Neighbors!
Posted at 5:40 AM on October 21, 2009
by Dale Connelly
(24 Comments)
Radio Heartland has tickets to a concert by Chris Smither and Loudon Wainwright III at the Cedar Cultural Center on Saturday, October 31st.
We'll take names until 1pm this afternoon.
Enter the drawing.
Obey the rules.
Best of luck.
You may have heard that there are new programs coming to Radio Heartland, starting Monday, November 2nd. Nothing against our faithful electronic friend JASPER, but the biggest difference you'll notice during these new hours will be the sound of people talking inbetween pieces of music. Real humans!
I am thoroughly delighted.
On yesterday's blog, Joanne asked for more information. We're going to try to concentrate the added shows into blocks, so between 10 am and 3 pm on weekends, and from 6 to 8 pm weekday evenings, you can expect to hear fresh voices. The schedule is on our Radio Heartland homepage.
Specifically, Joanne wanted to know more about The Thistle and Shamrock with Fiona Ritchie. The show originates in Scotland, honors Celtic traditions but looks towards the future by recognizing new artists and innovators. The show wins devoted fans wherever it is heard, yet no station in Minnesota carries it currently.
You can hear recent programs in the series by going to the program's website.
Mountain Stage has never been carried on any MPR station, even though I think it is fantastic. There is also has a page online that includes audio from past episodes for this program, which comes from West Virginia. If you look down the list of performers, it reads like a day's playlist on Radio Heartland.
Likewise with American Routes and Nick Spitzer. MPR listeners are already familiar with this program from the many years it has graced our news and information stations and The Current. Radio Heartland will present American Routes at 11 on Saturday morning and at 6pm on Tuesday. And yes, the program's website has an extensive archive.
And then there's A Prairie Home Companion, which needs no introduction, and explanation is impossible. We're going to try something a little different with this legendary show - putting it on Wednesday evening at 6 and repeating the previous week's episode on Saturday afternoon at 1. On the rare chance that you've never heard it, a portion of Garrison's formidable oeuvre is always within reach.
Sometimes I feel like the Dale Connelly Show exists in a radiophonic version of a new subdivision and mine is the only occupied house. All around me there are empty shells, carefully monitored by a faithful computer, keeping the light and heat on, waiting for people to move in.
Finally, there will be neighbors!
During a time when new families were settling in our area at a regular pace, I tried to bring a fresh home-baked apple pie to the door whenever I noticed a moving van in the driveway. Most people were grateful. Some seemed puzzled and a little bit afraid. Everyone either ate the pie, fed it to the dog or threw it out and then told me how delicious it was.
What do you do when somebody new moves in next door or down the street?
Comments (24)
good morning, All - and welcome to your new neighbors, Dale! seems like you are pretty happy about this - nice additions. we used to hear Thistle and Shamrock and loved it. and Mtn. Stage and Am. Routes are great also.
no, no. no pies for new neighbors because i am pie-dough disadvantaged. we always took a bottle of champagne to our new neighbors when we lived in Duluth. when we moved to the farm, an area church brought us a tasty apple pie - a very nice welcome. now our neighbors are a half mile away instead of 20 feet or less. even better :-)
You would think that I would have time to meet my new nieghbors, since I'm retired. However, I fall into the trap that seems to catch many people today and don't take much time to get to know new people that move in near me. It isn't all one way, some tmes they also don't make an effort to meet people.
There is one thing I do when I run into new nieghbors. I give them information about things in our town. We have our own way of doing some things here. New people will probably soon learn that there is a service for chipping tree trimings. It might take them some time to learn that the town usually has a day that is set aside for yard sales.
I know what you mean, Jim. I've been at my current residence going on three years now and am ashamed to admit I don't know any of my neighbors very well. Good one, Barb, re distance of neighbors in the country.
Loved hearing the Folksmen song from A Mighty Wind yesterday. I haven't seen the movie in a while and hardly remember the song, but when the fellow does the narrative part in Spanish, is he lisping?? Note to self - rent that movie! And maybe invite a neighbor over to watch.
Enjoyed your impression of the racehorse, Dale. Tomorrow could we hear Wilbur?
The people who move into my neighborhood are mostly young urban professionals without children and do not seem to be around much. I make an effort to meet and greet them, but that's about all. Not overly neighborly, I know, but everyone seems very busy in this world.
I LOVE American Routes. It's my third favorite show... right after The Dale Connelly Show and This American Life (in that order)! Glad to hear of the additions.
(read in a trembling, horsey voice)
ooohhhhh, Doonnnnnnnna
(read in a trembling, horsey voice)
ooohhhhh, Doonnnnnnnna
The funniest welcoming gifts I got....3M gift packs. Guess where my neighbors work!The tape dispensers do come in handy.
Stick together Heartlanders!
Oh, could we hear some Gillian Welch, please? She is such a poet! I see she will be coming round to the Twin Cities here soon. :-)
Mr. Ed - you're funny as hell!
In my neighborhood, there are a lot of dogs, and when we moved in, I had one of my own - a slightly geriatric basset who has since passed on to the great dog park in the sky (a new basset has recently moved into the house to fill her dog bed, though not her dog shoes). I found that just going out walking with the dog was a great way to meet the neighbors. And walking a basset is like walking a kid magnet...
Barb - I'm like you, I'm pie crust challenged. I did, however, learn from my mom that Mrs. Pillsbury makes a great crust, and no one has to know you didn't sweat over it...
Perfect choice for a Gillian Welch song! Thanks!
My mother uses "neighbor" as a verb, such as, "the people around here neighbor a lot", meaning that they hang out together. She never thought it was a good idea "to neighbor" too much, as it could lead to animosity and discord. I find I have "neighbored" most with people who have children the age of my children. Right now I have two neighbors on either side who hate my dog due to a time, several years ago when she barked too much, so we don't have much to say to one another.
I want a nieghbor, like Dale, who would bring over a pie as a welcome. I do have some very good nieghbors and had one, like the ones who Renee mentioned, that I would rather not have.
I have heard Mountain Stage and Shamrock and Thistle on another public radio station, some where, and I think they are very good choices for nieghbors to Dale on the radio.
In our current neighborhood we don’t have a lot of turnover, but I always try to wave at people driving by if I’m outside or say hello if they walk by or vice versa, and I try to learn their names. At work, I try to do the same so I can say “hello Bill” or whatever it happens to be, to acknowledge them as a person. Our company has about 450 employees – I don’t know all of them, but know a lot of the people in the factory production areas. In fact, last week I found out one of the guys I’d gotten to know had a motorcycle accident (with a deer) and was home recuperating so sent him a card. Yesterday he gave me a call to say hello and thanks for the card. Even though my immediate co-workers are a quiet bunch (programmer/developer types), I try to say good morning or good night to everyone. Whether you’re at home or at work, it’s not always nice to feel alone. That’s why I enjoy the conversation here in the morning.
I'm looking forward to the program additions too. When you first mentioned the possibility, I checked out their websites and even listened to a couple 'Thistle & Shamrock' archived shows as that one sounds especially interesting.
Donna,
In many parts of Spain, the ess sound is pronounced as a th-sound. So "gracias" sounds a bit like "grathiath." That’s what he’s doing in the Spanish part of the Folksmen song, except that he’s doing it very affectedly, as would befit a parody song.
Dale,
I was excited yesterday afternoon when I heard your promo for RH as I was listening to the Classical broadcast. The new lineup sounds great. I’ve always enjoyed American Routes, and I’ve heard about The Thistle and the Shamrock for years and never checked it out. Making PHC available at some different times is also a good idea. Bring on November!
We have been here long enough to know a lot of our neighbors, and are currently blessed with an excellent crop. We started having National Night Out gatherings several years ago, which has helped us to know the farther flung ones. My favorites have kids, we've all become good friends; we are the "grandparents on the block."
I too am excited about the new programming. I'll bet it will be nice to have some company, Dale. Thanks for The Mpls. Blues. :)
I just got new neighbors a couple of months ago, and I brought them my insecurities about my unkempt yard and my apologies about my loud dogs. They may get cookies at the holidays if I get my act together.
My parents grew up in the Como neighborhood of St. Paul in the 30's and 40's and they talk all the time about what a close knit community the neighborhood was. It was just like a small town. Most people attended the same church and the kids went to the same school. Indeed, my dad didn't fall in love with the girl next door, but she was only a block and a half away.
I guess we make community in different ways in the new millenium.
Thanks for Dare to Breathe, Dale!
Greetings! Thanks for the info, Dale. Looking forward to hearing the new additions to RH. We had an early morning appointment, so I'm just checking in now.
When we first moved here 10 years ago and kids were young, it was Ben's birthday. So I invited the neighbor kids (and parents) over I could see hanging around. The neighbor kids were anxious to meet the new kids to play with, of course. So we had a little birthday party with hardly any furniture and boxes around, but it was great. Those 2 families moved away, but the kids are still friends.
Now we don't know anybody. I've tried to make overtures to new folks I notice, but not lately. We just wave and that's it. Rather sad, really ...
It was fun to hear Ron Peluso and the Buddy Holly cast in Hour 2 on the replay. Ron was director for Minnesota Festival Theatre in Albert Lea for several summers in the 1990s, and I'll always remember Sue Scott (also of PHC fame) interrupting Ron's play introductions in some ditsy character, beginning "...Mr. Pelso!, Mr. Pelso!..." Ron always (or usually) wore his Yankees baseball cap. Fun times.
No wonder it's so funny - the song from Mighty Wind.
Thankth, Krith, for thetting me thraight!
Oh, Donna, you made me laugh out loud with that post. XD
Krith
Aw, Kris, how nice of you to say so. If we become BFF's, can I call you Krithy?
Absolutely not! :D
K
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