How Death Masks Blur the Lines Between Art, Mourning, and Remembrance – Quite the read. “A person might be dead for 400 years, and you can still see the wrinkles fan out from their eyes without the intermediary of a painter’s brush.”

Sean Kirst: For Henry Wesley, the greatest Christmas gift: Family he never knew – A warm story from a very cold place. 🥶 Hoping Henry, Jean, and all those in Buffalo are all safe and cozy. 🙏

Incoming congressman’s claims his grandparents fled the Holocaust contradicted by genealogy records – Helped CNN out with a little sleuthing. Imagine claiming this about your family when it simply isn’t true.

Tammy Hepps came to Pittsburgh to research the Jews of Homestead and found Jeff Goldblum – 👏👏👏, Tammy Hepps!

I had the wonderful experience of discovering my very first book on the shelves of a bookstore at Tattered Cover – by accident during a snowstorm after helping a friend move to Denver. Several years later, I had the privilege of speaking there when one of my later books was released. What a loss for all of us, but what a stunning legacy Joyce Meskis has left. We are all so fortunate that she graced our lives.

Ellis Island by The Corrs – Thinking of 17-year-old Annie Moore from Cork, Ireland, the first immigrant to arrive at Ellis Island – 131 years ago on January 1, 1892. 🗽

“Six minute medical
Leaving no chalk on me
Goodbye, Ellis Island, hello land of free”

Wishing you and yours a 2023 full of fresh beginnings. 🥂

I used DNA analysis to find my birth family and it sent me across three continents – A lovely and intriguing genetic genealogy adoption tale with solid advice.

Grief and genealogy and ‘The Lost Words’ – Moving essay by John Grenham (Irish Ancestors).

Photo Credit: Dave Shea under Creative Commons license