2,642 bears were harvested in Pennsylvania in 2024; three bears exceeded 700 pounds

By Steven Brodsky

It would be a bear for me to not share this news release that was issued by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) on April 22, 2025:

BIG BEARS AMONG THOSE HARVESTED IN 2024

They don’t grow them this big everywhere, but Pennsylvania has its share of giant bears.

Released today by the Game Commission, the 2024 bear harvest totals prove that yet again.

Consider the Venango County bear Heath Bromley, of Titusville, got with a crossbow in October. It weighed in at 597 pounds – a tremendous bear any hunter would be happy to take.

And yet, it was just the 10^th heaviest harvested by a Pennsylvania hunter in the 2024 seasons. The harvest’s nine bigger bears all topped 600 pounds, with three of them exceeding 700 pounds.

Scott Price, of Madison Township, Lackawanna County, got the largest of them all in Monroe County during the statewide regular bear season in November. It weighed 774 pounds.

Impressive as those animals are, the fact hunters run into them isn’t unusual. Pennsylvania hunters harvest big bears every year.

“Pennsylvania is home to lots and lots of great bear-friendly habitat, areas with abundant and varied food sources and thick cover,” said Brandon Snavely, the Game Commission’s black bear biologist. “That allows us not only to support lots of bears, but plenty of very, very big ones, too.”

In all, hunters harvested 2,642 bears during the 2024 seasons, placing the 2024 harvest in the top 25 on record.

As in past years, the overall bear harvest was spread across the state. Fifty-six of 67 counties gave up at least one bear, as did 21 of 22 WMUs. Hunters got bears in all seasons, too. The traditional statewide firearms bear season contributed the most to the harvest, with 823 animals. The archery season added 756, the extended season 425, the muzzleloader and special firearms season 634 and there were four harvests in the early archery season.

Between Bromley’s bear and Price’s bear, the others in the top 10 by weight are: a 714-pounder taken in rifle season in Perry Township, Clarion County, by Matthew Conto of Slippery Rock; a 700-pounder taken in archery season in Harrison Township, Potter County, by Henry Mast of Harrison Valley; a 689-pounder taken in rifle season in Chapman Township, Clinton County, by Michael Gerg of Kersey;  a 681-pounder taken in archery season in Sharon Township, Potter County, by Tyler Birdsall of Milton; a 681-pounder taken in rifle season in White Haven Borough, Luzerne County, by Stanley Boc of Huntingdon Valley; a 678-pounder taken in the muzzleloader season in Lightfield Township, Bradford County, by Scott Tiffany of Athens; a 673-pounder taken in archery season in Mount Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County, by Jeffrey Prinkey of Connellsville; and a 615-pounder taken in archery season in Jefferson Township, Dauphin County, by Dennis Morgan of Halifax.

Among counties, Tioga produced the most, giving up 163 bears last season. It was followed in the top 10 by Clinton with 157, Lycoming with 148, Bradford with 133, Potter with 109, Luzerne with 95, Monroe with 93, Pike with 85, McKean with 78 and Sullivan with 75.

Final county harvests by region (with 2023 figures in parentheses) are:

Northwest – 385 (357): Forest, 48 (68); Warren, 67 (65); Venango, 74 (64); Jefferson, 60 (50); Clarion, 57 (44); Butler, 38 (29); Crawford, 20 (24); Erie, 10 (8); and Mercer, 11 (5).

Southwest – 174 (141): Armstrong, 40 (41); Somerset, 34 (32); Indiana, 32 (24); Fayette, 30 (23); Westmoreland, 18 (13); Cambria, 18 (5); Greene, 2 (1); Beaver, 0 (1); and Allegheny, 0 (1).

Northcentral – 918 (1,034): Tioga, 163 (176); Lycoming, 148 (170); Potter, 109 (155); Clinton, 157 (108); Elk, 44 (90); McKean, 78 (90); Cameron, 56 (85); Clearfield, 67 (72); Centre, 64 (71); and Union, 32 (17).

Southcentral – 193 (162): Bedford, 40 (34); Mifflin, 14 (28); Huntingdon, 49 (25); Juniata, 13 (19); Perry, 12 (14); Blair, 18 (11); Adams, 7 (10); Franklin, 9 (9); Cumberland 11 (6); Fulton, 16 (4); and Snyder, 4 (2).

Northeast – 805 (1067): Pike, 85 (142); Bradford, 133 (138); Luzerne, 95 (135); Monroe, 93 (127); Wayne, 63 (124); Carbon, 62 (101); Sullivan, 75 (75); Susquehanna, 47 (67); Wyoming, 62 (62); Lackawanna, 31 (57); Columbia, 45 (27); Northumberland, 13 (10); and Montour, 1 (2).

Southeast – 167 (159): Schuylkill, 64 (65); Dauphin, 45 (42); Northampton, 28 (21); Berks, 18 (16); Lebanon, 9 (10); and Lehigh, 3 (5).

The final bear harvests by Wildlife Management Unit (with final 2023 figures in parentheses) were:

WMU 1A, 26 (19); WMU 1B, 67 (53); WMU 2A, 6 (3); WMU 2B, 2 (3); WMU 2C, 102 (87); WMU 2D, 173 (146); WMU 2E, 53 (41); WMU 2F, 213 (247); WMU 2G, 476 (565); WMU 3A, 203 (203); WMU 3B, 303 (343); WMU 3C, 145 (221); WMU 3D, 287 (451); WMU 4A, 71 (42); WMU 4B, 50 (47); WMU 4C, 197 (220); WMU 4D, 143 (124); WMU 4E, 96 (72); WMU 5A, 10 (18); WMU 5B, 2 (0); WMU 5C, 17 (15); and WMU 5D, 0 (0).

Last year, 201,280 hunters bought bear licenses for the 2024 seasons. It was the sixth-straight year bear license sales topped 200,000.

Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said that sustained high interest isn’t surprising. While a hunter’s odds of filling a bear tag are somewhat slim, Smith said, the exciting prospects of what might happen on any given bear hunt are always present and help fuel tradition.

“Bear hunting combines so many of the elements that keep hunters coming back,” Smith said. “For some, there’s the camaraderie of going to camp or hunting with family and friends. Others might venture out alone. There’s an array of seasons. But no matter how you hunt, there’s always the anticipation of seeing a bear and making the most of your opportunity. And that opportunity, literally, might be extremely big.”

Posted 4-24-25

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) plans to spray 38,146 acres of state game lands this spring to protect forest habitats from severe damage by spongy moths

By Steven Brodsky

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) issued this news release yesterday, April 21, 2025:

GAME COMMISSION ANNOUNCES SPRAYING PLANS

In an effort to protect wildlife habitat, the Pennsylvania Game Commission plans to spray over 38,000 acres of state game lands this spring.

Spongy moths previously were known by the common name gypsy moth, but the Entomological Society of America has changed the name. Spraying is planned for 16 different state game lands – 38,146 acres in all – and will begin as soon as leaf-out occurs and spongy moth egg masses hatch, likely in late April and May. No spraying will be scheduled the mornings of youth turkey season (April 26) or the opening day of spring gobbler (May 3).

“Those participating in spring gobbler seasons or otherwise enjoying state game lands may encounter aircraft spraying forested areas for spongy moths,” said Paul Weiss, the Game Commission’s Chief Forester. “We recognize some hunters might be temporarily affected by these activities, but disturbances are brief and only temporary, and by protecting these valuable habitats against a destructive, invasive pest, the forests will provide hunters the opportunity to chase gobblers there for generations to come.”

This year’s spraying will occur in the following regions: Southcentral, Northcentral, Southeast, and Northeast. The Northwest and Southwest Regions have no spraying scheduled this year. Most of the blocks of forest to be sprayed can be treated within one day, often within only a few hours.

The forests to be treated in the coming weeks have building populations of spongy moths that, if left untreated, could cause severe defoliation this summer.

“Oaks are the main target of spongy moths, and they also provide the best and most reliable wildlife foods,” Weiss said. “Unfortunately, in some areas, we have seen birch and maple replace the oak stands lost to past spongy-moth defoliation. This loss of acorn availability across such a potentially large area can have extremely detrimental impacts on wildlife populations ranging from chipmunks and squirrels all the way up to deer and bears. Even if the oak trees manage to survive damage caused by this defoliation, the reduction of acorn production can linger for years after. The Game Commission has made the decision to aggressively treat this problem to protect the wildlife resources in the immediate future as well as into the longer term.”

Oak forests also are important habitats for pollinator and other insect species. This promotes a healthy food chain ultimately benefiting all wildlife species.

Timothy Haydt, Director of the Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management, noted that, based on the value of state game lands’ oaks for wildlife, the agency simply can’t afford to forgo spraying this year.

“We know that oak forest habitats are tremendously valuable to all wildlife,” Haydt said. “Acorns are an essential staple of the diet of small and large bird and mammal species found in Pennsylvania. The energy gained by consuming acorns in the fall and winter months allows wildlife to survive the often-harsh conditions encountered prior to spring green up.  Acorns are also a preferred food source for our prized game species including wild turkeys, deer, black bears, ruffed grouse and several species of ducks.

The insecticide to be used is Mimic 2LV. Its active ingredient is tebufenozide. This agent generally is considered safe to humans. Most negative side effects happen with repeated, long-term exposure to high concentrations of the product. As with any chemical, it may cause eye or skin irritation if exposed, and it is recommended to wash any affected area if irritation occurs.

More information on spongy moths and the Game Commission’s spraying program, including a map updating the status of spraying is available on an interactive web page at www.pa.gov/pgc.

Posted 4-22-25

The Brandywine Conservancy has launched the Brandywine Native Garden Hub, an interactive website for those interested in the native plants of Pennsylvania and northern Delaware; the new website includes information on more than 250 native plant species

By Steven Brodsky

… The Brandywine Native Garden Hub website will be a great resource for many of you.

The Brandywine Conservancy issued this press release yesterday:

Chadds Ford, PA, April 14, 2025 — In celebration of National Gardening Month, the Brandywine Conservancy is thrilled to announce the launch of the Brandywine Native Garden Hub, a new online resource designed to inspire gardeners of all levels and skillsets. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is a free, user-friendly website that serves as both an educational guide and an interactive database for anyone interested in incorporating native plants into their landscapes. Naturally occurring in a specific region without human intervention, native plants have adapted to the climate and soil over time, making them easier to grow and maintain, plus they directly benefit pollinators, wildlife, and the local ecology. With the Brandywine Native Garden Hub, users can search for and learn more about native plants specific to Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, save their favorites to personalized “Garden Boards,” and browse through a suite of educational resources to help enhance their gardening success.

“We are so excited to share the Brandywine Native Garden Hub with our broader community,” said Stephanie Armpriester, Director of Conservation and Stewardship at the Brandywine Conservancy. “Our main goal with this new website is to break down barriers for those interested in getting started with native plants and to provide them with all the tools they need to begin their garden journeys. With this accessible online resource, we hope to inspire beginners to join us in our important mission-related work in their own backyards and landscapes. It’s also a perfect companion tool to the slate of educational programs the Brandywine Conservancy offers around native plants throughout the year, as well as our annual Native Plant Sales, both here on our campus in Chadds Ford, PA and in Western Pennsylvania at our Penguin Court Preserve.”

Now available at www.NativeGardenHub.org, the Brandywine Native Garden Hub contains information on more than 250 native plant species found in our region. Each plant profile contains everything you need to know about the plant—from growing conditions to key attributes and wildlife benefits—along with photos that show different growth stages. Users can also personalize their searches by filtering for plants according to their garden’s specific growing conditions, including sunlight exposure, soil type, and soil moisture. Plants can even be sorted by the user’s preferred attributes and benefits, including plant type, height/width, peak bloom time, bloom color, deer resistance, fragrance, and more.

To help visualize and plan their dream gardens, users can create a free account to build personalized “Garden Boards” that are customized to their unique growing spaces. Boards can be curated for the spaces users currently have, the type of gardens they are looking to start—such as a container garden for smaller spaces or one designed to attract specific pollinators—or even boards for future garden inspiration. Once users set up their boards, they can “pin” their favorite plants while browsing to save them for building out their garden plans. Users can also add, edit, and create as many Garden Boards as they’d like, which can be referenced at any time on both desktop and mobile devices.

To equip users with even more tools for success during their gardening journeys, the Brandywine Native Garden Hub also features a wealth of educational resources. Users can dive into our beginners guide for getting started with native plants or browse through other articles, including topics on how to prep a container garden, tackling invasive species, and seasonal gardening tips. Additional articles will be published throughout the year for continued learning.

For more than five decades, the Brandywine Conservancy has been a trusted leader in growing and promoting the use, preservation, and appreciation of native plants. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is the latest extension of this work, providing a digital platform to help gardeners bring the benefits of native plants to their own landscapes. To start your journey with native plants, visit www.NativeGardenHub.org.

The launch of this new online resource also comes at the perfect time, right before the return of the Brandywine Conservancy’s annual Wildflower, Native Plant & Seed Sale on May 10-11, 2025 (with early member access available on May 9). Held outside in the Brandywine Museum of Art’s courtyard in Chadds Ford, PA, the sale includes a wide variety of native wildflowers, grasses, ferns, vines, shrubs and trees. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is a great resource to reference in advance of the sale and can be used to create a “shopping list” with a custom Garden Board to bring to the event. More information on the Native Plant Sale can be found at www.brandywine.org/native-plant-sale.

Created by the Brandywine Conservancy, the Brandywine Native Garden Hub was designed and developed by Infantree—a creative agency based in Lancaster, PA—and made possible through a generous grant from the Allegheny Foundation.

About the Brandywine Conservancy:

The Brandywine Conservancy protects water, conserves land, and engages communities. The Conservancy uses a multi-faceted approach to conservation. Staff work with private landowners who wish to see their lands protected forever and provide innovative community planning services to municipalities and other governmental agencies. The Conservancy currently holds more than 510 conservation and agricultural easements and has facilitated the permanent preservation of over 70,200 acres of land. The Conservancy is a program of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.

About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art:

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands and waters throughout the Brandywine Valley and other priority conservation areas, developing sustainable approaches to emerging needs and assuring preservation of majestic open spaces and protection of natural resources for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.

Posted 4-15-25

Winter will end this month in the Northern Hemisphere

By Steven Brodsky

… and most of this column’s readers are looking forward to the arrival of spring, a season with weather that’s generally more conducive to enjoying activities in the great outdoors.

When and where those activities (camping, fishing, etc.) will take place at night (especially in the absence of ambient light), children and adults can contemplate with awe, Psalm 8:3-5: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.”

Posted 3-3-25

Some of the best bird photos

By Steven Brodsky

… that birders contributed to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library archive in 2024 are accessible for you to view online.

Enjoy: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/macaulay-librarys-best-bird-photos-2024/.

Posted 1-13-25

It wasn’t you, nor was it me

By Steven Brodsky

… who made this tree:

“Trees,” by Joyce Kilmer: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees

The tree was photographed yesterday.

The Joyce Kilmer poem was published in August 1915.

This post originally appeared at: Conversations About Faith – delcoculturevultures.com.

Posted 3-25-24, Reposted and Revised 11-21-24

In a proper season

By Steven Brodsky

…  appeared this frog (and the shadow it cast upon a lotus leaf):

Ecclesiastes 3 KJV (biblehub.com)

This post appeared in the Conversations About Faith section of this column.

Posted 4-25-24, Reposted and Revised 8-14-24

Exquisite is the monarch butterfly chrysalis stage

By Steven Brodsky

… as pictured here:

I can’t say that I find the adult stage of the monarch butterfly to be more exquisite than the monarch chrysalis stage.

Which stage is more exquisite?

Not an easy question (for me) to answer.

It’s easier to simply enjoy seeing these two life stages of the monarch butterfly in the great outdoors!

Posted 8-7-24

Coming into the peace of some wild things

By Steven Brodsky

… with this photo and “The Peace of Wild Things”:

Posted 7-9-24

‘Nature rarer uses yellow’

By Steven Brodsky

… wrote Emily Dickinson: https://www.online-literature.com/dickinson/poems-series-2/106/.

Thought of the poem today when this early spring spattering of translucent yellow came into view trailside in a National Park:

Some of this column’s readers will recall the Emily Dickinson poem the next time that they take notice of nature’s yellow in the great outdoors.

Posted 3-24-24

A tarantula species was named after Johnny Cash 8 years ago, on February 5, 2016 

By Steven Brodsky

… The species is found near Folsom State Prison, the venue where Johnny Cash’s first live album, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, was recorded on January 13, 1968. The album was released on May 6, 1968.

Folsom State Prison is located in Folsom, California.

The tarantula species is named Aphonopelma johnnycashi: http://www.sci-news.com/biology/aphonopelma-johnnycashi-new-tarantula-species-johnny-cash-03615.html.

Posted 2-5-24

Most people can relate

By Steven Brodsky

… to the kind of death that was experienced by the character in Seamus Heaney’s poem “Death of a Naturalist.”

Posted 7-12-22

A Conversation With Katie Fallon, Author of ‘Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird’

By Steven Brodsky

Katie Fallon is a co-founder of the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia. She’s worked with many species of raptors and other kinds of birds. Katie’s books include Cerulean Blues (2011) and the recently released Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird. Her essays have appeared in a number of literary journals. She has a lifelong love of nature. I’ve heard that the first word she ever spoke was “bird.”

Your new book gives vultures, particularly turkey vultures, the positive attention these non-predator raptors deserve. What brought about your interest in these maligned birds?

I’ve been fascinated by vultures for at least fifteen years. There was a roost near where I lived in West Virginia; every day I’d drive by this big, old dead tree with ten or so turkey vultures hunched in it. They became a familiar sight, and I looked forward to seeing them. Vultures are big and kind of dramatic, and in flight, there’s nothing more beautiful. In addition, they’re the ultimate recyclers—they turn death into life.

Many people in the U.S. have an aversion to vultures. Speak about this.

I think vultures remind people of their own mortality. It can be a little creepy to think about a large, dark bird waiting to consume your body when you die. In general, I don’t think people in the US are comfortable with thinking of our bodies as food. Vultures remind us that life will continue after we die, and that some life will continue because we die. They remind us of our animal bodies. Which can be unnerving!

In the absence of vultures, we’d have major health issues to contend with. Tell us why.

Vultures clean up our ecosystems by removing animal carcasses that could potentially contaminate soil and water. They can eat animals that have died of anthrax and botulism. In the absence of vultures, mammalian scavengers could increase in number, and many mammalian scavengers such as raccoons, skunks, feral dogs and cats can spread rabies; vultures do not. Several vulture species in India have suffered catastrophic population crashes in the last twenty years, and public health has suffered. India leads the world in human rabies cases, and the number of cases has increased as the number of feral dogs increased in the absence of vultures.

People get close to vultures by attending your presentations that feature non-releasable birds. How are these birds acquired? How are they trained?

The nonprofit I co-founded, the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, keeps eight non-releasable raptors for educational purposes (you need permits from the US Fish & Wildlife Service to do this, of course – the birds aren’t pets or personal property). All of our birds were injured wild birds that cannot return to the wild. We have three vultures. Lew the turkey vulture was hit by a car and suffered an injury to his shoulder that prevents flight. His “girlfriend,” Boris, was shot in the wing, and by the time she reached us the bone had already healed incorrectly. Our black vulture is Maverick, and he was hit by a car, which resulted in a shoulder injury that prevents adequate flight.

Our birds are all trained using positive reinforcement. We avoid negative reinforcement and punishment, and we try to empower the birds to have some control over their environments. We condition behaviors by offering food rewards when the birds perform the behaviors. Vultures (especially our black vulture!) learn quickly, and they are a lot of fun to work with.

What myths and misunderstandings about vultures do these presentations help to dispel?

People are surprised at how clean and charismatic the vultures are – and how beautiful they are up close, despite their featherless heads.

What vulture behaviors do people find to be most interesting?

People often ask if vultures throw up on us; our education vultures usually don’t (unless they get scared). Vultures also expel liquid waste on their legs and feet, probably to clean them as well as to keep cool. This often fascinates people as well.

Which species of vulture are found in Pennsylvania and neighboring states?

We have turkey vultures and black vultures. During the last Ice Age we may have had California condors, too, and possibly some other now-extinct vultures.

What has been learned about migration of these species?

Hawk Mountain has taken the lead on turkey vulture migration research. Dr. Keith Bildstein and his team have placed transmitters and wing tags on turkey vultures all over the Americas. They’ve learned that our eastern turkey vultures are partial migrants—some spend the winters in Florida, some on the New Jersey shore, some in Virginia, and in many places in between. Many western turkey vultures are complete migrants, leaving their breeding ranges in Canada and heading all the way to South America. And still others in the American southwest migrate into Central America and return. It’s fascinating how the different subspecies have different migratory strategies. Dr. Bildstein and his colleagues have ongoing research projects about turkey vulture migration, and are discovering more all the time.

Vultures have spectacular flying ability. What makes this possible?

Turkey vultures are very light – they have almost the same wingspan as a bald eagle but weigh less than half what an eagle weighs. Their wings are long and broad, and are made for soaring.

How high can they fly?

The Ruppell’s vulture holds the record for the highest-flying bird. Unfortunately for that individual, it was hit and killed by a jet flying over Africa at 37,000 feet.

Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird informs readers about lead toxicity in vultures. What is the extent of the problem? How do vultures ingest lead?

Vultures (and eagles, hawks, crows, ravens, and owls) can ingest small pieces of spent lead ammunition in animal carcasses or “gut piles” left by hunters. When someone shoots a white-tailed deer, for example, the deer is usually field-dressed, and many of the organs are left. This can be a delight for vultures and other scavengers! In ecosystems, scavengers often follow the big predators to clean up the leftovers; here, the same thing is happening—a human is the big predator, a gut pile is the leftover, and a vulture or eagle is the scavenger. However, if small lead fragments are still in the gut piles, avian scavengers can inadvertently ingest the lead and become sick. Lead toxicity from spent ammunition is the biggest obstacle in the way of California condor recovery.

The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia provides rehabilitation for injured birds. What kind of care do vultures receive?

We’ve treated vultures with a wide variety of injuries and ailments—broken bones, head trauma, lead toxicity, soft tissue injuries. Every bird we admit receives an immediate comprehensive examination by an avian veterinarian, and is then treated as necessary with antibiotics, antifungals, anti-inflammatories, fluid therapy, or chelation therapy. They also receive orthopedic surgery if necessary. We do our best to get the birds back out in the wild if possible.

It must be very joyful to enable an injured bird to regain flight ability. Please tell us about a memorable release.

Two and a half years ago we released a female turkey vulture that had been shot with a shotgun—she had three pellets embedded in soft tissue. We had to leave the pellets in her body because removing them would cause damage. Once she was nursed back to health, we released her wearing a transmitter to track her movements. We learned that she travels to northern Georgia in the winters and comes back to West Virginia in the breeding season. We are thrilled that this vulture was able to return to the wild—and thrive!

Vulture watching is growing in popularity. Turkey vultures are very widespread. Where are some of the best places and times to observe them?

In many parts of the southeastern United States, you can see turkey vultures any day of the year in a variety of habitats. In the winter, vultures can be observed roosting together in and near many cities: in Virginia, check out Leesburg, Staunton, Radford, Pulaski, and Charlottesville; in West Virginia, many vultures can be observed migrating in the fall over Hanging Rock Tower in Monroe County and over Harper’s Ferry in the eastern panhandle. During the summer and fall, the overlook at Cooper’s Rock State Forest near Morgantown, WV, is a sure place to see turkey vultures. Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania, of course, is an excellent place to watch turkey vultures and birds of prey during migration, especially in September and October.

What stimulated your interest in nature?

I’ve always been an outdoors person. I grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania, and I had horses as a kid. I spent a great deal of time with my horses, trail riding and competing, and when I got a bit older I often went hiking and camping with friends and family. One of my favorite childhood hiking spots was Ricketts Glen State Park—it’s filled with hemlock trees and many gorgeous waterfalls. It’s definitely worth checking out if you visit northeastern PA.

Was “bird” your first word?

Yes! My parents had bird feeders in their yard when I was a baby (well, they still do) and my mother says she used to hold me in front of the window to show me the birds at the feeder. One day, she said, “Look at the birds! Look at the birds outside.” And I nodded and said, “Bird.” I haven’t stopped talking about them since.

Katie Fallon’s website address is: www.katiefallon.com.

Posted 4-6-17, Reposted 10-29-19

 

Spring gardening season

By Steven Brodsky

…  is an apt season to embed this performance video for “Graves Into Gardens” (as would be any season):

God transforms “graves” into “gardens”!

Posted 4-23-25

He is risen

By Steven Brodsky

Matthew 28:6: “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

Because He lives (on this Easter Day and eternally), those who are His can certainly face tomorrow!

Posted 4-20-25

God is holy, now, at Passover and Holy Week

By Steven Brodsky

… God is holy forever!

https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-Passover.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/Passion-Week.html

Posted 4-14-25

Magnolia trees will be in bloom

By Steven Brodsky

… this season, spring, in regions where most of this column’s readers reside.

Magnolias in bloom are beautiful.

Also beautiful, is the autobiographical story of a “magnolia mother’s love” lyricized in this song: Billy Joe Shaver Magnolia Mother’s Love (youtube.com).

This spring and in the seasons to come, may agape love be in abundant bloom in our lives.

https://www.gotquestions.org/agape-love.html

Posted 4-9-25

If you are or have been in one or more of the categories of people that Jesus loves mentioned in Zach Williams’ song ‘Jesus Loves’

By Steven Brodsky

… know that “Jesus loves you.”

Posted 4-6-25

Good Friday and Easter are drawing nigh

By Steven Brodsky

… Last year, I shared here a photo that I took on Easter Sunday 2024 of a tree that had broken into the shape of a cross.

The tree was in a National Park, adjacent to a trail that I’d been on many times.

I’d never seen that tree in a cross-like configuration before.

That photo:

https://www.gotquestions.org/blood-sacrifice.html

Posted 4-4-25

As spring has sprung

By Steven Brodsky

… in the Northern Hemisphere and the earth is bringing “forth her bud,” it’s especially opportune to share Isaiah 61:11.

Isaiah 61:11: “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

Posted 3-25-25

A verse about perfect peace

By Steven Brodsky

… Isaiah 26:3: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trustest in thee.”

Our finite minds can’t understand this sort of perfect peace; no use trying to understand it.

Philippians 4:7: “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Thank God for the availability of this gift of perfect peace.

Posted 3-22-25

Will you be going to ‘where the wicked shall cease their troubling’?

By Steven Brodsky

… That place: heaven.

Hopefully, we’ll meet there some day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09sWkMK4uY4

The above linked performance video of “The Wicked Shall Cease Their Troubling” featuring Jessy Dixon was previously linked in this section of the Entertainment, Culture and More column.

It came to mind as I was writing an article today that included an embed of “April Come She Will,” a Simon & Garfunkel song that was written by Paul Simon. That article appears at: Conversations With Writers And More delcoculturevultures.com.

It was then that I recalled that Paul Simon had seen Jessy Dixon in concert at Radio City Music Hall in 1972, and that Paul Simon invited Jessy Dixon to sing with him on Saturday Night Live, and that the two would go on to tour together in the U.S. and overseas for eight years.

Jessy Dixon passed away on September 26, 2011 at age 73.

Posted 3-14-25

In memory of someone that I cared deeply about 

By Steven Brodsky

… This person, whose name I will not reveal (out of deference to the person’s family), passed away soon after being placed for the first time onto a “hospice bed.”

A photo that I received of this person that was taken just prior to the person being assisted onto what would be the person’s deathbed, shows a terrified look on the person’s face.

I believe that the terrified look captured in the photo was at least in part due to the person’s not having made things right with God (as far as I know).

I would not presume to know how God judged my dear friend.

Terrifying to the maximum would be to hear God saying the words that appear in Matthew 7:23.

About those words: https://www.gotquestions.org/I-never-knew-you-depart-from-me.html.

Oh yes, dear readers, “love the people that God gives you”… “one day He’ll want them back.” Scroll down this page to read the article “Aaron Wilburn’s The People That God Gives You.”

I loved my friend; God has taken my friend back.

Posted 3-11-25

Yesterday, on the first morning of Daylight Saving Time

By Steven Brodsky

… the time on clocks sprung forward (or should have) an hour. Upon awakening (on time), a verse from Psalms sprung into my conscious mind.

That verse, Psalm 143:8: “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

May we hear God’s lovingkindness in the morning.

May our steps be directed by God.

May our souls be lifted onto God.

Posted 3-10-25

In the ‘valley’

By Steven Brodsky

… God can enable flowers to grow in the valley!

Posted 2-20-25

Inside San Quentin’s yard

By Steven Brodsky

… was the venue for Ben Fuller to perform and to share some of his testimony (about God’s grace in his life) with San Quentin inmates.

From that ministry opportunity:

Ben Fuller, and others, will be performing in Lancaster County, PA at WJTL Fest on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Visit WJTL Fest – The Junction Center | WJTL for information and a link to purchase tickets.

Posted 2-3-25

One of the blessings of the godly in more advanced years

By Steven Brodsky

… is the capacity to continue to bear (wonderful/prime) fruit.

What a blessing that is, as the psalmist no doubt had observed prior to penning Psalm 92!

Take special note of Psalm 92:14: https://www.blueletterbible.org/nlt/psa/92/1/s_570001.

Posted 1-22-25

‘Christmas Gone Viral’

By Steven Brodsky

May Christmas Gone Viral temporally and eternally bless readers of this column.

Christmas Gone Viral | Full Movie 2017 – YouTube

Posted 12-6-24

Hallelujah for hard fought hallelujahs

By Steven Brodsky

… and hallelujah for Brandon Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah.”

A powerful video:

Psalm 34:1: “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Of course, dear readers, there may be times when such blessings and praise will be hard fought.

Posted 11-21-24

To commemorate Billy Graham’s birthday (and for other reasons): ‘How to Get to Heaven’

By Steven Brodsky

… sharing this video (recorded in 1963):

Billy Graham was born on November 7, 1918.

He got to heaven on February 21, 2018.

A 2018 interview titled “Rev. Billy Graham’s Passing: A Revisit With Paul Heil, Host of ‘The Gospel Greats’ Radio Show” is posted at: Conversations With Paul Heil, Founder and Former Host of ‘The Gospel Greats’ Radio Show – delcoculturevultures.com.

Posted 11-7-24

God’s children

By Steven Brodsky

… can take God at His word.

Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

What it means to be children of God: https://www.gotquestions.org/children-of-God.html.

Posted 9-22-24

Aaron Wilburn’s ‘The People That God Gives You’

By Steven  Brodsky

… was referenced here in the summer of 2020.

Circumstances of life have affirmed the value of the song’s message for me and many others.

I first heard “The People That God Gives You” on the syndicated radio show that Paul Heil hosted for many decades.

The song has continued to be a blessing to me (and I believe to some of the people that God has given me).

Be blessed.

1 John 4:7-8:

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Paul Heil was interviewed for this column in 2018 and 2016. The interviews are accessible at: https://delcoculturevultures.com/2017/03/14/a-conversation-with-paul-heil-host-of-the-gospel-greats-syndicated-radio-show/.

Posted 9-5-24

‘Sweeter than honey’

By Steven Brodsky

… was the taste of God’s words to the psalmist.

Psalm 119:103: ^“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

This verse came to my mind while I was enjoying a spoonful of wildflower honey a few minutes ago.

Some of this column’s readers will recall the verse the next time they taste honey.

And some will recall the verse when they next taste the sweetness of the Bible.

Posted 8-27-24

One thing that we can’t take back from the enemy

By Steven Brodsky

… unfortunately, is stolen time.

Our lives are short, like the lifespan of a vapor.

James 4:14: “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Time is valuable, including the time spent to write this column installment and the amount of time that readers will spend engaging with the installment.

God-willing, our time will be well-spent.

Take the time to watch (and enjoy!) this video:

Posted 8-14-24

Shackled and unshackled listeners

By Steven Brodsky

… have been enjoying episodes of UNSHACKLED, the iconic radio drama show, since 1950.

Episodes of UNSHACKLED are accessible at: https://unshackled.org/on-demand/browse-all-programs/.

John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Posted 6-6-24

Some of the cast of Servant Stage Company’s production of ‘Little Women The Musical’ will be performing in Servant Stage Company’s Sunday Night Cabaret Series on April 27, 2025 at 7 p.m.

By Steven Brodsky

… A March Sisters Cabaret will take place at the Magic & Wonder Dinner Theater in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Tickets are pay-what-you-will, consistent with Servant Stage Company’s mission to make exceptional theatre experiences accessible to everyone.

Visit April 27 | A March Sisters Cabaret — Servant Stage for additional information and a link to reserve your tickets. 

Posted 4-22-25

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced the recipients of the 2025 NEA National Heritage Fellowships

By Steven Brodsky

… Congratulations to the awardees.

From a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) press release that was issued yesterday, April 17, 2025:

Washington, DC—The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 NEA National Heritage Fellowships, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. The program recognizes recipients’ artistic excellence, lifetime achievement, and contributions to our nation’s traditional arts heritage.

NEA Folk & Traditional Arts Director Leia Maahs said, “The 2025 National Heritage Fellowship awardees represent artists whose labor is often invisible in the public eye. As stewards of cultural memory, they bring us ‘home’ with dances and songs passed down from one generation to the next. They adorn everyday expressive life with artistry in manual arts, costume, and regalia that animate traditions within communities across America. The National Endowment for the Arts is honored to celebrate these accomplished artists, for their cultural knowledge, excellence towards their work, and the legacy they uphold.” 

The 2025 NEA National Heritage Fellows are:

Carmen Baron, Mexican Folk Costume Maker and Dancer (Tucson, Arizona)

A trained structural and architectural designer, Carmen Baron sees the lines, colors, and proportions needed to create intricately designed custom-made costumes for young Baile Folklórico dancers throughout the state of Arizona.

Peniel Guerrier, Haitian Dancer, Drummer, and Educator (Astoria, New York)

An internationally renowned dancer and teacher, Peniel Guerrier has dedicated his life to preserving and promoting Haiti’s rich cultural heritage through dance and drumming, influenced by Haitian history and traditional Vodou practices. 

Adrienne Reiko Iwanaga, Bon Odori Dancer, Teacher, and Choreographer (Saratoga, California)

Adrienne Reiko Iwanaga has preserved and revitalized the traditional Japanese folk dance of Bon Odori, sparking new interest in the art form and expanding its reach and popularity through her innovative approach and artistic contributions.

Ernie Marsh, Bit & Spur Maker and Silversmith (Lovell, Wyoming)

Characterized by high-relief engraving, engraved steel, and French Gray finishes, Ernie Marsh’s craftsmanship is instantly recognizable and known among horsemen, collectors, and fellow makers for its balance of function and beauty.

Edward Poullard, Creole Musician (Beaumont, Texas)

A third-generation Creole musician, Edward Poullard mastered various instruments throughout his musical journey and is known for teaching Creole and Cajun fiddle and accordion styles throughout the United States and Europe.

Steven Tamayo (Sicangu Lakota), Traditional Lakota Artist & Educator (Omaha, Nebraska)

Steve Tamayo has spent decades reclaiming and celebrating Lakota culture through his art, helping students deepen their knowledge of traditional activities like regalia making, drumming, and powwow dancing, which are vital to cultural preservation and unity.

Tamayo is the 2025 recipient of the Bess Lomax Hawes National Heritage Fellowship, presented in recognition of an individual who has made a significant contribution to the preservation and awareness of cultural heritage.

Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America, Men’s Choral & Bandura Ensemble (Detroit, Michigan)

A musical ambassador of Ukrainian culture, music, and the bandura (a lute-harp hybrid instrument), the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America has its roots in pre-World War II Ukraine, and regularly travels for rehearsals, performances, and other community-supported events.

About the National Heritage Fellowships
NEA National Heritage Fellowship recipients are nominated by the public—often by members of their own communities—and then judged by a panel of experts in the folk and traditional arts. The panel’s recommendations are reviewed by the National Council on the Arts, which sends its recommendations to the NEA chair.

About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

Posted 4-18-25

A New Season of Theatre Classes in Servant Stage Company’s Monday Night Drop-Ins Program is Underway

By Steven Brodsky

 … Class subjects include: acting, improvisation, vocal technique, and dance.

These classes are pay-what-you-will.

From a Servant Stage Company press release issued on Febuary 14, 2025:

2025 marks the fourth year for the Monday Night Drop-Ins program. Last year’s program served 373 unique students (an 83% increase from the previous year) over the course of 64 classes, with many attending multiple classes. “It’s our goal to be a theatre home for people of all ages,” says Executive Director, Johnathan Bauer. “We want to create opportunities for those just getting started out all the way to those working on the professional level, and our Monday Night classes are a key component of that vision.”

Visit https://servantstage.org/mondays for additional information.

https://servantstage.org/

Posted 2-24-25

The responsibilities of managing a theater took a toll on William Butler Yeats

By Steven Brodsky

… and inspired Yeats to pen the poem “The Fascination of What’s Difficult” in 1912.

“The Fascination of What’s Difficult”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43286/the-fascination-of-whats-difficult.

W.B. Yeats received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923 “for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation.”

Posted 4-23-22

 

The Brandywine Conservancy is thrilled to announce the launch of the Brandywine Native Garden Hub, a new online resource designed to inspire gardeners of all levels and skillsets. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is a free, user-friendly website that serves as both an educational guide and an interactive database for anyone interested in incorporating native plants into their landscapes. Naturally occurring in a specific region without human intervention, native plants have adapted to the climate and soil over time, making them easier to grow and maintain, plus they directly benefit pollinators, wildlife, and the local ecology. With the Brandywine Native Garden Hub, users can search for and learn more about native plants specific to Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, save their favorites to personalized “Garden Boards,” and browse through a suite of educational resources to help enhance their gardening success.

Now available at www.NativeGardenHub.org, the Brandywine Native Garden Hub contains information on more than 250 native plant species found in our region. Each plant profile contains everything you need to know about the plant—from growing conditions to key attributes and wildlife benefits—along with photos that show different growth stages. Users can also personalize their searches by filtering for plants according to their garden’s specific growing conditions, including sunlight exposure, soil type, and soil moisture. Plants can even be sorted by the user’s preferred attributes and benefits, including plant type, height/width, peak bloom time, bloom color, deer resistance, fragrance, and more.

To help visualize and plan their dream gardens, users can create a free account to build personalized “Garden Boards” that are customized to their unique growing spaces. Boards can be curated for the spaces users currently have, the type of gardens they are looking to start—such as a container garden for smaller spaces or one designed to attract specific pollinators—or even boards for future garden inspiration. Once users set up their boards, they can “pin” their favorite plants while browsing to save them for building out their garden plans. Users can also add, edit, and create as many Garden Boards as they’d like, which can be referenced at any time on both desktop and mobile devices.

To equip users with even more tools for success during their gardening journeys, the Brandywine Native Garden Hub also features a wealth of educational resources. Users can dive into the beginners guide for getting started with native plants or browse through other articles, including topics on how to prep a container garden, tackling invasive species, and seasonal gardening tips. Additional articles will be published throughout the year for continued learning.

For more than five decades, the Brandywine Conservancy has been a trusted leader in growing and promoting the use, preservation, and appreciation of native plants. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is the latest extension of this work, providing a digital platform to help gardeners bring the benefits of native plants to their own landscapes. To start your journey with native plants, visit www.NativeGardenHub.org.

 

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has scheduled two railroad photography sessions; railroad photographer and author Brian Solomon will lead these sessions

By Steven Brodsky

… The sessions were announced today, April 11, 2025, by the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in this news release:

Strasburg, Lancaster County, PA — Due to the popularity of its first Railroad Photography 101 session in February, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has now scheduled Railroad Photography 101, sessions 2 and 3, led by noted railroad photographer and author Brian Solomon.

Session 2 will be held on Tuesday, May 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and will emphasize technique and the approach to indoor light. Brian will use portable stationary lights to illuminate several prominent rolling stock exhibits in order to allow for better photographs. This may include the 1838 Philadelphia & Reading Rocket, and the Reading Company’s shop switcher No. 1251. Session 3 will take place on Tuesday, June 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and will focus on composition and the approach to outdoor light, weather permitting.

Participants may bring their smart phone, digital camera or film camera to take memorable photos of the Museum’s historic railroad equipment. Session sizes are limited to 25 individuals and are designed for beginning photographers ages 18 and over. Registration is available on Eventbrite for both sessions two and three, and the cost is only $25.00 per person per session.

Brian Solomon earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in photographic illustration from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He produces a daily blog about railroad photography and his articles and photography have appeared in many railway magazines including Trains Magazine, Railway Age, Railroad Explorer, Railfan & Railroad, National Railroad Historical Society Bulletin, Germany’s Modelleisenbahner, the Journal of the Irish Railway Record Society and the UK’s Rail Magazine. Brian was presented with the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society’s prestigious Fred A.& Jane R. Stindt Photography Award in 2020 for his lifetime achievements in railroad photography.

Brian is the author of more than 70 books and writes a monthly travel column and feature articles for Firecrown Media’s Trains Magazine. He is the marketing manager for New Hampshire’s Conway Scenic Railroad, and lives with his wife Kris in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Many of his books are available for purchase in the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania’s Whistle Stop Shop museum store.

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is home to a world-class collection of about 100 historic locomotives and railroad cars, a working restoration shop, an immersive education center, a vast research library and archives, special events and exhibits and a Museum store.

A Smithsonian Affiliate, the Museum is one of 11 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History®, with the active support of the nonprofit Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Visit RRMuseumPA.org or call (717) 687-8628.

Posted 4-11-25

Hopefully, a child song character has outgrown/unlearned the damaging lesson that was inflicted upon him by a teacher on his first day of school.

By Steven Brodsky

… He’s in this song:

Perhaps he was the recipient of subsequent (and great) arts education that allows him to now enjoy seeing and representing all of the colors of the rainbow.

I wish Harry Chapin would have done a “Flowers Are Red” sequel!

Speaking of a “rainbow,” here’s a piscine beauty:

The rainbow trout photo accompanies a post about the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s 2025 adult trout stocking schedule. You’ll find that post at: https://delcoculturevultures.com/2025/02/02/conversations-about-nature/.

Posted 2-2-25

Attention wildlife artists: the barn owl is the featured species of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s 2026 Working Together for Wildlife Art Contest

By Steven Brodsky

… Details about the 2026 Working Together for Wildlife Art Contest are in this news release that was issued by the Pennsylvania Game Commission on January 10, 2025:

BARN OWL FEATURED IN ART CONTEST

It’s time to go back to the drawing board, or painting easel if you prefer.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has announced its 2026 Working Together for Wildlife Art Contest, with entries due by May 2, 2025.

The 2026 featured species is the barn owl. One or more barn owls can be featured in an original horizontal artwork measuring exactly 22 ½ by 15 inches, or a vertical artwork measuring exactly 15 by 22 ½ inches. Each artwork must be surrounded by a 3-inch-wide white border or mat, which is in addition to the listed artwork dimensions.

Artists can use whatever mediums and materials they choose, and artworks must be left unsigned and unframed.

Unlike in previous years when submissions were mailed or hand-delivered to the Game Commission, all submissions for the 2026 contest must be submitted by e-mail to rebawillia@pa.gov by 4 p.m. on May 2. Artists may submit more than one work, but for each submission, there is a nonrefundable $50 entry fee. Artists 18 and younger can enter for free.

Entry fees must be mailed to the Pennsylvania Game Commission ATTN: 2026 WTFW Contest, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797. Artists should be sure to include their name with payment.

All entries will be reviewed and evaluated by a committee of qualified Game Commission personnel.

The artist whose painting is selected for the 2026 Working Together for Wildlife fine art print series will receive $5,000 plus 50 artist proof prints. The winning artist must pencil sign up to 750 limited edition fine art prints produced from the original painting, with signing conducted at the Harrisburg headquarters, and the artist receiving the cash award after the prints are signed.

In addition, cash awards will be presented to other top-finishing artists. The artist submitting the second-place painting will receive $1,500; third place, $1,000; fourth place, $800; and fifth place, $500. In the event of a tie, the awards for the two places will be combined and split evenly.

Participating artists will have the chance to view entries after final selections are made.

Official rules about the contest are available on the Contests page of the Game Commission’s website. Each artist must be a Pennsylvania resident. For further information, contact the Game Commission 1-833-742-9453 (1-833-PGC-WILD).

Founded in 1980, the Working Together for Wildlife program has raised over $2 million for wildlife management and research across the Commonwealth.

“Revenues received from the sale of signed and numbered prints help finance wildlife research and management programs in Pennsylvania, meaning participating artists not only have a chance to take home winnings, but to help fund wildlife conservation through their work,” said Lauren Ferreri, who leads the Game Commission’s Bureau of Information and Education. “By inspiring artists, engaging the public and allowing both to help benefit wildlife, the Working Together for Wildlife program continues to promote the Game Commission’s role in wildlife conservation and serves as an important reminder that we all can make a difference.”

Posted 1-13-25

A Conversation With Victoria Browning Wyeth

By Steven Brodsky

Victoria  Browning Wyeth is the granddaughter of Andrew Wyeth and the niece of Jamie Wyeth. She is the great-granddaughter of N.C. Wyeth. Victoria is widely known for her dynamic gallery talks and lectures on the life and art of Andrew Wyeth. Victoria is a gifted photographer; her photos have been exhibited at a number of museums.

What are some of your fondest memories of your grandmother?

One of my fondest memories of my grandmother were our nicknames for each other. I always called my grandmother by two names: “Betsy” or “Mamma Sheep Turd.” I realize the second name might raise a few eyebrows so let me explain. I grew up in New York City, but would spend every summer in Cushing Maine with my grandparents. As a young girl, and as a grown woman, I have always detested sand, dirt and bugs. When I was about nine or so, my grandparents purchased Allen Island (near Port Clyde, Maine), and, in addition, a very large flock of sheep to help with the lawn “maintenance.  Along with the sheep came sheep turds…. EVERYWHERE. So, she called me “City Slicker” and I called her “Mamma Sheep Turd.” When I was in college and we wrote each other letters, the post office at my college would giggle when they handed me a letter because of the return address. I always smile when I think of the looks people gave us when we used these names for each other.

My second fondest memory was when she taught me to put on makeup and put my hair in a French twist. I can still feel her hands in my hair helping me pin it up. When it came to applying makeup she would always say, “Vic… less is more.” To this day I am not much of a makeup person.

Finally, my most recent favorite memory involved cooking for my grandmother (and my uncle Jamie) on Sunday nights. Betsy was the chef in the family – her meals were simply out of this world yummy. Mashed potatoes, cookies, creamed eggs, popovers, etc. You name it and she could make it. After my grandfather died she scaled back her cooking quite a bit. Around six or seven years ago I started cooking Sunday dinners for my family. I wasn’t the best chef at first; I burned fish more than I would like to admit. One of the things that still brings a smile to my face was watching her gobble up every last morsel. She would look at Jamie and me and say, “mmmmm this is good.”

Betsy handled much of the business affairs of her husband Andrew. What prepared her for this?

She always had such a powerful business sense. I’m not quite sure where this came from, but she handled Andy’s business affairs with such grace and intelligence. She was quite the inspiration.

Please describe how Betsy furthered the career of Andrew?

My grandmother helped further his career by supporting him in numerous ways. The most important was through her love: she loved him with all of her heart. She would always tell him what she thought of his newest painting – if he needed to simplify something, if the color was too intense, etc. She was also very instrumental in titling many of his paintings.

What was the extent of Betsy’s involvement in titling the paintings of her husband?

She had a huge role in the titles. Take the painting Wind from the Sea. When my grandparents were discussing the piece Betsy said, “It looks like a wind is coming in from the sea.” Andy replied, “That’s it!! Wind from the Sea.” Her vocabulary was most impressive. For example, she would do the New York Times crossword puzzles in ink. This gave her an incredible bank of words to choose from when she helped to title the work.

Her ability to title wasn’t limited to paintings: when I was in graduate school and writing long research papers, I would call her and tell her my paper topic. She would then call me back with a title. For example, I wrote a paper on shell shock in British troops during World War I. She came up with the title “Over the Top.”

Were you able to observe Andrew while he was painting? If you were, did he discuss what he was working on?

Andy HATED having people watch him paint. He felt that having you watch him paint was an invasion. The only times I watched him paint were: (1) outside my window in the summer. He would work on watercolors or drawings outside my parent’s house in Cushing, Maine. He didn’t know I was looking, but I was. I couldn’t help myself. This is when I was a young girl (under 13). (2) When I would accidentally walk into the house when he was working on something. I would apologize and he would smile and say, “Hi darlin’. I’m just finishing up.” (3) When I posed. This was my favorite because we got to discuss everything. I would barrage him with all sorts of questions about his work, his life, his friends, etc. The last time I posed (back in 2005) I was giving lectures at the Brandywine River Museum. It was so cool because I would incorporate what we talked about into my gallery talk that day. 

How sensitive was Andrew to what critics wrote about him?

He couldn’t have cared less what the critics thought.

Which paintings of his do you believe he remained most attached to? 

He was almost always most attached to the painting that he was working on.

To your knowledge, were there times in Andrew’s life when he was without artistic inspiration? If there were, how did he reacquire inspiration?

To the best of my knowledge this never happened. Even when he was in the hospital (for a hip replacement) he drew his hospital room and the view out the window. He was inspired by everything and everyone.

 Of the photos that you took of Andrew Wyeth, is there one that especially evokes cherished memories? Can you share those memories with us?

The one I took of him painting outside my window in Cushing, Maine. He was painting me and we would start working very early in the morning – 6:45 a.m. I overslept one morning and rushed downstairs. As I looked out of the living room window, I found him sitting out there with his watercolor pad on his lap, tissues everywhere (to blot the paper) and his watercolor box by his side. Whenever I get sad and miss him, this is what I think of and it always makes me smile. 

You’ve given many pro bono talks. Which of those talks have been most gratifying to you? Please tell us why.

My favorite talks, pro bono and paid, have been the ones I have done at the state and local prisons. I feel that those who are incarcerated should be exposed to art as much as possible. Since they can’t go to a museum, I bring a museum to them. For example, this past January I lectured on the work of my grandfather to the gentlemen at the Maine State Prison in Maine. I went on January 16th – which is a very special day for me – the anniversary of my grandfather’s death. It was a beautiful snowy day and I packed my car up with a bunch of my uncle’s and grandfather’s watercolors and drawings and headed to the prison. I thought it would be fun to create a pop-up gallery in the prison and even more interesting to bring one of my grandfather’s models with me. It was a very special day for all of us. I will never forget looking at the reactions on the guys faces as they looked at the art.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art is currently closed to the public (as are other museums) because of the COVID-19 crisis. Is there a painting in the Museum’s collection by Andrew Wyeth that, at this moment, you are especially looking forward to seeing when the doors reopen?

I love seeing my grandmother’s portrait – Maga’s Daughter. I’m very excited to go visit her and say hi.

Posted 6-8-20

There will be spring days ‘so perfect’

By Steven Brodsky

… as perfect as the day that’s featured in the poem “Today,” by Billy Collins:

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/40824/today-56d21ebdad746

Such days foster expansiveness under a “larger dome of blue and white.”

Those days will be perfect enough to possibly help to alleviate or eliminate impingements on one’s writing flow that may have set in over the winter.

Posted 3-31-25

Things that bug us

By Steven Brodsky     

Writers usually find it easier to shoo away or crush flies at spring, summer, and autumn picnics than to decide if they should write about some pesky (and personally troublesome) subjects.

If you’ll be attending picnics, enjoy them!

Nice (and easier) writing can arise from those picnics, whether or not flies and other external pests will be present.

Posted 3-28-24

The road I chose today

By Steven Brodsky

… a road not made of asphalt, enables me to commemorate Robert Frost’s birthday, which arrives in two days, by sharing this link: https://poets.org/robert-frosts-road-not-taken.

Robert Frost was born on March 26, 1874.

I’m appreciative that Robert Frost chose a road that facilitated his penning “The Road Not Taken.”

Posted 3-24-25

April is coming, ‘she will’

By Steven Brodsky

… In many of the regions where readers of this column reside, streams will be “ripe and swelled with rain.”

The writers among us can choose to act upon exceedingly rich and abundant writing prompts that the month of April and spring evoke.

Some of the better writing prompts will quickly disappear from consciousness, as if they’ll be carried off by the rushing waters of a “ripe and swelled with rain” April stream.

Such a stream:

Will you have pen and paper at hand to capture writing prompts and to actualize some of those prompts into first drafts?

Posted 3-14-25

Whether or not you will be welcoming the arrival of March

By Steven Brodsky

… March will be here soon.

It’s never too early or too late a date to enjoy this Emily Dickinson poem: https://poets.org/poem/dear-march-come-1320.

Posted 2-25-25

Disattired

By Steven Brodsky

… is this adaptively “wise” tree:

It’ll “stand sleeping in the cold” tonight.

Not easy (and unlikely) for most poets: to write with the level of poetic eloquence and concision that William Carlos Williams did in this ten-line poem: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45504/winter-trees.

While the “wise” trees will do what they will in the remaining nights of this winter, wise and dedicated writers will be striving to improve their writing ability.

Posted 2-23-25

The last vestige of light is present on these woods

By Steven Brodsky

… at the start of this snowy evening.

Though I would like to linger at these woods, it wouldn’t be expedient: there are “promises to keep” and “miles to go before I sleep.”

The words between quotation marks in the above paragraph are those of the speaker in this poem by Robert Frost: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42891/stopping-by-woods-on-a-snowy-evening.

I have to move on from these woods and this post.

Thanks for stopping by.

Posted 2-12-25

A biblical admonition for writers and/or bookworms

By Steven Brodsky

Writers and/or bookworms (many writers are bookworms) may find  Ecclesiastes 12:12 to be a catalyst to offset effects of excessive sedentary time with healthful activities.

Ecclesiastes 12:12: “And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.”

Be well!

Posted 2-10-25

To take us into February

By Steven Brodsky

… Dar Williams’ beautiful “February”:

May we come to regard the coming month as a month that was accompanied by much beauty and love.

And, to the writers among us: may you successfully express some of what comes your way in February on paper and screens.

Posted 1-31-25

In the closing hours of 2024, headwinds are in the forecast for January  

By Steven Brodsky

… for some of the writers among us.

You may have experienced first-month-of-the-year headwinds before.

It’s clear that the speaker in William Carlos Williams’ “January” has.

Note the first word of the poem: “Again.”

January by William Carlos Williams – Poems | Academy of American Poets

Good luck to those of you who will be writing through headwinds in January.

Happy New Year.

Posted 12-31-24

Christina Rossetti’s ‘A Christmas Carol’

By Steven Brodsky

…was an outflow of Christina Rossetti’s having given her heart to Jesus (read Rosetti’s “A Christmas Carol,” and take note of the words in the last line of the poem): A Christmas Carol | The Poetry Foundation.

Christina Rossetti | The Poetry Foundation 

The poem was not written by a woman with a stony heart.

What can God do for a person with a stony heart?

Ezekiel 36:26: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

Posted 12-21-24

Ted Kooser’s ‘Christmas Mail’

By Steven Brodsky

… linked here for our holiday season enjoyment, before the Christmas rush gets fully underway: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/55886/christmas-mail.

The Christmas cards that the mail carrier in the poem delivers have transportive power, as does the poem: they take us to a special time and place.

Season’s greetings to all of you.

May writing that you do on pages, screens, and on holiday cards be graced with transportive power.

Ted Kooser served as the U.S. Poet Laureate from 2004-2006. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 2005.

Posted 12-8-24

Serviceably macabre

By Steven Brodsky

… for Halloween enjoyment is Robert W. Service’s “The Cremation of Sam McGee”: The Cremation of Sam McGee | The Poetry Foundation.

This was recorded by Johnny Cash at Cash’s home:

Did the story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and a fourth person in a fiery furnace “walking in the midst of the fire” told in Daniel 3:16-28 help inspire Robert W. Service (January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958) to write “The Cremation of Sam McGee”? I’d tell you if I knew.

Posted 10-11-24

When the world was newer to all of us

By Steven Brodsky

… some of this column’s readers experienced the gathering of leaves in grade school.

Gathering Leaves in Grade School | The Poetry Foundation

A memory of gathering leaves as a child may have been dormant till now, as dormant as a deciduous tree that will have shed all of its leaves for winter.

Same can be said about the capacity to enjoy a more youthful sense of wonder while engaged in the non-cleanup (no rake in sight) activity of gathering leaves.

Posted 9-29-24

O column readers

By Steven Brodsky

…  Walt Whitman was born 185 years ago, on May 31, 1839.

In commemoration of Walt Whitman’s birthday, enjoy:

O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman (read by Tom O’Bedlam) (youtube.com)

Posted 5-31-24

A ‘wordless’ special encounter

By Steven Brodsky

… with a heron or other wild animal can compel a person to write about the experience “over and over again.”

A compelling poem, Hayden Carruth’s “THE HERON”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=39844.

Posted 5-9-24

A winged writing prompt

By Steven Brodsky

… prompted by Emily Dickinson’s “Fame is a bee” (linked below):

www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52139/fame-is-a-bee-1788

No telling when this prompt will take wing and disappear from this page.

Emily Dickinson did not experience the sting of fame; she was not famous during her lifetime.

Posted 5-4-24

Curiosity

By Steven Brodsky

… can prime an artist’s creative pump (yes, the proverbial cat that possessed this trait now comes to mind).

Posted 4-23-24

In commemoration of the birthday of Robert Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963)

By Steven Brodsky

… Let’s enjoy Robert Frost’s “Birches”:

“Birches” by Robert Frost (read by Tom O’Bedlam) (youtube.com)

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44260/birches

“Birches,” a song by Bill Morrissey, had been referenced in the main section of this column. I believe that Bill Morrissey probably titled the song as a nod to the same-named Robert Frost poem. Bill Morrissey spoke of the impact of Robert Frost’s poetry in an interview: “And then, as I got older, people like Robert Frost really hit me.” Bill Morrissey’s “Birches”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5n5ceAv_Bc&ab_channel=BillMorrissey-Topic. I never had an opportunity to interview Bill Morrissey.

Posted 3-26-24

A recitation of  W.H. Auden’s ‘O What Is That Sound’

By Steven Brodsky

… A great recitation of this unsettling poem:

Tomorrow is the birthday of W.H. Auden (February 21, 1907 – September 29, 1973).

Posted 2-20-24

Tracked and found a lost dog

By Steven Brodsky

… during a recent snowfall.

After finding the dog, turned around and noticed the tracks of the dog and my own in the snow “stretched out upon the world.”

Blizzard by William Carlos Williams | Poetry Foundation

The dog was returned to its owner.

Posted 2-15-24

Longing to be ‘lost’ in a romantic interest

By Steven Brodsky

… the condition of the speaker of “I Am Not Yours,” a poem by Sara Teasdale (1884 – 1933): https://poets.org/poem/i-am-not-yours.

The first-person character of Paul Simon’s “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” does not have that condition:

48 years ago, on February 7, 1976, “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first of three weeks.

The poem and song are referenced here in advance of Valentine’s Day.

Posted 2-7-24

Poe’s ‘Alone’

By Steven Brodsky

In recognition of Poe’s birthday tomorrow, reposting:

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46477/alone-56d 2265f2667d

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Co01IZRhi0&ab_channel=SpokenVerse

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809.

It’s opportune to also reshare this with you:

Posted 1-18-24

‘Taking Off Emily Dickinson’s Clothes’

By Steven Brodsky

No need to tell this slant: the above recitation appears here in commemoration of Emily Dickinson’s 193rd birthday tomorrow, as does this link: Tell all the truth but tell it slant — (1263) by… | Poetry Foundation.

Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830.

Billy Collins, author of the poem “Taking Off Emily Dickinson’s Clothes,” is a former Poet Laureate of the United States.

Posted 12-9-23

Edith Bunker (the character from ‘All in the Family’ played by Jean Stapleton) would probably have been delighted

By Steven Brodsky

…  if she’d known that we’d be welcoming this Thanksgiving by reading the linked poem by one of her favorite poets, Edgar Albert Guest: Thanksgiving by Edgar Albert Guest | Poetry Foundation.

Have a happy and thankful Thanksgiving!

Posted 11-21-23

Ray Bradbury (August 22, 1920 – June 5, 2012) was born 103 years ago

By Steven Brodsky

… In commemoration of Ray Bradbury’s birthday, enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W-r7ABrMYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU51N2s3B78

Posted 8-22-23

‘The work of a writer, his continuing work, depends for breath of life on a certain privacy of heart.’

By Steven Brodsky

… Yes. For the purpose of maintaining “a certain privacy of heart,” will leave it at that; no flippancy is intended.

The quotation is that of Tennessee Williams. It appears in New Selected Essays: Where I Live.

It’s presented here in commemoration of the birthday of Tennessee Williams this coming Sunday. He was born on March 26, 1911.

Posted 3-24-23

The musicality of ‘The Highwayman’ poem, by Alfred Noyes (September 16, 1880 – June 25, 1958)

By Steven Brodsky

… was beautifully expressed by Phil Ochs: The Highwayman – YouTube. Phil Ochs wrote the music.

Read the poem aloud; it’s not difficult to hear its musicality and to see the gorgeous imagery conjured by: “The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.”

You’ll find the poem here: The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes – Poems | Academy of American Poets.

Upon seeing the moon on special evenings, people sometimes sing the quoted line from the Noyes poem in the manner that Phil Ochs did on the linked recording, implicitly acknowledging the effectiveness of the poem and the song.

Posted 1-27-23

One can only imagine

By Steven Brodsky

… how great Hubert Selby Jr.’s novel Seeds of Pain, Seeds of Love (the working title) would be if the novel had been completed.

Revisiting this reading by Selby of a few pages from the incomplete manuscript of the novel because the pages and the reading are powerful and not everyone here now watched the reading when a link to it was originally posted, and because the writing exemplifies what can be achieved by someone who never completed formal education beyond the eighth grade and who had some huge personal challenges, and because I hope that the reading will inspire writing by some of you, but be aware that the reading contains a depiction of violence upon a juvenile by a parent and adult language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0wAJ8AFRmQ.

An outstanding documentary about Hubert Selby Jr.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvDJNEcUxfs.

This posting is dedicated to the memory of Dan Fante (February 19, 1944 – November 23, 2015).

Dan Fante was encouraged to write by Hubert Selby Jr.

Have you read Dan Fante’s memoir? It’s titled Fante: A Family’s Legacy of Writing, Drinking and Surviving.

Posted 12-5-22

Seamus Heaney’s father and grandfather used a spade. Seamus Heaney, a squat pen.

By Steven Brodsky

… digging tools.

Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney at Villanova University in April 2010 reading “Digging”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNRkPU1LSUg.

The text of “Digging”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47555/digging.

Seamus Heaney was born in Northern Ireland on April 13, 1939. He passed away on August 30, 2013.

Posted 2-2-22

Great color choice for the wheelbarrow in a 16-word poem by William Carlos Williams

By Steven Brodsky

… W.C. Williams chose red—an excitatory and perfect color for the wheelbarrow in the poem “The Red Wheelbarrow.”

Had he chosen any other color, the poem’s effectiveness would be greatly diminished.

Read or recite the poem from memory with a different color for the wheelbarrow and check this out for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqIl3oX_44s&ab_channel=awetblackbough

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45502/the-red-wheelbarrow

Posted 8-19-21

 

‘What time is it?’

By Steven Brodsky

… some of us will be asking this question after daylight saving time goes into effect on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 2:00 a.m. local time.

This question is likely to be more persistent and pressing for anyone who will be eagerly looking forward to getting together with a romantic interest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9kPilrNBxY

Posted 3-4-25

‘I’m just a long-haired son of a sinner’

By Steven Brodsky

… sings Jelly Roll in “Son of a Sinner” (one of my favorite Jelly Roll songs):

We’re all children of sinners.

And all of us have sinned.

Nonetheless, God loves us.

Romans 5:8 KJV: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

This post appeared at: Conversations About Faith – delcoculturevultures.com.

Posted 8-20-24, Revised and Reposted 12-6-24

Saying ‘hello in there’

By Steven Brodsky

… can be a helpful start to alleviating loneliness.

It’s not uncommon for people to experience loneliness, and some other difficult emotions, more intensely during the holiday season: in some appropriate circumstances, sincerely extending and receiving expressions of “hello in there” may be especially beneficial at this time of the year.

As we know.

Posted 11-24-24

Nefesh Mountain releases the official lyric video for ‘Milestoned,’ the second single to be released from Nefesh Mountain’s upcoming double album titled ‘Beacons’

By Steven Brodsky

… The official lyric video for “Milestoned” was released today, as was a press release about the single and the double album.

An excerpt from that press release:

NASHVILLE – November 20, 2024 – “Milestoned,” a glorious Americana/psych-folk ode to Southern Rock from the genre-defying band Nefesh Mountain, celebrates the spirit of living life on the highway. Co-written by band founders Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff, it is the second single to be released from the electrified Americana half of the band’s upcoming double album titled Beacons, set for release January 31, 2025.

While its two full-length albums are distinctly different, both sides of Beacons clearly exude what makes Nefesh Mountain unique in the first place—a vast musical knowledge and equally vast curiosity, paired with impeccable musicianship. One disc is pure bluegrass, while the other radiates unadulterated Americana.

Beacons is also the band’s first foray into the electric/jam world, and while the sonic shift may be new for some fans, it’s actually old terrain for guitarist Eric Lindberg, who cut his teeth playing electric guitar in his formative years as a studio musician and hired gun on New York’s music scene.

“I’ve been on the road and slugging it out for the better part of the last two decades,” says Lindberg, “and it feels like whatever phase of life I’m in, I can always count on this completely organic high that I get from music, travel, and being in the flow night after night on the road. We tried to express this feeling of being literally mile-stoned by infusing the lyrics with all these little “druggy” surprises. It was a really fun song to write and play with the band, and finally stretch out a bit on the tele too!”

“Being a part of Nefesh Mountain has put me on the most adventurous journey of music, love, and life,” exudes Zasloff. “This song is all about embracing these magical and mystical parts of life and being on the road, getting to soak in the vast landscape of America.”

Nefesh Mountain

Posted 11-20-24

The song that’s as iconically representative of Americana as apple pie

By Steven Brodsky

… Don McLean’s “American Pie,” embedded here in celebration of Don McLean’s 79th birthday:

Don McLean was born on October 2, 1945 in New Rochelle, New York.

Happy birthday wishes go out to Don McLean!

Tour | Don McLean

Posted 10-2-24

This’ll be the day

By Steven Brodsky

… to commemorate Buddy Holly’s birthday by listening to:

Buddy Holly was born on September 7, 1936, 88 years ago.

Posted 9-7-24

‘Mercy,’ indeed

By Steven Brodsky

… Roy Orbison’s ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ was released 60 years ago.

Released on August 29, 1964:

Posted 8-29-24

‘Pride and Joy’

By Steven Brodsky

… shared here on the 34th anniversary of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s passing away on August 27, 1990:

A helicopter crash took the life of Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stevie Ray Vaughan was 35 years old.

Posted 8-27-24

Paul Simon heard Jessy Dixon perform ‘The Wicked Shall Cease Their Troubling’

By Steven Brodsky

… in Radio City Music Hall in 1972, which prompted Paul Simon to invite Jessy Dixon to sing with him on Saturday Night Live. The two would go on to tour together in the U.S. and overseas for eight years.

Enjoy this video of Jessy Dixon singing “The Wicked Shall Cease Their Troubling” at The Dome:

 

Job 3:17: ^“There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.”

Jessy Dixon passed away on September 26, 2011 at age 73. This post appeared in the Conversations About Faith section of the Entertainment, Culture and More column. 

Posted 1-10-21, Reposted and Revised 8-19-24

How meeting Livingston Taylor at a concert affected the career of John Flynn

By Steven Brodsky

John Flynn has been interviewed several times for this column. In a 2011 radio interview, John and I spoke about Livingston. We did so again last year in this interview for this column.

John, where and when did you first meet Livingston Taylor and how old were you at the time?

Gene Shay introduced me to Livingston back in the ’80s. It was prior to one of his appearances at the old Bijou Café in Philadelphia. I was in my early twenties and just starting out. I was a big fan of Livingston’s and I had just appeared on Gene’s radio show on WMMR. I heard Gene mention that he was going to host Livingston’s show, so I asked for an intro. Gene was just too nice to say no.

What was going on in your life?

I was playing some bar gigs, writing songs and mailing demos to Nashville. This was a few years before I got signed to my first publishing deal down there.

Describe what took place. What did Livingston tell you?

To begin with, Livingston was incredibly gracious. As a performer, I really see that now in hindsight, because usually the last thing I want to do before a show is to meet new people and have them sing their songs to me. Actually, I don’t think I’ve met anyone before or since who would have extended themselves in this way to a stranger. But that’s exactly what happened. Gene apparently bragged about me enough to get Livingston to hand me his guitar and sit down directly in front of me. He asked me to play him a song and listened with an almost unnerving, totally focused attention. When I was done he asked if I had any more. I did a second song and he asked for another. I was only too happy to oblige, figuring that if he’d listen to three songs he must be hearing something he liked. When I finished singing, Livingston kind of scrunched up his face and got real thoughtful. There was a long pause. Then he said, “John, there are so many wonderful ways to spend your time in this life. Take a walk, read a good book, spend some time with someone you love. Please do ANY of these things rather than write any more mediocre songs.” The rest was a little bit of a blur. He talked about Cole Porter and Yip Harburg, writers I didn’t really know much about at that point. He really challenged me to study the greats. He spent like ten minutes talking about song structure, and he played me these long-forgotten but really beautiful introductions to popular old standards. – Unknown (at least to me) musical salutations from bygone eras, that had been intended by their composers to set the mood and put the listener in the proper frame of mind to receive the coming song. He even explained that he would be doing relatively few of his own songs in his show that evening because great songs are rare, and a song should be great if you’re gonna sing it. That was the bottom line. If you weren’t going to try to write a great song, then why write one at all?

How did you respond to this at the time?

I guess I was disappointed. But disappointment wasn’t all I took away from the encounter, because Livingston could have easily tossed me a few compliments. He was probably never gonna have to see me again so that would have been the easy thing to do. But I sensed that he respected songs and songwriters too much for that. He chose the harder path and told the truth. He threw down the gauntlet. And, in my way, I accepted the challenge that night. I determined to work much harder at my craft. To really try to write great songs. I’m not saying that’s what I’ve always accomplished. But he got me to aim there. I’ve always been grateful for that.

How did the encounter impact your life?

I’m here forty years later answering questions about music.

Author’s note to readers: Livingston Taylor is a professor at Berklee College of Music.

John Flynn’s website address is: http://johnflynn.net/.

Posted 3-29-19, Reposted 8-6-24

Thinking about Solomon Burke

By Steven Brodsky

… after recalling this morning that the City of Philadelphia had honored Solomon Burke by having declared that July 19, 2002 would be “Solomon Burke Day.”

Solomon Burke (March 21, 1940 – October 10, 2010) was born in Philadelphia.

Posted 7-19-24

Non-botanical ‘poison ivy’

By Steven Brodsky

… The kind of “poison ivy” that appears in a song written by Leiber and Stoller that was recorded by The Coasters 65 years ago (on July 16, 1959) wasn’t botanical.

The song: “Poison Ivy.”

A species of poison ivy (and other plants) is pictured here:

Posted 7-16-24

Wouldn’t be prudent to dance till a quarter to three

By Steven Brodsky

… nowadays, if you were listening to Gary U.S. Bonds’ recording of “Quarter To Three” when the single went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first of two weeks, 63 years ago, on June 26, 1961.

Many of you will be singing and/or dancing while listening to the Gary U.S. Bonds recording, and while watching the following embed of Springsteen covering “Quarter To Three” in concert:

 

Posted 6-26-24

‘Blue,’ Joni Mitchell’s fourth studio album, was released 53 years ago

By Steven Brodsky

… on June 22, 1971.

One can get a bit blue realizing that so much time has transpired since this monumental album was released.

Enjoy!:

Posted 6-22-24

The ‘bright elusive butterfly of love’

By Steven Brodsky

… will be fluttering into the lives of some people in the coming months.

Enjoy!:

Posted 5-10-24

Let’s hope

By Steven Brodsky

… that the first-person character in Simon & Garfunkel’s “I Am a Rock” has emerged from social isolation, and that he is now enjoying beneficial relationships.

Community can be invaluable.

 

Posted 11-24-24

‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’

By Steven Brodsky

… to commemorate Dusty Springfield’s birthday:

Dusty Springfield was born 85 years ago on April 16, 1939.

Posted 4-16-24

Remembering Solomon Burke (March 21, 1940 – October 10, 2010) on Solomon Burke’s birthday

By Steven Brodsky

Solomon Burke, Grammy-winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, was born in West Philadelphia. His records and concerts influenced some of the greatest artists in soul, rock, and other genres.

Enjoy:

“Everybody Needs Somebody to Love”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmkeyzZ91sI

“If You Need Me”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PllNSSUz3gk

“Cry to Me”: Solomon Burke – Cry To Me (Live at Montreux 2006) (youtube.com)

Mary J. Blige inducting Solomon Burke into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmyRq09cTIs

… and read the chapter “The Song of Solomon: A Triptych” in Peter Guralnick’s excellent Looking to Get Lost: Adventures in Music and Writing. 

On July 19, 2002, the City of Philadelphia honored Solomon Burke by declaring the day to be “Solomon Burke Day.”

I had the honor of doing a longform radio interview with Solomon Burke. The interview aired live on May 21, 2010.

Posted 3-21-24

Whether or not the song character in ‘I’m Not in Love’ was in love

By Steven Brodsky

… 49 years after 10cc’s The Original Soundtrack album was released, “I’m Not in Love” (on one of the album’s tracks) continues to be loved by many people.

The Original Soundtrack was released on March 11, 1975.

Posted 3-11-24

Fifty-one years ago, Bruce Springsteen performed a concert at Villanova University’s St. Mary’s Hall auditorium

By Steven Brodsky

… That concert took place on January 16, 1973 before an audience of only fifty or fewer people because advertising for the concert could not run in a campus newspaper (because of a newspaper strike) and because The Boss was young in his career.

How young? Springsteen’s debut studio album, Greetings from Asbury Park, was newly released; the album was released on January 5, 1973.

“Spirit in the Night,” a track from Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ:

Posted 1-16-24

There weren’t many attendees at Bob Dylan’s Carnegie Hall debut performance

By Steven Brodsky

… nearly 62 years ago, on Saturday, November 4, 1961. Reportedly, 53 people purchased tickets to see the then 20-year old Dylan perform in a small auditorium that was located in Carnegie Hall. Tickets were priced at $2.00.

Bob Dylan did not perform “Blowin’ in the Wind.”

The song hadn’t been released nor had it been recorded.

Bob Dylan recorded “Blowin’ in the Wind” on July 9, 1962 at Columbia Recording Studios.

The recording was released on the A-side of a single on August 13, 1963 (the B-side is “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”); it appears as a track on the album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, released on May 27, 1963.

Bob Dylan’s Philadelphia debut didn’t draw much of crowd either, as this concert too was performed prior to the release of “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Gene Shay invited Dylan to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to perform the concert. The concert took place on Saturday, May 3, 1963 at the Philadelphia Ethical Society building on Rittenhouse Square. Approximately 45 people were in attendance. Tickets were priced at $1.50.

A few months before Bob Dylan’s Philadelphia debut, Dylan performed “Blowin’ in the Wind” on a television show:

Gene Shay told me that Dylan’s Philadelphia debut concert almost didn’t take place: the sound system components for the concert were inaccessible.

Gene Shay passed away from COVID-19 on April 17, 2020. He is greatly missed.

Posted 10-4-23

There’s a bluebird in many hearts

By Steven Brodsky

… whose presence may be more apparent today, the birthday of Charles Bukowski (August 16, 1920 – March 9, 1994).

A recitation of Charles Bukowski’s “Bluebird”:

Miranda Lambert co-wrote and recorded “Bluebird.” The song was penned with some inspiration from the same-named Bukowski poem.

The 2020 CMA Music Video of the Year:

Charles Bukowski’s birthday was referenced yesterday in this section of the Entertainment, Culture and More column: Conversations With Writers And More delcoculturevultures.com.

Posted 8-16-23

Shel Silverstein’s ‘A Boy Named Sue’ was released by Johnny Cash 54 years ago, on July 26, 1969

By Steven Brodsky

Shel Silverstein, a creative genius, wrote many other songs. He was a children’s book author, a cartoonist, and he was a poet. Read about the life of Shel Silverstein in the book A Boy Named Shel, by Lisa Rogak.

Posted 7-26-23

‘I was glad to get it over with, and I thought that would be the last of it.’

By Steven Brodsky

… said Freddy Fender about recording “Before the Next Teardrop Falls.”

Of course, it wasn’t the last of it: many millions of people would hear and adore the record.

“Before the Next Teardrop Falls” was released on February 1, 1975.

It arrived at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on May 31, 1975 (and would remain on that chart for a total of 21 weeks).

On the 48th anniversary of the record reaching the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, enjoy:

Freddy Fender was born Baldemar Huerta, in 1937, in a Texas border town. He was the son of migrant workers.

Freddy Fender served in the U.S. Marines for three years.

After his discharge, he achieved recognition as a singer of Spanish translations of rock and roll and other songs.

In 1960, his release of “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” took off in the U.S. This national breakthrough was soon tamped down by a prison sentence. He served nearly three years of a five-year sentence in a very tough Louisiana prison for possessing two marijuana joints.

After his prison release, there was a long period of time working various jobs—with music a part-time endeavor.

While Freddy Fender was at work in a car wash, a record producer heard him singing and recognized his voice. Freddy was handed the producer’s business card. The encounter resulted in Freddy returning to recording.

Posted 5-31-23

An unfortunate ‘truth’

By Steven Brodsky

… was learned at seventeen by the song character in this iconic Janis Ian song: Janis Ian – At Seventeen (Audio) – YouTube.

Janis Ian, born in New Jersey on April 7, 1951, turned 71 years old today.

Happy birthday wishes to Janis Ian.

The song begs the question: What “truths,” dear readers, did you or will you learn at seventeen? There are some “truths” that are best unlearned.

Posted 4-7-23

On the 83rd anniversary of Woody Guthrie penning the lyrics to ‘This Land is Your Land’

By Steven Brodsky

Woody Guthrie wrote the lyrics to “This Land is Your Land” on February 23, 1940 in a hotel that was located on the northwest corner of 43rd Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan (Sixth Avenue is now also known as Avenue of the Americas).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cs2woIb2fY&ab_channel=BruceSpringsteen-Topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol0rRdF5L1c&ab_channel=WoodyGuthrie-Topic

Posted 2-23-23

He was the ‘Jackie Robinson of television’; on his ‘show rode the hopes and fears and dreams of millions of people’; his show debuted nationally on November 5, 1956

By Steven Brodsky

… He was Nat King Cole, the first African American to host a television show on nationwide television. That show was The Nat King Cole Show. Today is the 66th anniversary of the national debut of the Nat King Show on NBC TV.

Nat King Cole ranks among the most acclaimed jazz and pop musicians of all time. Born as Nathaniel Adams Coles in Montgomery Alabama in 1919, he would go on to achieve recording and concert performance success that was nearly unmatched by others of his generation. “Mona Lisa,” “Unforgettable,” “The Christmas Song,” are among the nearly 700 songs that he recorded. Well over 100 of Nat King Cole’s records charted. He was a prominent presence on national television shows (he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on six occasions).

The Nat King Cole Show was popular and attracted some of the most sought-after entertainers, but it could not secure a national sponsor (other than a few sponsors for brief periods of time before the show expanded from 15 minutes to a half hour). There were 30 sponsors with cooperative arrangements supporting the show across the country on local stations, but nationwide—not one.

In an essay in the February 1, 1958 issue of Ebony titled “WHY I QUIT MY TV SHOW” by Nat King Cole (as told to Lerone Bennett Jr.), Nat King Cole said, “For 13 months, I was the Jackie Robinson of television… On my show rode the hopes and fears and dreams of millions of people.”

Posted 11-5-22

On a Sunday mornin’ comin’ up

By Steven Brodsky

… Let’s hear from the character in Kris Kristofferson’s “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” in this performance by Johnny Cash:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja0X-ZGDFzs&ab_channel=LiveFromAustinTX.

Yes, “there is something in a Sunday that makes a body feel alone” (or feel in communion with others).

Those twelve words in the lyrics masterfully express the loneliness of the character and deepen the relatability of his experience.

Posted 5-15-22