The Most Popular Post of 2012

Planning a Trip to The Nebraska Historical Society

Yesterday I had a successful trip to the Nebraska Historical Society, 15th & P in Lincoln, Nebraska inspite of very little time and being totally unprepared. I had only made one other trip to the Historical Society and that was a couple of years ago. There are several things you have to remember about going there plus I'm going to give you some hints on how to prepare beforehand for your trip. 

Go here for the 'rest of the story':

http://footstepsbehindme.blogspot.com/2012/06/planning-trip-to-nebraska-historical.html

Memorial Day........Remembering Those Who Serve

It was raining when we left home for the 1.5 hour drive to Geneva, Nebraska 

to attend the Memorial Day Service at the Cemetery there.

A wreath was placed for each conflict that the United States Armed Forces took part in.  Flags from departed soldiers circled the Memorial Area and down the lanes of the main entrance roads.  One of those flags once draped the casket of my father, Harvey GESCH (son of August GESCH and Mary Elizabeth (Marie) REBENSDORF) a Korean War Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient.

For some reason he was missed in the placing of flags at his grave, 

but fortunately we brought two flags and placed them there.

The back of the stone indicates is service activity and Purple Heart award.

At the foot of the grave was the stone given by the United States Government.

Harvey GESCH in a picture taken around 1989 with his wife E'Lonna SHAVLIK GESCH

A picture of Harvey GESCH with his mother Mary Elizabeth (Marie) REBENSDORF-DEBUS-GESCH

Monday Recipe Mania - Veriniki & Runza

The Best Meal My Grandmother Ever Made

My grandmother Marie Elizabeth (Rebensdorf) GESCH is who I think of for cooking.  I didn't see my grandmother Jenny Phoebe (Gunter) SHAVLIK all that much, mainly on holidays.  The only thing really special that I remember from Grandma SHAVLIK is her Poppy Seed rolls which is probably a recipe she got from her Mother-In-Law, Apolina  (Krska) SHAVLIK.

My Grandmother GESCH was everything, for me, that encompasses 'Grandmother'.  We would often take her for rides on Sunday and she went on vacation with us on two seperate occasions.  Saturdays she would cook lots of Cadoval (potato) Veriniki and Runza's, especially if she knew we were coming.

A roast chicken or German Fresh Wurst (ring sausage cut into lengths then in half (but left connected) and fried) was often served with the Cadoval Vereniki and then the extra Vereniki dough was used to make noodles for homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.

No one could make these delights like my Grandmother, Marie (Rebensdorf) GESCH. The photo is of my grandmother and my father HARVEY GESCH.

The whole point of this post is to be interactive!  Please tell us about your grandmothers favorite meal!!
Recipes Follow

Tombstone Tuesday

I BREAK FOR CEMETERIES!

Here is the most recent addition to my Tombstone file collection.  The stone is very hard to read but it is the INFANT MCHENRY stone at the Olive Mennonite Church Cemetery in Elkhart County, Indiana just north of Wakarusa, Indiana.

This baby was born to James A Mchenry b. 1848 and Salinda Madlem b1841 who were married 28 May 1876.  The stone does not give a birth date but does give a date of death as Feb 1877.  We will be getting a rubbing of this stone sometime in May.

Ancestrial Foods

On Sunday's in May we are going to talk about ancestral meals or FOOD!  It's our favorite topic right?

Part of remembering is to not only plug in the dates and the children along with a picture and call it good.  We also want to remember stories and even food from the past.  Some of my favorite memories are from gathering around the table with my extended family and I'm sure I'm not alone.

This week we are going to talk about the Sunday Meal.  In the past, Sunday's were often a time when family gathered (I hope you still do) and when the meal was 'special'.  As a child I remember that meals were often something made quickly (because my mother often worked) during the week, but SUNDAY, that was a special meal.  We often had Roasted Chicken or Roast Beef with potatoes and carrots or other vegetables and some kind of bread.  The best thing was that Sunday's meant we had DESSERT!

Everyone looked forward to Sunday.  If my Grandmother, Marie Rebensdorf Gesch, didn't join us for the meal, after lunch, we would often go and get her and take her for a Sunday drive.  One of her favorite 'drives' was in the fall.  We would drive down South Street from about 10th to where ever in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Why?  Before they widened the street there were beautiful Maple and other trees of every color that would hang over the street and the drive was just a delight!  Other Sunday's Grandma would love to drive in the country and we would often end up at my Uncle Elmer Gesch's home for a visit.

Mike's memories were not like mine.  He said that the Slocum's never got together with other family much and often had Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Corn for the Sunday meal that they shared as a family.  Coming from poverty he has memories of not enough to eat and can remember many times having peanut butter and jelly for days at a time.

I'm going to share some recipes as I remember them from that time.  You can share recipes with us or just tell us about your meal together, what you ate, and maybe a special story or two!

Picture Friday

This weeks picture is of GEORGE W. SLOCUM who was born 23 November 1881, Arcadia, Nebraska.

This picture appears to be his graduation picture and from the way he is dressed and the ribbon on his chest he was probably the class valedictorian.

Can you guess how old he is in this picture?  Give us his age and what year you think this is.

Interestingly none of his children graduated from school having to work the farm due to the depression.

Germanic Heritage

If you or anyone you know has Germanic heritage . .

Please come and bring guests to  Walt Library 6701 South 14^{th, Lincoln, Nebraska} on Sunday, May 5^th from 2:00-4:00 P.M