I have been home barely a week from a wonderful five week journey. First off I went straight to my good friend in NW New Jersey, Carol Sutton, and spent a couple of days visiting, then up to Maine to visit a business partner and dear friend, Kathlyn then up half hour or so from her to spend a week with my wonderful daughter Alexis, her cool hubby Ben and precious pooches Kermit and Zoey. Then it was off to Albany NY via Kurn Hattin Homes, a school for children from unfortunate circumstances in the beautiful world of southern Vermont, for a day at the New York State Museum in Albany where I was able to hold and photograph 16 pieces of van der Meulen Wykstra art pottery. Under the auspices of the American Ceramics Circle I have a grant to research and tell the story of the pottery. On from there to Hartwick, NY where my cousin Carol Mott Goodrich and hubby Dutch hosted me for the weekend before Carol and I left for 5 days or so in Dunkirk. We met van der Meulens, Wykstras and others, toured the pottery building, found examples of the pots and enjoyed the beautiful weather in the greater Dunkirk area. The ladies of the Dunkirk Historical Society were so kind to us and of such good help. We met our cousin Ann van der Meulen in Geneva, toured the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls and saw acres and acres of beautiful vineyards. No, we didn't partake, but I did buy some bottles of local wines for gifts to bring home. The area around Dunkirk and Sheridan, where our family lived is full of beautifully tended vineyards, visible for acres as one drives the highway east and west. After leaving Carol and Dutch, I headed back to NJ for a week with my friend then to Ohio for a meeting with a business associate then on to Columbus, Indiana, a lovely town with fabulous examples of the works of famous architects. Here I was treated to more wonderful hospitality with another cousin, on my mom's side of the family, whom I'd only discovered on the Daughters of the American Revolution website in March! We did lots of family genealogy work and had a wonderful visit. I've found the sister I never had! So, now it's back to work, and back to analyzing the information and photos I found and getting the research written up. I'll be posting some photos here, and eventually the published work will be sent to all who have so graciously helped me. And of course, somehow I have to fit in getting World War II won in the diary! All in all I met 8 "new" cousins on this trip, an amazing journey!
This blog is a transcription of the diaries of my grandfather, Folkert Peter Vander Meulen (1893-1978). If you wish to contact me, please do so at leslieatkhs65dotcom. We love finding new cousins!
About this Vander Meulen family blog
My grandfather died in 1978, leaving me his diaries and genealogy notebooks. I have spent over 2 years reading & in many cases re-reading the diaries through, although I have read parts in the past, and trying to decide how to share them. The blog format emerged as the best way to share. I hope family members are enjoying seeing the lives of my grandparents through grandpa's eyes as well as seeing how they fit into the world around them. If you think you may be related to us PLEASE email, I am willing to share information and love to correspond. PLEASE feel free to add comments - use the comment utility at the end of each post for asking questions, requesting information, or just saying hello! Before you get started, please go to the LABELS on the right side-bar and to the General Information posts to understand how this transcription of the diaries is going to be formatted. 1/1/2011 - my first typing of 2011 - the diary transcription has taken on a new dimension since I began in December, '09. I've discovered many things in my possession which I can use to illustrate the diaries, to say nothing of the magic of the Internet to add details and photos of the people, places and events that filled grandma & grandpa's lives. As I've said often, I now have to live to be 100, and be healthy, so I can finish! World War II years are almost finished, then it's back to grandpa's chronological jottings. There will be something for everyone, so I hope you are all enjoying reading as much as I am enjoying posting. Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar 
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