Join Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine, for this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Vacation Station Travel Show, broadcasting live from the historic Homestead Inn in Twentynine Palms, California, gateway to Joshua Tree National Park.

This episode features traveler and author Tom Mattson who discusses his global adventures and new book, “The Other Worlds: Offbeat Adventures of a Curious Traveler. “ From Japan to London, and Cuba to Guatemala, his enthralling accounts of his days traveling the world allow readers to experience new cultures and meet new people, discovering that we are, at our core, all alike in some way or another. The book will bring back fond memories for those who have traveled and will invite others to pack a suitcase and head out on their own adventures. You can read a portion of "The Other Worlds" on Text Cafe.

Featured music is “Traveler” By the Walk-A-Bout Band.

Join Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Magazines, for this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Champagne Sundays show, broadcasting live from the historic Homestead Inn in Twentynine Palms, Calfiornia.

This episode features California singer-songwriter Deborah Crooks who discusses her music and latest full-length album “The Department of The West.” A follow-up to her 2016 EP “Beauty Everywhere” and her work with the band Bay Station who released “Other Desert Cities” in 2018, Crooks continues to explores themes of natural history, family, and the #metoo movement, while also addressing the nature of land ownership and oNative American history, and relationship.

Thanks to the National Parks Arts Foundation for sponsoring this episode.

Join Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine, for this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Success Express Business & Career Show, broadcasting live from the historic Homestead Inn in Twentynine Palms, California, gateway to Joshua Tree National Park.

On this episode, Therese Skelly discusses her new book. “Love-Based Mission: How to Create a Business That Serves Your Soul.” Therese is a mentor and guide to women in business. In her former careers as a psychotherapist and a marketing consultant, she saw how often women sabotage themselves with their belief systems. Today, her energy-based approach helps high-achieving women blast away those secret and destructive inner conflicts. Then, she helps them align the inner shifts with outer tactical, real-world strategies, so they’re poised to step successfully into the work their souls are calling them to do to make a difference in the world.

Featured music is “Unstoppable” from the album “Happily Ever After” by Doreen Taylor.

This episode of Big Blend Radio’s First Friday Toast to The Arts & Parks show features Queen Esther, who discusses her experience as the recent National Parks Arts Foundation artist-in-residence in Gettysburg National Military Park. A member of SAG/AFTRA and AEA, Queen Esther’s work as a vocalist, lyricist, songwriter, actor/solo performer and playwright/librettist led to creative collaborations in neo-vaudeville, alt-theater, various alt-rock configurations, (neo) swing bands, trip hop DJs, spoken word performances, jazz combos, jam bands, various blues configurations, original Off Broadway plays and musicals, experimental music/art noise and performance art. Whether she’s singing, writing songs or creating theater, Queen Esther is a storyteller in the grand Southern tradition that’s found her way back to Africa through her Lowcountry roots.

This segment was recorded in early March 2020, while Queen Esther was on-site in Gettysburg, and features two of her latest recordings, “Oleander” and “"The Whiskey Wouldn't Let Me Pray.”

Join Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine, for this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Success Express Business & Career Show, broadcasting live from the historic Homestead Inn in Twentynine Palms, California, gateway to Joshua Tree National Park.

This episode focuses on the world of travel writing and blogging with four members of the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), including: Mary Farah of AlongComesMaryBlog.com, Stacey Wittig of UnstoppableStaceyTravel.com, Christina Kantzavelos of BuenQamino.com, and Elaine Masters of TripWellGal.com. Hear how they got their start in writing, about their blogs and story focus, the places they’ve visited, and their tips for aspiring travel writers and bloggers.  

Featured music is “Wake Up” by Jennifer Saran.

Join Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine, for this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Happy Hour Show, broadcasting live from the historic Homestead Inn in Twentynine Palms, California, gateway to Joshua Tree National Park.

Raising a glass and sharing stories of noteworthy women in history in honor of The Year of the Woman, featured guests include Amy Dugan of Visit Greeley in Northeast Colorado; author Lea Brovedani “The Trust Architect,” travel writer Linda Kissam “Food, Wine & Shopping Diva,” and Kelli West of Natchitoches Convention & Visitors Bureau in Northwest Louisiana.

Featured music is “Rise” by Nicki Kris.

Join Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine, for this episode of Big Blend Radio, broadcasting live from the historic Homestead Inn in Twenytnine Palms, California. Featured guest is science fiction author Tracy Richardson, who discusses her upcoming novel “The Catalyst”  (Brown Books Publishing Group, June 2, 2020).

Marcie, a junior in high school, is spending her summer working at Angel Mounds, the archeological dig her mother heads, along with her brother, Eric, and his girlfriend, Renee. Things immediately shift into the paranormal when Marcie and her teammates meet Lorraine and Zeke, two mysterious dig assistants who claim to access the Universal Energy Field with their minds. After the two confess to Marcie that they know something she doesn't -- that the earth and its resources are in grave danger, Marcie must decide if she's brave enough to save the planet with them.

Featured music is “Taval” from the album “Alluvia” by Evren Ozan.

Join Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine, for this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Quality of Life show, broadcasting live from the historic Homestead Inn in Twenytnine Palms, Calfiornia.

Featured guest is Katie Burke, author of “Urban Playground: What Kids Say About Living in San Francisco,” that explores the experience of kids ages five to nine living in this city. . Just when the book suggests that parks and ice cream are all any kid needs, you will turn the page to find a child’s appreciation for the Golden Gate Bridge or the Ferry Building Farmers Market. The picture isn’t all aglow: the significant homeless population weighs on San Francisco children’s hearts, and the city is too noisy for some. But for the most part, they will tell you it is a pretty great place to live.

Featured music is, “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from the “Take Two” EP by Noa Levy.

Join Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Magazines, along with special guest co-host Marisa China Hammerbeck of PortoVino, for this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Champagne Sundays show, broadcasting live from the historic Homestead Inn in Twenytnine Palms, California.

Featured Guests:

- Rayya Deeb, author of the young adult science fiction Seneca Society series, discusses both books including Seneca Rebel (Book 1), and Seneca Element (Book 2).

- Jann Klose, award-winning pop singer-songwriter, shares his new single “Pilot Light” and talks about his recent music videos and latest album “In Tandem.”

This Big Blend Radio podcast (pre-recorded prior to the COVID-19 quarantine), features travel writer Debbie Stone who shares her adventures in Hobbiton in New Zealand, the famed movie set home of author J.R.R. Tolkien's hobbits. The Hobbiton Movie Set is a must for fans of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogies. It's the country's only set left from the movies and attracts nearly 650,000 tourists and wannabe hobbits a year. The site is near the village of Matamata, about 110 miles southeast of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island. It's actually part of a working sheep farm, owned by the Alexander family. Read Debbie's article on BlendRadioandTV.com. 

Featured music is “Visa Fran Utanmyra” from the album “This is All it Takes” by Jon Magnusson.