The Summer of Song Dispatches continue with the second in the series. A bit of a 'memento mori' episode on the subject of the monuments and memorials we build to the dearly departed. 

(Apologies for the recording quality of the intro and outro. I was recording in my 16ft Scamp travel trailer next to the I-40, and well, semis, semis, and more semis!)

SHOW NOTES:
Miscellaneous debris related to this episode including the playlist of songs and a couple of photos from the summer of song are here. Leave a comment.
https://www.jumpinthestream.com/a-tutorial-for-your-memorial/

Follow Summer of Song visual updates, here: https://www.instagram.com/thenoodleator/

Tour my Scamp "Summer of Song" themed travel trailer/mobile office, on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZjUymAOIwG/

Subscribe to my newsletter here: https://www.jumpinthestream.com/

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

Welcome to the first of a series I'm calling the Summer of Song Dispatches. I'll explain what that is during this episode. Why would someone run across the interstate in the dead of night? Playing chicken, or something else? Listen in. 

Show notes:
"How to Write One Song" , the book I mention by Jeff Tweedy. Learn more here: https://wilcostore.com/products/jeff-tweedy-how-to-write-one-song-book

Tour my Scamp "Summer of Song" themed travel trailer/mobile office, on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZjUymAOIwG/

Follow Summer of Song visual updates, here: https://www.instagram.com/thenoodleator/

Leave thoughts about this episode, here: https://www.jumpinthestream.com/

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

Feeling low energy? No motivation? Time to supplement these words, because with those words, you can do amazing things. Join me as I read my latest piece of writing, followed by some thoughts about it. 

This is an audio reading of the post "With these words" published in my newsletter, The Stream, on April 16, 2026. Subscribe to the newsletter and find addition inspirations here: https://www.jumpinthestream.com/with-these-words/

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

Part travelog, part love letter to trees, in this episode I take you on a seven-day motorcycle trip and wax poetic about the glory of the ancients (and how we are alike).

Related links: 

Walk the Methuselah Loop with me and check out the Bristlecones. https://www.instagram.com/reels/DMyzZfDpEVK/

Photos from my motorcycle tour found here: https://www.jumpinthestream.com/are-we-not-trees/

This is an audio reading of the post "Are we not trees?" published online on August 1, 2025. Additional inspirations can be found at that link. 

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

Make art. Write history down. Sing the times. It is your job.

Stay sane with Heather Cox Richardson.
Read her Substack: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
Watch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson

This is an audio reading of the post "How+L" published online on January 30, 2026. Additional inspirations can be found at that link. https://www.jumpinthestream.com/howl/

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

I'm a huge fan of what I call the "Art Safari" where you travel somewhere to go look at art and experience something creative. In today's episode, I talk about my first ever Art Safari in 2023 to go see some of artist, Mark Maggiori's paintings. He paints epic scenes of the American West. 

Related Links:

Listen to the episode about my 2024 Glasgow Art Safari here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2194216/episodes/14798893

Experience "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell here: https://open.spotify.com/track/1pjATX7sbd6Y4jMVqIvzHk?si=362fd77debde429f

Go check out Mark Maggiori's work here: https://markmaggiori.com

This is an audio reading of the post "The Mark Maggiori Art Safari: Look at clouds from both sides. Now!" published online on March 13, 2023. Additional inspirations can be found at that link. https://www.jumpinthestream.com/the-mark-maggiori-art-safari-look/

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

On the healing powers of a gentle bicycle ride. One that is NOT for exercise purposes and simply for tootling about and enjoying the day.

This is an audio reading of the post “Bitching in a Forward Direction,” published online on May 30, 2025. Additional inspirations can be found at that link. https://www.jumpinthestream.com/continue-on/

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

Inspired by the Japanese print style of Gyotaku ('fish print'), today I'm talking about how we all desire to leave an impression on others. What will yours look like?

This is an audio reading of the post "Catch of the Day", published online on December 16, 2024. Additional inspirations, including videos showing how to make a Gyotaku print, can be found at that link. https://www.jumpinthestream.com/gyotaku/

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

I had a dream. Bob Dylan was in it. What does it all mean? Time for some armchair dream analysis. 

This is an audio reading of that post "Absolutely Sweet Dreams", published online on December 16, 2024. Additional inspirations can be found at that link. https://www.jumpinthestream.com/dreams/

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here 

If all poetry had to be fact checked before it got published, there would be no joy. 

The David Sedaris interview with Mike Birbiglia where he talks about The New Yorker fact checking his writing can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJtgocLVa0A 

All poems referenced within this piece are listed in the footnotes here if you want to go read some great poems! https://www.jumpinthestream.com/you-cannot-fact-check-poetry/

This is an audio reading of that post “You cannot fact check poetry”, published online on June 13, 2025. Additional inspirations can be found at that link. 

Support the show

About Field of Streams
This podcast provides audio readings of The Stream newsletter's main feature. The Stream is written by Janeen McCrae, and aims to provide a weekly dose of personal essays and creative inspirations that'll get you revved up to 'make the thing.'

Dip a toe into the stream and sign up for my free ramblings here