Followup to my previous post.  I did some Internet searching and found a song entitled, "Little Jack Frost" that was published in a book called, "Songs and Games for Little Ones" by Gertrude Walker, publication date was 1887, which would fit the time period of my grandfather's participation in the town Christmas program.   The book is "Prepared by" Gertrude Walker, so she doesn't seem to be claiming to have written the contents.  Makes me wonder if it is a folk song... at any rate, it gives me joy to try to imagine my little ole Pappy reciting this when he was a gangly 11 year old... wondering if his momma was proud, and if his dad was in attendance or not (they were divorced in 1900).

I hope you enjoy this:

Little Jack Frost

Little Jack Frost went up the hill,
watching the stars and the moon so still.
Watching the stars and the moon so bright,
and laughing aloud with all his might.

Little Jack Frost ran down the hill,
Late in the night, when the winds were still,
Late in the Fall, when the leaves fell down,
Red and yellow and faded brown.

Little Jack Frost walked through the trees,
"Ah, sighed the flowers, "We freeze, we freeze
"Ah!" sighed the grasses, "We dle, we dle!"
Said Little Jack Frost, "Good-bye, good-bye!"

Little Jack Frost tripped 'round and 'round,
Spreading white snow on the frozen ground,
Nipping the breezes, icing the streams,
And chilling the warmth of the sun's bright beams.

But when Dame Nature brought back the Spring,
Brought back the birds to chirp and sing,
Melted the snow and warmed the sky,
Little Jack Frost went pouting by.

The flowers opened their eyes of blue,
Green buds peeped out and grasses grew,
It was so warm and it scorched him SO,
Little Jack Frost was glad to go!

Found this little article today, tucked into a stack of papers.  Really started me thinking about how awful my Research Workflow really is.  I've been considering a Genealogy Do-Over, and read through some really good blogs today, looked at some charts and been thinking alot about what I do and what I don't do when it comes to my research.  I started with The Organized Genealogist blog and facebook group.  I wonder how long it will take me to really feel like I'm organized? 

This is my Grandfather, Walter Edward Granath, in his hometown of Dolores, Colorado, newspaper, the Dolores Star, December 26, 1902.  He was 11 years old.  What I wouldn't give to have a time machine, to be able to travel back and hear his recitation of "Jack Frost" and "Star, Scepter and Crown".  Perhaps next I will conduct a websearch to see if I can find the words to those...

HINTS FOR A CLEAN TREE

Number 1:                                    Important Beginner's Tip!  

Before you start entering places in your Genealogy database, CAREFULLY consider the format that you are going to use.  STANDARDIZE your place names by using the following format:

city, county, state, country

Better yet, if your software has a standardized place name feature that includes GeoCoding, DO IT!  Save yourself and other researchers VALUABLE time.

How I wish that my younger self had heard and heeded this tip !