia. Barry makes genealogy live

Well, that was something I've managed to put off, year after year 'til now.

Maybe like you

Three very well produced


One of the new products on the market that will help is a computer software

It's so important it's described in the last book of the Old Testament.

Malachi

There's some new software out there with the title Rootsmagic.com

Boyd K. Packer's computer/Football analogy

Gardening is the oldest skill known to man. I personally grew up in a home where we had a garden every year, but weeding it and nurturing it was more a chore than a labor of love.

Planning:
Gramps can research the growing season, pick the plot and plan the layout. (Depending on the age of the gramchild. Younger ones can watch and learn

Planting:

Watering:

Weeding:

Harvesting:

Thirty years ago there was a push in our community to grow a garden. A sister in law smiled when we kidded her about the weeds that had taken over her garden.

"We were told to grow a garden. Nobody said anything about weeding it!