Episode 242 Susan's Shire: The Joy of Handmade Gifts

Independence is a beautiful thing, isn’t it? We usually associate that with being alone or apart, but it can also be something a little different, especially in the economic community. This week we celebrate July 4th here in the U.S., the anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, way back in 1776. That little piece of paper means a lot to a great number of people, and it fundamentally changed our way of life on this continent. One of the historic precur...

7 Juli 20219min

Why am I here? What day is it? What planet are we on, anyway? Those questions and more… Today’s podcast comes to you from a hotel room in Ashtabula, Ohio. After a crazy month (or two or…) of travel, we’re asking those existential questions of the hotel room ceiling. It’s hard to keep track of all of those things when the world is spinning faster and faster, it seems, and most especially when a road seems more like a fast way to get somewhere and less like an enjo...

29 Juni 202148min

I’m from California, so that means that I surf every day, eat granola and salad all the time, am a dyed-in-the-wool leftist, and drive a hybrid, right? Well, a few of those things might be true, but some are not. And in the same way people think about the “laid-back state” residents as only one type, we all have preconceived ideas about a place and its residents. Texas has the same image problem. The variety in Texas is amazing, whether that be people, music, lifestyle or j...

22 Juni 202145min

We’re very happily back on the road again this summer -- and this week we’re also back on the banks of the Platte River, in Grand Island, Nebraska, where it’s 95-104 degrees outside. We’re filming the American Boer Goat Association’s National Show, held at the Fonner Park fairgrounds, which, by the way, is the place where you can also find the annual Nebraska State Fair. The ABGA is an organization that helps its members to find opportunities in the marketing, education and commer...

15 Juni 20217min

Today, we’re reading the words of Charles Goodnight and W.J. Wilson, as excerpted from “The Trail Drivers of Texas,” by the University of Texas Press. You may know these men better as Captain Call (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and Pea Eye (aka Timothy Scott). Lonesome Dove meets “The Trail Drivers Bible,” in the hope that it inspires you to quest for more from The University of Texas Press, and all that history has to offer. Links: www.utexaspress.com https://www.simonandschuster....

8 Juni 202124min

We spoke with Will Cradduck, manager of the Official State of Texas Longhorn herd at Fort Griffin, Texas. We stood among herds of Longhorn Cattle in the midst of an old Texas cattle trail, straight out of Lonesome Dove. We crossed the Pecos, and headed home. To my father the cattle rancher and historian, and the recently departed Larry McMurtry – our best wishes that you are resting in peace. Happy trails to you both. Links: https://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fo...

1 Juni 202146min

Mas Vacas! More cows for us on our 2021 summer tour this year. But beef this time, because it’s what’s for dinner (no offense to the wonderful Milking Devon peeps). Since Sam Elliot’s voice and a bushy mustache, spurs and boots should now be in the forefront of your mind after that last sentence, it seems to be a great time to announce our trip to Texas. We’re on a long-overdue trip to investigate the historically-correct Texas Longhorn, and to meet the people of the ...

25 Maj 202143min

Many countries use stamps as a way to tell people about their culture and their history, all in a little corner of a piece of paper. It’s a great PR opportunity to have a publicly-visible thing that can be very personal to those that send, and those that receive, and maybe some others along the way. Today, on May 17, 2021, it’s only fitting that Mount Vernon, Virginia (the home of George Washington’s…donkey) will host the United States Postal Service and their new release of the ...

17 Maj 202110min