Big Daily Blend

Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise joins Terri and her pilot husband Ron Guthrie on this shared episode of 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 shared 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 

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 this shared episode of 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 

November is a big month at The Peanut Patch in Yuma, Arizona. It’s Thanksgiving and Gratitude Month, it’s Peanut Butter Lovers Month, and the store is celebrating 29 years. In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "The Peanut Patch" Podcast, Donna George talks about the little thank-you gifts that mean the most, from fudge and peanut brittle for a hospital nurse to treat bags for delivery drivers and airport workers.
Donna explains why fresh-roasted, fresh-ground peanut butter is a whole different thing from the store-bought jar. We talk peanuts and peanut butter as road trip food (dog treats too), plus Yuma’s holiday events, including the light parade and the Colorado River Crossing Balloon Festival. We also share four recipes from Donna’s digital recipe magazine: Country-Style Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Crispy Bars, Peanut Butter Bars and a Frozen Peanut Butter Brittle Pie. Along the way you’ll get host-gift ideas, from Medjool dates to fudge to a set of three jars tied with a bow.
The Peanut Patch anniversary celebration is Saturday, November 21, with classic cars, vendors and free samples.
LINKS & RESOURCES:- Shop The Peanut Patch: https://thepeanutpatch.com - Listen to The Peanut Patch Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/the-peanut-patch  - Recipes from The Peanut Patch digital magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/recipes-from-the-peanut-patch - Subscribe to Big Blend Radio on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BigBlendRadio 

Snow is already falling in places in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the lights are going up in Visalia, and Exeter is getting ready for Santa. On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "California’s Sequoia Country" Podcast with the Sequoia Tourism Council, producer Lisa D. Smith talks with Holly Streit of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Suzanne Bianco of Visit Visalia, and Shannon Schroth of Experience Exeter. 
You’ll hear about:- Winter in the parks: layers, road conditions, tire chains and ranger-led snowshoe programs in Grant Grove and at the Giant Forest Museum- The Pear Lake Winter Hut with Sequoia Parks Conservancy, with reservations expected to open November 12- Visalia’s 80th Candy Cane Lane Parade on November 30 and the holiday market at Kaweah Oaks Preserve, December 4-6- Exeter’s Christmas Thursdays (December 3, 10 and 17), Santa at the farmers market November 18, and chamber gift certificates- The North Pole Market at the International Agri-Center in Tulare on December 12- Sequoia Parks Conservancy’s 25% off shop sale through December 31, the Christmas Bird Count on December 19, and the Trek to the Nation’s Christmas Tree on December 13- Cozy holiday weekends: cocoa, cookies, soup, gingerbread houses and a good book
LINKS & TRAVEL RESOURCES:- Explore the region: https://www.discoverthesequoias.com - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: https://www.nps.gov/seki - Visit Visalia: https://www.visitvisalia.com - Visalia Holiday Guide: https://www.visitvisalia.com/articles/visalia-holiday-guide - Visalia Winter Weekend Getaway: https://www.visitvisalia.com/articles/visalia-winter-weekend-getaway - Experience Exeter, Exeter Chamber of Commerce: https://exeterchamber.com - Sequoia Parks Conservancy (shop sale 25% off through Dec 31): https://www.sequoiaparksconservancy.org  

Heading into the holidays with a bottle on your list and no idea what to buy? 
On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Wine Time with Peggy" Podcast, Peggy Fiandaca, co-owner of LDV Winery in Arizona, shares easy, thoughtful ways to gift wine, even if you don't drink it, and what to bring to Thanksgiving dinner. Plus: new 2019 Grenache and 2019 Signature Petite Sirah releases, why bottle glass color matters, wines for a vegan Thanksgiving, and Peggy's Sweet & Spicy Carrots.
LINKS & RESOURCES- Get the recipe: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/sweet-spicy-carrots-recipe - LDV Winery: https://ldvwinery.com - Wine Time with Peggy Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/wine-time-with-peggy - Wine & Bites Digital Podcast & Recipe Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/fmlb/ 

Asheville’s music scene is so much more than fiddles and bluegrass. On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s “Adventures in Asheville” Podcast, producer Lisa D. Smith joins cohosts Steve and Karen Wilson (“Mr. and Mrs. Wild”), owners of The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast in Asheville’s Montford Historic District, for a lively tour of where to hear live music in the Blue Ridge Mountains and why plenty of people plan a whole music week around it.
Along the way they share:
🎸 Where to catch a show: The Grey Eagle, Asheville’s longest-running live music venue, where you can stand right up at the stage; The Orange Peel and its great acoustics; Asheville Music Hall and The One Stop; Thomas Wolfe Auditorium; and the underground rooms Third Room, Eulogy and Revival.
🍺 Breweries with music: Burial, Wicked Weed Funkatorium, One World West, Highland Brewing’s meadow stage, and shows at Sierra Nevada, in a city that’s earned the name Beer City USA.
🎤 Famous Asheville names: Roberta Flack, Jermaine Dupri, Luke Combs, Warren Haynes, David Holt, Marcus King, Balsam Range and Bob Moog, plus a look at the Moogseum.
🎄 Plan ahead: Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam on December 12 with Greta Van Fleet, The War on Drugs, Gov’t Mule, JJ Grey & Mofro and more, Billy Strings’ five nights in February, and Christmas at the Biltmore.
🎨 The Orange Peel’s story: from roller rink to auto parts warehouse to famed music hall, and the Lionel Richie mural by Gus Cutty.
💿 Vinyl, listening rooms and street music: Records in the RAD, the Joyful Noise listening lounge, Montford Porchfest, Hillbilly Jam, busking and the Friday-night drum circle.
Whether you love blues, bluegrass, funk, jazz, hip hop or symphony, this episode is packed with ideas for planning your own Asheville music getaway.
LINKS & RESOURCES:🧩 Piece together the online jigsaw puzzle of the Grey Eagle mural, and see the photos and venue links: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/asheville-music-scene 🛏 Stay at The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast: https://www.lion-rose.com/ 🎤 More from Steve and Karen, their “Beyond the Stage” series: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/t/beyond-the-stage 🎧 Adventures in Asheville Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/adventures-in-asheville 📖 Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/adventures-in-asheville-magazine 

Join host Lisa D. Smith and co-host Johnny Schaefer, an award-winning singer-songwriter, who joins us every first Sunday of the month, for Songs for Positive Change on Big Blend Radio’s "American Jukebox," part of our America 250 celebration. Autumn is a season of change, and these songs remind us that change is inevitable, that ordinary people have real power, and that it all starts with love.
We spotlight Nina Simone, Tracy Chapman, Blind Melon, Patti Smith, Aloe Blacc, the late Joey Stuckey, and Johnny’s own “Love Shines On,” plus a special interview with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester about her song “‘Til We Remember Who We Are.”
🎵 Hear the episode with every song, and enjoy both playlists, and check out all the links mentioned: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/american-jukebox-songs-for-positive-change 🎙️ Keep up with Johnny Schaefer: https://hearjohnny.com/ 🎙️ Listen to all of our American Jukebox episodes:  https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/t/american-jukebox