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Sixties Baseball Memories of Some Great Seasons….

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Baseball Memories – Thank You “Uncle” Barney
As I sit and watch the Cubs in the baseball play-offs memories arose of some magical years in my life. I was born in 1951 and I have vague memories of the 1957 or 58 World Series my mother was rooting for the Braves over the Yankees. The first time I really remember watching the games was 1960 when the Pirates beat the Yankees in a seven game series, which ended on a Bill Mazeroski homer. I remember getting home from school just in time to see the homer!
1961 – Barney Gets the Call!
The following year 1961 was also a big year for me.. In that year, my mother’s first cousin Barney Schultz was called up to pitch for the Chicago Cubs. Barney was a knuckleball relief pitcher. He languished for most of his career in the minor leagues. By the time he was called up in 1961 he was 34 years old!
We went to several Phillies games that year. One of the times when my Uncle Kenny took me to an afternoon doubleheader, Barney collected a save in both of the games!! That feat was on the back of his baseball card the next year!


Another time because we were family, we got to go below the stands to the hallway outside of the visitors locker room.
That night I got autographs from several Cubs players. At one point I walked up to a player who was standing by himself near the exit. I got his autograph, when I looked at it, I saw it was the hottest rookie in the league and the future savior of the Cubs- Ken Hubbs.
The sad part of that story was that after the  season in the league Hubbs died when private plane he was piloting from Provo, Utah to Colton, California crashed during a snowstorm. Topps issued the In Memoriam card below in 1964.


 
1964 – What a Year!
Speaking of 1964, now there was a season for a 13 year-old to remember! In Phillies history . In Phillies year that the year that Ruiz’s steal of home started the Phillies Plop that saw them blow a 61/2 game lead with 12 games to play. (1) But in my baseball history it is the year that “Uncle” Barney helped lead the St. Louis Cardinals to the pennant! At 38 years-old Barney was a September call-up for the Redbirds. He appeared in 30 games and saved 14 of them. His ERA over those gamed was 1.64! His 14 saves placed him 5th best in the National League and the Cardinals in the World Series against the hated (at least by me) Yankees.


Barney Pitches to Mickey Mantle – Oh My!
Oh and it placed me in the left field bleachers in Yankee Stadium for game 3 of the Series. With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning Cardinal manager Johnny Keane summoned Barney from the bullpen to replace started Curt Simmons. What I didn’t know at the time was what an aging Mickey Mantle told Yankees starter Jim Bouton. Bouton relates….
 “He was standing there with the bat on his shoulder watching Barney Schultz. His warm-up pitches were coming in about thigh high and breaking down to the shin, to the ankles — two or three in a row. Mickey said, ‘I’m gonna hit one outta here.’ (2)
 
Catcher Tim McCarver recalls what happened next……
Mantle stood in. Schultz wound up. McCarver knew right away:
“Nothing good was gonna come of this pitch. There are a lotta pitches that don’t do anything during the course of a game. There are fastballs that aren’t fast. There are fastballs that are meant to hop in on a lefthander and they don’t hop. There are breaking balls that are meant to break and guys pop ’em up, foul ’em back, or pull ’em foul, or hit ’em for a single, or hit ’em for a home run. But nothing like this.”
The first pitch to Mantle, a knuckler, didn’t dance or flutter or defy expectation. It didn’t do anything at all. “It wasn’t thrown,” McCarver said. “It was dangled like bait to a big fish. Plus it lingered in that area that was down, and Mickey was a lethal low-ball hitter lefthanded. The pitch was so slow that it allowed him to turn on it and pull it.” (2)
And Mantle sent it sailing over the right field fence! It was Mantle’s record-breaking 16th World Series homer!
Schultz took one quick look over his shoulder and walked off the mound. “I crossed the third base foul line as he was rounding third base,” he recalled. “I didn’t even watch him run the bases. I wasn’t interested in that. I was interested in punching myself in the mouth.” (2)
It Was Still a Great Year!
The car ride back to our home in New Jersey was sad that day, for every but my Yankee loving cousin Jimmy Ashton!! However, the Cardinals went on to win the Series in 7 games, capping a pretty great 1964!
A year that also saw me go also go to my first and only All-Star game! In that game the Phillies’ Johnny Callison hit a walk-off homer to send the National League home winners!! We also went to the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows that year!
Also in 1962 and 1964 my Little League baseball team Hope Hose, in spite of me, won two league championships!! Great Times!!
Links


Today in Philly Sports History: Chico Ruiz Steals Home, 1964


The story behind Mickey Mantle’s 1964 walkoff Series home run


Fifty years later, memories of Ken Hubbs still glowing

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Songs That Helped Shape My American Experience

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We Shall Overcome Pete Seeger - one of the nine Songs that shaped my American Experience

Yesterday an article appeared in my news feed from American /songwriter magazine 5 Folk Songs That Defined the American Experience.

The folk genre has always been a huge part of political music and patriotic songs alike. These five particular folk songs are beautifully intertwined with the American experience, and they are still so relevant decades after they were first released. Let’s take a look, shall we?….

The five songs were……l

  1. “Blowin’ in the Wind “  – Bob Dylan
  2. “This Land is Your Land”- Woody Guthrie
  3. “Early Morning Rain” – Gordon Lightfoot
  4. “The Circle Game” – Joni Mitchell
  5. “Diamonds and Rust” – Joan Baez

I love each of those songs and agree that they do speak to the American experience.. Additionally they are still relevant.

Nine Songs That Shaped My American Experience

However, I started thinking about some of the songs that were important in shaping my world view and came up with the following playlist.

1. “Where Have All The Floers Gone”

The first so that popped into my head was “where Have All the Flowers Gone”. The song was written by Pete Seeger. Although, the  version I associate most with the song came from Peter,Paul and Mary.. The song express the  loss  so many felt during the Vietnam War.  And I am sure so many felt in Iraq and Afghanistan. And still feel in Ukraine today.

2. “Universal Soldier” – Buffy Saint Marie 

Buffy Saint Marie’s Universal soldier was another major anti-war song. My favorite cover of this song came from Donovan. The universality of war is addressed in the opening stanza….

He’s five foot-two and he’s six feet-fourHe fights with missiles and with spearsHe’s all of thirty-one and he’s only seventeenHe’s been a soldier for a thousand years
He’s a Catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a JaneA Buddhist and a Baptist and a JewAnd he knows he shouldn’t killAnd he knows he always willKill you for me my friend and me for you

 

3. “Turn, Turn, Turn” – Pete Seeger

Another Pete Seeger song that’s been recorded by many. Most notably the Byrds. It addresses the circle of life. It speaks strong of the hope for peace. A hope we have all wished for….

A time to gain, a time to loseA time to rain, a time of sowA time for love, a time for hateA time for peace, I swear it’s not too late

4. “There But for Fortune” – Phil Ochs

While Phil Ochs wrote “There But for Fortune” it is probably best known for Joan Baez’s cover off the song. AS we go through life when we look at folks who are prisoners or homeless we must all remember the there “but for good fortune” go you or go I….
Even as a country we must remember how fortune we are that no bombs have fallen on our country!

Show me the prison, show me the jail 
Show me the prisoner whose life has gone stale
And I’ll show you a young man with so many reasons why
But there but for fortune go you or I, hmm-mmm…

…….

Show me the country where the bombs had to fall
Show me the ruins of the buildings once so tall
And I’ll show you a young land with so many reasons why
And there but for fortune may go you or I, or I

 

5, “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportees)” – Woody Guthrie

Talk about a song that sill resonates today!

 

The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting,
The oranges piled in their creosote dumps;
They’re flying ’em back to the Mexican border
To pay all their money to wade back again

Goodbye to my Juan, goodbye, Rosalita,
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria;
You won’t have your names when you ride the big airplane,
All they will call you will be “deportees”

6. “My Rainbow Race – Pete Seeger”

Sometimes American folk songs can cross the ocean! “My Rainbow Race”  The paragraph below sounds like today’s Republican party!

The song was performed by Nilsen and a crowd of more than 40,000 people in Youngstorget in Oslo and at squares across the country on April 26, 2012, as a protest against statements given in court by Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the July 22 attacks in 2011. The performance was inspired by Facebook reactions after Breivik claimed in his trial testimony that the song was an example of Marxist propaganda and that it was being used to “brainwash” Norwegian children.[

Organization was made at the level of Norwegian Minister of Culture, and other Ministers of Culture from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands were also present.[2] The song was thus performed a few days later, in the midst of the ongoing trial. In Oslo the sing-along was followed by a march up to the site of the trial, where the crowd laid down flowers.[3] The song was performed both in Norwegian and English, and Nilsen had personally contacted Seeger, who responded with the words: “Oh me, oh my. I wish you luck  Read More

One blue sky above One blue sky above us
One ocean lapping all our shores
One earth so green and brown
Who could ask for more

And because I love you
I’ll give it one more try
To show my rainbow race
It’s too soon, too soon to die
It’s too soon to die…

7. “Power and Glory” – Phil Ochs

From Wikipedia…..

The song has been described as an “anthem … with lyrics that might have been written by the great Woody Guthrie“. Said to be the American patriotic hymn best at combining the American dream with selfless Christian idea 

“Power and the Glory” consists of three verses, each followed by a chorus.[ The first verse invites the listener to walk with the singer, and it describes some of the natural wonders of the United States.[

The second verse names some of the states through which the listener and the singer would travel. 

The third verse notes that the United States is “only as rich as the poorest of the poor” but also as “strong as our love for this land”.]

The chorus of “Power and the Glory” describes the United States as “a land full of power and glory”: Read More

Yet our land is still troubled by men who have to hate
They twist away our freedom and they twist away our fate
Fear is their weapon and treason is their cry.
We can stop them if we try.

Let’s Hope!

8. Thirsty Boots – Eric Andersen

“Thirsty Boots” has been a favorite song of mine since I first heard it many,many years ago!

From Wikipedia …

“Thirsty Boots” is a civil-rights-era folksong by American singer-songwriter Eric Andersen that first appeared on his 1966 album ‘Bout Changes ‘n’ Things. According to the album’s liner notes, the song “was written to a civil rights worker-friend. Having never gone down to Mississippi myself, I wrote the song about coming back.” Read More

You’ve long been on the open road
You been sleepin’ in the rain
From dirty words and muddy cells
Your clothes are soiled and stained
But the dirty words and the muddy cells
Will soon be hid in shame
So only stop to rest yourself and you’ll go off again

 

9. “We Shall Overcome” – Pete Seeger

I don’t know that there is a song that moves me more than “We Shall Over Come”. When I think of the words of the song and the struggles that have been overcome and still need to be overcome, I am moved to tears. Then I think, hey the words apply to everyone we all need to overcome some day!

We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day

[Refrain]
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day

[Verse 2]
We’ll walk hand in hand
We’ll walk hand in hand
We’ll walk hand in hand some day

The Video – Nine Songs That Helped Shape My American Exeprience

Each of the above nine songs shaped my American Experience. They all had a hand in shaping my beliefs  about war, the environment, and civil rights . And yes  I am a strong liberal Democrat and. Proud of it! Any of you have your American Experience Shaped by these songs?

 

Granddad Week and Four Mystery Series Temptations

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This week has been a Granddad week for me. It started on Sunday when i went to my first dance recital. I raised three boys and one girl and that one girl is the mother of Emma. Emma turned 3 in February and has been taking both tap and ballet lessons. Sunday was her first recital. I must say overall it was very good and Emma did great … Here is the picture they used in the introduction of the students.

Later that night we babysat Emma and Lucas for several hours as their parents went to a photo shoot for their business Rego Photography. Monday my son and Logan the son of my third son Peter came and we played cards from 2:45 to 4:45.

Finally, last night we went to my oldest grandson Oliver’s Spring Band Concert. Oliver is 12 and is in 6th grade. The concert was very good.

The result of all of the above is that we missed Senior Tuesday and its 15% off this week. But we still made a trip to the Audoubon NJ Goodwill this morning, The vinyl today was the same ones I left last week after my pretty good haul and the books were the same too. I did find some that I must have passed over last week.

Today’s Goodwill Book Mini-Haul – Four Mystery Series Temptations

Today's Four Mystery Series Temptations Books

“I” is for Innocent – Sue Grafton

While I have never read a Kinsey Milhone book, I acknowledge the groundbreaking nature of her work. Wuthout her work I may never have read books from the likes of Laura Lippman, Carol O’Connell, Kathy Reichs or even Karin Slaughter!

And that’s why I have been collecting the Kinsey Milhone series. With the addition of “I” is for Innocent I ever have 11 of the series books!

The Eighth Sister – Robert Dugoni

Robert Dugoni is another of those authors whose books I should be reading but haven’t. Dugoni has two main series the Tracy Crosswhite series and the David Sloane series. The Eighth Sister appears to be a standalone featuring former CIA case worker Charles Jenkins.

Hundred-Dollar Baby – Robert B Parker

I read my first Spenser novel back in 1987. It was The Judas Goat Spenser #5. I also read Taming a Sea-Horse in 1987 it was Spenser #13. Subsequently I have never read another Spenser book even though I enjoyed the books ans characters!

Hundred Dollar Baby is Spenser #34! It was released in 2006 four years prior of his sudden death in 2010. The last Spenser novel written by Robert B Parker and his assistant was SixKill published in 2011. From 2012 t0 2022 Ace Atkins wrote 10 Spenser books. In 2023 Mike Lupica began writing the books and has since added 4 books to the series. The latest released in 2026 is Framed (Spenser #54)! Anyway I hope maybe Hundred Dollar Baby can get me back into the series!

A Cold Day for Murder – Dana Stabenow

One of the author’s who may have benefited from the success of Sue Grafton was Dana Stabenow. A Cold Day for Murder is the first book in the now 23 book series featuring Kater Shugak. This is another series that I should have read but didn’t I blieve I have a copy of this book but where it is I know Not! Anyway the copy i bought was released in 2023 so it has the feel of a new book! So maybe I can trick myself into reading it!

But considering that Kate is a native Alaskan ex-DA investigator who lives on a 160 -acre homestead in a generic nationa park in Alaska with her half-wolf, half-husky dog named Mutt; I should love this series!!

Sue GraftonRobert DugoniRobert B ParkerDana Stabenow
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Thursday Update:

I am now finishing this post on Thursday after working this morning at Target! I din’t finish it last night becasue Zoe my sceond oldest grandchild only 6 months younger than Oliver had HER Spring Band concert. She plays saxophone and had a short solo in the third song! She was also named The Rising Star of the 6th grade band by the Music Teacher. Go Zoe! The best thingabout last night’s concert though is that the school is in the same block as our house so it was a short trip home!

The 30-Day Fitbit Charge 5 Challenge Let’s Go!

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Fitbit Charge 5 for my 30 Day Fitbit Challenge
Fitbit Charge 5

The 30 Day Fitbit Charge 5 Challenge. What is it?

Quite simply, I’ll be wearing the Fitbit Charge 5 for the next 30 days to see if it can help get me back on the road — and eventually running again. But first, a little context on how I got here…

After running high school cross country, I was an on-again, off-again runner for many years. I remember running around Athens, Georgia when we lived there from 1975–1979, along with a couple of 5Ks here and there.

I didn’t run much — if at all — during most of the 1980s. Can you say four kids and a pretty demanding full-time job? Add in part-time work at both a convenience store and Waldenbooks, and running pretty much disappeared.

The Running Reboot

I may have dabbled a bit in the late ’80s, but the real reboot came in the 1990s when my son started running cross country. Before long, I was back out on the track, struggling to run a mile again.

I started training seriously, and from there running became a regular part of my life. For many years — well into my late 60s — I was running about four miles twice a week, with six to eight miles on weekends.

From the Garmin Forerunner to the Fitbit Charge 5 — and Back Again

When I first started running again, I used a plain old watch and measured my routes with the car. Then, in 2003, Garmin introduced the Forerunner 101, one of the first GPS watches aimed at runners.

Here’s what it looked like.

(Yes, it was big and bulky — and heart rate was measured with a chest strap.)

From about November 2015, when Target provided Fitbits to employees, until March 2023, I used various Fitbits to track my workouts and running. I upgraded early on to a Charge HR and used that for several years.

Somewhere along the way, my daughter handed down her Fitbit Versa, which I also used for a few years. When the Charge 5 came out in 2021, I switched back to the Charge line.

Babysitting, Balance, and Reality at 74

In March 2023, my son-in-law handed me his Garmin Epix Gen 2, which is a terrific smartwatch — especially for accurate GPS distance.

The problem wasn’t the watch. Since September 2023, when we started babysitting Emma full-time (until this past April), my running took a serious nose-dive. Add in the reality that I’m now 74, and that probably didn’t help either.

Why I’m Back to the Fitbit Charge 5 (For Now)

Even while babysitting, I kept up a short workout most mornings. But days where I really moved the needle from Recovery to Productive were few and far between.

So, in an effort to ease my way back toward running shape, I decided to return to the Fitbit Charge 5.

Yes, I know Fitbit tends to estimate higher calories burned than Garmin. But I got tired of finishing what felt like a solid workout, only to have the Garmin label it Recovery. And when I did push harder, it often told me I needed 72 hours of recovery — which felt a bit discouraging.

Last night, I used the Charge 5 while working out on my walking pad, which can go over 4 mph. Until last year, I’d never used a treadmill in my life.

I always joke that treadmills are hard for me because when I run, I run and the ground doesn’t. As a 74-year-old with balance issues, I hold onto the bar. I know that’s not ideal form — but it beats falling.

I also discovered that when I use the treadmill with the Garmin, it only tracks steps and distance if my arms are swinging.

A week or so ago, I tried walking slowly and swinging my arms, and the Garmin worked fine. But last night, wearing the Fitbit, I decided: forget steps and distance — I’m holding on and upping the speed. My real goal was to elevate my heart rate and burn calories.

To my surprise, when I finished, Fitbit recorded steps, distance, and calories burned anyway.

Note

After reading the following article TREADMILLS & SENIORS: THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT I decided that I will go back to what I was doing when I first started reusing the treadmill. I will start at low speeds that I can handle comfortably without holding on. As I get more comfortable I will increase my speed to where I am jogging comfortably without holding on. Wish Me Luck!

.

The Actual Goal: Health, Not Numbers

This morning, I did my usual workout — resistance bands, light weights, and calisthenics. The result? More calories burned in the same amount of time.

Sure, it may partly come down to how Fitbit calculates calories, but honestly, I don’t care. I feel motivated, ready to do it again, and maybe even push a little more.

Back when I used Fitbit regularly, I knew that if I hit 3,000 calories burned in a day, I’d lose weight. My hope is to get back to that level again.

So here we go. For the next 30 days, I’ll be using the Fitbit Charge 5 exclusively to see if it can help me rebuild fitness — and lose some weight. Maybe by spring, I’ll be outside again and back to running.

I’m not exactly sure how I’ll keep you posted — probably a few check-in posts here and there — but I’ll figure something out.

One final note: back in November, I started using a CPAP to address my sleep apnea. Over the last 90 days, my apnea events have dropped significantly, and I feel better during the day.

Hopefully, better sleep and renewed movement together can move the needle toward better overall health.

Mayo Clinic – Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment

The Dutchman – Steve Goodman and “Folks” I Met in Songs

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Somebody Else's Troubles where I met The Dutchman

The Dutchman and Other Folks I’ve Met in Songs

The Dutchman – Steve Goodman

“The Dutchman,” written by Michael Smith, is one of my all-time favorite songs. In addition to Steve Goodman, the song has been covered by two of my favorite artists — Jerry Jeff Walker and John Gorka — along with Liam Clancy. Steve’s version is still my favor

 

Now, why a 20-year-old fell in love with this song back in 1971, I don’t really know. I guess it’s the universality of the lyrics — the tenderness, the quiet devotion, the way it captures a love that endures through time and frailt

What I do know is that as I approach my 74th birthday and my 50th year married to the love of my life, my eyes are misting up just thinking about it.

I’ve always loved story songs — songs that introduce you to real people, or people who feel real, whose stories stay with you. Here’s a short playlist of some of the folks I’ve met through songs over the years.

The Playlist

“The Dutchman” – Steve Goodman


I met The Dutchman back in 1971 via Steve Goodman’s album Somebody Else’s Troubles. The song has stayed with me all these years and now feels even more meaningful. A tale of enduring love and quiet devotion.

“Mr. Bojangles” – Jerry Jeff Walker


The story of a street performer Walker met in a New Orleans drunk tank. The song reminds us that everyone has a story, even if it’s not immediately visible. And yes, the waltz beat has helped rock all five of my grandchildren to sleep at one point or another.

Bonus: Check Out a Birthday post I did For Jerry Jeff  a while back here

“Mr. Tanner” – Harry Chapin


A powerful story about a man who dares to dream. It makes me wonder: is it better to chase your dream and fall short, or to keep the dream alive in your imagination? I’ve asked myself that many times.

“Corey’s Coming” – Harry Chapin


The story of old John Joseph and his beloved Corey. Is Corey real, or only alive in the old man’s mind? Either way, it’s a tale of love, longing, and the stories we choose to believe.

“Mr. Schwinn” – Daryl Purpose


The quiet, touching tale of a bicycle repairman and the two bikes he maintains — one for himself, one for his wife. Did they ever take that honeymoon ride? We may never know, but it stays with me.

“Stoney” – Jerry Jeff Walker


Another unforgettable character from Walker’s travels. I first heard this in the early ’70s, and it’s been with me ever since. While at the University of Florida, I once recited it (along with “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy”) as part of a class assignment. I got applause for “Stoney.” It’s also one of those songs I’ve used to rock a grandchild t

Listen to the Playlist

Here’s a playlist of the songs and characters I’ve carried with me all these years. Each one tells a story — some tender, some wistful, all unforgettable.

The Bonus: Not a PArticular Person just two people who may resemble people we know…..

hese are the people I’ve met in songs — and somehow, they’ve stayed with me longer than some folks I’ve met in real life.

Journaling Why I’m Returning Again (and What ADHD Has to Do With It)

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For several years, I kept two journals. One was a small dot-grid Bullet Journal that eventually morphed into a daily logbook — a place to track my runs, my meals, and sometimes my mood. Somewhere along the way, I let it go. Life got busy, the dots blurred, and the routine slipped through the cracks.

But here I am again, notebook in hand, pen ready, restarting the habit. Why?

Because I know — and let’s be honest, I’ve known for a while — that I likely have ADHD. It’s never been formally diagnosed, but I know the feeling of 137 thoughts trying to speak at once, of starting five things and finishing none, of opening a cabinet and forgetting why I’m standing in the kitchen.

So how does journaling help?

  • It externalizes my thoughts. When my mind is racing, writing helps me slow it down and make sense of the noise.
  • It creates visual order. A checkbox. A line across a page. A timeline. These simple things calm the chaos.
  • It helps me follow through. A to-do list I can see is better than the one in my head that keeps getting drowned out by distractions.
  • It gives me clarity. I start to see patterns — when I run, I feel better. When I skip meals or skip rest, I don’t. It’s all there in ink.
  • It reduces guilt. Instead of beating myself up for not doing “all the things,” I can see what I did do — even if it’s “survived the day and had a decent snack.”

This time, I’ll try to keep my Journaling simple.

I’m not designing fancy spreads or tracking seventeen habits at once. I’ll be using what has worked for me in the past. I’ll keep a log of exercise and runs in a Bullet Dotted Notebook. I’ll also use a Quad Ruled Notebook for tracking my morning and evening to-do lists, a record of my library books I have checked out, and maybe even some genealogy and blog notes.

Top Notebook s that will be used for my journaling

Finally, the Quad notebook will also be a place to unload whatever’s floating around up there — because heaven knows, there’s a lot of traffic.

This isn’t about being consistent every day. It’s about having a place to return to — a way to reconnect with myself, my goals, and my sanity when I need it most. (Okay, maybe my thoughts have already moved beyond “simple”… but at least I’m writing them down.)

So yes, I’m journaling again. And if you’ve ever thought about doing the same, ADHD or not, maybe this is your sign to start fresh too….

Here are some of the best articles I found about using bullet journals to support ADHD:

 

DNA Provides an Ashton -Gottlieb Family Connection

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New Cousins Discovered: An Ashton Gottlieb Family Connection  Family

So the name John Sherrington Ashton has a nice British ring to it, don’t you think? Well, it should — my family immigrated from Lincolnshire, England in 1851.

But how about the name John Sherrington Gottlieb? Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue the same way. Still, through the wonders of Ancestry and DNA testing, I’ve discovered that he has a rightful branch on my family tree!

The Ashton Gottlieb Family Connection Started With a DNA Match…

Just the other day, I noticed a new, extremely high 4th–6th cousin match from a user named glgottlieb1. Based on the surname, I assumed the connection would be through the German side of my tree — but I was shocked when I previewed his small (10-person) tree and saw the name we shared was Ashton!

His grandmother was listed as Catherine Ashton. When I checked our shared locations, I saw that his father, Lawrence Emil Gottlieb (born May 6, 1907), was born in Philadelphia. In the 1910 census, I found the family — Mary (his mother) was born in New Jersey, as were her parents. She was 28 at the time, putting her birth around 1882. Emil was born in Illinois, with parents from Denmark. The pieces were starting to come together.

The Ashton Gottlieb Family DNA Connection Link

My great-grandfather, John Sherrington Ashton, was born in 1858 and married his first wife, Mary E. Warwick, in 1881. In my tree, I had four children listed for John and Mary: Blanche, Edward, Horice, and William — the earliest born in 1884. But looking anew at the 1885 Beverly, NJ census, I discovered another child: a daughter Mary, between 0 and 5 years old — a perfect fit to become Mary Gottlieb.. Mary Ashton was found in the 1910 census married to Emil Gottlieb and living with her family in Philadelphia.. The link would soon be cnfimred…..

 

1910Philalphia Census with Mary Gottlieb and her Family the DNA connection
1910 Philadelphia Census with Mary AShton Gottlieb and family

By 1920, the Gottlieb family had moved to Baltimore, Maryland. Emil and Mary had five children: Francis A. (18), Clarence E. (15), Lawrence E. (12), Catherine M. (9), and — low and behold — John S. Gottlieb, age 3. After more digging, my wife Kathleen (aka the best genealogist ever!) found a death record confirming his full name: John Sherrington Gottlieb.

That fact, plus the DNA match, is more than enough for me to welcome the Gottlieb family into our Ashton line!

The Rest of the Ashton  Story…

When I started my genealogical research, I only knew that my great-grandmother was Margaret McCloskey. My mother knew she had had an Uncle Bill who lived out near the Devon Horse Show in Pa. It wasn’t long into my research that I discovered that my great-grandfather had actually been married twice. John was born in 1858 and married his first wife Mary E. Warwick in 1881.

They had the following children:

  • Mary Catherine, born in August of 1881—only four months after their marriage, hmm?
  • William, born in 1884, died in 1953
  • Edward, born around 1884?, died in 1902
  • Blanche, born in 1886, died in 1904
  • Horace, born in 1889, died in 1890
  • Alice Matilda, born in 1890, died in 1932

The sad part of the story is that Mary E. Ashton died in 1892. A year later, John remarried—taking Margaret McCloskey as his wife. Between 1895 and 1902, they had four children: Violet (1895), Agnes (1897), John (my grandfather) (1900), and Madaline (1902).

By the time my mother was born in 1928, only three of the children from John and Mary’s marriage were living: William (Uncle Bill from Devon, whom my mother remembered), and the two girls, Alice Matilda and Mary Catherine… You’ve heard Mary Catherine’s story—in the next post I’ll tell you how DNA led me to discovering what happened to Alice and finding more Ashton relatives!

Two Goodwill Stores – A Day of Amazing Finds! (Part 2)

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Return with me now to that thrilling day at Goodwill last Wednesday. Let’s wrap up my finds at Audubon first…

First of the Amazing Finds — The CDs

The first of the Amazing Finds the CDs

Jackopierce – Bringing on the Weather

Jackopierce is a band whose name I’ve heard for many years, though I don’t think I’ve actually listened to their music — until now. Here’s a bit of background, courtesy of AllMusic:

Jackopierce is primarily a duo composed of Jack O’Neill and Cary Pierce. They formed the band in 1988 at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. Initially an acoustic duo, they later added Clay Pendergrass on bass and Earl Darling on drums in the mid-1990s. The band reunited in 2002 after a five-year breakup.

This is the pinnacle of Jackopierce. Nothing beats this album when you’re droning down the highway at midnight with a spring thunderstorm calling up ahead.

Lyle Lovett – The Road to Ensenada

Unlike Jackopierce, I already know and enjoy Lyle Lovett’s music — and this album is already in my library. From AllMusic:

Since Pontiac, Lyle Lovett has been experimenting with different sounds, whether it was the big band posturing of Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, the gospel overtones of Joshua Judges Ruth, or the ’70s singer/songwriter flourishes of I Love Everybody. With The Road to Ensenada, he hunkers down and produces his most straightforward album since Pontiac. As it happens, it’s also his best record since that breakthrough album.

Sting – If on a Winter’s Night

The Police and Sting were always more “radio bands” for me — meaning I mostly heard their music on the airwaves. But this quote made me curious:

If on a Winter’s Night… no other Christmas album exists in the head like this. It’s a holiday album for people who have never wanted to hear a holiday album, let alone own one.

That, plus the beautiful cover, made it worth picking up. Who knows? Maybe I’ve found a Christmas album I’ll actually enjoy!

Hiromi – The Trio Project: Move

Like Lovett, I already appreciate Hiromi’s music and have another album of hers in my library. This one features her killer rhythm section: Anthony Jackson on bass and Simon Phillips on drums.

Move is Hiromi’s second “Trio Project” recording and a worthy follow-up to 2011’s Voice. She describes the compositions as mirroring an average day, starting with the title track — a choppy excursion full of twists and turns. “Brand New Day” smooths things out but keeps the energy alive, and Hiromi switches between piano and analog synth on “Endeavor,” though that track feels a little more novelty than necessary.

The Verve Story: 1944–1994 – The Best of the Amazing Finds

Now this one tops the list in terms of excitement! A four-disc set with a great booklet, chronicling the legacy of Verve — one of jazz’s most iconic labels. The track list is stacked with my favorites:

  • Disc 1: Oscar Peterson, Lester Young, Bud Powell
  • Disc 4: Cal Tjader, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith

…and so much more in between. I can’t wait to give it a proper listen.

Now for the Native American Prints…

Over the last year, I’ve started collecting Native American prints and pottery — and this Goodwill trip added two watercolor prints to my growing display.

Two different Artists both Native Americcan Prints two of the Amazing Finds

The first is a signed piece by J.C. Madden, known for Southwest-style watercolor prints, often featuring Native American women. His work isn’t super expensive, but it was a great find — especially at a Goodwill price with 20% off!

Carol Grigg - Indian Print another of the Amazing Finds

The second piece, which my wife actually spotted, fits perfectly among my pottery display. It appears to be the work of Carol Grigg, a Cherokee artist born in 1942. She’s known for stylized paintings of Native American riders and horses, often using desert-colored pastels. Her work tends to be more collectible than Madden’s — so this was a lucky find!

Wrapping Up Audubon

That wraps up the Audubon portion of the Goodwill adventure — CDs, jazz history, and art that fits right in with my collection.

Coming Soon: Part 3, where the day continues with two amazing finds — and a genealogy discovery that ties it all together!

Two Goodwill Stores – A Day of Amazing Finds! (Part 1)

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Two Goodwill Stores – A Day of Amazing Finds! (Part 1)

The last two or three trips to Goodwill have been pretty good. However, today’s adventures at the Audubon and Willingboro, NJ stores were truly exceptional! So let’s do a quick recap of my Goodwill haul from today. I’ll start with our morning visit to Audubon…

No Vinyl – Boo! Hiss!

First stop? The vinyl section — and sadly, it was a bust. Someone must have donated a large collection of Jewish music, because there were multiple Theodore Bikel albums of Jewish folk songs. The most interesting LP I saw was George Carlin’s Class Clown — a classic, but not what I was looking for.

five books from the firstvof the two goodwill stores

On to the Books!

While none of the books I found were rare gems, they were all solid pickups for me!

Gideon’s Corpse – Preston & Child (Gideon Crew #2)

I’m a big fan of Preston & Child’s Agent Pendergast series — I actually finished the latest book earlier this year. Gideon’s Corpse is book two in their five-book Gideon Crew series. I read the first book, Gideon’s Sword, way back in 2011. Maybe this find will rekindle my interest in this alternate series.

The Devil’s Sea (Dirk Pitt #27) – Dirk Cussler

It’s been many years since I read a Clive Cussler novel. The first I read was Raise the Titanic (#4), sometime in the mid-80s. I kept up with the series until about book #10, Dragon. I still have Sahara (#11) and a few others kicking around my shelves. Too many books, too little time!

This is the first Dirk Pitt novel written solely by Dirk Cussler, continuing the legacy of his father, who passed in 2020. Impressive that the series now stands at 27 books!

Spartan Gold (Fargo Adventure #1) – Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood

This one’s a double draw for me: it kicks off the Fargo Adventure series, and it’s co-written by Grant Blackwood, whose collaborations with James Rollins and Steve Berry I’ve really enjoyed. The blend of action, adventure, and history is right up my alley — I love getting a little education along with my entertainment. The series has now reached book 13 — The Serpent’s Eye!

The Brain Fog Fix – Dr. Mike Dow

From Goodreads:

“A new epidemic is sweeping the country… ADHD, scatter brain, or ‘brain fog.’ People are thinking and feeling worse than ever. Why? Because our brains aren’t getting the support they need to produce the essential brain chemicals that keep us energized, calm, focused, and inspired…”

This book lays out a three-week plan to naturally rebalance serotonin, dopamine, and cortisol — a reset I’m definitely open to trying. If this book can do even half of what it promises for my ADHD tendencies, it’ll be the best 80 cents I’ve spent in a long time!

➡️ Read more on Goodreads

Coming Soon – Part 2:

Stay tuned for CDs and Indian prints from Audubon and even more finds from Willingboro — including the best $8 I’ve spent on a stereo in years!

Cash Register Crisis Averted – A Family Moment

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Or How a 28-Month-Old Negotiated Her First Major Purchase!

There are times when you just shake your head and say, that child is a piece of work! This was Cash Register Crisis one of those times.

The other day, our 28-month-old granddaughter Emma had a very serious conversation with her mother.

The Conversation: A Cash Reigster Crisis Arises

Emma: I need a new cash register. It’s broken.

Elizabeth (Mom): Oliver got it for you — he thought you’d like it!

Emma: I don’t like it. We need to go to the store. I need a Minnie one.

If you knew Emma, you’d know that right now she is obsessed with the show Minnie’s Bow-Toons, where Minnie and her friend Daisy Duck are co-owners of Minnie’s Bow-tique — a specialty shop that sells only bows and bow ties.

This is a child whose TV time was limited until recently. When she did watch, it was usually Miss Rachael. But now, things have changed — ever since Baby Lucas entered the family on May 8th.

But back to Emma’s story. After my wife Kathleen (aka Grandma) told me about the conversation, I searched Amazon for a Minnie Cash Register. I found one and would have bought it — but Elizabeth told us the devious child had seen one at Target. So we didn’t think any more about it.

The Result: A Crisis Averted…

Until Elizabeth texted this photo. Crisis averted:

Emma the cash register crisis averted

And here’s proof — Emma greeting customers at her Bow-tique!

Hmm, Miss Emma got her way. Sometimes you have to know when to give in. And considering how wonderful she has been with her new baby brother, she certainly deserves special treats.

Well — actually — in those first few days, when Lucas was really fussy and crying, Emma told her parents:

“You have to take him back and get a better baby!”

A New Crisis??

Her first employee…

Hmm LucA ANITHER cASH rEGISTER cRISIS

Oh no — a union problem already — sleeping on the job!

More About Emma –