Big Daily Blend

The Origins of Celtic Art

The roots of Celtic Art are very old yet can still be seen to influence the arts of calligraphy and jewelry today. The motifs and decorative patterns related to what we call Celtic Art can be found in a wide geographic area from the New Grange tomb in Ireland dating from 3300 B.C. (pre-dating the Great Pyramids of Egypt) to the Scythian art found as far east as Siberia dating from the 7th century B.C., and in nearly every European country in between. Exceptions are those countries along the Mediterranean coast where the influences of Classical civilization were strong.
In celebration of Irish American Heritage Month, we're revisiting this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Toast to The Arts" Show with artist Victoria Chick who talks about the history of Celtic art. Read her article, here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/the-origins-of-celtic-art/ 
Victoria Chick is a contemporary figurative artist and early 19th/20th century print collector based in Silver City, New Mexico. She appears on Big Blend Radio every 3rd Saturday. See her work:  https://victoriachick.com/ 

Anna Marie Jehorek - Author and Travel Writer

Happy St. Patrick's Day! With March being National Reading Month, Irish-American Heritage Month, and Women's History Month, we're revisiting this episode of Big Blend Radio featuring author and travel writer Anna Marie Jehorek. Hear about her travel adventures and two women’s fiction novels, “The Cottage on Lough Key" and “The House With the Georgian Door,” which are both set in Ireland. More:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01D1LMW2I 
In addition to writing contemporary women’s fiction she’s also busy writing at her travel website https://pulloverandletmeout.com/ 

Spring Brunch Tips & Cheese Stuffed Mini Rolls

Get Ready for Spring Brunch Season with this "From the Vault" episode of Big Blend Radio's COOKING WITH RUTH Podcast with Ruth Milstein, author of the Gourmand award-winning recipe book, “Cooking with Love: Ventures Into the New Israeli Cuisine.” 
On this episode, Ruth shares tips on planning and preparing a spring brunch, and talks about her Cheese Stuffed Mini Rolls recipe, that you can see here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/cheese-stuffed-mini-rolls/  
Learn more about Ruth Milstein here: https://www.ruthmilstein.com/ 
Listen to Big Blend Radio's 3rd Sunday "Cooking with Ruth" podcasts here: https://tinyurl.com/yr9jp58n
This episode is also featured on our other Big Blend Radio channels: "Big Daily Blend," and "Eat, Drink & Be Merry." Check out our Big Blend Radio Network of podcasts here: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

Fiber Artist Nancy Hershberger in Fort Union

Celebrate National Quilting Day with this "From the Vault" episode of Big Blend Radio's 1st Friday "Toast to The Arts & Parks" Show featuring fiber artist Nancy Hershberger, who talks about her experience as the National Parks Arts Foundation (NPAF) artist-in-residence in Fort Union National Monument in Northern New Mexico. Nancy's art quilts have been shown in exhibitions in the US and internationally and she has been accepted and served as artist in residence for five residencies in units within the national park service, the most recent one being Fort Union. Follow Nancy's art at https://www.facebook.com/NancyHershberger 
Artist Fort Union was the largest frontier military post and supply center of the southwest. It also was the hub of commerce, national defense, and migration at the final stretch of the Santa Fe Trail. More: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/fort-union-national-monument/ 
The National Parks Arts Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to the promotion of the National Parks through creating dynamic opportunities for artworks that are based in our natural and historic heritage. All NPAF artist-in-residence programs are made possible through the philanthropic support of donors of all sorts ranging from corporate sponsors, small businesses, and art patrons and citizen-lovers of the parks. More: https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/ 

Rob Jackson - Acclaimed Climate and Environmental Scientist

In honor of Celebrate Scientists Dayt, we're revisiting this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Show that features acclaimed climate and environmental scientist Rob Jackson author of "Into the Clear Blue Sky: The Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere."
There aren’t many climate books that are clear-eyed about the enormity of the challenges before us and also optimistic. "Into the Clear Blue Sky" manages to reframe climate solutions in a narrative of optimism by focusing on the incredible innovators paving a new path forward. More at: https://robjacksonbooks.com/ 
Rob Jackson is the Chair of the Global Carbon Project, a Senior Fellow at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy, and a professor of earth science at Stanford University. Through global scientific leadership and groundbreaking research, communications, and policy activities, Jackson’s work has reduced millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions and improved human health, safety, and air and water quality. One of the top five most-cited climate and environmental scientists in the world, he has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications, and his research has been covered in many outlets, including The New York Times, Scientific American, and The Washington Post.  

Kim Dinan - The Yellow Envelope

Travel blogger Kim Dinan quit her job, sold her home in Portland and convinced her husband to embark on a round-the-world travel adventure with no timeline or particular destination in mind.
On the eve of their departure, they received an unusual going away gift from friends…a yellow envelope with $1,000 and three simple instructions for giving it away during their travels:
Rule #1: Don’t over think it!
Rule # 2: Share your experiences! (… if you want to)
Rule # 3: Don’t feel pressured to give it all away!
Celebrate National Good Samaritan Day with this "From the Vault" episode of Big Blend Radio featuring travel writer Kim Dinan who talks about her travels and the act of kindness, as documented in her memoir, “The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and A Life-Changing Journey Around the World.” Kim shares how the gift traveled with her through a rickshaw race in India, volunteering at a children’s literacy and arts center in Ecuador, visiting a tiny island in Peru, trekking across Nepal, and beyond.More at https://so-many-places.com/ 

Jennifer McGuinness - Bird-Friendly Gardening

How about celebrating National Plant a Flower Day (March 12) by Planting a Flower that feeds a Bird? On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" and "Garden Gossip" podcasts, Jennifer McGuinness discusses her latest book, "Bird-Friendly Gardening: Guidance and Projects for Supporting Birds in Your Landscape" (2014). Out now through Cool Springs Press, it's the ultimate and authoritative guide for cultivating a home landscape that embraces wildlife, specifically catering to a diverse array of native plants that nourish, shelter, and sustain birds.
Every individual has the power to significantly impact the lives of thousands of birds, whether they're passing through during migration or establishing a feathered haven for the next generation. Creating a bird-friendly haven for various species need not be an overwhelming task. The key lies in understanding the requirements of our avian companions and recognizing how native plants, coupled with intentional garden design, can fulfill those needs. In "Bird-Friendly Gardening," Jennifer McGuinness expertly presents this knowledge in an easy-to-follow, actionable format. More: https://frauzinnie.blogspot.com/ 

Spring and Summer in Historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with IFWTWA features Mary Grace Kauffman of Destination Gettysburg who gives a spring and summer overview of what you can experience in beautiful and historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, including Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. 
Spring and summer highlights include the Adam County Blossom Belt, Blossom Festival (April 26); Adams County Festival of Races (April 26-27), Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival (May 15th-18th & Aug. 14th-17th), Gettysburg Film Festival (May 8-11),  Battle of Gettysburg anniversary (July 1-3) and re-enactments (July 4-6), Gettysburg Bike Week motorcycle rally (July 10-13), Gettysburg National 19th Century Base Ball Festival (July 20-21), plus, the new scenic summer train excursions. Visit Gettysburg and Make Monumental Memories! Filled with welcoming residents and diverse experiences, this quaint town is filled with stories to tell. Discover how Gettysburg captures the imagination, stirs the soul, and continues to draw visitors from around the world to its hallowed ground and beautiful countryside. More: https://destinationgettysburg.com/ 
Learn more about the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), here: https://www.ifwtwa.org/