Genetics of Spring (DNA)

There's no denying the fact -- it is spring. And to prove it, we just went around town and "took a gander". Of course, we went when it was not raining because apparently this week we were not over the rain as yet. There were several good downpours.

Today it is very much all sunshine and white wispy clouds. Lawns in the neighborhood have returned to their pre-drought splendor. And the birds, well they are busy doing whatever they do in spring.

Above is a variety of the displays around town. Our own yard is also starting to bloom after the poppies of last week. Next week we'll probably crank up the a/c to start the cooling of the warm season.

This week, it seems everything is connected to the topic of "DNA". And that includes our reading. "Finding Family" by Richard Hill was the second of a DNA related book (more to come).

This book was one of the most fascinating that we have read lately (besides "The Stranger in my Genes") and I have actually started to reread it to capture even more details.

It was a 26 year journey for the author who found out in his late teenage years that he was adopted. Twenty-six years later he identified his birth family with the help of DNA.

Several years ago -- twelve I think -- I provided a sample of DNA to be tested with FamilyTreeDNA. Then some years later I tested with 23 and Me.

Finally, I submitted DNA to be tested with AncestryDNA. I have received numerous matches from each company and still receive those matches almost daily.

The problem for me has been how to deal with these matches and to identify how they fit into our family tree. For some of the matches I have been able to identify the connection, but for most matches, I have not been able to make the connection nor can I even try sometimes due to the vast numbers.

For me, I have found the matches at AncestryDNA the most connectable.They have a huge database of others who have tested AND a lot of them have family trees already submitted to Ancestry so that connections can be made.

So -- a couple of weeks ago I signed up for the above online "bootcamp".  And I attended today, from 8am to 11:30 am.

The subject of DNA and DNA testing I find very confusing and so detailed that I need as much clarification as I can get.

Today's lectures were a step in that direction. I learned many great tips and hints with what to do with the matches from the big 3 companies that do the testing.

I am "chomping at the bit" to put into play some of those hints and ideas, which if I can I will start doing later today.

All this week though I have been going through a new book that I bought for research in Monroe County, Wisconsin. "Monroe County, Wisconsin -- Heritage Book" is over 500 pages long and contains short biographies of the families that live there.

Many of these families are related to us and they give a glimpse into the details of those families that I have not seen elsewhere. I have added about two hundred folks to the tree (Ancestry.com) just this week.

The reason that these folks were not already in the tree is because a lot of the details I get from the census records -- and the latest census released is 1940. So, since this book came out in the 1980s, there are a lot of updating to do with the families.

It looks to be another good episode this Sunday on WDYTYA:  

Noah Wyle is featured. I do not have a lot of knowledge about him or his career (apparently he was on "ER" and "Falling Stars"), but that doesn't matter too much.

I am just interested in seeing what Ancestry.com can uncover for him and for the others in his tree.

And if the methods are shown how they uncovered things even better.


Lastly, we need some "autosomal" DNA testing:

What a beautiful collection of vintage autos. So to find out their "DNA" would be fun.

That's a bit of our week.  See you all "in a few" . . .