New Music of 2016 ~ This is What I Found

Some years, I list favorite albums. Some years it's favorite cuts. This year, I'm all over the map, but so is the landscape of music - and in my opinion, that's kind of how it should be. Here's some of the new music I discovered last year ... and how (<-- literally as well as … Continue reading New Music of 2016 ~ This is What I Found

I Really Need To Get Myself Together.

I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions, but I am one for making lists. If I could fill a shopping cart to the brim all at once, I'd stock up on all those little luxuries I usually forgo these days.  For now I'll settle for choosing a personal reward for myself from this wishlist every … Continue reading I Really Need To Get Myself Together.

Kennedy Center Gets Stapled

Mavis Staples (jcs) 2008 Mavis Staples, a ‘freedom singer’ during the Civil Rights Movement, was recognized by the Kennedy Center Honors this week, along with James Taylor, Al Pacino, Argentine pianist Martha Argerich, and The Eagles. Staples often performed with or for Dr. Martin Luther King. I was able to see her perform in 2008 … Continue reading Kennedy Center Gets Stapled

Hey Mom, I’m an Ambassador!

Don't worry, faithful readers... I haven't joined the forthcoming U.S. government's administration, and I'm not moving to Burma nor the Vatican. I have, however, signed on for a new program in my neck of the woods as one of the #BFFAmbassadors! BFF - or Berkshire Family Focus, as it's known in full - is an … Continue reading Hey Mom, I’m an Ambassador!

Handmade Holidays: Wax Hacks 

I've been wanting to try this little DIY for months, and I finally got my chance -- the super-melty art of recycling crayons. By virtue of Pinterest and art fairs across the country, this is not a new craft, and a lot of people are already well aware of the how-and-what. But the results are … Continue reading Handmade Holidays: Wax Hacks