Cactus & Genealogy

Don went to look through Gila Bend today and came back to tell me about an old fallen down dead Saguaro cactus from which we could cull the inside dried core. All it would take was the use of the small generator for electricity and the electric jig saw. We have those!

Some months back I purchased a very pretty Arizona themed cane carved from a diamond willow and the carver told us that the core of the Saguaro cactus is a very hard wood with excellent carving capabilities. I have been wanting to try carving a cane and Don remembered about the Saguaro. I wanted to take a pix but didn't really want proof of the deed being done. But I have some canes now to practice on and a couple thin ones to hang beading projects from. I am so excited.

This evening I was looking in the internet to see if there were any gem mines we could visit in California. I meant to look in AZ first, but I think it was divine providence that I typed CA instead. I found a tourmaline gem site which lead to a kuntz gem site and a seller in NY. I was stunned when I saw the name Lawrence H Conklin on the kuntz gem site as that is a name in my Conklin family genealogy. The Conklins were among the first families to settle in Hartford, Michigan and they came from the same place in England this aboved named Lawrence H Conklin's family came from. On his web site among the places you could look at what he sells (at the shop in NY and on ebay), he had an 11 page genealogy written out. I am soooo thrilled! Another piece to the continuing puzzle. Never know when something interesting in ones genealogy will turn up. Might have found a cousin, who knows...

TTFN