mermaidcamp

mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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Native Seed S.E.A.R.C.H.

July 27, 2013 — 5 Comments

I am a member of a very special organization in Tucson. Native Seed S.E.A.R.C.H is a source for beans, garden seeds, education, and many local products.  I support the mission and benefit from the close proximity of the store.  We eat a wide variety of beans and chilies.  The store carries the basic ingredients we use all the time in our diet.  The seed preservation is the most important aspect of the mission.  Today I planted 5 new plants I bought at the monsoon plant sale: 3 new watermelon varieties, a bell pepper and a special cucumber.  They are all vigorous and healthy.  I expect them to thrive in the rainy season, which was the point of the sale.  We can grow many vegetables and fruits until  frost, and if we protect them even longer.  I have harvested giant crops of green tomatoes in December.  These plant varieties are from Arizona and New Mexico, so they are adapted to our climate.  I look forward to my Navaho red watermelon.  You don’t need to live here to join.  If you live in other parts of the country you can enjoy the benefits of membership which will keep your garden interesting.

Clan O’Byrne

July 26, 2013 — 2 Comments

O'Byrne COA

O’Byrne COA

Recorded as O’ Byrne but more usually as Byrne, this is an Irish surname of great antiquity. Claiming descent from Bran, the king of Leinster, who died in 1052, this great clan originated in County Kildare where they held extensive territory until the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169 – 1170, when they migrated to Wicklow where they occupied the country between Rathdrum and Shillelagh. Their name in Irish is properly O’ Broin, meaning the male descendant of Bron, the raven. The O’ Broins, like their neighbours the O’ Tooles, were particularly noteworthy for their resistance to foreign aggression, and they continued to inaugurate native chiefs up to the end of the 16th Century. The seat of their chiefs was at Ballinacor, County Wicklow, and the territory over which they held sway was known as Crioch Branach. The celebrated “Leabhar Branach” or “Book of the O’ Byrnes” deals with the exploits of the clan in these times. Alderman Alfred Byrne (1882 – 1956), a distinguished recent member of the clan, was ten times Lord Mayor of Dublin. The Byrne coat of arms has the blazon of a red shield charged with a chevron between three silver dexter hands couped at the wrist, the Crest being a mermaid with comb and mirror proper. The first recorded spelling of the family name may be that of Fiacha Mac Hugh O’Byrne, the military leader. This was dated 1544 – 1595, in the Historical Records of Dublin, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st of England, 1558 – 1603.

Patrick O’Byrne (1817 – 1890)

is my 3rd great grandfather
James Oscar Byrne (1840 – 1879)
son of Patrick O’Byrne
Sarah Helena Byrne (1878 – 1962)
daughter of James Oscar Byrne
Olga Fern Scott (1897 – 1968)
daughter of Sarah Helena Byrne
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Olga Fern Scott
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse
The O’Byrne family of County Meathe, Ireland came to America during the famine.  Two of his children died on the passage across the Atlantic on the ship Corra Linn. The traveled in steerage and arrived in New York from Liverpool on 28 September, 1848.  There is no record of the family staying in New York City.  They had a home in Wilna, New York,which is  in Jefferson County, upstate.  When I started my family tree research years ago I had notes from my great grandmother Sarah Helena Byrne.  The O’Byrnes left their home and worldly goods to the Catholic church, and the notes say that all the family records are in a Catholic church in Wilna, NY.  I do know exactly where they lived, and have tried to figure out if the church they attended is still there. I would love to know more about my clan in Ireland.  I want to go to Dublin someday; I feel certain I will like it.

Empire Avenue, Rich and Famous

July 25, 2013 — 6 Comments

Michael Q Todd

Michael Q Todd

I am surprised to tell the gentle readers how much I love Empire Avenue. Yesterday I read a blog post by @mqtodd about Empire Avenue as an analytics tool. I had not considered joining before, but his logic convinced me to take a look.  Overnight I am a bizillionaire, and my account keeps refilling with magic money to buy shares in my fellow members. What is not to like?  The other interesting aspect of the magic currency, sometimes mixed with real money, is the way you can spend it on missions.  I have only done a few since I am less than 24 hours into my Empire building, but they are fun. I voted for an Estonian lady to win the best floral balcony in her town, for which she may win a trip to Spain.  She gave me a giant payment in E bucks.  Her balcony was very nice, so I had no problem helping her win.

People create groups and missions that promote blog posts, pages, Pinterest follows, or floral balconies.  The mission creator offers a payment from his own E bank account to the members who complete the mission.  It is efficient and there is no need to participate if this does not call to you.  In the meantime, your own stock value is changing based on others buying into you.  You then have E bucks to buy stock in other individuals.  It works like the stock market and has charts that are similar to track shares.  These people have my number (pun intended).  I have never played a video game, and am not at all tempted to control an avi in an action scene.  However, giving me an imaginary stock portfolio and people who want to play stock market is bait that surely does turn me on all the way.  I hired a fiduciary to handle my real life investments last year because the election campaign freaked me out too much to continue to handle my own investments.  They short the markets, buy commodities, and all kinds of crazy stuff that I will not in my lifetime understand.  I am happy with their services and with the time I do NOT spend watching the markets now. I am free to do more fun activity ……like in vest in a pretend stock market.

I am non competitive at one level, but when I see a chart of my own performance I sincerely want to improve.  Since this is not real money and my financial welfare is not at risk I could see myself going deep into the time investment.  As with all things, balance and control are needed.  It is a bigger thrill to learn that your portfolio value has quadrupled than to hear that someone gave you a K in tea.  I do not suffer from the ubiquitous FOMO although I participate in many social networks. This one with charts and value presents some danger to this cozy neutral situation.  I am now on the market and people are buying into me..hmmm. This is essentially what the rest of social media is too, strangers buying into you.  Mike mentions the social aspect, which I have already begun to feel from my shareholders and group members. I have always admired him for his bright green wig, and now I am his shareholder.  I love it.

Color Wheel Love

July 24, 2013 — 3 Comments

A model exists to measure and quantify your style of love. Known as Color Wheel Model of Love, the theory posits that people with similar love styles form more lasting relationships.  All relationships are subject to mixing and morphing of styles;  it would be rare to find a single pure style in one person.

The primary styes are:

  • Eros-love as romantic ideal
  • Ludos-love as a game
  • Storge-love as friendship

Secondary styles are:

  • Pragma-practical choice
  • Agape-spiritual selfless love
  • Mania- dramatic ups and downs
color wheel love

color wheel love

Mixing the styles creates a full rainbow. Take this quiz if you are curious about your styes.  This idea was published by John Lee in his book, The Colors of Love , available on Amazon.  It makes sense to me.  Do you identify with one or more of these styles?

Color Magic

July 23, 2013 — 3 Comments

Color has magical qualities.  Color plays a role in ritual, in design, and in folk medicine around the world.  In Feng Shui customs, cures, and auspicious building sites are color coded.  Color and love are symbolically entwined, intrinsically related. Emotions are influenced by color. What do your colors say about you?

  • Do you wear the same colors all the time?
  • Do you decorate with the same hues?
  • Is your wardrobe organized, or randomly stored?
  • Do you have strong identification with one color?
  • Do you have intense dislike of any color?

Look around today to learn more about your sensitivity to your surroundings.  An interesting exercise to try is choosing one color, then noticing how you encounter it during the day. Notice if it is in your food, your work, or your fashion.  Pay attention to the way you feel when you run into this color.  Does it throw you off balance in some emotional way? Does it have meaning of a symbolic nature?

Create Your Own Fashion

July 22, 2013 — 4 Comments

For years I made most of my clothing and a lot of the items for my home, like curtains.  I have always had very specific fashion requirements that were fostered by my sewing mother.  She achieved greater skill and ability as a tailor, but I know I got the idea, and perhaps some talent, from her.  My parents went to conventions with petroleum engineers all over the world.  Months before the trip my mother would make outfits for the event that included matching hats and shoes.  She often looked like QEII with all the matchy-matchy.  She did have clothes from stores, but her best stuff in the 1950’s was made with her own hands.

Last year I started sewing again because I own a big stash of fabric and two machines.  I found that creating with fabric  makes me happier than ever.  I used to sew because it was a cheap and easy way to create my clothing; ironically, now supplies are much more expensive, making it much less of a bargain.  The satisfaction is in the choices at each step along the process.  I do not need to buy any fabric, but rather need to use all the leftovers I have collected.  This is like going through the fridge and deciding to make soup based on what you have. You decide what makes it delicious.  It will be exactly to your taste.

Color and pattern work together in creating a design.  My fabric stash offers many different weights and composition in fabric.  I selected them because they fit into a color palette that matches other items in my wardrobe. I have both woven and knit to use in my fall collection. I will start by making a wrap skirt to keep it simple.  I am not in the mood for zippers.  I am seeking fairly instant gratification. I also want to use  my stash without buying any more fabric or notions.  I own some great buttons, and should get them out to see what they might enhance. The creativity of working with fabric, notions, and design is endless.  Evolving hand made fashion is especially fulfilling to me.  I may take apart some old garments and reuse my favorite parts of them too. I admire all the upcycled fashion I see being used in new ways.  Even folks who don’t sew or have a machine can find really cool designs to create from knit fabric, like tee shirts. Join the fun for fashion that expresses the real you.

Alternatives to Dissapointment

July 21, 2013 — 7 Comments

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune are brutal.  If you find yourself in a world you never made looking for ways to avoid reality, you may be heading for the ultimate disappointment, the end of  your life.  You are heading in that direction with or without your own acknowledgement.  One of the important steps to take is facing mortality.  Your parents and all our relations have ,or will at some time, die.  Typically we never think of ourselves in this group.  The dead are like traffic; you consider yourself as separate from the activity even when you are in the middle of it.  Of course if you are reading this we think you are alive, but this is not a permanent state.  Eventually you will run out of time, no matter how you have spent it. You probably mind your financial accounts.  When will you begin to account for your time?

Time and responsibility are needed to create:

  • well being
  • strength
  • flexibility
  • humor
  • mental agility
  • strong constitution
  • social balance
  • family unity
  • community peace

Assbook, Social Media Platform for the Obtuse

July 20, 2013 — 10 Comments

vortex

vortex

energy

energy

ligth

ligth

I have heard much ado about civility online lately. I agree that there has been a lapse in good manners in the comments and discussions taking place.  I participate in many social media platforms happily now.  In the past I have connected with people who do not have the slightest interest in me, but would like to add me to the list of recipients of their highly ill-matched sales pitches.  It took me some time to figure out how to avoid them in the first place, but I removed the ability they had to communicate with me.  I have learned from experience how to detect and eliminate the one way, all selly-sell-sell relationships in the bud.  I have also learned by being the recipient how to offend and run off potential business with an obtuse view of how media works for everyone.  I was taught by the best to be a Trust Agent, but only after a few years of practice do I grasp what that means. Basically, to be trusted one can not be seen as a selfish ass.  To make sure you are not seen as an ass, refrain from all infantile negative activity on-line.  Everyone acts stupid with friends and family in person, in context, and frequently at home.  Let that be your only venue for assholic behavior. You will get you immediate retribution from those live folks in a fully appropriate karmic way that will not require the attention of the public….no need to tweet us about it….just keep it to yourselves.

I propose that those of you who insist that social media platforms exist to assist you in poisoning the water for everyone form your own social network.  Assboook could be a place for meaningless promotion and insincere influence credit.  To exchange +A with others will be a form of building and defining influence as an on line jerk.  Categories of influence, and groups aligned with these special interests will show Assbook members where to go to find the most meaning:

  • MLMs
  • Coaching
  • Social media experts
  • Narcissism
  • Bacon

The only reason to include bacon is that no social media platform could ever expect to be popular without at least a little #bacon.

Meditation, It’s Not What You Think

July 19, 2013 — 4 Comments

Meditation can take many forms, but it has been confused with nihilism.  Emptiness is a holy state  leading to enlightenment.  Nothingness is not the same as nothing. Jeff Zlotnik gives a simple demonstration of an easy breath following meditation technique in this video.  Calm, peace, and a sense of spaciousness are the results of time spent practicing meditation.  Thinking and reacting, compelled to control, we slip farther away from health and well being.  Doing nothing without freaking out is a skill to cultivate, no matter which style you choose to practice.  Breath is usually a component, but walking, painting, writing poetry, chanting, and archery can be formats for meditative practice as well.  Find a form that feels right to your physical and mental constitution, then practice.

Thomas Taylor, 9th Great Grandfather

July 19, 2013 — 1 Comment

Thomas Taylor at rest

Thomas Taylor at rest

My 9th great grandfather was left an orphan when his father, Rowland Taylor, was burned at the stake as a martyr.  His last words to Thomas were recorded:

Rev. Dr. Rowland Taylor’s final words, before being burned at the stake, to his son Thomas as reported by Foxe:

“Almighty God bless thee, and give you his Holy Spirit, to be a true servant of Christ, to learn his word, and constantly to stand by his truth all the life long. And my son, see that thou fear God always. Fly from all sin and wicked living. Be virtuous, serve God daily with prayer, and apply thy boke. In anywise see thou be obedient to thy mother, love her, and serve her. Be ruled by her now in thy youth, and follow her good counsel in all things. Beware of lewd company of young men, that fear not God, but followeth their lewd lusts and vain appetites. Flee from whoredom, and hate all filthy lying, remembering that I they father do die in the defense of holy marriage. And another day when God shall bless thee, love and cherish the poor people, and count that thy chief riches to be rich in alms. And when thy mother is waxed old, forsake her not, but provide for her to thy power, and see that she lacks nothing. For so will God bless thee, give thee long life upon earth, and prosperity, which I pray God to grant thee.”

Thomas Taylor (1548 – 1588)
is my 9th great grandfather
Thomas Taylor (1574 – 1618)
son of Thomas Taylor
James Taylor (1608 – 1698)
son of Thomas Taylor
John Taylor (1685 – 1776)
son of James Taylor
John Taylor (1727 – 1787)
son of John Taylor
John Taylor (1747 – 1781)
son of John Taylor
John Nimrod Taylor (1770 – 1816)
son of John Taylor
John Samuel Taylor (1798 – 1873)
son of John Nimrod Taylor
William Ellison Taylor (1839 – 1918)
son of John Samuel Taylor
George Harvey Taylor (1884 – 1941)
son of William Ellison Taylor
Ruby Lee Taylor (1922 – 2008)
daughter of George Harvey Taylor
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Ruby Lee Taylor

He was all about the defense of holy ( not Catholic) marriage and was dying for it, in his estimation. Fleeing from whoredom is a theme here, but at least he does tell Thomas to take care of his mother when she is old.  These Taylors are ancestors of a few American presidents and Elizabeth Taylor: John (1685-1776), the immigrant, Taylor sailed to America.

Capt. Thomas J. TAYLOR, II (1572/73 England-1618 England) and Margaret SWINDERBY (1578 Denmark-1672 England) were the direct ancestors of 5 US presidents (Abraham LINCOLN, James MADISON, Zachary TAYLOR, William Henry HARRISON, Benjamin HARRISON) and 1 actress (Elizabeth TAYLOR)7G grandfather of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham LINCOLN. Abraham LINCOLN (1809-1865) son of Thomas LINCOLN and Nancy HANKS (1784-1818). Nancy HANKS daughter of James HANKS (1760-1793) and Mary SHIPLEY. James HANKS was the son of Joseph HANKS and Nancy Anna LEE (1728-1808). Nancy Anna LEE was the daughter of William LEE, Jr (1704-1764) and Anne. William LEE, Jr. was the son of William LEE, Sr. and Dorothy TAYLOR (1681-1754). Dorothy TAYLOR was the daughter of Thomas TAYLOR (1657-1712) and Elizabeth HARDWOOD. Thomas TAYLOR was the son of Thomas TAYLOR (1628-1687 and Mary. Thomas TAYLOR was the son of John “Immigrant” Taylor (1607-1652) and Elizabeth Jones. John TAYLOR was the son of Capt. Thomas J. TAYLOR and Margaret SWINDERBY. 4G grandfather of the 4th President of the United States James MADISON. James Madison (1751-1836) was the son of James MADISON (1723-1801) and Eleanor Rose CONWAY. James MADISON was the son of Ambrose MADISON (1700-) and Francis TAYLOR (1700-1761). Francis TAYLOR was the daughter of James TAYLOR, II (1675-1730) and Martha THOMPSON. James TAYLOR, II was the son of James TAYLOR, I (1608-) and Francis WALKER (-1680). James TAYLOR, I was the son of Capt. Thomas J. TAYLOR and Margaret SWINDRBY. 3G grandfather of the 12th President of the United States, Zachary Taylor. Zachary TAYLOR (1784-1850) was the son of Richard Lee TAYLOR (1742/3-1829) and Sarah Dabney STROTHER. Richard Lee TAYLOR was the son of Zachary TAYLOR, Sr. (1707-1768) and Elizabeth LEE. Zachary TAYLOR, Sr. was the son of James TAYLOR (1675-1730) and Martha THOMPSON. James Taylor was the son of James TAYLOR (1608-1698) and Francis WALKER. James Taylor was the son of Capt. Thomas J. TAYLOR and Margaret SWINDERBY. 4G grandfather of the 9th President of the United States, William Henry HARRISON. William Henry HARRISON (1773-1841) was the son of Benjamin HARRISON, V and Elizabeth BASSETT (1730-1792). Elizabeth BASSETT was the daughter of William BASSETT, IV (1709-1792) and Elizabeth CHURCHILL. William BASSETT, IV was the son of William BASSETT, III (1671-1723) and Joanna BURWELL. William BASSETT III was the son of William BASSETT and Bridgett CARY (1652-1670). Bridgett CARY was the daughter of Miles CARY (1621-) and ANNA TAYLOR (1611-1657). Anna TAYLOR was the daughter of Capt. Thomas TAYLOR and Margaret SWINDERBY. 6G grandfather of the 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin HARRISON. Benjamin HARRISON (1833-1901) was the son of John Scott HARRISON (1804-1878) and Elizabeth RAMSEY. John Scott HARRISON was the son of President William Henry HARRISON and Anna Tuthill SYMMES. (Of note, actress Elizabeth TAYLOR (1932-)) Elizabeth TAYLOR, daughter of Francis Lenn TAYLOR (1897-1968) and Sarah Viola WARMBRODT. Francis TAYLOR was the son of Francis Marion TAYLOR and Elizabeth ROSEMOND. Francis Marion TAYLOR was the son of Peter TAYLOR (1829-1921) and Margaret Jane PERIGO. Peter TAYLOR was the son of Lewis TAYLOR (1780-1874) and Rachel BAKER. Lewis TAYLOR was the son of Joseph TAYLOR (1741/2-1815) and Francis ANDERSON. Joseph TAYLOR was the son of John Powell TAYLOR (1696-1780) and Catherine PENDLETON. John Powell TAYLOR was the son of Sheriff James TAYLOR (1635-1698) and Mary GREGORY. Sheriff James TAYLOR was the son of John “Immigrant” TAYLOR (1607-1652). John “Immigrant” TAYLOR was the son of Capt. Thomas J. TAYLOR and Margaret SWINDERBY.

SOURCE: http://genforum.genealogy.com/taylor/messages/32876.html