Books Acquired During My Trip to Virginia

The following list contains some of the books I acquired during my trip to Virginia. Of course I went to every gift shop available and bought several books. A few other books I saw that I wanted, but I thought they would be cheaper on Amazon. A few are signed by the author, and unavailable elsewhere!
 

1.  "Those Who Labor for My Happiness": Slavery at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello (Jeffersonian America) by Lucia C. Stanton

2.  James and Dolley Madison: America's First Power Couple by Bruce Chadwick

3.  The Virginia Adventure: Roanoke to James Towne (Virginia Bookshelf) by Ivor Noel Hume

4.  A Woman of Honor: Dr. Mary E. Walker and the Civil War by Mercedes Graf

5.  Mathew Brady's First Manassas A Biography & Battlefield Tour by Dennis Hogge signed by author!

6.  Uncommon Ground: Archaeology and Early African America, 1650-1800 by Leland G. Ferguson

7.  Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly: The Remarkable Story of the Friendship Between a First Lady and a Former Slave by Jennifer Fleischner

8.  Home Life in the Colonial Days by Alice Morse Earle

9.  Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland (Exceptional Social Studies Titles for Intermediate Grades) by Sally M. Walker

10.  Woman's Life in Colonial Days [Paperback] [1999] (Author) Carl Holliday

11.  Pocahontas's People: The Powhatan Indians of Virginia Through Four Centuries (Civilization of the American Indian) by Helen C. Rountree

12.  Strange New Land: Africans in Colonial America by Peter H. Wood

13.  Jane: Starvation, Cannibalism, and Endurance at Jamestown by WILLIAM KELSO, DOUGLAS OWSLEY, BEVERLY STRAUBE JAMES HORN

14.  Jamestown, the Buried Truth by William M. Kelso signed by author!

Chimerism

Chimerism is a very odd biological phenomena that can occur in humans, and I assume animals as well. It is when a person has the genetic code of two people. In Greek mythology the Chimera is a monster figure that is part lion, goat, and snake.

Chimerism is rare in humans. There are few medically documented cases. Throughout history there were likely more incidences, but usually people do not discover chimerism. DNA testing and knowledge is so recent.

A famous modern case involves a woman named Lydia Fairchild. In 2002 she was in a custody dispute for her children, and discovered that her three children, that she gave birth to, did not share her DNA. Doctors and lawyers were flabbergasted, and Lydia almost lost custody of her children.

Eventually it was discovered that Lydia was meant to be a twin, but in utero the two eggs fused into one. As a result Lydia's twin's DNA lived on inside her. Remarkably, Lydia's children were essentially her sister's children as well. Certain organs had Lydia's DNA, and other organs had her twin's DNA.

Microchimerism is far more common, but it is difficult to detect because it is at the cellular level. Microchimerism is when the fetus' and the mother's cells get transferred during pregnancy. Many adult children have their mother's cells inside certain organs. Mothers also have their children's DNA.

Fraternal twins and identical twins also exchange DNA in utero. In fact with fraternal twins, there sometimes can be sexual development complications (or differences) at puberty, because male or female chromosomes have been exchanged. Pretty fascinating.

Scientists are studying microchimerism, as this phenomena has affects on the development of diseases and autoimmunity, both positively and negatively.

**Disclosure. I'm not a biologist, just a curious person! If you are looking for medical info.,  should find other sources.

Zach Playing Drums at the Barn Bash

Check out how Gemma walks over and plops right next to Zach. And also note my mom, Pat, and Paula in the audience.

Barn Bash 2014

This year's 9th annual Barn Bash was a great time. The weather threatened to be rainy with showers, but by the afternoon it cleared up and we had sun! The temperature was perfect. 

Highlights for me were Zach playing the drums again to a great jazz tune, and Paige singing a song she wrote. The Hansen sisters were so kind to help Paige with her song, and it was Paige's first time performing in front of an audience! Marty and Kristen Hansen encouraged her. 

My parents were there, along with my mom's cousin Pat and her daughter Paula. Jonathan, Stacey, Paige, and Eve drove up with me for the day.