Big Blend Radio
Viva Variety! Hosted by Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Magazines, Big Blend Radio educates, entertains and inspires! Topics include: Music, Books & The Arts; Travel & Recreation; Food & Drink; National Parks & Public Lands; History & Culture; Nature & Environment; Home & Garden; Family & Education; Business & Career; and much more!
Big Blend Radio broadcasts new episodes from our network of shows daily.
Episodes

Monday Aug 19, 2024
Monday Aug 19, 2024
This episode of Big Blend Radio’s 3rd Monday “Food, Wine & Travel” Show with IFWTWA features travel writer and author Sandra Bornstein who shares her personal story of travel and skiing while grieving the loss of her husband, Ira.
In 2020, their world was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, terminal brain cancer. Even though he was diagnosed with only 12-18 months to live and they were coping with COVID restricted travel, Ira and Sandra adopted the motto—Keep Moving and Live Without Regrets. Even though Ira is gone, Sandra has continued to live by his motto through travel and skiing, which have helped her tremendously. She hopes that her lifestyle choices will encourage others to embrace life when they are faced with a spouse's terminal diagnosis and subsequent death. Read her recent stories that focus on traveling and grieving: * https://www.wanderwithwonder.com/the-magic-of-skiing-while-grieving/ * https://www.travelworldmagazine.com/2024/06/a-respite-from-grief-a-week-at-hilton-health/
Sandy Bornstein, a Colorado based travel writer, has visited dozens of countries, and lived as an expat teacher in Bangalore, India. She is the award-winning author of "May This Be the Best Year of Your Life" which is a resource for people contemplating an expat lifestyle, and "100 Things to Do in Boulder Before You Die." Keep up with her at https://thetravelingbornsteins.com and https://sandrabornstein.com
Learn more about the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) here: https://www.ifwtwa.org/
Follow this Podcast Channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm1chVylr9kzBMftUgBoLS-m

Monday Aug 19, 2024
Monday Aug 19, 2024
Celebrate National Dog Month (August) with this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Pet Connection" Show that features Alison Rand, author of the contemporary memoir, "Walking Alison: A Poodles’s Mostly True Story of Helping Her Human Navigate Life."
The healing relationship between a dog and her human is at the heart of "Walking Alison." Chronicling their regular walks around her Upper West Side neighborhood, this big-hearted book describes the significant relationship between Alison and her wise, yet opinionated, canine companion known as Dea. Dea nudges her human to engage with the world and appreciate everyday magic, even in the face of hardship. From processing grief to recovering from illness, Dea sees it all—and with deep wisdom, gives insight that can only be gleaned from looking through the eyes of a beloved pet.
Alison's previous memoir, “A Place Called Grace,” follows her misadventures as she struggles to find her footing as an actress in New York and Rome, Italy. Keep up with her at https://alisonrandauthor.com/
Big Blend Radio's PET CONNECTION Show is cohosted by Angela Laws, veteran pet sitter, and community manager at https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/
This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life" and "Big Daily Blend" Podcast Channels. Follow the "Pet Connection" podcast at https://pet-connection.podbean.com/

Sunday Aug 18, 2024
Sunday Aug 18, 2024
Celebrate the end-of-summer with this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Cooking with Ruth" Show with Ruth Milstein who talks about cooking zucchini and shares how to make her recipe for Zucchini Stuffed with Rice and Meat. See her recipe, here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/zucchini-stuffed-with-rice-and-meat/Ruth Milstein is the author of the Gourmand awarding-winning recipe book, "Cooking with Love: Ventures Into the New Israeli Cuisine." Learn more here: https://www.ruthmilstein.com/Listen to Big Blend Radio's 3rd Sunday "Cooking with Ruth" podcasts here: https://tinyurl.com/yr9jp58n

Sunday Aug 18, 2024
Sunday Aug 18, 2024
Celebrate National Pinot Noir Day with our Big Blend Radio "Winemaker Insider" Conversation with Dave Specter, who along with his wife Sara, owns and runs Bells Up Winery in Willamette Valley, Oregon.
After more than a decade of success as a corporate tax attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dave was emotionally and physically spent. Sara, a freelance marketing consultant and writer, convinced him to leave the profession and they turned the hobby that brought him joy—winemaking—into his new career. The pair had fallen in love with Newberg and Oregon’s Willamette Valley while on vacation in 2008, subsequently moving there in 2012 and establishing Bells Up Winery in 2013. The first wines were released Memorial Day 2015, coinciding with the opening of the estate winery/tasting room. The on-site production facility was built and equipped in time for 2019 harvest.
Bells Up is a micro-boutique winery that composes handcrafted, classically styled Pinot Noir, Rosé, Pinot Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon with grapes sourced exclusively from its estate, and from micro-sites in the Willamette Valley and Eastern Oregon. The winery makes ~600 cases annually. More: https://bellsupwinery.com/

Saturday Aug 17, 2024
Saturday Aug 17, 2024
In celebration of American Artists Appreciation Month and the upcoming National Park Service anniversary (Aug. 25, 1860), this episode of Big Blend Radio's WORLD OF ART Podcast with artist Victoria Chick features photographer Tanya Ortega. Hear their discussion covering the Then & Now of Art and Artists in Parks and Public Lands.
Talking about the history of art and artists in parks, VICTORIA CHICK is a contemporary figurative artist and early 19th/20th century print collector based in Silver City, New Mexico. Victoria spearheaded the Southwest Regional Museum of Art and Art Center .* Read her articles about artists in parks: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/art-history-in-national-parks-and-public-lands * Visit Victoria's website: https://victoriachick.com/ * Learn more about the Southwest Regional Museum of Art and Art Center: https://www.southwest-art-museum.org/
Talking about "the now" of art and artists in parks, TANYA ORTEGA is a photographer and the founder of the National Parks Arts Foundation. NPAF is the only nationwide non-profit providing Artist-in-Residence Programs (AiR), Workshops, Exhibits and Museum Loans uniquely in cooperation with National Parks, National Monuments, State Parks, World Heritage Sites and other park locations. * Learn more about NPAF: https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/ * Check out Big Blend Radio's Interviews with NPAF artists-in-residence: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/national-park-arts-foundation/
WATCH FOR BIG BLEND'S special digital retrospective publication featuring Victoria's articles and NPAF's artist interviews. It releases on Aug. 25, 2024 in honor of the National Park Service anniversary (Aug. 25, 1860). Subscribe to our Big Blend e-Newsletter to get your copy: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/join-our-newsletter/
Big Blend Radio's "World of Art" Show with Victoria Chick airs every 3rd Saturday. Follow the podcast: https://worldofart-victoriachick.podbean.com/
Big Blend Radio's "Toast to The Arts & Parks Show with NPAF airs every 1st Friday. Follow the podcast: https://arts-parks.podbean.com/

Friday Aug 16, 2024
Friday Aug 16, 2024
Step into the Big Blend Party Bus with Priscilla the Sock Monkey and enjoy this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Happy Hour Hang Out" Podcast that celebrates travel, nature and the environment, music and writing, food and drink (of course!), and so much more!
FEATURED GUESTS: * Johnny Schaefer - Sinegr-songwriter: https://hearjohnny.com/ * Judy Karnia – Travel writer & nature therapy guide: https://judykarnia.com/ * Maria Chamberlain – Innkeeper: https://www.oxbowacresnh.com/ * Clifford Garstang – Author & editor: https://cliffordgarstang.com/ * Cheryl Leutjen – Author & speaker: https://cherylleutjen.com/ * Jo Clark – Travel writer & photographer: https://www.haveglasswilltravel.com/

Friday Aug 16, 2024
Friday Aug 16, 2024
This episode of Big Blend Radio features Boone Froggett, lead singer and guitarist of OTIS. Kentucky born and bred, OTIS is a young, hard rocking quartet who performs and plays their exciting music like they’ve been around for 40 years. Hear about their music background, latest single "Last Fool in Line," touring, and shows.
Alongside Boone, John Seeley (bass), Alex Wells (guitar), and Dale Myers (drums), these tight-knit guys blend roots, blues, classic rock, soul, and, of course, Southern rock. While drawing inspiration from some of the all-time blues/soul greats. OTIS has created an original sound reminiscent of some of the great blues-rock/Southern rock bands.
The band latest single, "Last Fool in the Line," is a ferociously rockin’ song that was recorded in a live full band take at The Rock House in Franklin, Tennessee. The single was produced, engineered, and mixed by renowned Grammy Award winning musician Kevin McKendree (Brian Setzer, George Thorogood) and mastered by Ty Tabor of the acclaimed US rock band Kings X.
Keep up with OTIS at https://theotisband.com/

Thursday Aug 15, 2024
Thursday Aug 15, 2024
On this episode of Big Blend Radio's SOUL JOURNEY DOULA podcast with death doula Lea Brovedani, Lea discusses fear and acceptance of our end-of-life transition.
Lea's 5 Pillars of Support as a Death Doula:* Spirit - Uphold beliefs and practices* Emotion - Honor feelings* Mind - Life review and gleaning meaning* Body - Increase comfort, health and safety* Practical - Create completions
Learn more about Lea's work at https://souljourneydoula.com/ Follow the podcast here: http://tinyurl.com/b6c9jfnu

BIG BLEND RADIO
Viva Variety, the Spice that Adds Quality to Life!
This is the place to catch up with all the new episodes from the Big Blend Radio Network of podcasts. There's something for everyone, and something new to listen to every day with topics that include Music, Books & The Arts; Travel & Recreation; Food & Drink; National Parks & Public Lands; History & Culture; Nature & Environment; Home & Garden; Family & Education; Business & Career; and much more.
Big Blend Radio podcasts are hosted and produced by Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter publishing team behind Big Blend Magazines, and full-time travelers on the Love Your Parks Tour.
Subscribe to the Big Weekly Blend e-Newsletter to get the latest articles, recipes, podcasts and magazines, and visit BlendRadioandTV.com and NationalParkTraveling.com.
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