Big Blend Radio

Celebrate Wine Across America

Celebrate America's Birthday Month with this special "Wine Across America" episode of Big Blend Radio's "Wine Time with Peggy" podcast. 
FEATURED GUESTS- Peggy Fiandaca - LDV Winery in Arizona:  https://ldvwinery.com/ - Winemaker Dave Specter - Bells Up Winery in Oregon: https://bellsupwinery.com/ -  Carole Skeeters-Stevens - Travel Medford Oregon:  https://www.travelmedford.org/ - Innkeeper Mikelyn Martin-Wustman - The Bird & Butterfly Inn in Texas: https://thebirdandbutterflyinn.com/- Travel writer & photographer Jo Clark: https://www.haveglasswilltravel.com/ 
Featuring Peggy Fiandaca, who along with her winemaker husband Curt Lawrence Dunham owns and operates LDV Winery in Arizona, "Wine Time with Peggy" airs every 1st Wednesday at 4pm PT / 7pm ET. Follow the podcast here: http://tinyurl.com/42j5zucj 

Sharon K. Kurtz - Discovering Green Slovenia

It's all about beautiful Slovenia on this episode of Big Blend Radio's WANDER THE WORLD WITH SHARON podcast with Sharon K. Kurtz. Located in Central Europe, Slovenia offers breathtaking natural landscapes, a rich history, and a solid commitment to eco-friendly practices. 
Over half of Slovenia's terrain is covered in pristine forests, making it a leader in forest conservation and green initiatives. This compact country boasts numerous protected areas, including the majestic Triglav National Park. Read Sharon's article about her experiences here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/discovering-green-slovenia/ 
Big Blend Radio's "Wander the World with Sharon" Podcast features award-winning travel writer and photographer Sharon K. Kurtz. New episodes air every first Wednesday at 12pm CST at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm1ALXeV1vR6H10EtkPvgDW5 
Sharon Kurtz is an accomplished travel writer and award-winning photographer based in Austin, Texas, dedicated to exploring the world and sharing her adventures through compelling storytelling. Her travels have taken her to more than 50 countries on six continents—her carry-on is always packed, ready for the next adventure. Enjoy Sharon’s writing at https://sharonkkurtz.com/ or follow her on https://www.instagram.com/shar_kurtz/ 

Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville

This episode of Big Blend Radio's 1st Tuesday "Adventures in Asheville" Show  focuses on the conservation work and visitor experience at the Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville.
WNC Nature Center connects people with the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region by inspiring appreciation, nurturing understanding, and advancing conservation of the region’s rich biodiversity.
Featured Guests:- Steve & Karen Wilson - Owners and innkeepers of The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast, a stunning pink lady in the Montford Historic District. More: https://www.lion-rose.com/    - Cindy Smith - Director of Development of the Friends of the WNC Nature Center. More: https://wildwnc.org/ 
Big Blend Radio's "Adventures in Asheville" Show airs every 1st Tuesday. Follow the show on PodBean: https://adventures-asheville.podbean.com/ 

Mike Guardia - The History of Patriotism, The American Flag, and Anthem

In honor of the 4th of July Week (2024), this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Military Monday" Show with award-winning military historian and author Mike Guardia, focuses on the history of Patriotism, and the American Flag and Anthem. 
Mike Guardia is the author of over 20 other military history books including  "The Combat Diaries: True Stories from the Frontlines of World War II." His latest book is the Amazon best-seller, “Fire in the Hole: Tales of Combat with the 1st Engineer Battalion in Vietnam.” More: https://mikeguardia.com/    
Mike Guardia appears on Big Blend Radio's military history shows every 1st Monday. Follow his podcast here: https://mike-guardia-military-monday.podbean.com/ 

PANGAEA Bassist Ron Poulson - Beowulf Album

This episode of Big Blend Radio features PANGAEA bassist Ron Poulson who shares some of the band's history, and discusses their music and new album, "Beowulf" that's out now and features Robert Berry as producer. 
A Texas band with influences ranging across Progressive Rock, Classic Rock, Classical Music, Heavy Metal, and Classic Country, PANGAEA is made up of Ron Poulson, Steve Osborn, Darrell Masingale, Scott Draughon, Corey Schenk and Andi Schenk. 
For over thirty-five years PANGAEA has been creating music that intrigues the mind and inspires the soul. Since their formation in 1989 they have garnered interest in over fifty nations across the globe. The band’s tight, melodic ensemble playing, highly proficient level of musicianship and excellent songwriting and singing, is reminiscent of prog rock’s classic era while also showcasing the band’s modern era sensibilities. More: https://pangaea.band 

Jeanne McKinney - Triumph Over the Taliban

This shared episode of Big Blend Radio's WAY BACK WHEN History Podcast features award-winning military journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker Jeanne McKinney, who discusses her new book, "Triumph Over the Taliban: The Untold Story of US Marines’ Courageous Fight to Save Camp Bastion." Award-winning military history author and historian Mike Guardia joins in on the discussion.
Three days after the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, another attack occurred on a massive forward operating base called Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, home to U.S. and U.K. expeditionary forces. 
With keen investigative prowess, McKinney reveals the true story of what happened at Camp Bastion on that fateful night. After 10 years of research about this battle, McKinney paints a vivid picture of this gripping saga, sharing intimate life and death moments of fighting the Taliban on the Marines’ home turf — showcasing how Marines saved civilian contractors, each other, and over $5 billion in aircraft and equipment. More: https://patriotprofiles.com/ 

Author Lowell E. Baier - Earth’s Emergency Room

In honor of Great Outdoors Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Show features legal and environmental historian, author, and attorney Lowell E. Baier. Hear about his latest book, "Earth’s Emergency Room: Saving Species as the Planet and Politics Get Hotter." 
"Earth's Emergency Room" is a celebration of 50 years of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). In the book, Baier provides an insightful and entertaining history of the ESA’s dramatic highs and lows. He profiles his work with the ESA from its inception to the present, and with the key figures who shaped its history, from field biologists to Presidents of the United States. Baier ultimately calls on all Americans to embrace a spirit of bipartisanship and conservation to strengthen the law that has been the Earth’s emergency room for half a century. More at https://lowellebaier.com/ and https://esaat50.com/ 
You can also listen to his earlier Big Blend Radio interview about the history and importance of the Endangered Species Act as well as his two related books The Codex of the "Endangered Species Act: Volume 1, The First Fifty Years", and "Endangered Species Act: Volume 2, The NextFifty Years." Listen: https://youtu.be/HPo-Mfb5i3c?feature=shared 
Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast airs every 4th Friday in collaboration with Margot Carrera, a fine art nature photographer who is passionate about the environment. More: http://margotcarrera.etsy.com/ 

Author Clay Shwab - Manny Shwab and the George Dickel Company

There was once a Tennessee whiskey that dwarfed Jack Daniel's, and a powerful man was behind it: V.E. "Manny" Shwab. Until now, virtually nothing has been written about either.  
This episode of Big Blend Radio's EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY Show features Clay Shwab, who discusses his biography about his great-grandfather, "Manny Shwab and the George Dickel Company." This riveting read shares the untold story of a Tennessee whiskey tycoon who influenced society in Nashville’s gilded age.
Their story is one of a Jewish Alsatian immigrant's dream of finding community and prosperity in the New World and his son who rose to dominate Tennessee politics, whiskey, and finance for decades; of smuggling during the Civil War; of the raging, sometimes fatal, battle against Prohibition; and of the wild side of rapidly growing Nashville during the 19th and early 20th centuries. More: https://clayshwab.com/