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Episode Summary

We had a beautiful fall weekend, the warm weather came back, and the foliage is starting to peak in Vermont. My neighbor and I were having one of our back yard conversations, and I realized that we oscillate between the really big problems of the world, and then small things, like when to pull out the sunflowers from the garden or about the beautiful leaves. Of course these little things don’t fix the problems. But maybe anything that restores us can give us energy to fight for what’s just, and remind us of the world that we’re working so hard to create. This week we have some beautiful music from Maivish, Owen Morrison, Dominique Dodge, and Jeremiah McLane. Margaret Youngberg reads a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Julie reads a poem by Susan Reid and a poem by Rumi. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 25: The big things and the small things

Episode Summary

The news of the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg caught me as a shock, on top of the backdrop of the wildfires that have been happening on the West Coast, and the pandemic still underway as we navigate trying to go back to school and work and figure out what this year will look like for us. The upcoming months may be a test of our resilience and strength and community spirit. And we can dig deep and find what we know we have within us. Along the theme of resilience, this week we have music from Arise and Go, Lissa Schneckenburger, Haley Hewitt, and Ethan Tischler with the Gawler Sisters. Ben Williams reads a poem by Sara Teasdale, and Julie reads an excerpt from a community poem and a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, with musical accompaniment by Eleanor Lincoln. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 24: Resilience

Episode Summary

Summer is departing, gradually and beautifully giving way to the coolness of early fall, and the colors to come. This fall and winter, now that the virtual camps and festivals are wrapping up, and the warm days of playing tunes outside become fewer, I hope that the songs of summer still echo in our hearts, and we can store their energy away for the winter, just as now many of us are canning tomatoes and freezing vegetables. All the musical selections this week were written in honor of friends and loved ones, or in collaboration with them. This week we have music from Buddy System, the Teacups, Everest Witman, Windborne, and Anna Patton. Julie reads a poem by Susan Reid and Ben Williams reads a poem by Emily Dickinson. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes

[Read more…] about Episode 23: Love stays loved and songs stay sung

Episode Summary

The sunlight of late summer is gentler, casting an evening glow on the fields still green and full of wildflowers. In June we had poppies, then Queen Anne’s lace in July, and now in late August, it’s sunflowers, hundreds of blooms. As we begin to get to work for the fall, there are still so many possibilities of what the months ahead could hold, chances to make changes for the better while we have our momentum from summer. This week we have music from Joanne Garton, Julie Vallimont, Ian Robb, Eleanor Lincoln, and Peter and Mary Alice Amidon. Charis Boke reads a poem by e.e. cummings, Julie reads a poem by Cale Young Rice, and Margaret Youngberg reads a poem by William Wordsworth. If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, we could really use your support to make it sustainable. You can donate at patreon.com/starsintherafters. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 22: Fields and flowers

Episode Summary

Due to popular request, here’s one more special end-of-summer episode celebrating music from past camps and festivals. We hope you enjoy it; it was really a joy to go back through the archives and put this together. We’ll be going back to our regular format next week. If you want to reach out, you can reach us at starsintherafters.com. If you enjoy the podcast, considering joining our new community of supporters on Patreon. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 21: SPECIAL EPISODE: An ode to past camps and festivals, part 2

Episode Summary

Instead of our regular episode we have a special bonus. Normally all summer it’s week after week of music camps and festivals on the weekends. Because they’re all on hold due to the pandemic, this episode is dedicated to all the camps and festivals that didn’t happen this year. This episode is different from our usual format. It’s made up of live recordings made from past years. The recording quality varies, but the energy is palpable and I think it’s a nice reminiscence. Hope you enjoy. Just a heads up, it’s not all designed to be relaxing, instead it’s quite joyful and boisterous at times! Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 20: SPECIAL EPISODE: An ode to past camps and festivals

Episode Summary

In this pandemic, a lot of us stopped traveling. But now more and more, some of us are taking advantage of the warm weather of summer to make a simple trip here or there. If we can’t travel physically, though, we can travel in the mind. Poems help us travel to another time and place; this week’s episode has several examples of travel as a metaphor in poems. This week we have music from Anadama, Nova, Live Wire, Gus Voorhees, and Aaron Marcus. Julie reads a poem by Walt Whitman, Charis Boke reads a poem by William Butler Yeats, and Ben Williams reads a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. We’d love to hear from you, if you want to send us music or poetry or just say hello. And if you feel inspired, please share the word about our new Patreon! You can reach us and find the Patreon at starsintherafters.com. Thanks so much. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 19: Travels

Episode Summary

A lot of folks have been escaping to swimming holes, their favorite streams, or ponds or lakes. It’s fun to find secret spots that are off the beaten path for a moment of cool water and solitude. A. A. Milne said: “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” This week we have music from lydia ievins, Chimney Swift, Curt Osgood, Windborne, and Mary Lea. Ben Williams reads a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Margaret Youngberg and Julie Vallimont read poems by Robert Frost. We’ve started a Patreon! We have loved hearing from you every week and sharing this little moment with you, and now you can help us continue the podcast going forward: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 18: Cool water

Episode Summary

On the hardest days I place my comfort and inspiration in the things that are bigger than me and the constant cycles of nature, and I just try to embrace what is. In this week’s episode we have music from Nova, MAC, Julie Vallimont, and Lissa Schneckenburger. Ben Williams reads a poem by Sara Teasdale, Margaret Youngberg reads a poem by William Wordsworth, and Julie reads a poem by Cale Young Rice to music by Aaron Marcus.
This podcast has really been a labor of love so far, but for it to be sustainable, we need some financial support. So it’s time for a Patreon! We have loved hearing from you every week and sharing this little moment with you, and now you can help us continue the podcast going forward: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 17: Loving what is

Episode Summary

I’m still amazed by this community and how it’s supporting musicians and callers, through partial pay from cancelled events, buying albums, virtual tip jars, and other ways. And I am loving the little tiny moments too, sharing with each other from our gardens now that it’s midsummer and everything is coming ripe, or bringing dinner to someone who is home in quarantine. It’s frustrating that our leaders are not doing a better job of protecting or inspiring us in this pandemic. But we can do what we can to look out for each other, and as things get harder, let’s try to reach out to people who might fall through the cracks. This week, we have music from Alex Sturbaum, Anadama, Eleanor Lincoln and Ben Williams, Tristan Henderson, and Amanda Witman and Everest Witman. I read a poem by Susan Reid, Margaret Youngberg reads a poem by William Wordsworth, and Aaron Marcus and Sam Sanders present original music and poetry. I’m so grateful for all of you who keeps sending your beautiful music and words to the podcast. Anyone is welcome to submit things! You can reach out to me at starsintherafters.com. Take care, everyone.

Episode Notes [Read more…] about Episode 16: We are enough