…and the first day of Winter–very cold with black ice covered with fresh snow. That is the weather in the Intermountain area where I reside.
In New England generally, and Plymouth specifically–Forefather’s Day, the arrival of the Pilgrim fathers 0n 21 December 1620, and the first day of Winter 21 December 2013– the sun is shining and the temperature is in the mid-60’s.
Do you suppose the day our forefathers stepped ashore from the Mayflower, the sun was shining and with the temperature was in the mid-60’s?
“What a blessed place,” they must have said to themselves.
Before their eyes were cornfields with ears still showing–vegetation that could sustain life. William Bradford’s History of Plymouth Plantation, recalled, “…sounded ye harbor, and founde it fitt for shipping; and marched into ye land, & founde diverse cornfields, and ye best they could find, and ye season & and their presents necessitie made them glad to accept of it…”
Plymouth Rock was identified in 1769 as the place of first landing. And today it is an historic site. Visited by over 6 million tourists and local visitors each year–including 2013.
If you visit today–even with the cold sea spray and the gentle breezes of the Cape, you still get mild, almost Spring-like weather. What a blessed place to visit on Forefather’s Day.
Did you know, however, that not all the Forefathers have been identified with their origins and their parents and grandparents? You still have the opportunity to make the correct identification and place of origin for these ancestors! And that too is a blessed proposition. Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle. http://arleneeakle.com
PS My email does not SEND. Kathryn, my webmaster and assorted online techs have been fussing with this problem since 26 November 2013. Hours and hours of time. So until it is re-established, I can receive email and prepare answers. If you want a reply sooner than later, please include your postal address or your phone number and best time to call you.
PPS I did not think I would ever consider not being able to send email being cut-off from you my gentle readers. Hang in there–we’ll eventually solve it. And all the old answers will go spilling out over the wave to recipients who will long-since have forgotten what they requested from me. Oh, well…
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