Virginia Water Radio

Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of February 5 and February 12, 2024.

trip.  We are riding on a ship.”

singer-songwriter Kat Mills.  Since

January 2010, Virginia Water Radio has been bringing you sounds, music, and

information about the watery nature of the good ship Earth, particularly the

waters of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

With the recent passage of Water Radio’s 14th anniversary,

this will be the show’s last regularly

scheduled episode.  Water Radio may

return from time to time with special-project episodes; if so, I hope you’ll be

able to have a listen.

invited several guests to call out the range of topics that Water Radio has

aimed to explore.  Have a listen for

about 45 seconds to their voices, interspersed with some favorite sounds, of birds, the spokesman for traditional

fishing boat singers, children, a rolling river, and rumbling thunder.

and other living things.  SOUND

1 - Little Blue Heron fishing, plus sounds of Red-winged Blackbirds.      

Chantey Singers saying, “We are the Northern Neck Chantey Singers.”

people.  SOUND 3 – Group of children and

adults calling out “Take a kid to a park!”

Montgomery County, Va.    

Radio’s vitality has come from music

about water, with either the music or the musicians having a Virginia connection.  Several groups and individuals have

graciously allowed frequent use of their songs. 

Those include Kat Mills, whose song “On a Ship” you heard earlier; Ben

Cosgrove and Stewart Scales, whose versions of “Shenandoah” and “Cripple

Creek,” respectively, open and close alternating episodes; and the following artists, whom you’ll hear in

an upcoming medley:

“Bass Fisherman’s Reel - ~20 sec – instrumental.

“Tropical Tantrum” - ~27 sec – instrumental.

“Samuel Mason” - ~24 sec – lyrics: “Samuel Mason, that is my name.  I left Fort Henry seeking fortune and

fame.  I came from Virginia a long time

ago, but now I am a pirate along the Ohio.”

“Dirty Sea” - ~18 sec – instrumental.

“Valley” - ~41 sec – lyrics: “These mountains have been here for

centuries.  There’s stories in the water,

something if you’re listening; what kind of stories do you wanna see?  ‘Cause I wanna go where the wind don’t blow;

take me down to the valley.  I wanna go

where the wind don’t blow; take me out tonight.”

“Kartune” - ~19 sec – instrumental.

“Rappahannock Running Free” - ~23 sec – lyrics: “I love the Rappahannock, and

its water running free; in the rapids of this river, that’s where I want to

be.   I love the Rappahannock, and its

waters running free; in the rapids of this river, that’s where I’ll always be.”

collaborators who contributed to this episode and to the previous 673 episodes.  Thanks also to radio stations WEHC at Emory

and Henry College, and WVRU at Radford University, for carrying the show on air

each week.

musical selection.  Here’s about 1 minute/20

seconds of John McCutcheon’s “Water from Another Time,” a song rich in water

imagery, fine music, and valuable words. 

Here’s to that.

and the future are wedded there; in this wellspring of my sons and daughters,

the bone and blood of living water.  And

of Grandpa’s hands have gone to dust, like Grandma’s pump reduced to rust.  Their stories quench my soul and mind, like

water from another time.  You don’t take

much but you gotta have some; the old ways help, the new ways come; just leave

a little extra for the next in line, they’re gonna need a little water from

another time.  You don’t take much but

you gotta have some; the old ways help, the new ways come; just leave a little

extra for the next in line, they’re gonna need a little water from another

time.  Gonna need a little water, need a

little water, need a little water, gonna need a little water from another time.”

Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources

and Environment.  For more Virginia water

sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call

the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks

to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close

this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan

Raflo, thanking you for listening,

and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Radio in 2010.

Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., during the last week of January 2024.  Thanks to the those five people for lending

their voices to this episode.

Wildlife Service’s National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov/cdm/;

this recording specifically is online at https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/audio/id/55/rec/56.  These sounds were used previously in Episode

478, 6-24-19, on the Little Blue Heron.

Singers.  This audio was taken from from

a video of the group’s September 11, 2011, performance at the Virginia Folklife

Apprenticeship Showcase in Charlottesville, Va.; used with permission of

Virginia Humanities (formerly the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities),

located in Charlottesville and online at https://virginiahumanities.org/. 

The full performance video is available online at https://www.virginiafolklife.org/sights-sounds/northern-neck-chantey-singers-and-lewis-r-blackwell-jr/.  Additional information from Virginia

Humanities about the Northern Neck Chantey Singers and the Northern Neck of

Virginia is available in the January 2024 article, “From

Generation to Generation: Reedville Fishermen’s Museum.”  These sounds were used previously in Episode

635, 8-29-22, on Virginia Menhaden fishing.

kid to a park!”  This was recorded by

Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., on May 12, 2013.  This sound was used previously in Episode

655, 5-15-23, on Virginia state parks.

(Montgomery County).  This was recorded

by Virginia Water Radio on August 23, 2012. 

This sound was used previously in Episode

363, 4-10-17, on stream insects.

This was recorded by Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., on April

20, 2015, 9 p.m.  This sound was used

previously in Episode

568, 3-15-21, on Virginia’s annual springtime tornado drill.

order heard); all music used with permission. 

For each song, the most recent previous Virginia Water Radio episode

using the music are listed; many of the songs have been used previously several

times, and other music be each of the artists has been featured in many Water

Radio episodes.

online at http://www.katmills.com/. 

This music was used previously in Episode

651, 3-20-23.

“Songs of Earth & Sea.”  More

information about the late Madeline MacNeil is available from Janita Baker’s

“Blue Lion Dulcimers & Guitars” Web site, online at https://www.bluelioninstruments.com/Maddie.html.  This music was used previously in Episode

627, 5-9-22, on spring songbirds nesting near water.

“Virginia Wildlife.”  More information

about Timothy Seaman is available online at https://timothyseaman.com/en/.  This music was used previously in Episode

590, 8-16-21, on the rescue of an osprey caught in fishing line.

available online at https://www.facebook.com/torrin.hallett.  Thanks very much to Torrin for composing the

piece especially for Virginia Water Radio. 

This music was used previously in Episode

656, 5-29-23, a preview of the 2023 Atlantic tropical cyclone season.

album “All the Good Summers.”  More

information about Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand is available online at https://andrewandnoah.bandcamp.com/.  This music was used previously in Episode

491, 9-23-19, on Samuel Mason and on piracy historically and in modern

times.

More information about Chamomile and Whiskey is available online

at http://www.chamomileandwhiskey.com/.  This music was used previously in Episode

584, 7-5-21, on Operation Dry Water.

Wing.”  More information about The Steel

Wheels is available online at http://www.thesteelwheels.com/.  This music was used previously in Episode

355, 2-13-17, on Abraham Lincoln’s family roots in Virginia’s Shenandoah

Valley.

Roses.”  More information about No

Strings Attached—a long-time Blacksburg- and Roanoke-based band which is no

longer performing—is available online at http://www.enessay.com/index.html.  This music was used previously in Episode

555, 12-14-20, on water-related jokes.

album, “Mostly Live.”  More information

about Bob Gramann is available online at http://www.bobgramann.com/.  This music was used previously in Episode

589, 8-9-21.

album “Gonna Rise Again.”  More

information on John McCutcheon is available online at http://www.folkmusic.com/. 

This music was used previously in Episode

142, 12-31-12.

here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the

“Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes

this episode.  More

information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr.

Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com.

Diagram of the water cycle (also called the hydrologic

cycle), from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), “Water Science School/Water

Cycle Diagrams,” online at https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-cycle-diagrams,

2-7-24.

Water Radio for sources of information on many water-related topics.

link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).

previous episodes using the sounds or music heard in this current episode.

1, 1-25-10, had an approximately eight-minute format and included

water-related news and upcoming events, with only a short portion featuring

water-related sounds or music.

67, 6-6-11, was the first episode to use a shortened format, focusing

specifically on water-related sounds or music. 

500, 11-25-19, featured various sounds and musical selections used in the

previous approximately 10 years of the show.

626, 4-25-22, marked 10 years of consecutive weekly episodes.  After that point, the show became biweekly,

through this current episode.  Some of

the 674 episodes have been revised versions of previous episodes.

– RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION

of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by those episodes.

sources, or other information included in this post.

grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other

fine arts and other fields of knowledge.”

Systems and Processes
3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity

of organisms.

Space Systems
3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life

on Earth.

Resources
3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems.
4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources.

the natural and human-made environment.
6.8 – Land and water have roles in watershed systems.
6.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can

influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment.

of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction.

levels.

Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.
Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.
Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.
Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade.
Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.
Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school.
Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.
Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade.
Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade.
Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Virginia Water Radio for the week of January 22, 2024.  This is a revised version of an episode from

January 2016.

In this episode, we use music by a Blacksburg, Va., singer-songwriter to help

us dive underwater.  Have a listen for about 55 seconds.

receiving.  Bubbles lifting, creatures

sweeping into view; you’re an alien at sea. 

Scuba dive; scuba dive.”

You’ve been listening to part of “Scuba Dive,” by Kat Mills, on the 2015 album

“Silver.”  Ms. Mills’ lyrics use the

challenges and thrills of underwater diving as metaphors for exploration and

trust in human relationships.

main challenges of the underwater environment come from several predictable

physical, chemical, and biological properties of deep water.  Water’s density

affects vision and hearing underwater.  Buoyancy—resulting from the

density of a submerged object compared to the density of the surrounding

water—must be adjusted for moving up or down.  Movement is also affected

by the frictional resistance of water, or drag.  Pressure from the weight of the water

affects a diver’s lungs, sinuses, and ears, as well as the levels of oxygen, nitrogen, and

other gases dissolved in the water and in one’s blood.  Temperature

affects dissolved gases, too, along with presenting a body-heat

challenge.  Divers can become partially dehydrated through breathing

dehumidified compressed air.  And dangerous aquatic organisms may

await.  Adapting to those challenges

through underwater breathing devices, other equipment, training, and experience

allows divers to enjoy the exhilaration of feeling weightless, seeing

fascinating creatures, and exploring worlds most humans never see.

continue to fall backwards into endless blue water, literally and figuratively.

Thanks to Kat Mills for permission to use this episode’s music, and we close

with about 30 more seconds of “Scuba Dive.”

MUSIC - ~30 sec – Lyrics: “Scuba dive.”

Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources

and Environment.  For more Virginia water

sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call

the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of

“Shenandoah” to open and close this episode. 

In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

for “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.”  For information on this abbreviation, see

Underwater Kinetics, “What does SCUBA stand for?  Plus other diving acronyms,” December 19,

2019, online at https://uwk.com/blogs/scuba-guide/diving-acronyms.

is copyright by Kat Mills; used with permission.  More information about Kat

Mills is available online at https://katmills.com/home.

here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the

“Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this

episode.  More information about Mr.

Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com.

Diver among a school

of fish in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Oct. 13, 2010. 

Photo by G.P. Schmahl, sanctuary superintendent, courtesy of the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuaries Media

Library, accessed online at https://www.flickr.com/photos/noaaphotolib/5077887899,

1-18-24.

Divers for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), location and date not identified.  Photo from NOAA, “NOAA Diving Program

Training,” accessed online at https://www.omao.noaa.gov/ndp/noaa-diving-program-training,

1-18-24. 

Diving - Second Edition, Human

Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois, 1999.

For More Information Physical and

Chemical Properties of Water

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Science School, “Water Properties Information

by Topic,” online at http://water.usgs.gov/edu/waterproperties.html.

link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Science” subject

category.

other episodes on chemical or physical properties relevant to the underwater

environment.

Density – Episode

255, 3-2-15; Episode 483, 7-29-19 (in buoyancy).

Dissolved Oxygen – Episode 333, 9-12-16.

Water thermodynamics – Episode 610, 1-3-22.

– RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION

that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other

information included in this post.

grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other

fine arts and other fields of knowledge.”

Reading Theme
5.4, 6.5, 7.4, 8.4, 8.5, 9.3, 9.4, 10.3, 10.4, 11.4 – Symbols,

imagery, figurative language, and other literary devices.

properties.
1.3 – Objects are made from materials that can be described

by their physical properties.
5.7 – Matter has properties and interactions.

Space Systems
4.7 – The ocean environment.

the natural and human-made environment.

ecosystem.

Science
PS.3 – Matter has

properties and is conserved in chemical and physical processes.

and short-term variations.

life.

of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction

levels.

Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.
Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.
Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.
Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade.
Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.
Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school.
Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.
Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade.
Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade.
Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of January 8 and January 15, 2024.

opens our annual preview of the Virginia General Assembly.  On

January 10, 100 members of the House of Delegates and 40 members of the Senate will

gather in Richmond for their 2024 session, during which they’ll renew what you

might call the “dance” of working across the symbolic “aisle” between political

parties.  The steps this year will be performed

by a noticeably different group of people, because the 2023 elections resulted

in significant changes in the age and years of service of the Assembly’s

membership.  Have a listen to the music for

about 25 more seconds, and see if you know how the following pairs of numbers describe

those membership changes:
34 and 17;
74 and 40;
9 and 21;
and, last, 52 and 34;

Assembly will have 34 new delegates and 17 new senators.
Seventy-four members

have served four years or less, compared to 40 such members in 2023.
Nine members have

served 20 years or more, compared to 21 such members in 2023.
And 52 members will

be age 45 or younger, compared to 34 such members in 2023.

numbers for 2024, taken from the Virginia Public Access Project’s Web site on January 4, 2024, do not include one House

member and one Senate member who were to be chosen in special elections on January

9, 2024.]

Wednesday in January.  So-called “long

sessions” of 60 days are held in even-numbered years, while 30-to-45-day “short

sessions” are held in odd-numbered years.  A new biennial budget is

proposed in each even-numbered year, while amendments to the current budget may

be considered every year.

Besides the budget, the General Assembly typically considers two-to-three

thousand bills and resolutions.  Usually about 150 to 200 of those measures

relate to water resources, either directly through impacts on aquatic

environments, water supplies, or other water uses, or indirectly through

impacts on energy and land uses that, in turn, affect water.  The budget also affects water, especially through

funding of natural resource-related departments, such as Conservation and

Recreation, Environmental Quality, Wildlife Resources, and the Marine Resources

Commission.

Action on General Assembly measures involves sub-committees, full committees,

and floor debate.  Passed bills go to the governor for approval, veto, or

proposed changes, and bills with a governor’s veto or proposed changes return

to the Assembly for further consideration during a “reconvened session,” scheduled

for April.   All along the way, citizens, interest groups, and other

stakeholders vie to have a say.  You can join in by following the

Assembly’s work and by communicating with your local delegate or senator about

issues of concern.  Tools to help you do

so are available online at virginiageneralassembly.gov.

music, and we close with about 15 more seconds of “Dance of the Aisle.”

Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources

and Environment.  For more Virginia water

sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call

the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks

to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close

this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan

Raflo, thanking you for listening,

and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Tradition Volume 2,” is copyright by No Strings Attached and Enessay Music,

used with permission.  More information

about No Strings Attached—a long-time Blacksburg- and Roanoke-based band which

is no longer performing—is available online at http://www.enessay.com/index.html.

here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the

“Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes

this episode.  More

information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr.

Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com.

IMAGES

The Virginia State

Capitol Building in Richmond.  Image from

the Virginia General Assembly, “Capitol Classroom,” accessed online at https://capclass.virginiageneralassembly.gov/High/AbouttheCapitol/CapitolHigh.html, 1/8/24.

Screen shot of the Virginia Legislative Information System’s

online site for following legislation in the 2024 Virginia General Assembly,

accessed at https://lis.virginia.gov/lis.htm,

1/8/24.

ABOUT THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

offers several useful features, including member lists, session calendars, live

video of floor sessions, and information on legislative processes.  The Legislative

Information System (LIS) Web site, http://lis.virginia.gov/lis.htm,

provides lists and summaries of all bills, searchable by topic, member,

committee, etc.   For budget information

specifically, see https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/.

Video streams of sessions and meetings for both the House of Delegates

and the Senate, including committees, are available online at https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/membersAndSession.php?secid=1&activesec=0#!hb=1&mainContentTabs=0.

Committees are key parts of the General Assembly process.  Legislation

about water or about activities that can affect water may be assigned to any of

several standing committees, most of which meet weekly during the General

Assembly session.  Two committees that receive many (but not all) of the

water-related bills are the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

Committee and the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

Committee.  Information about all

standing committees as of the 2024 session—including membership, meeting times,

and legislation being considered—is available online at https://lis.virginia.gov/241/com/COM.HTM.

To express an opinion on legislation, citizens are advised to contact

their respective delegate of senator.  If you do not know your

representatives or their contact information, you can use the online “Who’s My

Legislator” service, available at http://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/. 

You can also find members’ contact information at these links:

House of Delegates, at http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php;

State Senate, at https://apps.senate.virginia.gov/Senator/.

The Lobbyist-In-A-Box subscriber service also offers free tracking for

up to five bills, and it offers tracking of more than five bills for a fee;

visit http://lis.virginia.gov/h015.htm. 

For more information or assistance, phone Legislative Automated Systems at

(804) 786-9631 or Virginia Interactive at (804) 318-4133.

The organization Open Virginia’s Richmond Sunlight Web site, at https://www.richmondsunlight.com/,

also offers tools for following the General Assembly and for learning about

Virginia law.

AUDIO AND OFFERING MORE INFORMATION

Times-Dispatch, November 24. 2023.

to Richmond”: Predictions vary on upcoming General Assembly session,” Bristol Herald-Courier, January 4, 2024.

Assembly  Special Elections,” online at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/candidate-list/january-9-2024-general-assembly-special-elections/,

accessed 1-4-24.

See particularly the following specific pages (all hyperlinked):

About

the General Assembly;

Citizen Involvement;

Legislative Terms.

“Legislators/Demographics,” online at https://www.vpap.org/general-assembly/legislators/,

and there one can use a drop-down function to look for political party, gender,

race, age, etc., and compare to previous sessions.

at https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/virginia-water-legislation/. 

This site provides access to inventories of water-related bills in the Virginia

General Assembly from 1998 through 2023.

link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the

“Community/Organizations” subject category.

General Assembly.

Episode

143, 1-7-13 – “Music for the Past and Present of the Virginia General

Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction).

Episode

147, 2-4-13 – “Committees Guide the Flow of Bills in the Virginia General

Assembly.”

Episode

196, 1-13-14 – “The Virginia General Assembly on its 396th Opening Day,

January 8, 2014” (annual General Assembly introduction).

Episode

247, 1-5-15 – “January Means State Budget Time in the Virginia General

Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction, with a special focus on the

state budget).

Episode

252, 2-9-15 – “Voting on Water in the 2015 Virginia General Assembly.”

Episode

297, 1-4-16 – “Water’s on the Agenda—along with a Whole Lot Else—When the

Virginia General Assembly Convenes” (annual General Assembly introduction).

Episode

302, 2-8-16 – “Voting on Water in the 2016 Virginia General Assembly.”

Episode

350, 1-9-17 – “Old English Music Helps Preview the Old Dominion’s 2017

General Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction).

Episode

353, 1-30-17 – “Voting on Water in the 2017 Virginia General Assembly.”

Episode

359, 3-13-17 – “Subcommittees are Where Many Proposed Virginia Laws Start

to Float or Sink.”

Episode

402, 1-8-18 – “The Virginia Legislature Begins Its 400th Year in 2018”

(annual General Assembly introduction).

Episode

405, 1-29-18 – “Voting on Water in the 2018 Virginia General Assembly.”

Episode

410, 3-5-18 – “Virginia Electricity Regulation and Water” (on legislation

in the 2018 session on electricity regulation).

Episode

454, 1-7-19 – “The Virginia General Assembly, from Jamestown in 1619 to

Richmond in 2019” (annual General Assembly introduction).

Episode

460, 2-18-19 – “Voting on Water in the 2018 Virginia General Assembly.”

Episode

506, 1-6-20 – “Action on Budget, Bills, and Other Business Commences

January 8 for the 2020 Virginia General Assembly” (annual General Assembly

introduction).

Episode

510, 2-3-20 – “Voting on Water in the 2020 Virginia General Assembly.”

Episode 522, 4-27-20 – “Virginia Enacts a New Energy Era” (on legislation

in the 2020 session on electricity generation, carbon emissions, and recurrent

flooding).

Episode 558, 1-4-21 – “January 13 is Opening Day for the 2021 Virginia

General Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction).

Episode

562, 2-1-21 – “Voting on Water in the 2021 Virginia General Assembly.”
Episode 611, 1-10-22 – “The Second Wednesday in January

Means the Virginia General Assembly Convenes” (annual General Assembly

introduction).

Episode 614, 1-31-22 – “Voting on

Water in the 2022 Virginia General Assembly.”
Episode

646, 1-9-23 – “”Near Richmond’s James River Falls, Each Second Wednesday in

January Calls the Virginia General Assembly to Order” (annual General Assembly

introduction).
Episode

647, 1-23-23 – “Virginia’s State Budget and Money for Water.”
Episode

648, 2-6-23: “Voting on Water in the 2023 Virginia General Assembly.”

– RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION

that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other

information included in this post.

grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other

fine arts and other fields of knowledge.”

3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems.

4.8. – Virginia has important natural resources.

6.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy

decisions related to energy and the environment.

LS.9 – Relationships exist between ecosystem dynamics and human activity.

ES.6 – Resource use is complex.

ES.8 – Freshwater resources influence and are influenced by geologic processes

and human activity.

ES.10 – Oceans are complex, dynamic systems subject to long- and short-term

variations, including effects of human actions.

ES.11 – The atmosphere is a complex, dynamic system subject to long-and

short-term variations, including effects of human actions.

BIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and

ecosystems, and natural events and human activities influence local and global

ecosystems and may affect the flora and fauna of Virginia.

Virginia Studies
VS.3 – Explain the causes and effects of events

associated with the first permanent English settlement in North America by,

among other things, identifying

the significance of establishing the General Assembly (1619), the first

representative legislative body in English America.

at the state level.
CE.6

– Define citizenship by, among other things, examining ways to peacefully work for change in communities

or the nation by participating in political campaigns and methods of peacefully

petitioning the government for change.

Government
SKILLS

- Select and synthesize evidence from information sources.
GOVT.10 – Explain the

organization and powers of the state and local governments as described in the

Constitution of Virginia.

Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online

at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction.

levels.

Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.
Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.
Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.
Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade.
Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.
Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school.
Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.
Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade.
Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade.
Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Click to listen to episode (5:44). Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 12-26-23. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of December 25, 2023, and January 1, 2024. MUSIC – ~13 sec – instrumental. That’s part of “The Foggy Dew” by Timothy Seaman.  It’s one of the songs heard on Virginia Water Radio in 2023, and it opens our annual episode where we listen back to some of the previous year’s sounds and music.  We start with a medley of mystery sounds.  Have a listen for about 40 seconds, and see how many you recognize. SOUNDS - ~39 sec. 1.  Eastern Narrrow-mouthed Toad. 2.  Humpback Whale. 3.  Hooded Merganser. 4.  Cascades waterfall. 5.  Gray Tree Frogs, an Eastern Screech Owl, Eastern Wood-Pewee, and Wood Thrush. If you knew all of most of those, you’re a 2023 authentic aquatic ace! You heard, first, an Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad; second; a Humpback Whale; third, a Hooded Merganser; fourth, the Cascades Falls in Giles County, Virginia; and, last, the sounds of Gray Tree Frogs, an Eastern Screech Owl, an Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a Wood Thrush, all recorded at a pond in Blacksburg, Va., at sundown on July 27, 2023. Thanks to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and to Lang Elliott for permission to use this week’s sounds, from the 2008 CD, “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads”; to the National Park Service for the Humpback Whale Sound; and to Lang Elliott for permission to use the Hooded Merganser sound, from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs. We close out 2023 with a 1 minute/45 second sample of music heard this year, with parts of “I Walk in Beauty,” by the late Madeline MacNeil; “Driftage,” by Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand; “Frog Level Yacht Club,” by Trevor McKenzie; “Backburner,” by the group The Faux Paws; and, last, “World’s Too Big,” by Kat Mills, whose lyrics help us look toward the coming year.  Thanks to all the musicians who gave permission to use their music, and thanks to Janita Baker for permission to use Madeline MacNeil’s music. So long to 2023, and here’s hoping for a 2024 the brings to your ears, good sounds; to your heart, good music; and to your health, good water. MUSIC – ~1 min./43 sec. 1.  From “I Walk in Beauty” – lyrics: “Beauty is behind me, above and below me.” 2. From “Driftage” – instrumental. 3.  From “Frog Level Yacht Club” – lyrics: “I know it’s fantasy and my plays tricks on my memory, but that’s how I recall the Frog Level Yacht Club.” 4.  From “Backburner” – lyrics: “I put my heart in the freezer, I put my love on ice, I tell myself I don’t need her, wouldn’t that be nice?  I put  my heart in the freezer, I put my love on hold, I tell myself I don’t need her, and then I wonder why I feel so cold.  I wonder why I feel, I wonder why I feel, I wonder why I feel so cold.” 5.  From “World’s Too Big” – lyrics: “World’s too big to see in one lifetime; what do you think you’ll do this year in the world, world, world, in the world?” SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. Sounds Used and Their Previous 2023 Virginia Water Radio Episodes  (listed in the order heard in this episode’s audio). The sounds of the Eastern Narrrow-mouthed Toad was from “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads” CD, copyright 2008 by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now the Department of Wildlife Resources) and Lang Elliott/NatureSoundStudio, used with permission.   The CD accompanies A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; that publication is no longer available at Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources online store, https://www.shopdwr.com/.  For more information, contact the Department at P.O. Box 90778, Henrico, VA 23228-0778; phone: (804) 367-1000 (VTDD); main Web page is https://dwr.virginia.gov/; to send e-mail, visit https://dwr.virginia.gov/contact/.  Lang Elliott’s work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/.  This sound was used in Episode 649, 2-20-23, a medley of frog and toad calls. The Humpback Whale sound was from the National Park Service ‘Sound Gallery,” online at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/sounds-humpback-whale.htm, as of 12-22-23.  This sound was used in Episode 651, 3-20-23, on ocean and  marine biodiversity. The Hooded Merganser sound was from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott.  Lang Elliot’s work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/.  This sound was used in Episode 670, 12-11-23, a duck names quiz. 4.  The waterfall sound was recorded by Virginia Water Radio at the Cascades waterfall in Giles County, Va., on September 28, 2023.  This sound was used in Episode 666, 10-16-23, on waterfalls in Virginia. 5.  The sounds of Gray Tree Frogs, an Eastern Screech Owl, and an Eastern Wood-Pewee, with the less prominent sounds of a Wood Thrush, were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at a pond in Blacksburg, Va., at about 8:30 p.m. on July 27, 2023.  These sounds were used in Episode 661, 8-7-23, on the sounds between dawn and dusk on a summer day at a Virginia pond. Musical Selections Used and Their Previous 2023 Virginia Water Radio Episodes (listed in the order heard in this episode’s audio) Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} “The Foggy Dew,” a 2023 single release, is copyright by Timothy Seaman, used with permission.  It features Ann Robinson on Celtic Harp.  More information about Timothy Seaman is available online at https://timothyseaman.com/en/.  “The Foggy Dew” is a traditional Irish song, whose lyrics talk about the 1916 Easter Uprising, part of the Irish Revolution and War of Independence (1919-1921) against Great Britain.  The song describes scenes of battle on Easter morning taking place amidst “the foggy dew.”  Information about the song is available online at https://www.o-em.org/index.php/fieldwork/62-the-foggy-dew-processes-of-change-in-an-irish-rebel-song.  This music was used in Episode 662, 8-21-23, on the dew point. “I Walk in Beauty” is from Madeline MacNeil’s 2002 album “Songs of Earth & Sea”; copyright held by Janita Baker, used with permission.  More information about Madeline MacNeil is available from Ms. Baker’s “Blue Lion Dulcimers & Guitars” Web site, online at https://www.bluelioninstruments.com/Maddie.html.  This song is in the tradition of a Navajo prayer and song; information on the Navajo prayer/song is available online at https://uuwestport.org/i-walk-in-beauty-navajo-prayersong/, and at https://www.walk-in-beauty.org/.This music was used in Episode 655, 5-15-23, on Virginia’s state parks. “Driftage,” from the 2004 album of same name, is copyright by Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand and Great Bear Records, used with permission of Andrew VanNorstrand.  More information about Andrew and Noah and their bands is available online at https://andrewandnoah.bandcamp.com/music.  This music was used in Episode 651, 3-20-23, on ocean and  marine biodiversity. “Frog Level Yacht Club,” from the album “Generational Things,” is copyright by Trevor McKenzie, used with permission.  More information about Trevor McKenzie is available online at http://www.trevormckenzie.com/.  This music was used in Episode 659, 7-10-23, on Frog Level in Tazewell County, Va. “Backburner,” from the 2023 album of the same name, is copyright by The Faux Paws, used with permission of Andrew VanNorstrand.  More information about The Faux Paws is available online at https://thefauxpaws.bandcamp.com/.  This music was used in Episode 669, 11-27-23, on winter preparedness. “World’s Too Big,” from the 2006 album “Two,” is copyright by Kat Mills, used with permission.  More information about Kat Mills is available online at https://katmills.com/ and at https://katmills.hearnow.com/.  This music was used in Episode 647, 1-23-23, on Virginia’s state budget process and some of the budget’s water-related items. IMAGES Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} The last sunset of 2023 at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond in Blacksburg, taken on December 31 at 5:04 p.m. EST.  Photo by Virginia Water Radio. An Image Sampler from Episodes in 2023  From Episode 646, 1-9-23: Screen shot of the Virginia Legislative Information System’s online site for information about the Virginia state budget during the 2023 Virginia General Assembly, accessed at https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/, 1/9/23. From Episode 649, 2-20-23: Upland Chorus Frog, photographed in Farmville, Virginia (Prince Edward County), February 16, 2023.  Photo by Ty Smith, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148942454 (as of 2-20-23) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode. From Episode 654, 5-1-23: Toms Creek at Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., April 25, 2023.  Photo by Virginia Water Radio. From Episode 661, 8-7-23: A Blacksburg, Va., pond photographed at about 6:28 a.m. on July 27, 2023.  Photo by Virginia Water Radio. From Episode 670, 12-11-23:  A Hooded Merganser male; location and date not identified.  Photo by Tim McCabe, accessed at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/1085/rec/4, as of 11-8-23. SOURCES Please see the episodes mentioned and hyperlinked above under “Audio Notes and Acknowledgments” for sources of information about the topics of the individual episodes. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Overall Importance of Water” subject category. Following are links to previous “year of sounds/music” episodes. 2022 – Episode 645, 12-30-22. 2021 – Episode 609, 12-27-21. 2020 – Episode 557, 12-28-20. 2019 – Episode 504, 12-23-19. 2018 – Episode 452, 12-24-18. 2017 – Episode 400, 12-25-17. 2016 – Episode 348, 12-26-16. 2015 – Episode 295, 12-21-15. 2014 – Episode 246, 12-29-14. 2013 – Episode 193, 12-23-13. 2012 – Episode 141, 12-17-12. Following are links to previous episodes looking toward a coming new year. New Year 2020: Episode 505, 12-30-19. New Year 2019: Episode 453, 12-31-18. New Year 2018: Episode 401, 1-1-18. New Year 2017: Episode 349, 1-2-17. New Year 2016: Episode 296, 12-28-15. New Year 2013: Episode 142, 12-31-12. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION The episodes listed and hyperlinked above under “Audio Notes and Acknowledgments” may help with various Virginia SOLs in Music, Science, and Social Studies.  For specific suggested SOLs, please see the online show notes for each episode. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school. Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade. Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade. Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Click to listen to episode (4:36). Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Extra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 11-9-23. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of December 11 and December 18, 2023.  [Please note: the audio mistakenly says December 20 instead of December 18.] SOUND – ~6 sec. Those sounds of Mallard ducks, recorded in December 2015 at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond in Blacksburg, set the stage for a duck designation derby—that is, a duck names quiz game! I’ll give you clues to the common names of six duck species inhabiting areas of Virginia, either year-round or seasonally.  After each set of clues, you’ll have a few seconds to hear sounds from the duck and try to guess its name.  In the clues, “diving duck” refers to those birds that dive deep under the surface and feed underwater; and “dabbling duck” refers to those birds that feed on or just below the water surface. Number 1:  This large diving duck, noted for its reddish head and bright whitish body, has a name that a painter would recognize.  SOUND - ~6 sec.  That’s the Canvasback. Number 2:  This diving duck is known and named for its golden-yellow eyes.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That’s the Common Goldeneye. Number 3:  For people who appreciate colorful birds, this small dabbling duck’s iridescent green feathers on its head and wings are a big deal.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That’s the Green-winged Teal. Number 4:  If people who wear “hoodies” wanted to know how to look like a bird, the male of this diving duck would be the answer.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That’s the Hooded Merganser. Number 5:  This dabbling duck has a name—based on its spoon-like bill—that could be applied to what people in, say Minnesota, have to become after a big snowfall, if they want to clear a path.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That’s the Northern Shoveler. And number 6:  This elaborately colored dabbling duck, notable for its nests in tree holes and for its ability to perch on tree branches, has a name that comes from trees.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That’s the Wood Duck. The birds in this game are among 25 duck species known to occur in Virginia, at least occasionally.  Many are around in wintertime, so if you’re venturing out near water during the cold-weather months, perhaps—with luck and pluck—you’ll glimpse or hear some ducks. Thanks to Lang Elliott for permission to use the sounds in the duck names quiz, which were all from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs. We close with some music for ducks, with a tune attributed to the late Henry Reed, a traditional musician who lived in Giles County, Virginia.  Here’s about 25 seconds of “Ducks on the Pond,” performed by Timothy Seaman of Williamsburg, Virginia. MUSIC - ~27 sec – Instrumental. SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Canvasback, Common Goldeneye, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Northern Shoveler, and Wood Duck sounds heard in this episode were from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott.  Lang Elliot’s work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. The Mallard sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond in Blacksburg on December 10, 2015. The version of “Ducks on the Pond” heard in this episode is by Timothy Seaman, part of the medley “Virginia Rail Reel/Ducks on the Pond/Old Blue,” from the 2004 album “Virginia Wildlife,” on Pine Wind Records, used with permission; that album was done in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources).  More information about Timothy Seaman is available online at http://timothyseaman.com/en/.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio in Episode 398, 12-11-17. The tune “Ducks on the Pond” is attributed to Henry Reed (1884-1968), a native of West Virginia but a long-time resident of Glen Lyn in Giles County, Virginia; more information about Henry Reed is available online at http://www.henryreed.org/.   Information on the tune is available from The Traditional Tune Archive, online at “Ducks on the Pond” entry is online at http://www.tunearch.org/wiki/Ducks_on_the_Pond.  A June 1966 recording by Alan Jabbour of the tune being played by Mr. Reed is available from the Library of Congress, online at https://www.loc.gov/item/afcreed000072/; at this site, the tune is referred to as “Ducks in the Pond.” Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES The following photos of the ducks featured in this Virginia Water Radio episode were taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov.  More details and specific URLs for each photo are given below the photos; all specific URLs were as of 11-8-23.Canvasback male; location and date not identified.  Photo by Lee Karney.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/6798/rec/3. Canvasback male; location and date not identified.  Photo by Lee Karney.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/6798/rec/3. Common Goldeneye in 2003, location not identified.  Photo by Gary Kramer.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/34171/rec/3. Green-winged Teal male (left) and female; location and date not identified.  Photo by Dave Menke.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/3728/rec/2. Hooded Merganser male; location and date not identified.  Photo by Tim McCabe.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/1085/rec/4. Mallard female and brood at Cheney Lake, Anchorage, Alaska, June 2005.  Photo by Donna Dewhurst.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/50/rec/32. Northern Shoveler male (right) and female at Westchester Lagoon in Anchorage Alaska; date not identified.  Photo by Donna Dewhurst.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/699/rec/2. Wood Duck male in California, date not identified.  Photo by Lee Kearney.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/17774/rec/4.  EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT THE DUCK SPECIES HEARD IN THIS EPISODE Following are the scientific names, and information on occurrence in Virginia, for the seven duck species heard in this episode.  Occurrence information (including quotes) is from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/, using the “Occurrence” tab at the individual entry for each species; each bird’s common name is linked to its individual entry. Canvasback – Scientific name is Aythya valisineria.  Occurrence in Virginia: “[N]onbreeder and a locally common to abundant transient and winter resident (10 November to 10 April) on the coast, ...chiefly near the Chesapeake Bay and in Back Bay.  They are uncommon inland and a rare winter visitor in the mountains and valleys.” Common Goldeneye – Scientific name is Bucephala clangula.  Occurrence in Virginia: winter resident in much of Tidewater Virginia and a few counties farther west. Green-winged Teal – Scientific name is Anas crecca.  Occurrence in Virginia: “This is a common transient and winter resident on the Coastal Plain, and uncommon inland.  Peak counts occur along the coast during the winter.” Hooded Merganser – Scientific name is Lophodytes cucullatus.  Occurrence in Virginia: “This is a casual breeder.  It is a transient, winter resident, and summer visitor throughout the state.  It is common on the Coastal Plain, and uncommon to common in the rest of the state.  Peak counts occur along the coast during December.” Mallard – Scientific name is Anas platyrhynchos.  Occurrence in Virginia: “This is an abundant transient and winter resident, and a common summer resident in the Coastal Plain.  It is a common transient and winter resident, uncommon summer resident elsewhere.  Peak counts occur along the coast in the fall.” Northern Shoveler – Scientific name is Anas clypeata.  Occurrence in Virginia: winter resident in many coastal Tidewater counties and few counties further west. Wood Duck – Scientific name is Aix sponsa.  Occurrence in Virginia: “Common transient and summer resident statewide.  Uncommon to rare winter resident in the piedmont and mountains and valleys.  Peak counts occur during winter in the coastal plain, during fall in the piedmont, and during summer in the mountains and valleys.” SOURCES Used for Audio Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, “Winter Waterfowl Count,” online at https://www.audubonva.org/winter-waterfowl-count. Chesapeake Bay Program, “Field Guide,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide. The Canvasback entry is online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/canvasback. The Common Goldeneye entry is online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/common-goldeneye. The Green-winged Teal entry is online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/green-winged-teal. The Hooded Merganser entry is online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/hooded-merganser. The Mallard entry is online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/mallard. The Northern Shoveler entry is online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/northern-shoveler. The Wood Duck entry is online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/wood-duck. Chandler S. Robbins et al. A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2001. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org. The Canvasback entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canvasback/. The Common Goldeneye entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Goldeneye. The Green-winged Teal entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green-winged_Teal. The Hooded Merganser entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser. The Mallard entry is online at  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/. The Northern Shoveler entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Shoveler/. The Wood Duck entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wood_Duck/. Missouri Department of Conservation, “Divers vs. Dabblers,” by Peg Craft, November 8, 2020, online at https://mdc.mo.gov/blogs/discover-nature-notes/dabblers-vs-divers-1. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries): Fish and Wildlife Information Service, online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/. The Canvasback entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040064&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19669. The Common Goldeneye entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040067&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19669. The Green-winged Teal entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040056&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19669. The Hooded Merganser entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040077&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19669. The Mallard entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040051&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19669. The Northern Shoveler entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040060&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19669. The Wood Duck entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040061&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19668. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, August 2022,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf. For More Information about Birds in Virginia or Elsewhere Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Birds of the World,” online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home (subscription required). Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society, “eBird,” online at https://ebird.org/home.  Here you can find locations of species observations made by contributors, and you can sign up to contribute your own observations. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Merlin Photo ID.”  The application for mobile devices allows users to submit a bird photograph to get identification of the bird. Information is available online at http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/. Kathy Reshetiloff, “Chesapeake's abundance lures wintering waterfowl,” Bay Journal, December 2023.  This article discusses the various waterfowl--ducks, geese, and swans--that winter in the Chesapeake Bay region, and gives example of dabbling vs. diving ducks. Ducks Unlimited, “Wood Duck Boxes,” by Scott Stephens, July 13, 2016, online at https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-research-science/wood-duck-boxes. Stan Tekiela, Birds of Virginia Field Guide, Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge, Minn., 2002. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org/. Virginia Cooperative Extension, “Fifteen Minutes in the Forest/Wood Ducks,” 2022 (a 15 min./24 sec. video). Virginia Society of Ornithology, online at http://www.virginiabirds.org/.  The Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study, conservation, and enjoyment of birds in the Commonwealth. Xeno-canto Foundation, online at http://www.xeno-canto.org/.  This site provides bird songs (and other wildlife sounds) from around the world. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Birds” subject category. Following are links to other episodes on ducks.Episode 118, 7-9-12 – A Summertime Virginia Sampler of Birds Around Water (including the Mallard). Episode 136, 11-12-12 – Ducks at the Dance (an introduction to ducks). Episode 303, 2-15-16 – Common Goldeneye's Wings Whistle Over Virginia's Winter Waters. Episode 398, 12-11-17 – The Green and Blue of Teal. Episode 430, 7-23-18 – What Calls from a Marsh? (on marsh birds generally, including the Wood Duck). Episode 433, 10-22-18 – Wood Duck. Episode 472, 5-13-19 – Mallards are Widespread, Well-known Waterfowl. Episode 490, 9-16-19 – A Duck Trio’s Unusual Visit to Virginia Tech (on the Black-bellied Whistling Duck). Episode 565, 2-22-21 – Winter Birds of the Chesapeake Bay (including the Hooded Merganser). Episode 604, 11-22-21 – Canvasbacks Come Back to the Chesapeake as Winter Approaches. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and Processes 1.5 – Animals, including humans, have basic life needs that allow them to survive; including that animals have different physical characteristics that perform specific functions; and animals can be classified based on a variety of characteristics. 3.4 – Adaptations allow organisms to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. 3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms. 4.2 – Plants and animals have structures that distinguish them from one another and play vital roles in their ability to survive. 4.3 – Organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems 3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. Grades K-5: Earth Resources 4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources. Grade 6 6.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment. Life Science LS.3 – There are levels of structural organization in living things. LS.7 – Adaptations support an organism’s survival in an ecosystem. Biology BIO.6 – Modern classification systems can be used as organizational tools for scientists in the study of organisms. BIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and ecosystems. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school. Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade. Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade. Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Click to listen to episode (5:19). Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Extra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 11-6-23. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of November 27 and December 4, 2023. MUSIC – 8 sec – Instrumental. That’s part of “Backburner,” by The Faux Paws.  It opens Virginia Water Radio’s annual episode on winter-weather preparedness.  Have a listen for about 30 seconds to some of the song’s lyrics to set the stage for talking about cold times. MUSIC – ~32 sec – Lyrics: “I put my heart in the freezer, I put my love on ice,  I tell myself I don’t need her, wouldn’t that be nice?  I put my heart in the freezer, I put my love on hold, I tell myself I don’t need her, and then I wonder why I feel so cold.  I wonder why I feel, I wonder why I feel, I wonder why I feel so cold.” All Virginia residents, whether or not they’ve tried to put their heart in the freezer, will soon have no wonder about why they feel so cold: winter astronomically begins in Virginia on December 21 at 10:27 p.m.  That’s the Eastern Standard time of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, when that hemisphere is at its maximum tilt away from the sun.  From well before the December solstice, all the way through the season’s conclusion in March, winter can bring cold temperatures, hazardous roads, power outages, fire hazards, and other concerns.  To help you be prepared, here are 10 tips compiled from information provided by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1. Avoid traveling in winter-storm conditions if you can.  If you must travel, get road-condition information from the Virginia 511 telephone system, mobile app, or Web site, and carry in your vehicle an emergency kit, including jumper cables, blankets, a flashlight, food and water, and other items. 2. Have battery-powered sources of lighting and information, along with enough batteries to last through a power outage of several days. 3.  Develop and practice a family emergency plan that covers sheltering; escape from a home fire; emergency meeting places; communications; a supply of food, water, and medications; and other factors specific to your circumstances. 4.  Get fireplaces, wood stoves, and chimneys inspected and cleaned. 5.  Install a smoke detector in every bedroom and on every floor level; test them monthly and replace the batteries at least annually.  6.  Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home and check or replace the battery every six months. 7.  If you use electric space heaters, make sure they’ll switch off automatically if the heater falls over; plug them into wall outlets, not extension cords; keep them at least three feet from combustible objects; don’t leave heaters unattended; and check for cracked or damaged wires or plugs. 8.  Generators, camp stoves, and other devices that burn gasoline, charcoal, or other fuels should be used outdoors only. 9.  Learn where to shut off water valves in case a pipe bursts. And 10.  Be careful of overexertion during snow shoveling. More information on preparing for winter weather, fires, and other emergencies is available online from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, at vaemergency.gov. Next time the forecast calls for snow, freezing rain, or other wintry weather, here’s hoping that you can stay warm, dry, and safe. Thanks to Andrew VanNorstrand for permission to use this episode’s music, and we close with about 20 more seconds of “Backburner.” MUSIC - ~20 sec – Instrumental. SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS “Backburner,” from the 2023 album of the same name, is copyright by The Faux Paws, used with permission of Andrew VanNorstrand.  More information about The Faux Paws is available online at https://thefauxpaws.bandcamp.com/. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES (Photographs are by Virginia Water Radio.) Ice on the New River in Giles County, Va., January 1, 2018.   Frozen rain on, and sleet below, a Red Maple tree in Blacksburg, Va. (Montgomery County), December 16, 2020. Ice on a seasonal pond in Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va. (Montgomery County), December 31, 2022. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS The following information is quoted from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, “Winter Weather,” online at https://www.vaemergency.gov/threats/winter-weather, as of 11-6-23. “Winter storms can range from freezing rain or ice to a few hours of moderate snowfall, to a blizzard that lasts for several days.  Many winter storms are accompanied by dangerously low temperatures, power outages, and unpredictable road conditions. Before, during, and after a winter storm, roads and walkways may become extremely dangerous or impassable.  Access to critical community services such as public transportation, child care, healthcare providers and schools may be limited.  Preparing your home, car, and family before cold weather and a winter storm arrives is critical. *During a winter storm, stay off the roads as much as possible and only drive when absolutely necessary.  Always give snow plows the right of way. *Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal-burning device inside your home, garage, basement, crawlspace, or any other partially enclosed area. *Snow shoveling is a known trigger for heart attacks!  Always avoid overexertion when shoveling. *When severe weather occurs, plan to check on elderly or disabled neighbors and relatives. *If you must travel, know the road conditions before you leave home.  Visit 511Virginia.org or call 511 for road condition updates. *Protect yourself from frostbite!  Hands, feet, and face are the most commonly affected areas so wear a hat, and mittens (which are warmer than gloves) and cover your mouth with a scarf to reduce heat loss. *Keep dry!  Change out of wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. *Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer or heavy clothing. Winter Storm Watch – Be Aware Severe weather such as heavy snow or ice is possible in the next day or two. Winter Storm Warning – Take Action Severe winter conditions have either begun or will begin soon in your area. Prepare Your Home *Make sure your home is properly insulated. *Check the weather stripping around your windows and doors. *Learn how to shut off water valves in case a pipe bursts. *Have additional heat sources  on hand in case of a power outage. *Keep a fire extinguisher accessible. *Replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide detector annually. Prepare Your Car *Batteries lose power as temperatures drop, be sure to have yours tested. *Check your car’s antifreeze level. *Have your radiator system serviced. *Replace your car’s windshield wiper fluid with a wintertime mix. *Proactively replace your car’s worn tires and wiper blades. *To help with visibility, clean off your car entirely – including your trunk, roof, windows, and headlights. Include a Car Emergency Kit Tailor your winter car emergency supply kit to you and your family’s needs.  Here are suggested items: blankets; drinking water and snacks for everyone in the car, including pets; boots; basic first-aid kit; warm coat and insulating layers (sweatpants, gloves, hat, socks,); rags, paper towels, or pre-moistened wipes; basic set of tools; car emergency warning devices such as road flares or reflectors; ice scraper/snow brush;jumper cables/jump pack; fire extinguisher; cash; items for children such as diapers, baby wipes, toys, etc.; flashlight, with extra batteries; hand warmers; paper map; portable smartphone power bank; extra medication; garbage bags; traction aid such as sand, salt, or non-clumping, cat litter; tarp, raincoat, and gloves; shovel. Did You Know? *Dehydration can make you more susceptible to hypothermia. *If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pet!  Don’t leave pets outside for prolonged periods of time and have plenty of fresh, unfrozen water on hand. *It can snow at temperatures well above freezing. *Temperatures do not have to be below zero degrees to cause harm.” SOURCES USED FOR AUDIO AND OFFERING MORE INFORMATION Timeanddate.com, “December Solstice: Longest and Shortest Day of the Year,” by Konstantin Bikos, Aparna Kher, and Graham Jones, online at https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/december-solstice.html. American Red Cross, “Winter Storm Safety,” online at https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/winter-storm.html, or contact your local Red Cross chapter. Farmers’ Almanac, “The First Day Of Winter 2023: Winter Solstice,” online at https://www.farmersalmanac.com/winter-solstice-first-day-winter.    Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): “Be Prepared for a Winter Storm,” online at https://community.fema.gov/ProtectiveActions/s/article/Winter-Storm; “Build a Kit,” online at https://www.ready.gov/kit; “Car Safety,” online at https://www.ready.gov/car; “Make a Plan,” online at https://www.ready.gov/plan; “Portable Heater Fire Safety,” online (as a PDF) at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/portable_heater_fire_safety_flyer.pdf; “Portable Heater Fires in Residential Buildings (2017-2019),” online (as a PDF) at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v21i11.pdf; and “Winter Weather,” online at http://www.ready.gov/winter-weather. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “NOAA Weather Radio,” online at https://www.weather.gov/nwr/. National Weather Service, “Weather and Water Events Preparedness Calendar,” online at https://www.weather.gov/safety/events_calendar. This page lists events by state. National Weather Service/Cleveland, Ohio, Forecast Office, “The Seasons, the Equinox, and the Solstices,” online at https://www.weather.gov/cle/seasons. Smithsonian Science Education Center, “What is the Winter Solstice?”  Online at https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/what-winter-solstice. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning/Frequently Asked Questions,” online at https://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm; and “Proper Use of Candles During a Power Outage,” online at https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/psa/candles.html. U.S. Department of Energy, “Small Space Heaters,” online at https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/small-space-heaters. Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), online at https://www.vaemergency.gov/.  This is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s central source of information on preparedness for all types of emergencies and disasters.  See particularly the following pages: “Winter Weather,” online at https://www.vaemergency.gov/threats/winter-weather; “Fires,” online at https://www.vaemergency.gov/threats/fires; and “Make a Car Emergency Kit” (1 min./31 sec. video), online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPgvWgtiWHI. Virginia Department of Health, “Winter Weather Preparedness,” online at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/public-relations-contacts/winter-weather-preparedness/. Virginia Department of Transportation, “Virginia Traffic Information,” online at http://www.511virginia.org/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Weather/Climate/Natural Disasters” subject category. Following are links to previous years’ winter-preparedness episodes, with music used in the episodes. Episode 190, 12-2-13. Episode 242, 12-1-14 – featuring “Cold World” by Kat Mills. Episode 292, 11-30-15 – featuring “Winter is Coming” by The Steel Wheels. Episode 344, 11-28-16 – featuring “Drive the Cold Winter Away” by Timothy Seaman. Episode 396, 11-27-17 – featuring “Winter’s Fall” by No Strings Attached. Episode 448, 11-26-18 – featuring “New Boots” by John McCutcheon. Episode 501, 12-2-19 – featuring “Cold Frosty Morn’” by New Standard. Episode 553, 11-30-20 – featuring “Drive the Cold Winter Away” by Timothy Seaman and “Cold World” by Kat Mills. Episode 605, 11-29-21 – featuring “Mid-winter Etude” by Timothy Seaman. Episode 643, 12-5-22 – featuring “Winter is Coming” by The Steel Wheels. Following are links to some other winter-related episodes.Frost – Episode 597, 10-4-21. Freezing and ice – Episode 606, 12-6-21 (especially for grades K-3). Ice on ponds and lakes – Episode 404, 1-22-18 (especially for grades 4-8). Ice on rivers – Episode 617, 2-21-22. Polar Plunge® for Special Olympics – Episode 356, 2-20-17. Snow terms – Episode 612, 1-17-22. Snow physics and chemistry – Episode 407, 2-12-18 (especially for high school grades). Snow, sleet, and freezing rain – Episode 613, 1-24-22. Surviving freezing – Episode 556, 12-21-20. Winter precipitation and water supplies – Episode 567, 3-8-21. Water thermodynamics – Episode 610, 1-3-22. Winter birds sampler from the Chesapeake Bay area – Episode 565, 2-22-21. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post.2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-3 plus 5: Matter K.4 – Water is important in our daily lives and has properties. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems 1.7 – There are weather and seasonal changes; including that changes in temperature, light, and precipitation affect plants and animals, including humans. 2.6 – There are different types of weather on Earth. 2.7 – Weather patterns and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings. 3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. 4.4 – Weather conditions and climate have effects on ecosystems and can be predicted. 4.6 – There are relationships among Earth, the moon, and the sun, including the causes for Earth’s seasons. Grade 6 6.3 – There is a relationship between the sun, Earth, and the moon, including that Earth’s tilt as it revolves around the sun causes the seasons. Earth Science ES.3 – Earth is unique in our solar system, including that the dynamics of the sun-Earth-moon system cause seasons, tides, and eclipses. ES.12 – The Earth’s weather and climate result from the interaction of the sun’s energy with the atmosphere, oceans, and the land.  2023 History and Social Science SOLs Grade 12: Virginia and United States Government GOVT.14 – The student will apply history and social science skills to explain the role of government in the Virginia and United States economies. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school. Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade. Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade. Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Click to listen to episode (4:53). Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 11-6-23. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of November 13 and November 20, 2023. MUSIC – ~28 sec – Lyrics: “What you gonna do when the river runs dry, when there’s no more water in your well?  You won’t know when to give it that one last try, you won’t be warned before the final bell.” That’s part of “River Runs Dry,” by Blacksburg, Va., musician Kat Mills.  The song, in which water sources are metaphors for the songwriter’s inspiration, opens a Thanksgiving-season episode featuring expressions of gratitude for literal water sources not running dry.  Here are three such expressions, by people from North America, Vietnam, and Kenya. 1. The Haudenosaunee people, an alliance of six Native American tribes that was formerly known as the Iroquois Confederacy, has a traditional “Thanksgiving Address of Greetings to the Natural World.”  The address includes greetings to 17 aspects of the world, such as people, plants and animals, the moon and stars, winds and thunder, and the creator.  Here’s the greeting to The Waters: “We give thanks to all the waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength.  Water is life.  We know its power in many forms- waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans.  With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.  Now our minds are one.” 2. Vietnamese spritutal leader Thich Nhat Hanh has written many “gathas,” that is, short reflections or meditations, on daily activities. Here is his gatha for “Turning on the Water.” “Water comes from high mountain sources. Water runs deep in the Earth. Miraculously, water comes to us and sustains all life. My gratitude is filled to the brim.” And 3.  About 10 years ago, a group of Kenyan schoolgirls wrote a poem in gratitude for a newly drilled well in their community.  Here’s that poem. Dear water, It was hard to get to you. Waking up at dawn Buckets on our heads Donkeys loaded with jerrycans. Miles we walked In the scorching heat To look for you. Dear water, At last you came. Sweet water Our backs are rested The miles are no more Diseases are gone. For you are closer to us. Dear water, You are such a blessing. One can find countless other expressions of awareness of and gratitude for water’s many vital purposes in writings by poets, politicians, professors, prophets, pundits, and plenty of others. For one last, short reading, we return to one of the water metaphors in our opening music, and quote a Benjamin Franklin comment that applies not only to water but also to anything one has and can lose: “When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.” Thanks to people everywhere who know and speak about the worth of water.  Thanks also to Kat Mills for permission to use this episode’s music, and—with hope that this won’t be the case for you or anyone—we close with about 30 more seconds of “River Runs Dry.”  Happy Thanksgiving!MUSIC - ~30 sec – Lyrics: “What you gonna do when the river runs dry?  Guess I’ll have to pack up and leave my home.” SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS “River Runs Dry,” by Kat Mills, is on the 2003 album “Long Time,” from Sweetcut Music; used with permission.  More information about Kat Mills is available online at https://katmills.com/home.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 557, 12-28-20. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Following are images of some Virginia water bodies for which the Commonwealth’s citizens can be thankful.  Photographs by Virginia Water Radio. Lake Drummond in Dismal Swamp, April 30 2005. Catoctin Creek at Featherbed Lane in Loudoun County, June 25, 2010. Jeremy’s Run near Rileyville in Page County, July 22, 2012. Craig Creek in Montgomery County, April 26, 2015.  SOURCES USED FOR AUDIO AND OFFERING MORE INFORMATION AZ Quotes, “Benjamin Franklin Quotes About Water,” online at https://www.azquotes.com/author/5123-Benjamin_Franklin/tag/water.  This is the source of the Franklin quote used in the audio. Be Here Now Network, “44 Mindful Moves in Daily Life—Thich Nhat Hanh’s Gathas,” online at https://beherenownetwork.com/thich-nhat-hanhs-gathas/.  This is the source of the Thich Nhat Hahn quote used in the audio. Borgen Project, “Kenyan Schoolgirls Dedicate a Poem to Water,” by Sarah Sheppard, September 7, 2015, online at https://borgenproject.org/kenyan-schoolgirls-poem/. Columban Interreligious Dialogue, “Being Grateful for the Gift of Water, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines,” online at https://columbanird.org/being-grateful-for-the-precious-gift-of-water/. Abu Amina Elias, “Hadith on Water: Best charity is giving water to thirsty people,” posted by Daily Hadith Online, July, 23, 2017, online at https://www.abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2017/07/23/best-sadaqah-water-thirsty/. GoodReads, “Benjamin Franklin/Quotes/Quotable Quote,” online at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/53013-when-the-well-is-dry-we-know-the-worth-of. Zachiah Murray, “How to Do Gatha Practice,” posted by Lion’s Roar, July 25, 2022, online at https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-gathas/. Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, “Haudenosaunee Guide for Educators,” 2009, online (as a PDF) at https://americanindian.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/HaudenosauneeGuide.pdf. Thai Plum Village, “Thich Nhat Hanh,” online at https://www.thaiplumvillage.org/thichnhathanh. Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation, online at https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/thich-nhat-hanh. Saffet Catovioc, “Islamic Texts Related to Water,” posted by Green Faith Water Shield, undated, online (as a PDF) at https://www.faithinwater.org/uploads/4/4/3/0/44307383/islamic_sacred_texts-water-greenfaith.pdf. World Vision, “Video: Schoolgirls share their poem ‘Dear Water,’” May 6, 2019, online at https://www.worldvision.org/clean-water-news-stories/video-schoolgirls-share-poem-dear-water. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Overall Importance of Water” subject category. Following are links to other episodes for Thanksgiving. Episode 291, 11-23-15 – Thanks for Musical Measures of Water. Episode 343, 11-21-16 – Wild Turkey and Water. Episode 395, 11-20-17 – Thanks for the Water – 2017 edition. Episode 500, 11-25-19 – The Variety of Virginia’s Water Story – for 500th episode. Episode 642, 11-21-22 – Thanks for the Water – 2022 Edition. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2017 English SOLs 5.4, 6.5, 7.4, 8.4, 8.5, 9.3, 9.4, 10.3, 10.4, 11.4 – Symbols, imagery, figurative language, and other literary devices. 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and Processes 1.5 – Animals, including humans, have basic life needs that allow them to survive. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems 3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. Grades K-5: Earth Resources K.11 – Humans use resources. 3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems. 4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources. Grade 6 6.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment. 6.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment. Life Science LS.9 – Relationships exist between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Earth Science ES.6 – Resource use is complex. ES.8 – Freshwater resources influence and are influenced by geologic processes and human activity. 2023 History and Social Science SOLs Grade One: Commonwealth of Virginia 1.2 – The student will apply history and social science skills to explain how communities honor local and national traditions and recognize designated Virginia holidays. Grade Two: United States of America 2.3 – The student will apply history and social science skills to explain how communities honor local and national traditions and recognize designated Virginia holidays. 2.5 – The student will use history and social science skills to identify the geographic location, use of resources, and identify the contributions of Indigenous peoples past and present. Grade 5: United States History to 1865 USI.2 – The student will apply history and social science skills to describe how early cultures developed throughout North America. Grade 8: World Geography WG.2 – The student will apply social science skills to evaluate the significance of natural, human, and capital resources. WG.3 – The student will analyze the characteristics of the United States and Canadian regions by (among other things) analyzing cultural influences and landscapes. WG.7 – The student will analyze the characteristics of the Sub-Saharan African region by (among other things) analyzing cultural influences and landscapes. WG.9 – The student will analyze the characteristics of the South Asian and Southeast Asian regions by (among other things) analyzing cultural influences and landscapes. WG.14 – The student will apply history and social science skills to determine cultural patterns and interactions across time and place. Grade 11: Virginia and United States History VUS.1 – The student will apply history and social science skills to describe the early North America by distinguishing how different Indigenous People of North America used available resources to develop their culture, language, skills and perspectives. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school. Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade. Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade. Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Click to listen to episode (5:16). Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Extra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 10-27-23. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of October 30 and November 6, 2023, and particularly for Halloween. MUSIC – ~18 sec – Lyrics: “Summer’s over, winter’s coming; summer’s over, winter’s coming.” That’s part of “Winter is Coming,” by The Steel Wheels.  It sets the stage for an episode on the origins of Halloween in the ancient festival of Samhain, first observed centuries ago by Celtic peoples.  Celtic lands include Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and areas of England and France.  Samhain marked the end of the Celtic year on October 31, when summer had faded, winter was approaching, and—in Celtic belief—the dividing line between earth and the spirit world was thin, allowing spirits of the dead to roam.  As described by Miranda Aldhouse-Green in her 2015 book The Celtic Myths, quote, “It was at the festival of Samhain, at the edge of winter, that the world of humans was most at risk from the inhabitants of the world beyond: the boundaries were suspended and the spirits could prowl among the living, to their good or detriment depending on the character of the individual phantom,” unquote. Along with Halloween’s date, many of its traditions can be traced back to Samhain practices, such as donning costumes or disguises, believed by the Celts to help them avoid being recognized by wandering spirits. When they weren’t wandering the earth at Samhain, Celtic spirits and Celtic gods were believed to reside in what was known as the Otherworld.  In Celtic beliefs, watery areas were considered access points to the Otherworld.  Celtic mythology also gave special significance to swans, whose beautiful appearance on the water might have suggested connections to Celtic gods.  Here’s a short version of an Irish legend about Samhain and swans; the opening and closing sounds are Tundra Swans, a North American species whose Berwick’s Swan subspecies is found in Ireland and Wales. SOUNDS  - 4 sec – Tundra Swans. Oenghus was the Celtic god of love.  In the myth called “The Dream of Oenghus,” the god dreamed he saw a woman named Caer, the Celtic goddess of sleep and dreams, and he became smitten with her.  He searched far and wide for her, eventually finding her among a group of other women at a lake, and learning that every other year at Samhain the women turned into swans.  At the next Samhain, Oenghus returned to the lake and, by turning himself into a swan, was able to win Caer’s heart.  The story ends with the pair of swans circling the lake three times, casting a sleep enchantment on everyone below, and flying off together.       SOUNDS  - 4 sec – Tundra Swans. I hope your Halloween has rich traditions and a bit of mystery, perhaps about waters or water creatures from worlds unknown. Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the swan sounds.  Thanks also to The Steel Wheels for permission to use part of “Winter is Coming.”  We close with another musical selection, which has become a Halloween-episode tradition on this show.  Here, for about 50 seconds, is “A Little Fright Music,” composed and recorded or Virginia Water Radio by Torrin Hallett. MUSIC – ~50 sec – Instrumental. SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The sounds of Tundra Swans were taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (FWS) National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov/cdm/; the specific URL for the recording was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/audio/id/86/rec/1, as of 10-27-23. “Winter is Coming,” from the 2015 album “We’ve Got a Fire,” is copyright by The Steel Wheels, used with permission.  More information about The Steel Wheels, based in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, is available online at https://www.thesteelwheels.com/.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 643, 12-5-22. “A Little Fright Music” is copyright 2020 by Torrin Hallett, used with permission.  As of 2022-2023, Torrin is the associate principal horn of the Symphonic Orchestra of the State of Mexico.  He is a 2018 graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio, a 2020 graduate in Horn Performance from Manhattan School of Music in New York, and a 2021 graduate of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver.  More information about Torrin is available online at https://www.facebook.com/torrin.hallett.  Thanks very much to Torrin for composing the piece especially for Virginia Water Radio.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 640, 10-31-22. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Image of part of an October 27, 1912, article in The Evening Star [Washington, D.C.] on the origins of Halloween.  Image taken from the Library of Congress Blogs, “The Origins of Halloween Traditions,” by Heather Thomas, October 26, 2021, online at https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/, accessed October 24, 2023. Tundra Swan in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, June 30, 2018.  Photo by Lisa Hupp, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/30970/rec/2, as of 10/24/23. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} A notice in a Roanoke, Va., coffee shop on October 29, 2023, advertising a modern-day observance of Samhain.  Photo by Virginia Water Radio. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HALLOWEEN AND SAMHAIN The following information is quoted from the Library of Congress Blogs, “The Origins of Halloween Traditions,” by Heather Thomas, October 26, 2021, online at https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/.  The blog post has information on the origins of the following traditions (in the order in which they appear in the post): carving pumpkins, seeing ghosts, wearing scary costumes, trick-or-treating, black cats, black and orange, bobbing for apples, pranking, lighting candles and bonfires, candy apples, bats, devouring candy, and candy corn.  The excerpts below are from sections mentioning Samhain. “Carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and wearing scary costumes are some of the time-honored traditions of Halloween.  Yet, the Halloween holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”), a pagan religious celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of summer, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.  In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor saints.  Soon after, All Saints Day came to incorporate some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before All Saints Day was known as All Hallows Eve, and later, Halloween.” “Seeing Ghosts – The festival of Samhain marked the transition to the new year at the end of the harvest and beginning of the winter.  Celtic people believed that during the festival, spirits walked the Earth.  Later on, Christian missionaries introduced All Souls’ Day on November 2, which perpetuated the idea of the living coming into contact with the dead around the same time of year.” “Wearing Scary Costumes - In order to avoid being terrorized by all the evil spirits walking the Earth during Samhain, the Celts donned disguises so that they would not be mistaken for spirits themselves and be left alone.” “Trick-or-Treating - There is much debate around the origins of trick-or-treating, but generally there are three theories. The first theory suggests that during Samhain, Celtic people would leave food out to appease the spirits traveling the Earth at night.  Over time, people began to dress as these unearthly beings in exchange for similar offerings of food and drink. ...” “Black and Orange - The traditional Halloween colors of black and orange also traces back to the Celtic festival of Samhain.  For the Celts, black represented the ‘death’ of summer while the orange symbolized the autumn harvest season. “Pranking - Playing pranks often varies by region, but the pre-Halloween tradition known as “Devil’s Night,” is credited to a different origin depending on the source.  Some say that pranks started as part of May Day celebrations.  But Samhain, and eventually All Souls Day, also included good-natured mischief.  When Irish and Scottish immigrants came to America, they brought with them the tradition of celebrating Mischief Night as part of Halloween.” “Bats - Bats were likely present at the earliest proto-Halloween celebrations, not just symbolically but literally.  As part of Samhain, Celts lit large bonfires, which attracted insects, which in turn, attracted bats.  Soon spotting bats became connected with the festival.  Medieval folklore expanded upon the eeriness of bats with a number of superstitions built around the belief that bats were harbingers of death.” SOURCES Used for Audio – Sources on Swans Birdwatch Ireland, “Swans,” online at https://birdwatchcork.com/swans/. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org.  Entries about swan species (Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, and Tundra Swan) are online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/search/?q=swan. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Birds of the World,” online at .  (Subscription may be required.)  This site lists the following swan species as occurring in the region of Ireland and Wales: Mute Swan (entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/mutswa/cur/introduction); Berwick’s Swan, a subspecies of Tundra (formerly Whistling) Swan (entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/tunswa/cur/introduction); and Whooper Swan (entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/whoswa/cur/introduction). North Wales Wildlife Trust, “Birds/Waterfowl,” online at https://www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-explorer/birds/waterfowl. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  Entries for swans—Mute Swan and Tundra Swan—are online at this link.  Trumpeter Swans are also known to occur in Virginia; see, for example, the All About Birds range map for the Trumpeter Swan, online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Trumpeter_Swan/maps-range. Used for Audio – Sources on Samhain, Halloween, and Celtic Mythology Miranda Aldhouse-Green, The Celtic Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends, Thames and Hudson, Ltd., London, 2015. Brehon Academy, “Irish Mythology: The Dream of Angus (Aisling Oenghus),” 10 min./57 sec. video, online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9-Fb5Mx14Y. Cleveland [Ohio] Clinic, “Samhainophobia (Fear of Halloween),” online at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23980-samhainophobia-fear-of-halloween. Feminism and Religion, “Caer Ibormeith, Celtic Goddess of Dreams and Prophecy by Judith Shaw,” January 28, 2015, online at https://feminismandreligion.com/2015/01/28/caer-ibormeith-celtic-goddess-of-dreams-and-prophecy-by-judith-shaw/. GoToIreland.com, “How to Pronounce Samhain,” online at https://www.go-to-ireland.com/culture/how-to-pronounce-samhain/. Government of Wales, “Who Were the Celts?”  Online at https://museum.wales/articles/1341/Who-were-the-Celts/. Library of Congress Blogs, ‘The Origins of Halloween Traditions,” by Heather Thomas, October 26, 2021, online at https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/. Transceltic, online at https://www.transceltic.com/.  Specific pages used were the following: “Festival of Samhain,” by Emmitt McIntyre, October 14, 2012, online at https://www.transceltic.com/pan-celtic/festival-samhain; “Interview with Dr. Jenny Butler: The Celtic Folklore Traditions of Halloween,” by Emmitt McIntyre, October 26, 2016, online at https://www.transceltic.com/pan-celtic/interview-dr-jenny-butler-celtic-folklore-traditions-of-halloween; “The Swan in Celtic Mythology,” by Alistair Kneale, February 3, 2016, online at https://www.transceltic.com/pan-celtic/swan-celtic-mythology. Wilderness Ireland, “Irish Folklore, Myth & Legend: The Children of Lir,” by Dawn Rainbolt, May 20, 2020, online at https://www.wildernessireland.com/blog/irish-myths-legends-children-of-lir/.  This is another myth featuring swans.World History Encyclopedia, “Samhain,” online at https://www.worldhistory.org/Samhain/. For More Information on Halloween and Related Celebrations Boston Public Library Blogs, “The Origins and Practices of: Samhain, Día de los Muertos, and All Saints Day,” by Dhruti Bhagat, October 30, 2018, online at https://www.bpl.org/blogs/post/the-origins-and-practices-of-holidays-samhain-dia-de-los-muertos-and-all-saints-day/.  This site has information about historical and modern observances of Samhain and of Día de los Muertos and All Saints Day. Library of Congress, “Halloween & Día de Muertos Resources,” online at https://guides.loc.gov/halloween/?&loclr=reclnk?loclr=blogser.  This pages states, “The Library of Congress is home to an array of resources on the folk customs, fine art, pop culture, and literature of Halloween and Día de Muertos.  Collections range from classic film clips to recordings of storytellers, and more.” Library of Congress, “Today in History – October 31,” online at https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/october-31/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Overall Importance of Water” subject category. Following are links to other episodes for Halloween.Episode 185, 10-28-13 – on the Eastern Hellbender (North America’s largest amphibian). Episode 548, 10-26-20 – “Hello to Halloween with Water Readings.” Episode 595, 9-20-21 – “Water and the Human Skeleton.” Episode 601, 10-31-21 – “Halloween, Water, and the Human Body.” Episode 639, 10-24-22 – “A Halloween Season Salute to the Witch Hazel Plant.” Episode 640, 10-31-22 – “A Water-related Halloween-themed Tree Quiz.” (whole piece played for closing) Following are links to previous episodes with sounds of the Tundra Swan. Episode 565, 2-22-21 – Winter Birds of the Chesapeake Bay. Episode 554, 12-7-20 – Winter Brings Swans from the Tundra to the Virginia Tidewater. Following are other music pieces composed by Torrin Hallett for Virginia Water Radio, with links to the most recent episode featuring each piece. “Beetle Ballet” – Episode 525, 5-18-20, on aquatic beetles. “Chesapeake Bay Ballad” – Episode 632, 7-18-22, on Chesapeake Bay conditions. “Corona Cue” – Episode 517, 3-23-20, on the coronavirus pandemic. “Flow Stopper” – Episode 599, 10-18-21, on “Imagine a Day Without Water.” “Geese Piece” –Episode 615, 2-7-22, on the Brant. “Ice Dance” – Episode 606, 12-6-21, on freezing of water. “Lizard Lied” – Episode 514, 3-2-20, on lizards. “New Year’s Water” – Episode 610, 1-3-22, on water thermodynamics and a New Year’s Day New River wade-in. “Rain Refrain” – Episode 559, 1-11-21, on record rainfall in 2020. “Runoff” – Episode 585, 7-12-21, on middle schoolers calling out stormwater-related water words. “Spider Strike” – Episode 523, 5-4-20, on fishing spiders. “Tropical Tantrum” – Episode 656, 5-29-23, on the upcoming tropical storm season in 2023. “Tundra Swan Song – Episode 554, 12-7-20, on Tundra Swans. “Turkey Tune” – Episode 343, 11-21-16, on the Wild Turkey. “Wade in the Water” (arrangement) – Episode 616, 2-14-22, episode three in the series, Water in U.S. Civil Rights History.” FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2017 English SOLs 5.4, 6.5, 7.4, 8.4, 8.5, 9.3, 9.4, 10.3, 10.4, 11.4 – Symbols, imagery, figurative language, and other literary devices. 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-5: Earth Resources 4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources. 2023 History and Social Science SOLs Grade One: Commonwealth of Virginia 1.2 – The student will apply history and social science skills to explain how communities honor local and national traditions. Grade Two: United States of America 2.3 – The student will apply history and social science skills to explain how communities honor local and national traditions. Grade 8: World Geography WG.1 – [Among several other items] The student will...[explain] how characteristics of regions have led to regional labels; [describe] how regional landscapes reflect the physical environment and the cultural characteristics of their inhabitants; and [analyze] how cultural characteristics including the world’s major languages, ethnicities, and religions, link or divide regions. WG.5 – The student will analyze the characteristics of the European region. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school. Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade. Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade. Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Click to listen to episode (5:07). Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 10-13-23. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of October 16 and October 23, 2023. SOUNDS and VOICES – ~8 sec - people visiting Dismal Falls in Giles County, Va., August 20, 2011. That’s the sound of people enjoying a scenic and splashy site in southwestern Virginia, where the main attraction is a type of water feature renowned for fascinating formations and dramatic drops.  Have a listen for about 35 seconds to some music and mystery sounds, and see if you know this type of water feature.  And here’s a hint: the alternative name for autumn is what the water does. MUSIC and SOUNDS  - ~33 sec If you guessed a waterfall, you’re right!  You heard three Virginia waterfalls: the Cascades in Giles County; a waterfall in Mill Creek Nature Park, also in Giles County; and Falls Ridge Falls in Montgomery County.  The accompanying music, by Williamsburg, Va., musician Timothy Seaman, was “Crabtree Falls,” named for a Nelson County waterfall whose 1200-foot total vertical drop is the highest of any waterfall east of the Mississippi.  And the episode’s opening sounds were from Dismal Falls, once again in Giles County.  These five are among 61 scenic and publicly accessible waterfalls in the Commonwealth listed in the “Great Virginia Waterfall Trail,” compiled by the Let’s See America Web site.  Meanwhile, the World Waterfall Database has 186 entries for Virginia, including smaller waterfalls, some located on private properties, and some now inundated by reservoirs. Encyclopedia Britannica defines a waterfall as “an area where flowing river water drops abruptly and nearly vertically,” and notes that the terms cataract, cascades, and rapids can also be applied to water coursing over an elevation change, depending on the height and the sharpness of water’s drop. Most of Virginia’s waterfalls occur along the Blue Ridge or farther west in the Valley and Ridge province; additionally, significant drops of the Potomac, Rappahannock, and James Rivers occur along the Fall Line between the central Piedmont and eastern Coastal Plain.  These are places where some key waterfall-formation factors occur: changes in the elevation of the landscape, rock layers with different levels of resistance to erosion, and plenty of flowing water. Virginia’s waterfall champ Crabtree Falls doesn’t rival the world’s tallest, such as Tugela Falls in South Africa, with a total drop of over 3000 feet.  Nevertheless, the Commonwealth’s many and varied, large and small waterfalls are popular, scenic, and invaluable water treasures. Thanks to Blacksburg neighbors for recording the Dismal Falls sounds.  Thanks also to Timothy Seaman for permission to use part of “Crabtree Falls.”  We close with another waterfall-related musical selection.  Here’s about 40 seconds of the traditional tune “Over the Waterfall,” in a version by Virginia Tech geography instructor Stewart Scales. MUSIC - ~38 sec – instrumental.  SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Dismal Falls sounds were recorded by friends of Virginia Water Radio at the falls in Bland County, Va., on August 20, 2011. The other waterfalls sounds heard in this episode were recorded by Virginia Water Radio as follows: Cascades Falls in Giles County, Va., recorded September 28, 2023; Waterfalls along Catwalk Trial in Mill Creek Nature Park in Giles County, Va., recorded September 6, 2020; Falls Ridge Falls in Falls Ridge Nature Preserve in Montgomery County, Va., recorded April 20, 2019. “Crabtree Falls,” from the 2002 album “Sycamore Rapids,” is copyright by Timothy Seaman and Pine Wind Music, used with permission.  More information about Timothy Seaman is available online at  http://www.timothyseaman.com/.  “Crabtree Falls” was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 125, 8-27-12. The version of “Over the Waterfall” heard in this episode was recorded for Virginia Water Radio on July 11, 2014, by Stewart Scales, used with permission.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio in Episode 222, 7-14-14.  Information on “Over the Waterfall” and on Henry Reed (1884-1968), a Giles County musician noted for his version of this tune, is available from the Library of Congress, “Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier: The Henry Reed Collection,” online at http://www.loc.gov/collection/henry-reed-fiddle-tunes/about-this-collection/; and from http://www.henryreed.org/, a Web site produced by Terry Reed, Henry Reed’s granddaughter.  Henry Reed’s version of “Over the Waterfall” is available from the Library of Congress’s online audio archive, at http://www.loc.gov/item/afcreed000177/. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES (Photographs are by Virginia Water Radio.) Cascades Falls in Giles County, Virginia, September 28, 2023. Waterfalls along Catwalk Trial in Mill Creek Nature Park in Giles County, Virginia, September 6, 2020. Waterfall in Falls Ridge Nature Preserve in Montgomery County, Virginia, April 20, 2019. SOURCES Used for Audio Encyclopedia Britannica, “Waterfall,” online at https://www.britannica.com/science/waterfall-geology.  The is the source of the quote used in this episode’s audio. Giles County [Virginia] Administration: “Dismal Falls,” online at https://virginiasmtnplayground.com/dismal-falls/; and “Mill Creek Nature Park,” online at https://virginiasmtnplayground.com/mill-creek/. Let’s See America, “The Great Virginia Waterfall Trail,” online at https://lets-see-america.com/virginia-waterfalls/.  The site includes maps, a video, and detailed information on 61 waterfalls included in a 1373-mile waterfall trail route. National Geographic, “Waterfall,” online at https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/waterfall/. The Nature Conservancy, “Falls Ridge Preserve,” online at http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/virginia/placesweprotect/falls-ridge-preserve.xml.  The site includes photos and a short video (1 min./37 sec.) of plants, animals, and the falls. Radford University, “Geology of Virginia CD-ROM Web Edition,” (several authors), online at https://sites.radford.edu/~jtso/GeolVAHome.html.  A map of Virginia’s geomorphic (or physiogaphic) provinces is online at https://sites.radford.edu/~jtso/GeologyofVirginia/Piedmont/PPhysio-2.html. U.S. Forest Service, “Cascades Day Use Area,” online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/gwj/recarea/?recid=73639. Virginiaplaces.org, “Waterfalls,” online at http://www.virginiaplaces.org/watersheds/waterfalls.html.  World of Waterfalls, “How are Waterfalls Formed?”  Online at https://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/how-are-waterfalls-formed/. World Waterfall Database, online at https://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/.  The list of Virginia waterfalls is online at https://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/country/United-States/Virginia/list. For More Information about Waterfalls in Virginia or Elsewhere McDowell County [N.C.] Tourism Development Authority, “Blue Ridge Traveler/Waterfalls,” online at https://www.blueridgetraveler.com/attractions/category/waterfalls/.  National Park Service: “Shenandoah National Park-Virginia/Hikes to Waterfalls,” online at https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/hikes-waterfalls.htm; and “Waterfalls & Gorges,” online at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/waterfalls/waterfalls.htm. Joe Tennis, “Natural wonder: County accepts ownership of Abrams Falls; discusses state park,” Bristol Herald-Courier, October 12, 2023.  This article describes the purchase by Washington County, Va., of 46 acres around and including Abrams Falls and the county’s efforts to have Virginia create a state park in the area. U.S. Geological Survey, “Waterfalls and Rapids in the Conterminous United States Linked to the National Hydrography Datasets V2.0,” July 14, 2020, online at https://www.usgs.gov/data/waterfalls-and-rapids-conterminous-united-states-linked-national-hydrography-datasets-v20. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Rivers, Streams, and Other Surface Water” subject category. Following are links to other episodes on waterfalls. Episode 125, 8-17-12 – on Crabtree Falls in Nelson County, Va. Episode 205, 3-17-14 – on Falls Ridge Falls in Montgomery County, Va. Episode 222, 7-14-14 – on Cascades Falls in Giles County, Va. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-3 plus 5: Matter 3.3 – Materials interact with water. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems 3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. 5.8 – Earth constantly changes. Grades K-5: Earth Resources 4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources. Grade 6 6.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment. 6.8 – Land and water have roles in watershed systems. Earth Science ES.8 – Freshwater resources influence and are influenced by geologic processes and human activity. 2023 History and Social Science SOLs Grade 4: Virginia Studies VS.1 – The student will apply history and social science skills to explain the relationship between physical geography and the lives of Virginia’s peoples, past and present. Grade 5: United States History to 1865 USI.1 – The student will understand the geography of North America, including by locating and describing major geographic regions and bodies of water of North America and their impact on the early history of the United States. Grade 8: World Geography WG.2 – The student will evaluate the significance of natural, human, and capital resources. WG.3 – The student will analyze the characteristics of the United States and Canadian regions, including by describing major physical and environmental features and how geography may change over time. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school. Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade. Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade. Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Click to listen to episode (4:47) Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Extra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 9-28-23. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of October 2 and October 9, 2023. SOUNDS - ~5 sec – Fire engine siren and horn. In this episode, we feature several mystery sounds to revisit the topic of a national safety campaign held every October.  Have a listen for about 25 seconds and see if you can guess the dangerous phenomenon that sparks this campaign. SOUNDS - ~26 sec – Smoke alarm, fire alarm announcement, fire hydrant pressure test.  The fire alarm announcement was as follows: “Attention! Attention!  A fire emergency has been reported in the building.  Please walk to the nearest exit and evacuate the building.  Do not use the elevator.” If you guessed fire, you’re right!  You heard a home smoke alarm, a fire-emergency announcement, and a fire-hydrant pressure test.  All are aspects of the constant and complicated challenge of preventing fires or protecting people, property, wildlife, and the environment when fires do occur. Fire safety by individuals, families, businesses, and communities is the focus of Fire Prevention Week, which in 2023 runs October 8-14; the observance always includes October 9, the date when the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 did most of its damage.  Fire Prevention Week has been sponsored annually since 1922 by the National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA.  NFPA sets a central theme for each year, and this year it’s cooking safety.  According to U.S. Fire Administration data from 2012 through 2021, cooking is by far the leading single cause of residential building fires; for example, in 2021 there were an estimated 353,300 residential building fires in the United States, with 170,000 of those due to cooking, about twice the combined number due to building heating, electrical malfunctions, and miscellaneous other causes. NFPA provides many educational items, and one of the learning tools for this year is a “Cooking Safety Tip Sheet.”  Here are some fire-prevention points from that sheet. * Be alert while cooking, and avoid using a stove after consuming alcohol or if you’re sleepy; * While frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food, stay in the kitchen, and turn off the stove if leaving the kitchen even for a short time; * While simmering, baking, or roasting food, stay in the residence, check the food regularly, and use a timer to remind you that food’s cooking. * Keep flammable items—such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels, and food packaging—away from the stove top.  And * Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried. Two additional recommendations from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management are the following. * Wear short, close-fitting, or tightly rolled sleeves while cooking.  And * Keep outdoor grills at least 10 feet away from siding and railings, and out from under building eaves and tree branches. The NFPA tip sheet and other educational resources are available online at nfpa.org; resources particularly for teachers, families, and children are available online at sparkyschoolhouse.org. During Fire Prevention Week and all year round, education and preparedness can help reduce the times we hear this sound: SOUNDS – ~ 7 sec - Fire engine siren and horn. Thanks to Freesound.org for the fire engine sound, and a special thanks to firefighters everywhere. SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The smoke alarm sound was recorded by Virginia Water Radio at a Blacksburg residence on October 4, 2017. The fire alarm sound was recorded by Virginia Water Radio at Cheatham Hall on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg on November 20, 2017. The fire hydrant pressure test sound was recorded by Virginia Water Radio on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg on March 10, 2017.   Thanks to the Virginia Tech Facilities Department and to Liberty Fire Solutions of Salem, Va., for allowing recording and photographing of the testing and for providing information about the test. The fire engine sound (dated April 6, 2016) was recorded by user logancircle2 and made available for public use by Freesound.org, online at https://freesound.org/people/logancircle2/sounds/342182/ (as of 9-22-23), under the Creative Commons 0 License.  For more information on Creative Commons licenses, please see http://creativecommons.org/; information on the 0 License specifically is online at https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Main poster for the 2023 Fire Prevention Week campaign by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).  Accessed online at https://www.nfpa.org/Events/Events/Fire-Prevention-Week, 9-22-23.  Copyright by the NFPA, not for commercial use. Graph of leading causes of residential building fires in the United States, 2012-2021.  Graph from the U.S. Fire Administration, “Residential Building Fire Causes (2012-2021),” online at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/residential-fires/causes.html. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT FIRE SAFETY The following information is quoted from the National Fire Prevention Association, “Public Education/Cooking,” online at https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Top-fire-causes/Cooking. What you should know about home cooking safety *Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop. *Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food. *If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the kitchen while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking. *Keep anything that can catch fire—oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains—away from your stove top. If you have a cooking fire *Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. *Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave. *If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out. *Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires.  Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop.  Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. *For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. Safety considerations for cooking with oil *Always stay in the kitchen when frying on the stove top. *Keep an eye on what you fry.  If you see wisps of smoke or the oil smells, immediately turn off the burner and/or carefully remove the pan from the burner.  Smoke is a danger sign that the oil is too hot. *Heat the oil slowly to the temperature you need for frying or sautéing. *Add food gently to the pot or pan so the oil does not splatter. *Always cook with a lid beside your pan.  If you have a fire, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.  Do not remove the cover because the fire could start again.  Let the pan cool for a long time. Never throw water on the fire. *If the fire does not go out or you don’t feel comfortable sliding a lid over the pan, get everyone out of your home.  Call the fire department from outside. SOURCES Used for Audio National Fire Prevention Association, online at https://www.nfpa.org/; “Cooking,” online at https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Top-fire-causes/Cooking; and “Fire Prevention Week,” online at https://www.nfpa.org/Events/Events/Fire-Prevention-Week.  The “Cooking Safety Tip Sheet” referred to in this episode’s audio is online at https://www.nfpa.org/Events/Events/Fire-Prevention-Week/About.   U.S. Fire Administration, “Residential Fire Estimate Summaries,” online at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/residential-fires/. Virginia Department of Emergency Management, “Fire Prevention Week,” online at https://www.vafire.com/fire-prevention-week/. For More Information about Fire and Fire Safety American Red Cross, “Home Fire Safety,” online at https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire.html. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, “Science: Wildfire Impacts,” online at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Science-Institute/Wildfire-Impacts. National Safety Council, “Fire Safety,” online at https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/safety-topics/emergency-preparedness/fire. National Weather Service, “Fire Weather Page,” online at https://www.weather.gov/rlx/fireweather. U.S. Department of the Interior, “10 Tips to Prevent Wildfires,” online at https://www.doi.gov/blog/10-tips-prevent-wildfires. U.S. Fire Administration, “Fire Prevention and Community Risk Reduction,” online at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/.  This information is particularly for fire departments. Virginia Department of Forestry, “Wildland and Prescribed Fire,” online at http://dof.virginia.gov/fire/index.htm.  Among the many topics is “Fire Danger,” online at https://dof.virginia.gov/wildland-prescribed-fire/fire-danger/, with a “Daily Fire Danger Rating” and a “Burn Ban Map.” RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html). Following are links to previous years’ episodes for Fire Prevention Week. Episode 389, 10-9-17 – Fire Prevention Week Helps Fight Fires with Education and Preparedness. Episode 493, 10-7-19 – Planning and Practicing an Escape During Fire Prevention Week 2019. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2018 Science SOLsGrades K-3 plus 5: Matter 3.3 – Materials interact with water. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems 3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. 4.4 – Weather conditions and climate have effects on ecosystems and can be predicted. Grades K-5: Earth Resources 3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems. Grade 6 6.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment. 6.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment. Life Science LS.9 – Relationships exist between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Earth Science ES.6 – Resource use is complex. Biology BIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and ecosystems. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school. Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th grade. Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade. Episode 606, 12-6-21 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.