Family Tree

I have often thought with curiosity about my ancestors and who and where I've descended from. My grandmother on my Dad's side was born in the states shortly after her parents emigrated from Norway. My childhood memories of her include a freezer stocked full of pickled herring, and the pungent smell of her gritty Gamalost (cheese) spread on toast with a fried egg. I don't know much about my grandfather on that side and where his family came from. On my mother's side I know that my relatives lived in Canada before crossing the border into Michigan.

After reading Half Broke Horses, for the Slow Readers Book Club, I have thought more about delving into my family's past and learning who came from where. Who are we if we don't know something about where we came from? It seems that today, so much of the stories from our past, the recipes and skills are lost in translation. Technology often replaces the need for these things to be taught from one family member to the next. Hopefully researching my past can help bring me closer to the people that I've never met but are responsible for my being.

{Silhouette Family Tree by Lepapier Studio}