A-Z Blogging Challenge - The letter Z is for Zaduszniki, Kujawsko-Pomorski, Poland (Rutkowski, Michaelski)!

In 2017, there was a challenge. I heard about it from jillballau blog and more information can be found out about it on the A-Z Blogging Challenge (which was at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/) page itself. However, as I was testing links I found the A-Z Blogging Challenge link is no longer working *frown*

Many people had done this challenge in April 2017, but I’m a rebel and do things when I have time, so I’ll do mine now. I’ve been working on it over many days, and was hoping to get it all done before posting BUT it’s taking me a lot longer than I expected. I’ll do a few posts now and work on the rest. 

I know I have about ½ of this challenge done in draft format, so not too bad.  J

What can I say – I’m an original. So, here I go…

The letter Z is for Zaduszniki, Kujawsko-Pomorski, Poland (Rutkowski, Michaelski)!

I have to be truthful to you, but I haven't really done any research into this area. 

Valerie's picture on her headstone. Credit: Find a Grave

I only know of it because my great grandmother Walerja Rutkowski Ostrzyski or Valerie Ostrzycki was born here according to her marriage document. 

Above is marriage document and translation regarding the region. Credit is Poland Archives

This leads me to ask, where exactly is this place? I've never heard of it, so off I go searching on Google Earth. 

Zaduszniki close up near Lipno and Plock. Credit: Google Earth

But this doesn't give me exactly where it is in Poland, so I scroll out and find that its north west of Warsaw.

This is where Zaduszniki is in relation to Warsaw. Credit: Google Earth

Now I can research on what was going on around here in the early 1900s.

On a website, Lipno's history remembered as the following:

Credit

This shows just how fluid Poland has been over the many years.
I could find in August 1863, this is the way they dealt with people near there.

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Could the reason why they got out is this and/or her oldest son becoming of age and a requirement was to serve in the Russian military?


I'll have to see what other information I can come up with. It should be interesting as I don't know much about this area.

Credit: Find a Grave

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I look forward to you visit the blog again in 2019.

A-Z Blogging Challenge - The letter Y is for Yuletide!

In 2017, there was a challenge. I heard about it from jillballau blog and more information can be found out about it on the A-Z Blogging Challenge (which was at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/) page itself. However, as I was testing links I found the A-Z Blogging Challenge link is no longer working *frown*

Many people had done this challenge in April 2017, but I’m a rebel and do things when I have time, so I’ll do mine now. I’ve been working on it over many days, and was hoping to get it all done before posting BUT it’s taking me a lot longer than I expected. I’ll do a few posts now and work on the rest. 

I know I have about ½ of this challenge done in draft format, so not too bad.  J

What can I say – I’m an original. So, here I go…

The letter Y is for Yuletide! 

Yuletide is basically the Christmas season which goes from December 24th until January 6th for many Europeans. 

My family, in this way, was consistent.  We all were/are of the Roman Catholic faith. 

However, are there any Christmas holiday traditions which are passed down? 

By the time I was a teenager, my mother and I were over Christmas. I did like to bake up until I was in my late teens, but then money and time were against me. Mostly it was money and we just didn't have it. 

There was always a tree and music but this was about it. 

When I started to research areas of the family, I found Poland had quite the traditions. This is just some of them. 

Credit

German, Danish, and Belgian traditions I haven't really researched. 

I do know from talking to my other cousins, many people go to either Christmas Eve or Christmas morning mass. 

They have family over and have a meal with them. 

We used to have the same traditions when I was at home with my mother with having people come over to visit us. When I was growing up, I used to either have to make an appearance either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day at my father's for the Pony show but that was about it. 

Now we work the day out with my father in law and either we're at home or at his home. We open our gifts in the morning, and I make a huge breakfast. Then I start cooking some kind of huge feast and eat in the afternoon. I do call overseas to speak to my parents if they are around. I used to call everyone but it was just too long and if we're not home it could get expensive. And frustrating. 

Credit: J. Fitzgerald

Credit: J. Fitzgerald

Credit: J. Fitzgerald

What kind of traditions do you have for the holidays?

Merry Christmas from us to you. 

A-Z Blogging Challenge - The letter X is for Xanadu!

In 2017, there was a challenge. I heard about it from jillballau blog and more information can be found out about it on the A-Z Blogging Challenge (which was at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/) page itself. However, as I was testing links I found the A-Z Blogging Challenge link is no longer working *frown*

Many people had done this challenge in April 2017, but I’m a rebel and do things when I have time, so I’ll do mine now. I’ve been working on it over many days, and was hoping to get it all done before posting BUT it’s taking me a lot longer than I expected. I’ll do a few posts now and work on the rest. 

I know I have about ½ of this challenge done in draft format, so not too bad. 

What can I say – I’m an original. So, here I go…

The letter X is for Xanadu! 

I figured for this post, I'd do something different. 

Xanadu I know of because of the movie with Olivia Newton-John in it. I liked it because of the catchy songs and story. 

I love this movie. Credit

I thought it was a made up word until I looked it up. 

Xanadu is defined as an idealized place of great or idyllic magnificence and beauty.

Then I got to thinking... did any of my ancestors decide to settle in a place because it was their Xanadu?

It certainly wouldn't have been talked about, but it is possible. 

I think my great grandfather Jules Gauquie, who traveled to Minnesota, might have thought when he saw the area around Chester, New York which was later named Blooming Grove, could have seemed to him to be just this as they bought a huge section of land, and back then there was a LOT of land they could have bought. 

Page 1 of Jules and Annie's Deed on the farm. Credit

Page 1 of Jules and Annie's Deed on the farm. Credit

Then you have my grandfather Mathias Schmitz. After World War 2, he went up to see a military buddy and ended up buying a bar and grill from him. Could the area around there remind him of home and of a great place and that's why he decide to buy the bar and grill? 

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One this is for sure, we will never know, but it is an interesting concept to ponder with our ancestors. 

Then for ourselves: Is where you're currently living your own personal Xanadu? 

I wonder how much time was used in making decisions? Credit

I know we love our house and where it sits, but the neighborhood around us has change so drastically, I'm not sure if I like it anymore or not. 

I do know up until a certain president said he could walk down 5th Avenue waving a gun and not get caught, I was feeling pretty safe in the US. 

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Since this statement? No so much to the point where we're waiting until people get sane again before visiting.