Thursday, February 28, 2008

Sonora's costume

Sonora decided to make a costume. She really wouldn't tell us what it was going to be until it was done. She pretty much taught herself to sew and made the thing. She's working on another costume now - I'm not sure what it will look like

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Glow Sticks

The kids had fun playing with glow sticks
It got a bit cold outside - so they moved inside

Trip to Mammoth Cave

We took the whole family on a trip through Mammoth Cave - the longest cave in the world. Our tour was 3/4 mile - the whole cave is 375 miles and they haven't finished finding the ends of it yet.


Mammoth Cave has very few formations - but the ones they have are really pretty.




Sonora

I really don't know what Sonora is doing here - but it's something everyone should see - once.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Pies


The turkey is all right, but what we live for is the pies!

A lovely apple pie - we made about 10 pies. You can never have enough pie!

Leaves

What is Thanksgiving without playing in the leaves?



Thanksgiving meal

Levi cutting the turkey - and Howdy offering to helpWhat should I pick?
Julie's just glad the cooking part is over!
It tastes good!

Cousins visiting for Thanksgiving

Sonora and JessicaSadie, Garrett and Nathan
Levi, Trent and Garrett
Katie, Garrett, Jessica, Julie and Sonora - and let's not forget Howdy!

Old Mud Meeting House

Below are pictures of the Old Mud Meeting House in Harrodsburg KY. Some of my Van Nuys ancestors with the Dutch reformed church went there very early in Kentucky's history. It's a very unique building - in the process of being restored. Unfortunately - money must have run out to finish the job. They have restored the furniture beautifully - but the outside is completely exposed to the elements. Rain and snow will fill the church this winter - damaging the fine wood workmanship. What a pity.



Thanksgiving - Orange Osage Tree

We went on a trip to Harrodsburg KY in Mercer county for some family history research. They have a very unique tree there. It's an orange osage tree. Below are several pictures. I've often been tempted to drive the 2 hours just to see this tree again. Glad to have the opportunity to get back.



Sunday, November 11, 2007

Mammoth Cave Trails

One of the things I love most about living in Kentucky is the topography - the rolling hills - sometimes quite steep and sudden due to the sink holes beneath the ground. Mammoth Cave is about 20 miles from where we live. The caves are fun - but what I really enjoy is the beauty of all the trails above the ground. The trees are somewhat old and tall. You always see wild deer and turkeys.

October is the prettiest time of the year -when the leaves change. I was able to take a 9-10 mile hike through the park on Saturday and captured many pictures. I feel very blessed to have something this beautiful nearby and accessible.













Schuck/Shuck family mini reunion

The Schuck/Shuck surname is not very common. Due to a lack of male ancestors, I've grown up my whole life, not knowing another Schuck outside of my immediate family and brothers-sisters.

Dad put together a family reunion for my 2nd great grandfather - William Henry Harrison Shuck in Phoenix. I was able to meet other Shuck relatives there for the first time. The story of why we spell our last names differently is interesting. My gg-grandfather always seemed to spell his name without the c - SHUCK. However he died at a rather young age, and when his spouse filled out the records for his civil war pension - she spelled it the German way SCHUCK. During World War I some of my relatives temporarily changed the spelling back to SHUCK so as to avoid any confusion of their Americanism (our original American ancestory Johannes Martin SHUCK/SCHUCK/SCHOCK fought in the revolutionary war - so we're pretty American). Some of the family still keeps that spelling. Going back through the history of the line - the SHUCK spelling is used by almost everybody - except my immediate family.

It was great to spend a few hours in the park with 2nd and 3rd cousins. They were all great people. I wish we had more time together.


My father's 2nd cousin Susie Shuck holding my niece Susannah Schuck.
A picture with Tom Shuck and his daughter Peggy. Tom at 87 is the oldest living Shuck. He is very outgoing and it is largely through his friendliness and reaching out that the various sides of the family have kept contact with eachother. One of the reasons I flew all the way to Phoenix for a few hours of reunion was so that I could thank Tom for giving me a wedding present. I'm not sure I'd even heard of him when he sent a present 16.5 yrs ago. I'm not sure how he even found out I was getting married. Thanks Tom!!