tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89330472012-01-22T19:00:08.123-08:00Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comBlogger1581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-5363305950137348762010-02-24T09:19:00.000-08:002010-02-24T10:19:30.525-08:00

Some time back....a looong time back!....I shared our discovery of a new and enjoyable pastime my husband and I discovered. Geocaching. Indeed, we have discovered that it has been an enjoyable way to spend time together, exploring places tucked away that only the locals know, hiking the highs and lows of a place and meeting many fine folks who share our passion for discovering a sense of place.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-75288224130247426122009-03-18T20:19:00.001-07:002009-03-18T20:19:56.756-07:00

But I need a place to put this tombstone, so it can be used to log a geocache!Make your own gravestone!

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-74848727389616104932009-02-04T18:30:00.000-08:002009-02-04T18:56:37.740-08:00

I did it. I signed on to committee work at school this year, more specifically the year long school theme committee. This year's theme....peace. The guidebook? A little book by Carol McCloud called "Have You Filled a Bucket?"Early on, I was asked to help kick off the year during the first school assembly by telling that "story" to the kids. Couldn't do that. It is not a story, it's a

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-85779941666243592902008-12-10T09:58:00.000-08:002008-12-10T10:51:16.840-08:00

We've kept quiet about this one for some time now. It's not as if it's a huge secret, but we just needed to let some time pass. What am I talking about? Why, the one time our geocaching hobby paid off in cash!A couple months ago, the LaCrosse Sports Commission hosted a fall geocaching event. A workshop to teach about geocaching was held in one of the main city parks, with coordinates available

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-65162704497251876032008-11-25T14:54:00.000-08:002008-11-25T15:14:12.699-08:00

There are these small moments in our lives that seem like nothing when they happen, but upon reflection, you realize....epiphany! I had such a moment this afternoon, in the most unlikely place to have an epiphany, Walmart. Although my friend Ben Rosenfield likes to quip that "God lives at Walmart," my feelings diverge from that viewpoint. Walmart, to me, is a place to be avoided. In fairness

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-76676082693900328802008-11-02T17:11:00.000-08:002008-11-02T17:25:29.852-08:00

As an educator in the public schools, it's my duty to help administer the mandated high stakes standardized tests, known in Wisconsin as the WKCE (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination). As a special education teacher, my duty involves giving the test to a small group of special ed students with testing modifications written into their Individual Education Plans. We won't even go into

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-59660214578334752872008-02-12T18:00:00.000-08:002008-02-12T18:46:27.667-08:00

It finally happened. My first cancellation due to the weather. I guess that living where I do, Wisconsin, I should be glad it hadn't happened before now. Of course, we haven't had a real winter before now! This winter has been like the winters of childhood...snow fell early on and never really left, but continued to pile up, with occasional melts to keep the snowpiles at street corners from

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-21575748294524607082008-01-31T15:31:00.000-08:002008-01-31T15:58:47.974-08:00

As I've retreated from the cold winds of this real Wisconsin winter, my storytelling seems to have retreated as well. A gig that I'd penciled in for Monday is not to be after all. I have but one public storytelling gig in the near future, then nothing until this fall. That's a lot of time to ponder the meaning of one's work."Honing" my art has taken on greater significance for me. I am a

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-91609333309389030932007-12-22T16:54:00.000-08:002007-12-22T18:19:37.260-08:00

The year is fast approaching its end. It's a year that has had some good moments. Storytelling has been good to me this past year, with some pretty nifty gigs, the most notable perhaps my gig at the grand opening of the T. Denny Sandford Pediatric Center at Mayo Clinic and the final night of the Fringe Festival in Minneapolis, in the show "Storytellers Unleashed."It's a year that has had far

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-56237765811156499202007-10-16T06:52:00.000-07:002007-10-16T07:15:31.295-07:00

Actually, yes, I do. School started again the beginning of September. As part of a new literacy initiative, I've been telling stories every day to our first graders, hoping that the anecdotal reports of improved reading skills upon storytelling involvement will play out. If nothing else, the kids are enjoying it, and learning what "story" is. So much of the media many children experience now

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-15333860055927644562007-08-28T06:30:00.000-07:002007-08-28T08:29:43.903-07:00

Leanne Johnson tells "Step It Up and Shake It Off" Northlands Storytelling Network, April 2007I first became acquainted with Leanne Johnson's quick wit and sensitivity as fellow members in an online storytelling community, the storytell listserv. Not long after we began corresponding a bit off list, she told me she was coming to the Northlands Storytelling Network's conference, then located in

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-18977433182121258662007-08-09T14:53:00.000-07:002007-08-29T19:11:48.567-07:00

Why is it that these things run in spurts, anyway? I suppose some of it might have to do with the total lack of desire on my part to do any serious marketing and letting the gigs fall where they may. Not sure. Whatever the reason, I'm heading into one such weekend. As in the previous two years of its existence, tomorrow and Saturday I'll have sets in the Wee Folks area at Irishfest LaCrosse.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-2054579866026070332007-07-30T12:34:00.000-07:002007-07-30T13:07:23.180-07:00

This is my young friend Sam, working at a service project in Freiburg Germany as part of a People to People delegation two years ago. Though I'm not traveling this year, the previous four summers I spent three weeks as a teacher-leader for such delegations, visiting different corners of the world, with 30-40 high school aged students in tow. The year Sam traveled with me, we were part of a

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-39608931736258404342007-07-10T11:13:00.000-07:002007-07-10T11:44:07.142-07:00

I once had the experience of riding in Loren Niemi's Jaguar, "the car storytelling bought," he told us, adding that it was used and not that much more expensive than a new Taurus that way.It was a nice ride to the store to buy libations for our Northlands Board meeting wind-down. Can't argue that point. It is probably no small measure of difference in both our storytelling earnings AND our

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-67644636578241226962007-07-04T07:08:00.000-07:002007-07-04T07:43:52.634-07:00

Storytelling has been good to me lately. Though I would certainly not eat well from my earnings, I've been staying busy without even trying too hard to find bookings. In fact, I strayed from my usual practice of donating storytelling earnings to a couple of favorite causes and donated to my own cause, buying myself a nice kayak. Life has been stressful for me the past few months and I felt as

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-41999785226038366842007-06-18T12:12:00.000-07:002007-06-18T12:44:50.604-07:00

For years, I've traveled State Highway 12 to Madison to work with my storytelling coach. It's a bit of a Twilight Zone experience, which my strange sense of humor enjoys. Driving along through the winding roads of the Baraboo Hills, one comes around a bend to face a huge abandoned munitions plant, Badger Ammunition. Across the road, several big bugs watch you pass by. The bugs are particularly

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-89618022017577079232007-05-16T16:28:00.000-07:002007-05-16T16:50:18.545-07:00

.....I'd have baked you a cake! As a matter of fact, that's exactly what the good folks of the Lester Public Library in Vesper Wisconsin did for me. I was hired to do a storytelling event for National Libary Week in the little bitty town of Vesper Wisconsin in the central part of the state. Though I'd gone to graduate school not far away in Stevens Point and knew of Vesper's existence, until

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-3693570295370371202007-04-09T11:26:00.000-07:002007-04-09T11:36:12.652-07:00

Call it an occupational hazard, if you will, but once a person becomes enmeshed in the world of storytelling, strange things sometimes happen. Take, for instance, a recent trek with my husband to do some much ballyhooed geocaches that required rigorous hikes to blufftop ridges and caves. The caches were found, photos taken, and one in particular inspired a log entry that reflects the mind of a

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-28667245612894175572007-04-05T07:49:00.000-07:002007-04-05T08:10:27.247-07:00

Elsewhere I've mused upon New Year's intentions, met and unmet. For the past couple years, one of those that has remained unmet is the creation of a decent media kit. Many of us struggle with this whole notion of self-promotion. I've attended some great workshops on the topic, notably those presented by the wonderful Linda Gorham. I've gathered other tellers' appealing brochures for

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-55561195474584382882007-03-22T06:48:00.000-07:002007-03-22T07:30:16.644-07:00

Long Coulee School, north of Holmen WisconsinI love making images of bygone eras. Every so often, I'll pass the remains of an earlier time, and if I can, I like to stop and take it in. This old schoolhouse on a country road not far from my home invites images of little boys going in one door, lunch baskets in hand, while the girls, all in dresses, head in through the other one. I can just

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-16568005900764184772007-02-24T09:14:00.000-08:002007-02-24T12:38:27.623-08:00

One of the "first couple" of the Eastern Partnership Crane Reintroduction, the pair who successfully hatched a wild bred chick in 2006As I write, there are literally hundreds of finches, juncos, Downy Woodpeckers and a couple Cardinals flocking to my feeders. I'm taking a break from the grueling shoveling of over a foot of snow that fell last night, you see, and the birds are seeking food

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1170458212297710652007-02-02T14:44:00.000-08:002007-02-02T15:24:24.273-08:00

Look at that smile on my face. Whatever is its source? Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I'm never happier than when I can kick and glide across the snow. Yes! We got snow at last, and we had to wait until nearly February for it. Though at the time of this writing we are suffering dangerously cold temperatures, I managed to take full advantage of the snow last week before the

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1169406587739154742007-01-21T10:48:00.000-08:002007-01-21T11:13:59.576-08:00

That would be me, last October at the Wisconsin Book Festival in Madison, telling the story of "The Lion Makers." The snarl is not my ordinary face, but a moment in the story, one in which my face and actions move the spoken words along and thankfully, got the desired response from my 7th grade audience. The snarl is a helpful visual to myself that with this new year, I must move my own

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1167356861328139862006-12-28T17:25:00.000-08:002006-12-28T17:50:57.396-08:00

I am a member of a worldwide internet "family" called Storytell. Storytell is a listserv hosted by Texas Women's University, and over the 10+ years I've been participating, I've been fortunate to meet many of my fellow posters IRL (in real life for the non-Net savvy)! Two of these wonderful tellers have been my roommates at the Northlands Storytelling Network conference the past few springs,

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1166650593720776152006-12-20T13:05:00.000-08:002006-12-20T13:44:57.830-08:00

This is a fearsome dog? I think not.For many years, I've enjoyed telling a story shared by Joseph Bruchac in his book, Dog People, called "How Dog Came to Live with People." Mr. Bruchac has kindly granted permission for me to share this story as one from the Abenaki people, encouraging me to continue to learn as much as I can about his people and their ways. When I share my version of the story,

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1165198023213933712006-12-03T17:40:00.000-08:002006-12-03T18:37:07.876-08:00

It's cold. The days are growing shorter. The winds are bearing down from the north with a vengeance that belies the balmy temperatures of only a few days ago. It's the season of darkness and retreat to the indoors, at least for those of us in the northern latitudes. Every single world culture has stories that are told this time of year to bring hope, and to explain this annual retreat of the sun.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1162660157602103002006-11-04T08:52:00.000-08:002006-11-04T09:13:02.836-08:00

My husband and I embarked on an adventurous hike in a state forest area last weekend. Anytime one sets out to hike in this part of the world, climbs are to be expected, and this one was no exception. Even coming to the end of a couple trails, we were confronted with the reason for those climbs; sheer drops from bluffside. It's beautiful country indeed, even if it leaves these aging knees in

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1161544716890192142006-10-22T11:50:00.000-07:002006-10-22T12:22:31.610-07:00

Overlooking the Mississippi River from our retreat siteJust this past week, I had the pleasure of sharing the stage at a storytelling event with Reid Miller. Over dinner between programs we talked storytelling, which is not surprising, since everyone at the table was a storyteller. Reid commented that every storyteller, once they've largely moved beyond the stage of "paying their dues," should

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1158978251698753682006-09-22T18:49:00.000-07:002006-09-22T19:24:12.080-07:00

I had a wonderful gig last week. Wonderful, because it took me away from my world of troubles for a day. Wonderful, because while being whisked away from worldly concerns for a moment, one of the members of my audience told me something that is truly the nicest thing a storyteller could hear from her audience.My gig had been arranged last spring, when Julie Kryshak of the Wausau YWCA contacted

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1154562069681249412006-08-02T16:38:00.000-07:002006-08-02T16:41:09.690-07:00

Life has thrown our family some huge lemons of late, and though we've tried to do the old lemonade thing....it hasn't worked that way. These lemons get more sour by the day. I need to direct my energy to other things. For this reason, I will not be adding to my blogs for an indefinite period of time. I want to thank my two or three loyal readers, and if and when the time comes that I can make

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1152277815012132852006-07-07T05:53:00.000-07:002006-07-07T06:10:15.093-07:00

Sometimes, we make interesting discoveries. This past week while visiting family at the cabin up north, my husband, younger son and I discovered a wonderful spot that we had probably driven past many times over the years. Tucked away about a mile from the road is a breathtaking gorge with waterfalls tumbling down.We had never known it was there, being off the road, but experienced it courtesy

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1151191286343928752006-06-24T15:55:00.000-07:002006-06-24T16:54:46.726-07:00

It's both a blessing and a challenge to be self-reliant and independent, especially when both partners in a marriage are this way. When both people have varied interests with which to amuse themselves for endless hours and days, there can come a point where there aren't any interests shared, other than family. With grown and nearly grown kids, also independent-minded, the time arrives to find

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1148776612705958962006-05-27T17:22:00.000-07:002006-05-27T19:02:08.426-07:00

1959 A hot, stuffy, subterranean gymnasium is the setting. On the floor is gathered a passle of squirmy children, kindergarten through sixth grade, being admonished by their teachers to "be quiet." Along with the gym, much of the rest of the scene is stuffy in my memory banks, but I do remember this; the guest speaker had asked if anyone knew what the mama Kildeer did to protect her babies.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1148349690087955702006-05-22T18:17:00.000-07:002006-05-22T19:39:18.376-07:00

Gather a group of working storytellers together, whether in the real world or virtual, and at some point, someone will ask the question, "What should I charge for my programs?" I've seen this discussion played out many times on the storytell listserv, of which I've been a member since about 1994. Everyone has a different idea on pricing; one person simply states a flat fee, with room for

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1147561518772939682006-05-13T15:38:00.000-07:002006-05-13T16:05:18.850-07:00

If you recognize the mushrooms pictured, it's a good chance you know exactly what a treat a plate of these woodland delicacies can be; sliced thick, sauteed in just a tiny bit of butter, served up with fresh caught trout and tender spears of asparagus, preferably the wild-picked variety.If you don't, then count yourself alongside an old friend of ours, who shall simply be known here as Mark. Some

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1145587062377271392006-04-20T19:28:00.000-07:002006-04-21T10:03:34.426-07:00

Easter has come and gone at the Calvetti household once more. No egg dying, no egg hunts, no visits with the Easter bunny. Not my sons. They're 16 and closing in on 20, far too cool for that, though not too cool to get up and find their baskets filled with candy and a "Naughty Pet" from Target.Nor are they too cool for the annual ritual I've grown to dread, the baking and eating of the lamb cake.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1144786383114500652006-04-11T12:47:00.000-07:002006-04-11T14:21:12.630-07:00

For some reason, the idea of organizing a storytelling retreat initimidated me. I had this notion that I had to be someone with a level of caliber and recognition, like Doug Lipman or Mary Hamilton or Kevin Strauss. Maybe I'll discover I was right about that, I'll know sometime next fall.Still, it was taking part in Kevin's Northwoods Storytelling Retreat this past January that I started to think

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1143987403391420892006-04-02T06:51:00.000-07:002006-04-02T08:04:51.406-07:00

As an teacher working in an elementary school, I'm sure I'm joined by thousands like me who were very glad to see this day fell on Saturday this year...a non-school day. This meant we wouldn't have to endure a full day of really lame and ill-timed April Fool's jokes from 5 to 9 year olds."Hey Mrs. Calvetti! There's a big dinosaur on your chair! April Fools, I got you!" all said in one breath

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1142189259635113842006-03-12T10:45:00.000-08:002006-03-12T10:52:37.360-08:00

Okay, so that "story" moniker is stretching things quite a bit, but visiting Endment's blog, I discovered one of those fun little blogthings. Find out what color of green you are. Interestingly enough, I do seem to wear a whole lot of this shade of green, along with sage green, my other favorite color.You Are Olive GreenYou are the most real of all the green shades. You're always true to

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1141669218736624832006-03-06T10:19:00.000-08:002006-03-06T15:39:04.933-08:00

These faces are haunting me today. They should haunt anyone who reads on, but the question I ask is this: Why aren't we hearing this story? The world is filled with stories we don't want to hear, but this is one that needs to be told. There are such stories throughout the world that are crying to be heard.In 1994, I had an experience that would change my view of the world forever. I was fortunate

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1141488645544590232006-03-04T07:40:00.000-08:002006-03-04T10:44:53.493-08:00

Sold! On Ebay!Earlier I shared a story telling why it's difficult for me to get rid of things. They all have their stories, making it tough for a storyteller to give them away. I'm learning that giving things away can bring story riches.In true storytelling tradition, I just told you what I'm going to tell you, now it's time for me to digress and make you forget what I'm going to tell you till

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1140841349775096902006-02-24T19:48:00.000-08:002006-02-25T06:21:06.703-08:00

Overly friendly White-Tail Deer, Goose Island County Park-- Paper from GrassrootsStorytelling isn't the topic of this post. Instead, it's a story, of sorts. It's my blog. If I want to babble about my day, it's my choice!This so-called "winter" we've had has been a source of frustration, to say the least. While others are cheering the minimal amount of snowfall, I have spent the past two and a

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1140450727903688642006-02-20T07:49:00.000-08:002006-02-20T08:30:36.586-08:00

One of the storytelling workshops I offer involves helping others--- storytellers, scrapbookers or simply the family raconteuer--- to save and share their own family legends. The whys and hows I've shared freely in several venues, but one that is easily accessible to anyone reading this entry is but a click away.You might have guessed by the images beginning this post that this bit of family lore

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1140393827007759302006-02-19T15:58:00.000-08:002006-02-19T16:03:47.020-08:00

You've been reading my blog and have become completely inspired to pursue becoming a storyteller yourself? Good for you! Now, the only thing you need is help. Never fear. Northlands Storytelling Network is here to help.Fellow storyteller, Board member and all around good guy friend Hardy Garrison has just put his techno-skills to work, placing all the information you'll need onto the

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1140216071069064382006-02-17T14:28:00.000-08:002006-08-05T08:46:27.936-07:00

My storytelling occurs most often in settings typical for a storyteller; community festivals, local museums, schools, churches, Scout banquets, that kind of thing. The stories I tell reflect the setting and audience as well, or at least I hope they do. Adult audiences get stories that might have a little more snap to them; "The Tail of the Linani Beast," a cautionary tale about male/female

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1139701578236767142006-02-11T15:42:00.000-08:002006-02-11T15:46:18.246-08:00

A storyteller's stock in trade is words. Imagine my delight when my bird-blogging friend Cindy shared a link to create a Word Cloud from my blog! Save time; read my Word Cloud and you have the gist of my thoughts, don't you?You can create your own Word Cloud here.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1139447840837100352006-02-08T16:58:00.000-08:002006-02-20T09:54:25.000-08:00

As a member of the board of Northlands Storytelling Network, I participated in a retreat a few years back to help us define our mission as an organization. Part of the retreat also allowed us to do the same for ourselves as storytellers. One topic that somehow came up was "stuff" and what to do with it. Seems that for many storytellers, an accumulation of stuff is an occupational hazard, because

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1139014951550904672006-02-03T16:43:00.001-08:002006-02-03T17:24:42.906-08:00

...you have Ms. Brewer's 2nd Grade class? I've mentioned before the class at school that eagerly awaits 10:30 on "Day 1" in the school cycle, the day when Mrs. Calvetti comes to tell them a story. Ms. Brewer gets more than her share of challenging students due to her misfortune in having also been certified in special ed. She has seen the value of dropping everything to have me come in to tell a

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1138486869108825792006-01-28T14:04:00.000-08:002006-01-28T17:17:37.363-08:00

My husband is happily plunking away on his banjo in the other room, celebrating the fact that after more than half a century, he is finally achieving a goal to make his own kind of music. I have my own goals, of course. In fact, look at the sidebar and you'll find a link titled, "43 Things I Want to Do." I haven't listed 43 yet, but I keep accomplishing a few of them, thus shrinking my list a bit

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1138151964887617442006-01-24T16:59:00.000-08:002006-01-24T17:26:19.430-08:00

Dick, unstrung! Patterned papers from Grassroots, including new designs premiering at CHA, Las VegasMy husband has loved bluegrass music most of his adult life. Although one look at his CD collection would tell you he's a Deadhead, look closer and you'll find all the recordings old Jerry did in his bluegrass and jug band days as well. In the early years of our marriage, we'd search out folk

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1138073252523508322006-01-23T19:08:00.000-08:002006-01-23T19:33:07.603-08:00

Having returned from one of those "mountaintop" experiences, I'm now facing the return to my daily grind. I spent the weekend at a remote resort in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, holed up in this cabin with six other storytellers, no phone, no television, no internet....and we never even turned on the radio. It wasn't necessary. We're storytellers!My friend Kevin Strauss, storyteller from Ely,

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1136167100306777242006-01-01T17:51:00.000-08:002006-01-01T18:35:28.553-08:00

Despite there being no snow for cross country skiing, despite there being no sunshine for over a week now, despite all the disappointments of the season for someone who loves the way winter is supposed to be, I wasn't about to sit inside on New Year's Day. My year has begun well; instead of a common sparrow for my first year bird, I looked out the window to see the beautiful--and frustrated--

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1135877277944648462005-12-29T09:26:00.000-08:002005-12-29T15:58:13.256-08:00

Framed by the Christmas tree of the week past, one can look through to the Black Forest cuckoo clock of the here and now. Even this is a memory of times past, both recent and long gone. Any story will seek to make these kinds of connections, and here, telling its own story, is a very new tangible reminder of something almost lost to the modern world; the visual and audible passage of time.As a

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1134931669166578232005-12-18T10:47:00.000-08:002005-12-18T11:02:28.560-08:00

Though I do maintain an entire blog devoted to my favorite of all wild things, there is a place for feathered creatures in this blog as well. After all, birds are major players in so many stories, from the birds who helped out Snow White to Raven as the bringer of light to the tribal nations of the northwest. This little tree sparrow, playing amongst the seedheads with the juncos and chickadees

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1134394618776259452005-12-12T05:36:00.000-08:002005-12-12T06:13:08.510-08:00

Storytellers are struggling along with the rest of the United States to maintain political correctness in this era of "season's greetings." Called upon to perform for various functions, there are requests on the storytell listserv for "winter tales." Smart aleck that I am, I almost posted a reference to Shakespeare's "A Winter's Tale," but I resisted that impulse.While I completely respect and

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1133584694736477592005-12-02T20:38:00.000-08:002005-12-02T20:58:33.866-08:00

Though the photos in this scrapbook layout weren't taken today, they could have been. It has snowed here, enough to bring out those of us who live for the white stuff. After having my coffee, I piled into my gear and was on my way to the trails at the area nature center. Nearly pristine. Completely still. Whatever does any of this have to do with story or storytelling?Everything.Pacing is an

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1133585717458879832005-12-02T20:35:00.000-08:002005-12-02T20:58:06.953-08:00

The creatures that could be missed while hurrying are our loss.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1133064248470083202005-11-26T19:48:00.000-08:002005-11-26T21:40:59.666-08:00

Okay, okay, so this is supposed to be a blog celebrating the joy of stories told in the oral tradition, but doggone it, there are some great stories told in film! Besides, Tony of Milkriver, issued a movie meme challenge to a bunch of us on his bloglist. Probably my other blog is the one on his list, but I already did an entry there, and I have this "rule" about posting no more than once per day

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1132430281665703412005-11-19T11:58:00.000-08:002005-11-19T23:10:41.896-08:00

Gwyn surveys her kingdom from her Bedouin tent, circa 1958. Note cardboard box in that cool wagon!This morning I woke with a nasty headache, the kind that squeezes your sinuses and the optic nerve, unresponsive to Advil. This state led me to a morning of sloth, highlighted by surfing favorite websites over and over. At the Simple Living Network forums, someone linked to this story, sharing that

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1131720830935003252005-11-11T06:37:00.000-08:002005-11-11T07:20:49.296-08:00

One of the things I've observed throughout my life is that I am usually a surprise to no one, least of all myself. Though I grew up in a home in which my mom was very active in the local Republican Party, even serving as a delegate to the state Republican Convention, it just didn't seem to rub off on me. Perhaps not on Mom, either. Oh, Mom served as president of the League of Women Voters for

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1131211461233606292005-11-05T08:39:00.000-08:002005-11-05T09:56:32.086-08:00

The one joy that has kept me going through life has been the fact that stories unite us. To see you as you listen to me now, as you have always listened to me, is to know this; what I can believe, you can believe. And the way we all see our story...that's what we own, no matter who we are and where we come from.These words, coming from the final page of a wonderful novel, Ireland, by Frank

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1130816008811061312005-10-31T19:33:00.000-08:002005-11-01T15:26:30.903-08:00

My grandma was a Murphy before she married, which may explain both my gift of the gab and my acceptance of things that go bump in the night. The Irish, as you may well know, though somewhat civilized and evangelized, have never completely been willing to write off those eerie coincidences. Perhaps with it being the night when the curtain between this world and the next is more permeable, it's

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1130506747578220982005-10-28T06:32:00.000-07:002005-10-28T10:10:08.836-07:00

I knew going to the National Storytelling Festival that taking photos of the storytellers in performance was forbidden. Understandably so, when the tents were packed with as many as a thousand listeners. Permanent visual damage from so many flashes could ensue, not to mention how much it would detract from the experience.Going in, I also knew that many of the tellers would happily pose with you

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1130376778569998112005-10-26T18:12:00.000-07:002005-10-26T18:32:58.633-07:00

This school year got off to a rough start. Nothing seemed to work smoothly; schedules were unbelievably convoluted, classes crowded, more and more mandated tests imposed upon the demands of the curriculum. Thank goodness at least one teacher at my school pressed to keep alive the things that make a difference for her students--weekly visits by Mrs. Calvetti, "The Storyteller."Last year, this

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129952804206251962005-10-22T13:25:00.000-07:002005-10-22T12:12:01.120-07:00

When you're surrounded by storytellers, you are surrounded by plot. Every single performance, every teller presents plot after plot, woven together with words, voice and action. The National Storytelling Festival brings together a delightful combo plate of tellers, some who have become almost Festival institutions, others who are new to the national scene. Try as I might, I know there were a few

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129986347468976662005-10-22T06:05:00.000-07:002005-10-22T06:06:08.866-07:00

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129985865266620722005-10-22T05:57:00.000-07:002005-10-22T12:13:38.556-07:00

I remembered when Eth-no-tec first appeared on the storytelling scene; lots of discussion on the storytell listserv about their style, the theatrics of it, whether it was storytelling or not. I couldn't wait to see them for myself, so I made sure I was in a tent on Friday that featured them.Yes, they are theatrical in their presentation, but so are many other tellers, Milbre Burch, for instance.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129722618754248612005-10-19T04:50:00.000-07:002005-10-19T11:40:28.916-07:00

We have the wonderful, storybook setting of Jonesborough, tucked in the Smoky Mountains, as our location for my magical weekend. Next lesson....the characters. And any event involving storytelling will surely have its share of characters!The fellow in the tie dye overalls was around all weekend, easy to see. Perhaps that was the purpose of his colorful dress? Each day, he would be spotted

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129746723729220112005-10-19T04:48:00.000-07:002005-10-19T11:36:50.153-07:00

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129746309637726032005-10-19T04:19:00.000-07:002005-10-19T15:18:04.293-07:00

Certainly, the main characters of this weekend were the many excellent storytellers themselves. To maintain the mood of the festival tents, photos weren't allowed. That doesn't mean it was impossible to capture the moods and moves of some of the tellers, not if one stopped to enjoy the unofficial "Fringe Festival" in front of the Courthouse steps Saturday afternoon. This event is one that will

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129760205978633242005-10-19T04:16:00.000-07:002005-10-19T15:17:31.920-07:00

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129344044824491922005-10-14T19:40:00.000-07:002005-10-14T19:54:58.606-07:00

Any story contains those classic story elements we studied in English 101; plot, setting, characters. The National Storytelling Festival, a storied event in its own class, contains all these elements in abundance. Today's lesson will center on setting.Making the pilgramage to Jonesborough, the setting of our festival, is a bit like Exodus, at least if you live in a place like southwest

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129344938679378832005-10-14T18:55:00.000-07:002005-10-14T19:59:08.930-07:00

Look at this! The entire street is a Historic Preservation site. There are two horse drawn carriages traveling the street, one all white and one black. Everything is decked out for the harvest season, dressed in its finest duds for all the storytellers and storylisteners. People stream along the streets, all with one goal---appreciation of tales well told.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129345182134609922005-10-14T18:45:00.000-07:002005-10-17T16:28:44.536-07:00

My first stop is the National Storytelling Association tent, next to the Mail Pouch building, now a craft shop, so that I can finally see the book that contains a chapter penned by moi. An exciting moment, made even more so by virtue of the ultracool name tag reserved just for the authors in attendance. I am not taking it off. I want to be buried with this name tag! Of all the many nametags

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1129162753316879152005-10-11T17:19:00.000-07:002005-10-12T17:28:30.160-07:00

Why did I wait so long to get there? Though I've been actively involved in storytelling and the storytelling community for over ten years, I'd never climbed the mountain that is the National Storytelling Festival, affectionately called by its devotees as simply "Jonesborough." Always, I'd be drawn, but that October date conflicted with my teaching contract. The travel to eastern Tennessee just

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1128124371918161832005-09-30T16:52:00.000-07:002005-09-30T17:07:46.423-07:00

This is my brand new journal. It's a storytelling journal. I just finished creating it by altering a small cheap journal purchased at the bookstore. It's a physical manifestation of a dream about to come true.Hmmm. What kind of dream might that be, you ask? I'm glad you asked, even though it's possible you're simply rolling your eyes about now. Well, here's the answer. At this time next

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1127685398485770692005-09-25T14:32:00.000-07:002005-09-25T15:05:55.950-07:00

In my never-ending effort to simplify and downsize, I've discovered something wonderful--freecycle. Freecycle is like a swap and trade, without the trade part. There are freecyle groups all over the internet, separated by geographic region. The premise is simple; if you have something to give away, you list it on freecyle as "offer." Looking for something? You tell the list by posting "wanted."

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1127434069583023392005-09-22T17:45:00.000-07:002005-09-22T18:34:34.340-07:00

The festival is now nothing more than fond memories...but oh, what fond memories they are! We could not have asked for a more perfect weekend; warm pleasant breezes, clear skies, that harvest moon rising over the tent both nights. Saturday morning brought our workshops. Attendance at these was still low, but from what we heard, well received. Jen Maggio and I had a blast with our workshop, in

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1127435645393647482005-09-22T17:34:00.000-07:002005-09-22T18:36:40.080-07:00

All fun and silliness with puppets over, it was time for the telling to begin. The disc golf players nearby were no doubt startled when the distinct strains of Scottish bagpipes opened the festivities of the day. Two tents, the Main Tent and the Children's Tent, would be filled with storytelling and music continuously till 9pm. True heaven on earth. Several of the Bluff Country Talespinners would

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1127437504656432972005-09-22T17:24:00.000-07:002005-09-22T18:09:24.750-07:00

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1127438077787931492005-09-22T17:09:00.000-07:002005-09-22T18:15:19.606-07:00

The evening concert was filled with just as much magic as throughout the day. It started with a set-up by Teju, done in cooperation with Kevin and Celia, that took everyone by surprise and delight. It ended with Celia bringing the two men onstage with her, musical instruments in hand, to help tell the story of "The Bee, The Mouse and the Bumclock." I've been officially active in the storytelling

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1127438141215389272005-09-22T17:01:00.000-07:002005-09-22T18:16:57.986-07:00

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1127269388831424052005-09-20T19:23:00.000-07:002005-09-20T20:24:57.210-07:00

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1126960551579278292005-09-17T05:21:00.000-07:002005-09-20T20:22:01.083-07:00

I know the thousands of readers of this blog have probably clicked here to see what fascinating things I have to say, and have been disappointed by the lack of activity. Well, get off the computer and come to LaCrosse! Our storytelling festival started last night with the "Tales of the Creepy and Scary." A perfect night on the banks of the Mississippi River. Our new sound system mastered at last.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1126668571159326282005-09-13T20:17:00.000-07:002005-09-13T20:29:31.163-07:00

If you live anywhere near the LaCrosse area and need something to do this weekend, may I suggest taking in the Third Annual Storytelling Festival in Pettibone Park this Friday and Saturday? Featured tellers are Celia Farran, Teju and Kevin McMullin, all of whom I highly recommend. But wait! There's more!Friday night from 6-9pm or thereabouts, enjoy a Ghosting, with stories by Celia and several

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1126573059780043222005-09-12T17:46:00.000-07:002005-09-17T05:50:03.676-07:00

It's not as if I've never given an interview to the press before. I have. Exactly three times. Once after I returned from a mission trip in Kenya in 1994, once when we hosted students from Kenya at our church the following year, and once when I was coaching 7th grade storytellers at my school. That last one was probably around 1999. It's been awhile.Now I have spoken with members of the local

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1126485862327969762005-09-11T17:44:00.000-07:002005-09-11T17:47:08.276-07:00

Gwyn and Jul do the winery circuitGrowing up, I heard my share of "momisms." One that I heard throughout my teenage years, particularly when I started a job along with everything else, was "You shouldn't bite off more than you can chew." Like I said, a momism, one I ignored much of the time.That particular momism seemed to haunt my weekend just past, though. Some time back, I received a call from

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1125785986588178062005-09-03T15:15:00.000-07:002005-09-03T15:32:12.296-07:00

School started again for me. I have one child in college now. When did all this happen? Where did my summer go? How did my son get so big, navigating campus halls and buying architectural drafting supplies for his coursework? It's trite but true, an age old story; they grow up in the blink of an eye. One day it's crayons and fingerpaint, the next, retractable drafting pencils and architectural

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1125786381578065302005-09-03T15:12:00.000-07:002005-09-03T15:32:26.506-07:00

Instead of always craning my neck skyward, I found myself looking just at trail's edge. Though the fog made for lousy birding, it created some wonderful works of arachnid art, dripping with the morning dew.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1125786508882919452005-09-03T15:10:00.000-07:002005-09-03T15:35:38.523-07:00

Moving slowly and watching for hummingbirds in the jewelweed, I might have missed the sight of the morning. Looking out over the cattails and sedge meadow adjoining the marsh, movement caught my eye. Peering back at me just above the grasses was a pair of soulful eyes. Aware of my presence, always alert, but not panicked. She moved off, then dropped her head, but the flag was still down. Watching

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1125786575933647982005-09-03T15:06:00.000-07:002005-09-03T15:36:50.436-07:00

The morning continued in much the same fashion, moving slowly, waiting for the next discovery rather than aggressively seeking images. Though I shared the marsh with multitudes of runners, dogwalkers and other hikers, I had five hours to slow my pace and just be. It would be a much better world in which to live, I think, if once a week, everyone could slow their pace, enjoy the natural world and

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1125627302541983562005-09-01T18:42:00.000-07:002005-09-01T19:25:27.186-07:00

I have never been to New Orleans. Most of my adult life, it's been one of my top five US cities I've wanted to visit. The rich history alone makes it attractive, but along with that the jazz, the French Quarter, all those charming aspects of the Big Easy as seen in movies or through books have called to be enjoyed.I have never been to New Orleans, and I now have to believe that should I finally

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1125455582364330132005-08-30T19:33:00.000-07:002005-08-30T19:42:06.386-07:00

I've said it before on this blog, I'm so lucky to be part of a wonderful--and growing!--storytelling guild, the Bluff Country Talespinners. We've grown, but awareness of just what storytelling looks like continues to be a process. Last week, we had a wonderful opportunity to help "grow" the storytelling audience.In two weeks, our guild will host the Third Annual LaCrosse Storytelling Festival.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1124821052859962982005-08-23T11:17:00.000-07:002005-08-23T11:26:15.476-07:00

Workshops are fun. It's always flattering when you're asked to submit a workshop idea, because it means someone thinks you *can* do a workshop, although in my experience, it may not be so much that as they're desperate to fill a program slot and know I usually can be counted on to say "yes."So I've said yes lately. Twice. Two different workshops, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. I accepted the

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1124586450969382962005-08-20T18:07:00.000-07:002005-08-20T18:23:40.633-07:00

I've reached that age in which I reflect a lot on times past. That is the privilege we trade for suppleness and youth as we age. I can say that yes, if I knew then what I know now, I would tell myself I do NOT need to worry about my thighs. My gosh, this came home to me when I went to the funeral of an old friend, and there on the picture board were photos of us in the summertime, a lifetime ago-

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1124456562896213752005-08-19T06:02:00.000-07:002005-08-19T06:02:42.900-07:00

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1124456318809911322005-08-19T05:39:00.000-07:002005-08-19T06:04:52.703-07:00

"You can't go home again." We all know that hackneyed saw. If we're past the age of 15, we probably understand the sentiment behind it, with the fast pace of change and the throwaway nature of US society. Well, I once again found this to be true...and not true.Here's the deal. Growing up as a kid in the 60s, trips to the movies were a huge part of life. For me, that meant going to the Heights

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1124204380694015662005-08-16T08:06:00.000-07:002005-08-16T08:13:35.406-07:00

Anytime a teller gets a new booking, the program planning process kicks in almost within moments of hanging up the phone. What stories do I already know to fit the theme? How can I re-imagine some stories to work with this audience of listeners? Is this a group that will need more visual input, will I need to practice with the bodhran, do I need to pull out that old dusty tale...?The questions

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1124204670141647812005-08-16T08:04:00.000-07:002005-08-16T08:08:36.783-07:00

A statue of the Pedlar of Swaffham, another variant of the story, can be seen at the church in the town of Swaffham, paying tribute to a simple man who listened to his dreams, finding gold in his garden with which to rebuild the church.

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933047.post-1123974721687962042005-08-13T16:12:00.000-07:002005-08-13T16:46:03.213-07:00

At least for me, this seems to be a never-ending story. For the first time in over 15 years, I'm seeing hummingbirds in my yard several times a day. Most of them seem to be the boys, getting fat and sassy before heading down to Mexico to drink tequila-spiked flowers on the beach this winter. Others are reporting an increase in feeder activity this week as well.Now, if you link over to my

Gwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12402568321904428212noreply@blogger.com2