Folk Music, Fall and Fun

I love October! It's the best part of the autumn season (plus it's my birthday month!). The leaves are really showing their colors, the air is crisp, fresh and exhilarating, wood smoke wafts through the air and it's more fun to be in the kitchen testing recipes and baking. What is your favorite month?

I had a chance to speak with the Grammy Award winning musician George Winston today. He is performing at the Schauer Center in Hartford tomorrow, Saturday, October 2nd at 2pm. What a great guest! I love his style of music. He's been creating music for over 40 years and got started on organ music because he heard "The Doors" and was hooked. Since then, he's played "stride" piano music but I think he's most well known for his "folk piano" solos. George said that his goal is to play everything that his three most admired artists have done.

(The Doors, Professor Longhair and Vince Guaraldi-and he's well on his way to doing just that).

His latest album features the works of Vince Guaraldi. If you grew up in the 60's and 70's you may not recognize that name, but you would instantly know Vince's music as he did all the instrumentals for the "Peanuts Gang" T.V. shows. George's latest solo piano release "LOVE WILL COME" is available now. You might want to pick up a copy. You will be enchanted!

Today's Quote: Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can!"

Women's Expo, "Wicked-the Musical" and Wonderful Games

Planning is underway for the first ever Women's Expo and I've been busy too. It will be held at Heritage Village Shops on Thursday, October 21st from 2-7pm. I will be giving demonstrations of how to make an edible witches hat (photo on right), frighteningly fun cupcakes, and instructions and tips on how to have a "boo-tiful" breakfast bash, since Halloween falls on a Sunday this year.

Fall is my most favorite time of year. Lots of great holidays to celebrate! Decorations to put out, food to bake and tips to share. Hope to see all of you at the Women's Expo! It should be lots of fun.

Are you a fan of the "Wizard of Oz'? It used to be shown on TV once a year-I think around Thanksgiving. We would all gather around to watch and I usually had to sing softly to my younger brothers and sisters at bedtime, because they would be too scared to fall asleep on their own. (Those flying monkeys and the guards at the castle weren't very nice!
This past weekend I saw the production of "Wicked" at the Overture Center in Madison. It's been on the circuit for a few years now, but I hadn't seen it and wasn't too familiar with the story line. WOW! It's a very creative story about the life of the Wicked Witch of the West, her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East and Glinda, the Good. The actors were very powerful, the music magical and the entire show was fantastic. I don't want to give too much away but I was very glad to know that good does triumph over evil!

Today we talked with Leigh Anderson. She spent 3 years playing games and the result is a wonderful book, "THE GAMES BIBLE". It showcases 300 different games for singles, couples, families, children-there is something for everyone. If you love to play games, or need a christmas gift idea for friends or a family member who does, this is the book to purchase.
Leigh lists all the games by category (13 of them), the rules, the gear and supplies you'll need and also the strategies needed to win. A couple of the games she mentioned during the interview: "25 Letters", "Ministry of Silence", "Counter Squirt" and "Mr. Hit". Check it out by visiting the website: http://www.thegamesbible.com/