Recording Family History with Pictures

I've been asking my extended family members for copies of pictures. Our country kitchen table is the perfect place for getting a group together for an afternoon of looking at family pictures. A brown bag lunch is brought by everyone, and then the rest of the afternoon is spent sharing the pictures. We have a computer and copier available for those who want to take some of the pictures with them for later uses. The pictures can also be scanned into the computer and put on discs for some to take home.

When we get together someone always has a story to tell. Keep a tape recorder handy for these special times. Place it near the ones telling the story, even if you have to ask everyone who wants to share telling the story to rearrange themselves seated closer together so the tape recorder will pick up their voices. A written copy of the story is great, but hearing it told first-hand by the people involved is priceless. Family histories are so rare; and many of our family story tellers are passing away before their tales are kept for posterity by means of writing them down, or recording them. Don't forget to keep a couple of cameras handy for taking pictures of your times spent together. Our country kitchen table is in many photos in our family albums. It continues to be a special gathering place for all of us.