Big Blend Radio

Can you be a feminist and still want to get married? Author and professor Suzanne Leonard says yes, and she makes the case in her brand new book, "A Feminist Guide to Marriage."
This episode of Big Blend Radio’s “Books & Authors” series, presented with Books Forward, features Suzanne, a Professor of Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Simmons University in Boston. Part memoir, part manifesto, and part feminist history, her book (Goldsmiths Press, out November 10, 2026) takes on one of the most personal and most political choices we make, and asks how we can make marriage fairer for everyone in it.
Join us for a warm, honest conversation about money and shared bank accounts, who does the laundry, why the tradwife trend is so appealing, what arranged marriages can teach us, the fairy tale of the wedding day, and how feminism can make your life, and the lives around you, better.
LINKS TO FOLLOW:- Learn more about Suzanne and her book: https://www.suzanneleonard.com - Books & Authors is presented with Books Forward: https://booksforward.com - Listen to more of Big Blend Radio on https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com 

Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise joins Terri and her pilot husband Ron Guthrie on Big Blend Radio's "Travel with Terri Podcast" for a special Veterans Day conversation about a journey most of us will never take: out into space and safely back again.
Fred, a native of Biloxi, Mississippi, was the lunar module pilot on Apollo 13 in 1970. When an oxygen tank exploded two days into the flight, a Moon landing became what Terri calls the greatest survival story in space exploration history. In his own words, Fred takes us inside the crisis: the crew change just days before launch, the Moon landing he lost, powering up a spacecraft that was never meant to be restarted, and the thousands of people on the ground who tested every fix before it was ever sent up to the crew.
Because it's Veterans Day, Fred also reflects on his service as a Navy aviation cadet, Marine Corps fighter pilot and Air National Guard pilot, with three honorable discharges framed in his office. Ron, a retired fighter pilot, shares stories of his own. The conversation also covers Fred's test flights of Space Shuttle Enterprise, the EAA Aviation Museum and AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, his advice for young people choosing a career, and how Apollo 13 compares with today's Artemis missions.
Fred turns 93 on November 14, 2026. To learn more about his life story, read his book, "Never Panic Early."
LEARN MORE ABOUT FRED HAISE- Follow Fred: https://fredhaise.space/  - "Never Panic Early" Book onAmazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1588347133 - EAA Aviation Museum: https://www.eaa.org/eaa-museum - NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/ 
TRAVEL WITH TERRI- Terri's website: https://travelwithterri.com - Travel with Terri Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/travel-with-terri - The Luxe Explorer digital podcast magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/the-luxe-explorer-magazine 

Hitch up the buggy and head to Indiana’s Amish Country for the holidays! This episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Food, Wine & Travel" Podcast with the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) takes us to Shipshewana with Sonya Nash, CEO of the Shipshewana/LaGrange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
About two hours east of Chicago and two and a half hours north of Indianapolis, Shipshewana is home to the third-largest Amish settlement in the U.S., and at Christmas the whole town glows. Sonya explains how the Amish celebrate a faith-based holiday while still enjoying the beauty of the lights, then walks us through everything there is to see, taste, and do.
In this episode:- Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy drive-thru display, plus more than a mile of hoop lights decorating the sidewalks downtown- Horse-drawn buggy rides, including a lit buggy ride, for couples and families- Handmade gifts and crafts: baskets, pottery, mugs, Amish furniture, and leather goods- Why Shipshewana calls itself the RV capital of the world, with free factory tours- Breakfast with Santa and holiday photo ops- Shows and concerts at the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center- Pie, comfort food, and the My My American Pie Trail- Where to stay, from the Blue Gate Garden Inn and Farmstead Inn to the Van Buren Hotel- Menno-Hof, the Amish Mennonite Interpretive Center, plus quilt shops, local makers, and barn quilts- The free gingerbread village at E&S Bulk Food Store, an “Amish Costco”- What to do after Christmas: the Spicy and Icy Festival in January and Pajama Days in February- A hot chocolate with a cause at Das Kaffee Haus, and the story behind Ben’s Soft Pretzels- Tips for visiting Amish Country respectfully, including why to leave extra time for buggies on the road
Whether you’re planning a holiday getaway or just want an armchair trip to a real-life Hallmark town, this one will put you in the Christmas spirit. 
LINKS & TRAVEL RESOURCES:- Plan your Shipshewana getaway: https://visitshipshewana.org/ - Learn more about the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA): https://www.ifwtwa.org/ - More "Food, Wine & Travel" episodes with IFWTWA:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/food-wine-travel-ifwtwa - Big Blend Radio Travel, Food & Wine Digital Podcast Magazine:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/travel-food-wine-magazine 

This episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Wanderers Compass" Podcast heads to Slovenia, a small Central European country with big mountains, fairy-tale castles and a story of independence that is still young. 
Travel writers Joelle Machia and Ryan Slough have visited twice and take us from the lively riverfront of Ljubljana to Lake Bled, the quieter Lake Bohinj, and the hairpin turns of the Vršič Pass in the Julian Alps. Along the way you’ll meet the Lipizzaner horses at Brdo Park (yes, you can pet them), wander Ljubljana’s dark and fascinating public art, and find out why Slovenia is such an easy, affordable and safe place to travel.
They also talk about how a country that has seen so much history is now protecting its rivers, forests and bees, and what travelers can learn from that.
LINKS & RESOURCES:- Read Joelle and Ryan’s Slovenia article, plus resources and links:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/slovenia-small-country-extraordinary-story 
- More epsiodes of Wanderers Compass Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/wanderers-compass-podcast 
- Wanderers Compass Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/wanderers-compass-magazine 
- Follow Wanderers Compass: https://www.wandererscompass.com 

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Jo Goes Everywhere" Podcast takes you on a road trip through South Carolina's Old 96 District. Travel writer Jo Clark picks up where last month's Ninety Six National Historic Site episode left off, with stops in Spartanburg, Pelzer, Greenwood, Ninety Six, Abbeville and Edgefield.
Along the way: historic inns (including a night in a caboose at Clevedale Historic Inn and Gardens), a winery visit that came full circle at City Scape Winery, a James Beard-honored meat-and-three at Wade's Restaurant, a Greenwood barbecue festival, candied pecans at the 96 Pecan Company, Abbeville's Veranda on Main and Belmont Inn, Indigenous Underground, and Edgefield's pottery, peaches and farm-to-table dining. 
Jo also shares why these smaller towns reward a flexible traveler, and why South Carolina pecans and wine make great holiday gifts.
LINKS & TRAVEL RESOURCES:- Jo's full guide, "The Ultimate Old 96 District Trip: B&Bs to Battlefields": https://recipestravelculture.com/old-96-district-spartanburg-upstate-trip/ - Last month's article, Ninety Six National Historic Site: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/ninety-six-national-historic-site - Jo's earlier stop at Francis Beidler Forest: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/audubon-francis-beidler-forest-center-sanctuary - Jo Goes Everywhere podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/jo-goes-everywhere - Jo's digital magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/kkbr/ - Have Glass, Will Travel: https://haveglasswilltravel.com/ 

Ever wandered the produce aisle and asked, “Who wants to be in my soup?” Shelley Whizin, The Live & Die Happy Coach, joins producer Lisa D. Smith on Big Blend Radio's "Soul Diving Sunday" Podcast to share her Butternut Squash Ginger Carrot Instinct Soup, a cozy fall dish that would be right at home on your Thanksgiving table. 
They talk about cooking with joy and intention, cooking for one, why a smile changes everything, trusting your instincts in the kitchen, and the garlic bread grilled cheese that goes with it. Shelley’s recipes are in her book, "What Do You Bring to the Table?"
LINKS & RESOURCES:- Get Shelley's soup recipe: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/instinct-soup-cooking-with-joy-and-intention - Read Shelley's article: https://shelleywhizin.substack.com/p/a-little-soup-a-little-love-and-a? - Visit Shelley’s website: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/ - Shelley's Book, "What Do You Bring to the Table?" is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/What-You-Bring-Table-Inspirational/dp/1087932106?tag=whizin1-20 - Browse more episodes of Soul Diving Sunday: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/soul-diving-sunday 

Skagit Valley is famous for its Tulip Festival, and this conversation touches on it, but it covers so much more. On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Sip, Savor & Travel" Podcast, Linda Kissam, the "Food, Wine & Shopping Diva," sits down with Kristen Keltz of the Skagit Tourism Bureau for a warm tour of this Pacific Northwest escape. 
They cover year-round whale watching and kayaking out of Anacortes, farm-to-table dining, oysters and Samish Bay cheese, pumpkin farms, a chamomile tea farm stay and historic theaters. They also cover holiday parades, art festivals, snow geese and eagles, and a few "ultimate days" in Skagit. Come for what you already know, and stay for what you didn't expect.
About our guest: Kristen Keltz, IOM, CDME, is CEO of the Skagit Tourism Bureau, where she and her team work with local businesses and communities to share Skagit Valley as a year-round destination.
📖 Read Linda's article, "Skagit Valley: Tulips and Beyond":https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/skagit-valley-tulips-and-beyond 
🌷 Plan your visit to Skagit Valley:https://www.visitskagitvalley.com 
🎧 More Sip, Savor & Travel Podcast episodes:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/sip-savor-travel 
📚 Sip, Savor & Travel Digital Magazine:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/sip-savor-travel-magazine 
🍷More from Linda Kissam: https://foodwinetravelchix.com 

This episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Toast to The Arts & Parks" Podcast, with the National Parks Arts Foundation, features landscape oil painter Dawn Waters Baker, a “Painter of Spiritual Landscapes,” fresh from her second NPAF artist residency at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. It’s her fourth NPAF residency overall, following Big Bend National Park and Gettysburg National Military Park.
Dawn shares what a month on the Big Island gave her:- A caldera that has changed dramatically since her 2020 stay. It’s now steaming, it has sunk lower, and it erupted while she was there.- The resilient, community-minded people of Nāʻālehu.- A night on Mauna Kea under the Milky Way.- Her habit of hiking, sketching and journaling before she ever lifts a brush.
We talk about painting mist, veils and glazes so you feel a place instead of seeing every detail. We also cover Nan Shepherd’s idea of going into a mountain, putting the phone down long enough to receive a landscape, and why art matters for preserving what’s at risk. Dawn also tells of fireflies rising over the Gettysburg fields at twilight and the trees that carried her story there, and why Big Bend is the park she cried her way out of. She wraps up with her plans for gold leaf and tree paintings from this residency, and her hope to show the new work at a Fort Worth gallery.
LINKS & RESOURCES:- Dawn Waters Baker: https://www.DawnWatersBaker.com - National Parks Arts Foundation: https://NationalParksArtsFoundation.org - Browse more episodes: https://arts-parks.podbean.com/